OPEN MINDS
Independence — a lesson learnt all by myself in a far away country
Afew months ago, on completing high school, my parents and I decided it was time for me to leave Dubai for the US, just for one reason — to fulfill my journalistic ambitions. The thought of shifting overseas brought mixed feelings. Flashbacks of Dubai’s charm and its vibrant life kept recurring in my mind along with a flash of uncertainty, of not knowing what lies ahead in an unchartered territory.
The US, home to people from all over the world, seemed quite overwhelming, more so when realisation dawned that I would be riding solo — living and studying in a land thousands of miles away from the comforts of my home and my parents. In my entire life in Dubai, my parents have done everything for me, given me all I need — from buying me the coolest gadgets and clothes to giving me a decent livelihood. It felt more like their obligation than my demands.
However, after years of being spoon-fed, the US taught me that life in the outside world is an entirely different ball game, a game which any modern-day teenager can never fully comprehend; the feeling of fighting and studying to earn a livelihood, where nothing comes for free and nothing is easy to get. There is no food ready on the table when you return home from school, no one to clean your room and do your laundry, no cars driven by dad to drop you wherever you want. And most importantly, and sadly, no one to share your day’s experiences. Yes, these are all lessons of life for the sake of learning a worthwhile lesson — independence.
It is a tough lesson learned through experience, where young adults have to replicate or emulate their parents’ progress while at the same time take care of their personal hygiene, earn a livelihood, perform good deeds and fulfill personal goals and purposes. He should depend on his strengths and be self-confident. Self-reliance is the key.
As days pass, I realise I am managing my problems better. My journey across unchartered and dangerous waters was exactly what was required to set the winds in my sails and open my eyes towards independence.