Across the Seven Seas

I was checking out my SAT scores online this summer. I saw that I had a 93 percentile, national! I felt like I had just reached the moon. I couldn’t thank my Mom enough for doing what she had six years ago. She delivered the best education without even having known it, without having ever been to college!

I only had eight days to study a completely new pattern of exam and different form of language to get into college here, in the USA. I think I had done pretty well. It wouldn’t have been possible without the help of many people, many situations and the many obstacles I had faced in the past six years.

On June 19, 1999 I completed a total flight time of twenty-three hours and a train ride of six hours to reach Jallandhar, India. The real journey was yet to begin. It was the ride of a lifetime.

I was born in India, but I had never really lived there. I spoke the language but I never learnt the real culture of my motherland. My Mom had thought of sending me to India for about a year just to learn more about my roots. She thought it was best to stay with my maternal Uncle, an Army officer, and Aunt; as a couple they had no children. This was to serve two purposes: The first being that I had no Father figure at home as my parents were divorced; this concerned my Mom. The second fulfillment was that my Uncle and Aunt had the opportunity to take the role of parents, me being their child. I had never met my Uncle and Aunt; I had just heard of them from my other family members. All I knew was that he was in the Indian Army and his birthday was February 14th. I learnt of his birth date, as it was on February 14th, 1999 my Mom called to wish him a happy birthday and the decision was taken to send me to India in the coming June. My mom at first asked me what I thought about it. I replied optimistically, and agreed to endure the new adventure but nonetheless I was a little hesitant within. I was quite self sufficient in the manner that I was pretty good with household chores and I was able to cook simple meals. So I wasn’t worried too much about having to work around the house and being able to get around on my own. As an 11 year old, this sounded like a great field trip.

On my arrival to India I gained admission into a private Army school, which started a week after I got there. I found it very hard to fit in at first, and adjusting to the load of homework and school requirements. The school system here and there contrasted greatly. I was asked to put in much more effort in seventh grade in India than the kids in school here have to put in at that stage. From then on I began to work as hard as I could to adjust to the situation.

The worldly perspective from there is a lot different than it is from here.