Change is a Constant Companion  

I know how we all are afraid of change. In fact, once upon a time I was you. I hated every time my routine had to get fluctuated due to the change in situations and timings. By the way who am I and why am I here? Born in Indore and brought up in Dubai. I am none other than a girl who has overcome most of her fears. A girl who has seen step downs of life in so many different ways and yet has got the nerve to fight back even better than before.

I have not just changed two countries but also acquired many different cultures on the way. I have had friends from different parts of India; Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, Kerala, Gujarat, Goa and so on, not just that, even from UK, Egypt, Russia, Pakistan, Nepal etc. United Arab Emirates has people from all over the world coming together to celebrate secularism like no other!

I spent 13 years in this country and I never sat down to think why, was I in love with it knowing the fact that it could never be mine. Was it because of the glitter and glam that Jumeirah offers or was it because of the deep roots that run through Bur Dubai? Was it the intoxicating smell of hard work that runs through Deira or was it the sound of peace that floated across the Bungalows of Al Warqa?

For most people Dubai is just a city to shop, visit and have fun; the beaches, desert safari and the indoor snow but, what about me? For me, Dubai is my foster home. I am a child of another mother I know, I might never have forever.

The packets of ‘Oman Chips’, ‘Lulu Hypermarket’, ‘Lamcy Plaza’, IKEA, ‘Dubai Airport Freezone Metro Station’ and the ‘Orange and Yellow Juice Boxes’ is what makes my memories of Dubai even more special. Dubai, UAE is a feeling of freedom of safety! I will never belong to this country however hard I try but, this country will always belong to me.

Despite all my love for Dubai, my schooling was very ordinary like every other NRI. But, yet the environment at my ‘home sweet home’ was not very comfy. I always wanted to run away to create a total different identity of my own. My parents provided me with a great education in a city abroad but, they could never give me the mental peace I wanted at home.

And so, studying primary, middle school and high school from Dubai was not really my choice but, as soon as I finished my 12^th Boards, I decided to get back to India and pursue Journalism and Mass Communication from Jaipur. My decision was very firm and spontaneous. Today, I can say that I could never regret coming back to India. The Indians here are so different from the ones I met back in Dubai. I suppose NRI’s have a total different vibe.

Once again, my university life hammered my routine. I studied in an all-girls school, I have always had female friends since I started learning Arabic in Grade 1. Coming down here brought me to an atmosphere where I started recognizing the other gender. At first, it was so difficult to create a conversation but today, having to make a new male friend has become a cup of tea. In my university life I have learnt so much;

From being afraid of displaying my cuckooness to openly dancing and making everyone happy. From letting go of mugging up every answer to learning that practical essence of knowledge matters the most. From being a sensitive little kid and taking every little emotion seriously to becoming a sensible, beautiful, strong woman. From being the one who used to think ‘people who induce themselves to intoxication have a bad character’ to being the one who now knows that people are way more than what they ever show. From being that person who used to have a ‘to-do’ list to being the one who concentrates on ‘the now-the present’ factor.

From being a girl who used to be afraid of change has now accepted that change is the best constant companion because, it is the change that gives you experiences; be it good or bad and further make you a stronger person! It’s pretty obvious that you will never be ready for what’s going to come and that’s what the real challenge.

 Who am I? I am a girl who loves to travel and read, who is an optimistic enthusiast, with a tint of being a spontaneous brat and who wishes to be a successful Radio Jokey and a Feature Writer. I don’t know what the future holds for me, all I know is that I have begun to enjoy the present and even when life gets my plans backfired, I know I will come around with a whole new one and make myself proud! And I hope you do the same because life is so much more than a small failure.

P.S Notice the change of colors in my hair dip dye and also note my haircuts. That’s an example of how one adapts to a change; good or bad. I never liked all the experiments I did with my hair but, I learnt to adapt to them gradually.

Anandita Sharma

Going to be RJ & Writer