Countdown to India..emotional

It still has not hit me that I have just two more days in US.

This has been my home for 11 years and so its hard for me to believe that I

will be going anywhere at all.

But,I am..

There are so many emotions that are sort of swirling in my head right now like a tornado.

Thats why when my friends here ask me how I am feeling at this point about going back,I

am stuck and don't know what to say and where to start.

I am undoubtedly happy that I will be going to my hometown,set up my home and

have my whole family around.Bengalooru is a happening place right now,so its definitely

going to be exciting.

But at the same time,I am leaving behind so many friends and memories.

I have been very lucky that from the first day that I landed here,every minute has

been wonderful.

I set up my home here,my kids were born here,we traveled the world from here,

traveled all over US,had the best time.

But,now its all in my mind and in the hundreds of pictures we have taken.

My home is also one of those unusual places in US where I have such wonderful ,easygoing neighbors and my children have so many friends to play with if they just step out of the house.

No playdates and no setting up timings to play.They all play till it gets dark.

I always have to hear from my family in India how I have to struggle without maids here and how I have lived a tough life doing everything on my own.But even for one moment I have not felt that way.I really have enjoyed taking care of my home and doing my house work is not a burden to me.In fact my life here has been too easy.

I also hear my family in India tell me,"oh you dont have to worry,we get everything in India now.There are malls just like in US,you get all the Italian and mexican food,etc"

I know that too,but that does not make it easier to forget or let go of my life that I have lived for the past decade.
That is why I feel,nobody really understands what I am going through right now other than
people like me who have gone back to settle in India.
It seems strange that I have to feel so bad leaving US when I should be happy to be going back to my own country.
But its human nature that we feel a sense of belonging where our home is.
That is one reason I am sort of consoling myself saying I will soon feel a sense of belonging in
India too once I set up my house and slowly start get attached to my new home.
As they say,time heals eveything...
But US,especially Bay area,especially Fremont will hold a very special place in my heart forever..

Container loads today

Today is one of the important days of our move.
Our container is coming to our house to load all our stuff .
The ship leaves tomorrow.
We were packing till 2 a.m. last night.
Its a lot of work and I am really proud that Srini and I were able to co-ordinate
and work like a well oiled machine putting all this together.
I have been working on this for the past one year and it has really helped.
We did not get overwhelmed towards the end.
Our estimation of packing material needed was also perfect.
Nothing got wasted.
Amidst all this,Samhita has her Spring Program today.
I need to attend that.Then rush back again to the Public Storage to oversee the loading.
I am waiting for the day to end .
Once the container is loaded,then a big job is done...at least for now!
But I have to compliment my kids on how they have taken all this.
They have been sleeping among boxes for the past one month.
There is no place to walk,sit or eat,and I have not heard a peep from them
complaining about anything.
They are very mature and understand the reasons for the house being this way and
the inconveniences it is causing.
They eat whatever is given,do their homework in a corner,help out a little bit when they feel
like,or they play with their friends(who are also equally adjusting!).
But I think such times are important practical life lessons for them.
I am hoping from today onwards,until we leave next week,I will be able to do
some interesting things with them and give myself and them a break from all this work!

Countdown has begun..Packing

I have been wanting to write for the last one month.
We have 10 days left to go back to India for good.
To summarize,for the past one month,from the minute I wake up,I plan my day out.
Once my kids are in school,I take my list for the day and start buying things.
Whatever I think is going to be useful in india,I buy.
I am hoping I have not bought too much,or anything thats not necessary.
But at the same time I feel,might as well buy when I see than go back and regret not having bought.
I then get back home when my kids are back from school,sort what I have bought,pack them,put them in boxes and label them.
but in the past two weeks things have been really ramping up,not only on the shopping and packing side,but closing shop at home too.
My groceries are depleting,all the clothes for my family has been packed,leaving only a few essential clothes to use.
We are also taking out things from all corners of the house,sorting them,throwing some,keeping some,giving away and selling others.
Its one of the toughest and time consuming jobs to do.
But it has to be done.
A good thing that I did was to sell all my household items like furniture,toys,car,TV etc a month ahead of time.Our house is empty,but filled with boxes.
My husband is busy closing accounts,canceling credit cards,etc.
This week is crucial.
Our container leaves in 3 days.We need to have every box ,every item packed,labeled and ready.
I closed my kitchen today.All my kitchen utensils are packed,leftover groceries need to be given away.We are getting food catered by a nice kannada lady closeby.
I cannot wait for the 17th when my container leaves.One big part of the move would be taken care of.
As much as I had planned out everything for the past one year,its still a lot of work and
somehow ,some things have to be done in the last minute.
The above is all about the packing...But in between all this,I do stop sometimes and all the thoughts and emotions of my life here in the past 11 years come rushing.
I savor them,sigh deeply and get to work again......