For one last time...

Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

Leaving this country was much harder than I thought it would be. I always thought leaving the UAE and going back home or moving to another country would be a cakewalk. I thought there was nothing that could hold me back. Like all expats, I’ve yearned for a change. Yet, when it was time to leave, there was a blanket of emotions that covered me. I don’t know if I can put all those into words here, but I promise I’ll try my best.

We got back from our mini-vacation to a truckload of pending tasks. We were leaving a country we had called home for 10 years. What started as two clueless kids trying to figure out life, now was a family of three++. You may wonder what those ++ are? Our journey in the UAE was never just the two of us. We had a close-knit friends group that we called family. Our family in our home away from home. Our chosen family. A handful of good humans who stood by us through thick and thin. Some who came along with us as we started our lives here and some who joined us in our journey. I’ve never been good at saying goodbye, and yet I saw myself planning out my calendar to meet our loved ones one last time before we bid farewell.

The final month in the UAE was bittersweet. You know you are loved. But it is in such moments that you realize how loved you are. We visited friends, friends visited us, and everyone made sure to show us the place we had in their hearts. It was overwhelming. I did shed a few tears, but I held on tight to all the love I got. From taking us to our favorite restaurants to heartfelt conversations, we reminisced about the moments we had spent together, knowing that these memories would forever hold a very special place in our hearts.

Amidst the goodbyes, we made sure to make the most of our remaining days in the UAE. We revisited all our favorite spots, our favorite restaurants (oh, the love we got from those places when we told them we were leaving), went for long drives in our trusty VW, and made sure we did everything for ONE LAST TIME. In a parallel world, we were busy meeting buyers and saying goodbye to all our belongings. The final weeks were a perfect blend of nostalgia, discovery, and chaos.

We concluded our final month in the UAE and set foot on the lush soil of our motherland, Kerala. There was an undeniable sense of familiarity. The scent, the music, the traffic, the food, and of course, family and friends. The three of us were so full of life and positivity that even the coronavirus did not spare us. We tested COVID-positive within a week of our visit. But it was definitely a blessing in disguise. Forced to stay home, we made the most of it with our family. With no taste or smell, I indulged myself in all my favorites just out of fear of missing out. FOMO is real! We met some dear dear friends in Kerala who once again showed us pure love. You all know who you are, and I just cannot begin to tell you how valuable those moments were.

As this chapter of my life was nearing its conclusion, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude for the people and places that had enriched my life. The UAE had provided me with countless opportunities for growth and self-discovery, while Kerala served as a reminder of the importance of staying connected to one’s roots. The farewells were bittersweet, yet they were a testament to the bonds formed and the experiences shared.

Change is the only constant, and I was ready to embrace the unknown, forever carrying the beautiful memories of everything I was leaving behind.