Moving to India. A Good Bye to my Home!

"It's over!"  was all we were thinking on June 26, 2012, as we landed on the pure soil of my homeland Karachi, Pakistan. Our Exchange program came to an end but a much harder time had started-the time to be an active YES Alumna. I was dreaming about working with the YES Alumni Pakistan and being a mentor for the kids in next groups of YES Pakistan.
We all met our families at Karachi Airport and said goodbyes to each other with hugs and promises of staying in touch and that we'll hang out later.
As I reached home, I saw that everything in the house was packed. Most of the furniture was gone and  it didn't really look like my house. I turned around and looked at my mom's worried face with confused eyes. She couldn't meet my eyes and my heart started racing faster.
-"We are moving to India. By July 10th!", said my mom.
I froze.
The world around me just stopped. All that I dreamed about my future started swimming in front of my eyes.
- Me, as a successful and active YES Alumna.
- Me, training the YES batch of 2013-2014.
- Me, a medical student at AKU or DOW University.
- Me, a Second year student at AKHSS, K.

Nothing mattered anymore!


I had a thousand questions for my mom. What are you saying? Are you serious? How? When?? Why? When? Why don't I know? Where are we going? For what? What about my school?



Whyyy????

But I couldn't. Speak. At all. It wasn't what I had been expecting when I came back from my exchange year in America.
"We decided to move to India while you were gone. Due to religious reasons. As you know all our relatives have moved there. We don't have religious security here anymore...something something..We didn't tell you 'cause we didn't want you to get worried in America...something something.. We wanted you to be happy...", My mom tried to explain.


Happy? me? For leaving Pakistan? Seriously??
I am speechless. Really.
Yes, I am flexible and can handle everything. And I will handle this moving as well as I can. Yes, I am shocked and took some time to recover myself.


It's true, I am not ready! Will never be. How can I??
It's not just about leaving Karachi, my college, my school, my relatives, my friends.
It's about leaving my whole 16 years of life behind. It's about leaving my YES friends; The most wonderful people I have ever met in my life! I was so impressed by the Alumni network we have and was so excited to be a part of the YES Alumni Pakistan.I wouldn't be able to do that. Or would I??

Yes, It's painful but I am strong.
Yes, It's a very big decision, but I am smart.
Yes, It will change my whole life, but I am flexible.
Yes, I'm dead sad for leaving my friends, but I am good at Moving On.
Yes, my family loves me and I love them the most.
Yes, It's unexpected but I know Waheguru has something good in his mind for me.
Yes, The situation is confusing and I need help but I can make it better because:

- I am going to be a part of YES Alumni India and will serve as a connecting agent between India and Pakistan. I can represent Pakistan there, like another Exchange year.-Now, That's fun! :D

- I will go for Biotechnology in Indian colleges; which I would have to do anyway.

- I will be an AFS Alumna in India (AFS is not in Pakistan).

- I will support my family by being there for them all the time.

- I will use all the tools that I used during my exchange year and make it better.

Wait, this doesn't mean that I will not be a Pakistani anymore!
I always have and will always be Bleeding Green!

I am very thankful to all the Pakistanis I've ever met! I love my YES friends and YES Alumni. You guys have always been there for me whenever I needed help. I really wish I could be an Active YES Alumni Pakistan member. But please don't exclude me from anything. I love YES Pakistan!

Friends, Please don't be strangers. I will really miss each and every one of you! You guys share a special part in my life.
Any concerns, please feel free to ask me anything:
My facebook : http://www.facebook.com/sonam.chawla.58
My twitter: SonamChawla1
My email: chawla.sonam@hotmail.com.

In the end,
Love Pakistan,
Love you all.
Remember me in your precious prayers!
Pakistan Zinbabad! Always!

Water and Us.

You can't completely loose until you decide to not try again. The moment you give up is when you just loose everything.
Yes, I tried and yes I fell. Yes, I am hurt and yes, I am powerless.
Yet, like air, I will Rise!
How do I know? you might ask.
I believe!
Life is not about winning and getting away with everything. It's about learning how to succeed. It's about struggling. it's about your destiny. It's not about just achieving anything you want without any obstacles. But it's about learning how to make your own path.
Our life is just like the unstoppable water. When I say it's unstoppable. I mean it! Why? because if it finds rocks and barriers into it's paths, it makes its own paths and cuts through it. Yes, the big waves break into little ones but they don't loose hope.When they break, they suffer a lot of depression. but they stay strong and believe that they will combine again and then get to their destiny. And that's what happens. After a short period of struggle and stress, the waves join each other. When they join, they gain power. That's how you can succeed. If the water decides to give up, I bet it can and then never reach it's destination. But it does not. That's what we should be doing too!

There's always a time of darkness and barriers in your path when you want something. The trick is to stay calm and strong. This time of failure always ends and the sun of success will shine upon you if you don't give up!