a thousand thank yous

 I write this through the eyes of a newly turned 22 year old. I wonder if I am any wiser, but I know that I am very blessed.

 To my flatmates, thank you for turning off the lights at midnight and for the ‘lighter cake’! For singing my first Happy Birthday and making me feel so at home. To my workmates, for a hundred birthday handshakes, and for gleeful birthday hugs! For giving me an easy day and letting me run off early.

 To Magda, thank you for the beautiful purse, and for being home to calm me before I left: to advise me on what to wear and offer reassuring words. To Pasha, for saying wow! To the T Nagar flat, for jumping on me in the lobby and turning up first. For lounging with me on the corner bed while the rains raged overhead (if only we had had longer).

 To the wonderful management at The Park, thank you for so calmly moving us to club, and for giving us umbrellas. For the beautiful birthday cake and the extra bottle of champagne. To Ieva and the Shenoy Nagar family: for ‘swimming’ to the party (!), and for the beautiful jewellery. To Brian for the Chinese gifts!

 To Vikas and Brammanand, thank you for the perfect present and the beautiful flowers. To Nienke, for being my friend as soon as my flight had landed; for our ladies toilet gossip, our matching necklaces, and your beautiful smile. To Amelia, for all your generosity, for that special present, and for being my piece of home!

 To the AIESEC boys, thank you for the forbidden photographs, and for chilling with me on the balcony. For all night dancing, for Indian dancing (!), for keeping me so safe. For the pink rug! To Leevin: for making it all happen, for answering your phone, for the flowers and the cake and the DJ birthday wishes. Thank you, truly.

 To everyone: thank you for coming, despite the terrible rains. Thank you for a hundred Happy Birthday songs, for spinning me around on the dance floor, and for holding my hand to steady me. Thank you for such warmth and friendship, though I am so new to Chennai: I am away from home, but you are making this home.

 Thank you, a thousand times over.

 —
 See the carnage here!

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chennai!

 “Ok, so, 13-08-2007 … until … 21-12-2007 … DONE!” said my telephone interviewer. I’m going to Chennai!

 I’ve been accepted for the role of Guest Relations Executive for five months at the five star Taj Coromandel in Chennai. AIESEC have done it again: with their help, I am once more off to India.

 Phoning around, trying to get a quote on flights, a lady commented that I was “planning for quite a long holiday”. She then asked me: “Are you going home?”

 Perhaps it was just my ruined English accent deciding to be Indian that day. Or, perhaps she was actually onto something.

 Somehow, India does feel like home.

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