It was the beginning of my second year in IITM. I had been allotted #110. But to my dismay, when i reached the door, with my five huge bags, filled mostly with clothes which i never wear, just carry them back and forth, between Mumbai and Insti for the just-in-case scenario wherein I might feel like wearing one of them out of the blue, i saw the door locked. With five heavy bags on your shoulder, and half of your stuff still waiting for you in your old room, the situation was the kinds that demand use of the f word to describe them. I went to the office, ran my fingers across the first page of the room list to find
#110 | Iliane Purdue | Foreign Exchange Student
Indignant at the office staff for having given my room to some one else, I waited for her to return. And then she came, with her sunshine smile, bright orange colored shirt, loose pajamas, kolhapuris and a dozen bangles dancing on her wrists. I explained to her that she had accidentally occupied my room. Since she had already laid out her stuff in her room, we decided that I occupy the next room which happened to be empty.
I was uncertain as to what would be the appropriate question to ask her. And i blurted out “Which country are you from?”
Then from all the formal inquiries to trying to cheer her up when she felt out of place to sharing study material and common interests, barging into each other’s room without knocking to discussing crushes and secret admirers, One year later and cultures half the world apart we came a long way!
I would marvel at her enthusiasm for going places. My usual reply would be: You are seeing more places in India in this one year than I have in twenty.
One the last day of my stay for the semester, I was cleaning up when Iliane knocked on the door and asked me for my email id. She was leaving in the evening, for Bangladesh, Nepal and then finally her home in France. As we stood there, her bright smile forcing me to smile back, knowing that this was probably (no, mostly) the last time we would be seeing each other, I tried not to notice the lump in my throat.
Some friendships are special. They may not be the ‘hughs and kisses. we share all our secrets’ kinds. But then they don’t carry the burden of expectaions and obligations with them. You are free to leave because you are not bound in the first place. The time that i spent with Iliane will always be one of the nicer things i will look back to in years to come.
1. I thought I carried too many clothes. Ever heard of charity?
2. Typical foreign clothing in India. They are so obsessed with India, they forget its more of Bharat still.(Get my drift?)
3. How can you discuss secret admirers when the very term means you don’t know them. I smell ducks, paradox. (bad joke, i know)
4. We are extremely ignorant of the beauty around us. Thankfully, shockingly too though, people like her help us realise that there’s India beyond your sight.
5. The best part being she did not have your mail id. You were close, now it seems to me.
6. The most that I have learnt (yes, learnt!) from this post is:
Collect memories to remember when you turn 60. Not a single grandchild, in his single digit years would want any different a grandparent.
Ouch….the vinegar comment. was waiting for it, after all the goody goody stuff!…
the replies, in case u expected any:
1. oops. i didn’t think of it. clothes are too new for it, want to give them another try
2. Got its the drift
3. 1 small lol for this one, yeah the ‘mercy lol’ we talked about :D
4. I know, but it’s more about enthusiasm for traveling rather than realization that India is beautiful…
5. Didn’t have my mail id coz she was my neighbor. didn’t feel the need to have one for that reason.
6. Point taken. U learnt something! :P
And thanks for reaching the end :-)
Senti puts, ay?
Your just-in-case scenario hasn’t happened in two years. Maybe you should get over it. :D
Cute pic.
If I am not wrong, she was there in our German Class too !!! Feels great to have a foreign friend .and Really hugs and kisses ?????
WOW !!!!!
@ Lee: Oh it does, once in a while. and if it doesn’t, blame the humid weather of chennai for it.
@ BG: Ja, du bist richtig. Sie war in unserer Deutschunterricht. It’s a nice experience, having an acquaintance of foreign nationality. Somehow, u are never short of topics when talking to them.
I wish Iliane occupied my room :P