After all of the preparations… I was ready to fly. Fly into a world which was totally new to me. Where I was unaware of everything and everything was unaware of me. A place where I could be free to explore myself and become a better person for the world!
When we were leaving for the Mumbai airport, my dad’s friend came along to support my dad!! Till the time I entered and did my check in all of them my brother, uncle, aunty, mom and dad were outside saying a goodbye. When I was out of sight my mom started realising I won’t be with them for one year, tears rolled down her cheeks and slowly the journey of filling buckets started😅. I sat in the plane my mind imagining how exciting that year was going to be. I started thinking how my parents are going to live without me…and then I started typing.
The text I had written couldn’t be sent till I reached the Ethiopian airlines, where I could get WiFi 🤷.
When the air hostess started serving juice and food, I started filling my stomach with a lot of apple juice…because the food was awfull for me. I did not even think of eating it twice🙈🙈. Interesting part about this will come in my last blog🙈🤫😅😅.
After the 7 hour journey, I reached Ethiopia. The first thing which came in my mind was..
“Will I be kidnapped on the airport during my 3 hour layover here!?”
That thought of being kidnapped also was terrifying but the next thought which flashed my mind was “How will they communicate? Because I didn’t know Ethiopian language or any African language, surely the kidnappers won’t know English, if they would they wouldn’t do a thing like kidnapping!!”
I knew that thought was useless🤦 but over thinking was the only thing I did when I had nothing to do!
During all of these scary thoughts I remembered I had written a text to my Biological (You will come to know why I used this word soon) parents!! The awaiting moment after reading my first blog has come😅😅
And so I connected the WiFi and quickly sent them this message👇
Here it goes…
“Finally the day has arrived..I will be in Brazil without you both for the next 12 months. All those imaginations of being independent were going to become true now!
Will I really be able to live without you both?
1 year in a new country with new people, learning new languages and a totally different environment, exploring the place and more importantly exploring myself to the fullest..
It seems a wonderful experience and it surely will be! But listening to the other people that they would not have sent their daughter if they were in my parent’s shoes is very saddening.. And I feel very great to have parents like you who have the daring to send me and to trust me in this age..which is very difficult for the others ..
This is a great opportunity. THANK YOU MOM AND DAD for grabbing the opportunity and sending me to have this beautiful experience..
I will try to make the most of it!!
I will keep up the life principles you have given and taught me..
And don’t worry I will enjoy this journey making it the most awesome year of my life ….
Also I do tell I won’t miss you but u know the truth….that I WON’T 😄😄…
ENJOY with your host sons and daughter, which are coming to our home…
Tchau Tchau..
Beijos😘”
It was a small gratitude from my side to thank them!
We children don’t thank our parents and sometimes take them for granted, may be even I have but I would like to thank you both for everything today.
Let it be an IB school like VKE, all those adventure camps and treks, all those small and big trips, my trip to Spain!!!! You never went out of India but sent me for the dance competition..it is a great sacrifice you both have done😍😘 and Of course– Brasil and more importantly your infinite love.
I hope to make you proud one day!
After sending this text…another bucket of tears was filled by my mother!!! She had already started missing me. I, on the other hand, was full of scary thoughts, excitement of catching the next flight, anxiousness of reaching Brazil quickly… Indirectly I was not missing anyone yet!!!!!🙈😋
Soon it was time to fly again from Ethiopia to São Paulo, a 12 hour flight. I boarded and there I was sitting in the plane, off to my new destination. I was going to fly full of different emotions, different attitude all together a different me!
I had already started trying to know about the localities. Beside me was a lady from Sao Paulo. She seemed to be a good person. I talked to her and she gave me some tips about how to be careful and how to easily mingle with Brazilians. She taught me how to greet a person whom you have met for the first time. It was a lovely flight with her. Do you want to know what she told me about greeting a person… She said “To have a good impression run to your host parents and hug them tightly, even if you meet them for the first time, hug them as if you have known them since birth… And you will already conquer their 💓 heart.” When I reached there, we came out together and since we both were hungry she offered me an ice cream. It was the only thing which I had eaten in the last 24 hours🙈🙈🤷.
And then…adventure began… As you read in my first blog👇
My patience had already been tested on the very first day!!!!
And now that they arrived… My next blog will be about how 🥺funny😋 and 🤫confusing🤔 it is to get into conversations😬😧, without having a common language👍👎🤙🙏. Speaking to people who have met you for the ☝️st time and are going to be your 🥰👨👩👧👦👨👩👧👧❤️ ones for the next full year!
See you soon!
Do read my other blogs..
https://indiatobrazil.travel.blog/2019/06/26/how-did-i-reach-brazil/
Exchange Year Diaries 