Monday, April 18, 2011

Raise your glasses....

Breathe.... Breathe... and then breathe some more.

A lot of things are brewing up... and some are winding down. It's like a roller coaster, sometimes up and sometimes down, but exciting all the time.
That’s my state of mind right now.
I know I am speaking in circles!!
Breathe... breathe...
There was a question recently: "What are you looking forward to most this year" and I responded: "Change"
And I know, there is more to it than just the word: "Change"
Here it goes-
We are moving, and not just a blog address change, it’s a whole street, apartment, home, and even country change. Yes, ... we are moving out of US. After almost spending a decade here, we are moving. And I don’t know how else to tell you.. but We are moving. To the other side of the pond.
I came to US about 9 years ago with two bags, puppy eyes, big glasses and lots of excitement. I completed my masters with the bestest of friends. We rocked the two years, we burned the mid night oil and travelled in sunny CA. I was super excited at sending the first copy of my pay check home. I was even more proud when I filled my own tax returns. Simple joys! Living with my closest friends made the single-independent-girl-living a whole load of fun! I met the man who scooped me off my feet and very soon, we got married. I moved to his city and enjoyed the process. Met new friends, met my friends-his friends- our friends. We travelled and travelled and then travelled some more. Having my brother on speed dial here did make me miss India less. Life pretty much was work-fun and then some more fun. We along with our friends pretty much painted the town red. Good Times.
Two become three and we move once more. To another city and we three learned to love Chicago... even with the winters, I love this city. Our friends, our late nights, mid-day lunches, email chains, long gossips, girls night, conversations, trips, shopping sprees, V's school, her trips, her milestones, my blogging buddies, work, all of them.

It will be unfair to summarize my decade here.
I will miss it all, not the city(s), not the weather, not the trips, not the locations and not even my barista.

What I will miss are the people! My friends, my family who made my years here, the most formative, fun and full of excitement.

I might have come to US with two over-full bags, but I know when I leave US, I leave with a lot more.... may be more than two lifetimes of memories.

Raise your glasses tonight- To Change! And To new adventures... and look around you and thank all the wonderful people who make life fun no matter where you live.

And yes, today I introduce new Tags in my blog: 'Expat in London', 'Moving to London'

9 comments:

Aparna said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Aparna said...

Good Luck Garima! It will be a lovely time in London :)

Aparna said...

Good luck!!! Exciting times ahead :)

Anonymous said...

Wow! Good luck girl! You are coming to London!!! Am so excited for you. You are coming near me yay! Atleast we both will be in UK!

Suba said...

And I will never forget how we all reconnected in SoCal!! Cheers to a great decade for you and here's to many more in any part of the world!

Teddy with fangs said...

Hi sweety! Moving again...?!
India - US - and now the UK

Wana wish you loads of good luck honey - very proud of you ... love the way you soak it all in and spread the 'good times' like an everlasting fragrance

Love you,
T

GB said...

Glad to know you'll still be keeping your permanent address on the web! I love your attitude through the move--I would be bitchin and gripin................have a good move, it sounds monumental at this stage, moving continents isn't easy! I'm sure you'll find more friends to add to your list (sometimes a rolling stone does pick up moss! :D)

Have a great move, and till you do, please keep blogging!

Happy said...

I do have to give you all the credit for keeping the chin-up, when dealt with such uncertainty. As GB said, Most of us do tend to crib and complain quite a bit when faced with such big changes...great job...keep the chin up...u'll do just fine...and always remember- "life has a funny way of working out :) "

Garima said...

@ Aparna, Thanks I am looking forward to London. It is my first time there.
@Wording my Thhoughts... You are right.. May be we can try meeting up sometime once we setled in. It will be first meeting the across the ocean blogger meet up
@ Suba... I hear you baby... Its like not a day had passes... To many more girl.. to many more!
@ Tina... Girl.. moving in the right direction.. I love the 'everlasting fragrance'
@ GB.. Hugs, that is so sweet and encouraging! I do plan completely to continue blogging.. in ways unknown, it helps me cope up!
@ Happy... aaaw.. babu... Thanks! yes: 'Life does have a funny way of working out' especially when you do it with a fun person like you.. Mr. Happy = Mr. SD!!