Friends are the one thing that can change the outlook of anything that is happening in our lives. Having their mere presence can amplify any happiness.
Growing up as a kid whose father worked in the Indian Air Force, I had to switch cities a lot. While it meant I got to make new friends every 3-5 years, it also meant losing most of my friends whenever I changed places. Each new transfer meant saying goodbye to old friends and diving into a new adventure.
One thing that remained constant throughout was my longing for a real sense of home. Home wasn’t just a physical place for me - it was the warmth of the friendships I made, the laughter I shared with my classmates, and the nostalgic memories of my childhood
Although I was born in Assam, I started school in Barnala, Punjab and stayed there till 3rd grade. Apart from a few memories, I don’t remember much of how my friends were back there.
Finding Solidarity in the Hills of Gujarat
Kendriya Vidyalaya AFS Samana, Jamnagar, Gujarat
After Punjab, we went to Samana, the hilly station on the outskirts of Jamnagar, Gujarat. That was the most peaceful place I’ve ever spent my life in yet. I made some solid friends back there. Most of them were locals and some were my fellow “Transfer Kids” whose father also served in the Air Force.
I don’t know if you’d call it childlike innocence or what but we never thought of exchanging phone numbers. This according to me was one huge mistake as even if I want to I can’t call any of my Gujarati friends now. I remember during lunch breaks we used to share our lunch and one of my friends knew that I liked Khakhra very much so he used to bring an extra box packed just for me. Man those were some very good times.
Embracing the Tashan of Delhi
Air Force Station Bani Camp, Najafgarh, New Delhi
After Samana, we transferred to Najafgarh, New Delhi. This is one of the most fascinating places I’ve ever visited. The sheer Tashan with which Delhi people carry themselves is something else I’ve to say.
I stayed in Delhi from 7th grade to 12th grade. This was one of my most enjoyable periods of school. Although If I’m being honest I didn’t like it there for a good 2 years initially.
But Delhi is like that, it grows on you. Once you get used to it, you won’t want to leave it no matter what. The friends I made there are still some of my best friends who I can talk to any time I want and I know they’d love to listen.
From Delhi’s Bustle to Pune’s Quiet: A Shift in Perspective
Our stay in Delhi came to an end after I graduated 12th grade. Although Dad had been posted to Pune a year earlier, due to my and my twin sister’s 12th board exams, he had extended our period of stay in Delhi.
After bidding farewell to Delhi, came Pune. I still remember the change in the quality of air the moment I landed off the plane. It was like a cool breeze of ice was flowing in the air, so pure, so gentle.
My stay in Pune was very short. Just shy of 2 years. I had decided to take a “Drop Year” for my JEE entrance exams. And on top of that, COVID came the same year. So couldn’t make any new friends as our Camp was extra strict about COVID protocols restricting the outing of the residents to a minimum.
Even though there wasn’t much human connection to Pune, it still has a special place in my heart. The lush green environments, the constant noise of aeroplanes taking off(The Pune Airport was just some 100s of metres away from our quarter in the Air Force Camp), the bomb Vada Pav have made memories which I still cherish.
Returning Home: Navigating New Beginnings in Odisha
After Dad retired in 2021, we went back to our native state, Odisha. Since our house was still being built, we rented a place in Cuttack. Even though our home is built now, I still haven’t lived there for long as my college started when Covid was declining.
Exploring Southern Shores: Discovering Pondicherry
Photograph courtesy of my friend @Jasbir_101
In November 2021, I went to Pondicherry as the offline session of my college had started. It was a very different feeling for me, as I’d never put my foot in the Southern part of India. The cultural shift was very real. It was quite hard navigating here in the beginning due to the huge language barrier. Although most people do understand English here, many people still struggle to converse/understand English. But that’s a small minority and it’s not that difficult to live here even if you don’t know the local language.
Even with the language barrier, I’ve still managed to create some wonderful friendships here. Thinking that my college life is coming to an end in a month is really making me very nostalgic and reminiscing all the wonderful time I’ve spent here.
Reflections on this Journey: Embracing Life’s Trade-offs
The one thing I learned from this experience is that life is a series of trade-offs. For every goodbye, there is a hello waiting to be embraced.
Although I liked the experience of going to different places in the country, I still sometimes wonder what it could’ve been to just stay in one place and make Friends for life.
I guess you can’t have it all can you?