Kavita Chhibber

Compared to all those I know, I am fairly young. Sometimes that makes me think that I do not know much about life and have a lot to learn. No matter how old I get or how much I experience the world, there will always be space to absorb more. Usually at my age people do not get to experience different colors of the world. I am sure if I had still been in India, the nation where I was born and lived for fourteen beautiful years, I would have been nothing like what I am today. After moving to the United States I have not only changed in appearance but also have become more mature.

Originally I am from New Delhi, India. New Delhi was the only city in India where I had ever lived. St. Xavier’s was the only school that I ever attended and Kanika Saboo had been my best friend since the first day of school. There are so many events, and memories from my past that still make me smile.

Kanika and I used to play together all the time. She taught me how to tie shoelaces and how to play badminton. I always corrected her if she mispronounced a word. Bicycling, was our pastime. Whenever I was at her house and we had lunch or dinner together, both of us ate from the same plate. Kanika was my very first friend who understood me well and whom I understood the same way.

Later I met Srishti, whom I called Chhichhi. She was sweet and innocent. After talking to her people got the impression she did not know much about the world, which made her even more endearing. We used to dance and sing together, specially on Shahrukh Khan songs. I teased her all the time, often making her cry. And then always ending up apologizing, cracking a few jokes and finally making her smile. After accomplishing my task of making Srishti happy, I went back to teasing her. Oh! I miss those great days.

I was living a beautiful life in India. Although, America is said to be the land of opportunity, the news of moving here turned my world upside down. I suppose I should have been really excited but both my brother and I, did not want to leave India. I did not protest about it but America turned out to be the land of misery. I never knew crossing over could be so hard. I knew the language, so that was not the problem at all. It is just that I was not ready and that people were not as friendly as I thought they would be.

I still remember the first day of school. It was August 13, 2001, I was wearing khakis with a girlish design on the side of the pants and a green top with my black and white sports shoes. My hair were really, really short and I was wearing the same earrings that I am wearing today. A school bus came in and the students sitting at the back saw me and started laughing. I looked at the scene and could not make out what was happening. Then I walked towards my class, which was trailer 31, Ms. Durden’s English-I class. As I entered the room I saw students sitting, standing and talking. I shifted my eyes to the board, looked for my name and went at the back to sit on my assigned seat. I sat there, with my right hand on the table and the left hand on top of it. My eyes went from one person to another, observing what was happening. The bell rang and everybody took their seats. The announcements came on and everybody, including myself, stood up to say the pledge of allegiance. I did not know the words, so I just listened to what everybody else said with my right hand on the left side of my chest.

Days went by and I started getting used to the accent, and my only goal was to make friends. Although I tried my best, everybody looked pre-occupied. It seemed as if there was no space for another person. I looked for some Indians to become friends with and always smiled whenever I saw an Indian face, never getting a smile in return. In the past I never found a reason to cry, but now I often found tears filling my eyes, as I struggled with rejection and loneliness. During lunch, I sat at a table all alone, eating whatever I had in my lunch bag. A number of times, while eating, I sat there lost in my dreams of the India I had left behind and my friends. When the tears stung my eyes, I looked down and pretended that something was irritating them.

One day I met Iqra Khan during lunch. As always I was sitting on an empty table. She came and sat in front of me, introduced herself and asked me the usual questions – what is your name, where are you from, where do you live, etc. etc. Well, the day I talked to her, I felt at least there is someone in this world who cares. She invited me to sit with her friends and herself during lunch. At last I had someone with whom I could sit and talk. We did not talk much in the beginning, but as time has gone by we have become good friends. I hate her at times, but that is what friends often do. Iqra was the very first person in the United States, who made me feel that I existed, and that people did notice me.

It took me a while, but soon I started getting myself back together. It was too late to participate in any extra-curricular activities by that time, so I concentrated on studies; had the highest average in a number of classes. I got involved in many activities when I began tenth grade. From Beta Club and Chess Club to being a Peer Tutor and writing for our school’s Yearbook and Newspaper staff. This and other activities gave me the opportunity of getting to know this alien land and allowed me to become a part of it. I even got nominated to participate in Georgia’s Governor’s Honors Program (GHP). I had never heard of it and did not know what this program was about. My nominating teacher, Mrs. Dwanda A. Brew, told me that about 600 students from all over Georgia attend GHP for six weeks over the summer. A lot of students are nominated, but they have to go through two interviews. Once selected, the area that they are nominated in becomes their major for those six weeks and the students get to choose what they want to minor in after attending orientation. It is certainly not like attending school. Although, the students spend four hours each day, six days a week, in their major and two and half hours each day, five days a week, in their minor, the people they meet and the experience that lies ahead makes attending GHP a worthwhile dream for many. Even the classes are fun; homework is given but it is not graded. I cleared both the interviews and became one of the sixteen Executive Management majors and one of about 630 GHPers. The experience was more fulfilling than expected. Living with Americans of my own age gave me a better understanding of America. Since, everyone came with an open-mind and the willingness to meet new people it was not only easy to talk to the students there, but I left the place after making lasting friendships.

Along with new people and new relationships here in the United States, I have kept in constant touch with old friends. Today just like me, they are also ready for college and are now starting to move to new places. Some have chosen to fly to countries like Australia, Canada, England and the US. It is time that their lives see a change and since I have been through a lot of this already, I will always be by their side whenever they need to vent.

Now, after more than four years of living in the United States I can say that life is not always what we think it is. I have stopped taking life for granted. No one knows what is going to happen the next second, so how can I think that I will be fine where ever I go. One thing that I do is – always smile. Trying to make the stranger, the new comer, or a shy person more comfortable. I have learned that life is all about giving, who cares if I get anything in return or not. I would not be taking anything with me when I die. I came with absolutely nothing in my hands and will definitely go empty handed. All that I can give and get from the people is a little happiness and a few smiles.

Geetali Sharma was born in 1987 in New Delhi, India. At the age of fourteen her family moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Geetali recently graduated from Eagle’s Landing High School and is now a freshman at Georgia State University. She is working towards pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and plans on moving back to India after receiving her MBA and some work experience.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these columns are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the editor/publisher.