Being an international student comes with its virtues and vices. I moved to New York about 3 years ago as a freshman at college. Like many of the other foreign students, I travelled a long way to get here. 17.5 hours across the Atlantic Ocean, to be precise. I call India home, and it isn’t always easy having two homes that are so far away from each other. However, my move here has taught me a lot about myself and has helped me push my limits.
People often talk about the struggles of being in a new country, alone. Yes, it can be hard. I have spent days missing the comforting spicy aroma of the street foods that wafted through the Calcutta air, the constant din of the centuries old tramcars, the rhythmic Bollywood songs, the thundering cheers of the cricket and football matches, the sweet sounding lilts of the Bengali and Hindi languages. I have missed the incessant energy of unique metropolis and the rainbow of colors it offered in shaping my experiences. However, at the same time, I would not have grown to be the person I am today if I hadn’t made the bold decision of moving halfway across the world.
Kolkata, India. (2017)
Independence; that is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of myself in New York. Not only was I thrown into a completely new environment, but I was also asked to survive on a daily basis by myself. I no longer had my parents to depend on when I didn’t know what to do. Of course, they were always there for me, but there’s only a certain amount that one can do over the phone. Therefore, I learned how to budget my money, how to travel around without a car at my disposal, and how to cook. I also learned how to make important decisions, without having a support system physically by my side.
I learned that I am not defined by just one thing. I have friends who introduce me to people and mention that I’m “from the other side of the world.” I’m okay with that. Being an Indian at a school with few international students sets me apart. But, I’ve learned that I’m not only an “international student.” I’m a friend, a blogger, a writer, a photographer, and an avid follower of concerts around the city. It’s easy to be categorized into one section; however, the more people I meet, the more perspectives I take in. Being in a foreign country has taught me how to open up, how to be more than one thing, and how to overcome my shyness.
I also learned that no matter where I go, I always leave a mark or a part of me behind there. When I went back home after my first year here, I realized how much I had changed. Spending 365 days in a completely new environment made me think differently and experience the world differently. I have always believed that it was the people and the places that shaped me for me, and I feel like my experiences corroborated that statement. I grew more, and going back to India just enhanced me in terms of being whole. The part that I always felt was missing in NY was complete again, only with a slight tweak to the ‘new me.’ New York City, USA. (2017)
Being overseas in not an easy thing. However, it wasn’t as tough as I thought it would be. Times were hard, but I learned how to overcome the obstacles on my own. I’m grateful for the perspectives and traditions I’ve encountered on my adventure so far, and I look forward to learning even more, and meeting new people.
Kolkata, India