Trending Immigrant To Trending Mom…

Nostalgia… Every so often, I encounter something whether it be a sound or smell that takes me back to a place and time I am all too familiar with.  Although my early childhood memories are minimal, there are some things I will never forget… Some of these include the smell of fresh milk, the taste of mango, and even a smell that still lingers from a tattered suitcases we used during our travels.  All of these and more make me nostalgic.

My Grand Entrance… My life in this world began in Calcutta, India 1975. 
My parents were originally from Delhi and had moved to Calcutta because of my fathers employment.  I have heard through many people that there are few things we remember during the first few years of our life.  When referring to my children, I cannot believe the amount of people who say things like, don’t worry about this or that.  She wont even remember in a few years.  I simply smile and nod knowing full well that they are oh so very wrong.  My girls are four and five.  I have vivid memories, which have been confirmed by my mother and father from age 2.  Some maybe even earlier in life but I am not 100%.

The ones that stand out most are either very positive, or they affected me so much that they still bring me a bit of sadness.  I can remember squashing ants with my fingers on our terrace.  A typical family day included going to a club we were members of.  I remember one afternoon at the club, I randomly stumbled upon a couple who were picnicking.  Since they offered me some of their food, I thought it only kind to befriend them.  Well, I must have felt very comfortable with my newfound friends since I told them all about the fight my parents had the night before.  While I was stuffing my face and divulging too much information, my mother had been looking for me.  Her timing could not have been worse when she finally found me.  I was just about to take a sip of the tea my new friends poured for me when I heard my mother… The lovely couple, who I thought were my friends didn’t turn out to be so lovely.  Rather than keep our conversation confidential, which is what most “friends” would do, they chose to let my mother know EVERYTHING I said.  Fortunately, my mother just laughed.

My FONDEST Memory Living In India… While my father was setting up our new home base, my mother and I were taking a train back to Delhi before our big move.  During the train ride, I came down with the mumps.  My temperature was 105 degrees and I remember my mother being so scared.  We both felt pretty alone at that time.  Although I do not remember our arrival to Delhi or much about that trip, I do remember my grandfather.  It was the last time I saw him.  My grandfather, on my mother’s side, was not the most social man nor would one think that he was excellent with children.  From what I have been told, he was a bit distant during my mothers childhood from his four children.  He worked and traveled a lot.  He was an important man, with strong values.  Highly intelligent and could come off cold.  My experience with him was quite the contrary.  Waking up one morning, the air seemed fresh, the sun was shining and as always, my grandfather was sitting by the garden, soaking up the morning air and drinking a cup of tea.  I dressed quickly and went to the garden to be near him.  Greeted with a smile, we chatted for quite some time.  At some point during the morning, I ran to him and jumped into his arms.  He picked me up and swung me around as I giggled.  That is the single best memory I have to date with the exception of the birth of my children.

Moving On And New Beginnings…

We moved shortly after our arrival to Delhi.  After a few years of traveling, including a 2 year stay in Canada,
my family was relocated to Massachusetts…  Along the way, a few interesting things happened.  At age 6, my mother was pushing me on a swing in Canada and started speaking to me in Hindi.  I was fluent in 3 languages.  Hindi, Bengali and English.  When we moved, the primary language we spoke was English because my parents wanted me to strengthen it since we were no longer in India.  They did not anticipate going back in the near future.  Unfortunately, after only a month or so of not speaking in Hindi, I did not understand a single word my mother was saying.  We were both shocked.  It was upsetting and confusing for me.  I am still not sure how that happened but it did.  I still cannot speak Hindi very well but am determined to learn again.

My Very Own Bedroom… Going back to my first day in Canada, I remember arriving at our apartment and my father wanting to show me my new room.  My new room?  I never had a room of my own.  Living in India, my parents and I actually shared a bedroom.  I could not control my excitement and was surely ready to sleep in a room of my own.  Things were so different and so much more comfortable than what I was used to.  My room was beautiful!  It had a bed, and shelves and cabinets which were all mine, brand new, and really ALL MINE!  My father had also bought me two fluffy stuffed animals.  A bunny rabbit and a teddy bear.
They were the 1st stuffed animals I ever had.  They were perfect!