Around ten months ago, I moved to the city of Stamford in Connecticut to start a new job. Excited as I was about the job, it also meant leaving my husband behind in Florida and the house that we had made our home for over a year. Moving is always difficult but when you are forced to leave family behind, it becomes a real struggle. Coupled with the thought of chilly winters, not being able to drive and sharing an apartment with strangers... I was completely overwhelmed by this move.
Now, after all these months, I have moved back to Florida and to my husband but Stamford has become a wonderful memory that I would cherish forever. From thinking that I couldn't get out fast enough to actually feeling teary-eyed during my ride to the airport, these few months have made me a better person with amazing people and experiences. Sitting in my home in Florida today, I reminiscence about these past few months and all that it brought with it.
The place: Stamford is a completely different city from Palm Beach Gardens, from the streets to the buildings, from the trees to the weather. Gone were the palm tress, clear blue skies and the wide roads... when I entered Stamford, I was greeted by winding roads, trees covered by snow and cold that permeated to my bones. At first sight, it all felt dreary. But I soon discovered that Stamford was filled with things to do. I learnt to take long walks... I would walk to the train station, walk to get groceries from Target, walk around downtown shopping and eating. I learnt the bus routes and I thank my lucky stars that Stamford has an excellent transport system. Of course it helped that our apartment was in the heart of downtown! All thorough the weekend, we would hear late-night revelers enjoying on the streets. It was filled with hustle-bustle and I loved it. Everything that I needed was a five or ten minute walk away. I also loved the pretty little houses with flowery gardens in spring and golden hued trees in autumn. Taking train rides through picturesque New England was another experience I enjoyed a lot. The cherry on the cake? New York city is only an hour away by train and seeing as it is probably my favorite city, that was the biggest selling point for me!
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| Autumn in Stamford... |
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| Stamford Spring... |
Old friends: When I was told about the opportunity to move to Stamford, I was desperately looking for any acquaintance who might be in nearby areas. Little did I know that one of my oldest and best friends was just a few hours away in the same state! Once we discovered the train route connecting us (and only a three hour journey), there was nothing better than meeting up whenever we wanted, spending weekends together and going on memorable trips. I think one of the best things about moving to Stamford was having my oldest friend so near to me. From school buddies to college room-mates to Infosys colleagues (this one did come around a full circle) to staying in the same state in a foreign country... we have come a long way. And even though we are back to staying in different states, we do tend to end up in the same places! Keya, this one is dedicated to all our years together...
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| Besties... |
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| One last party! |
And new friends: This one was tricky and a real stroke of luck! I almost did not move into that apartment, someone else almost came to stay, we almost ended up just as room-mates and not as friends. But the stars were aligned and lady luck was on my side. I met some people who quickly became very close to me. We went out together, had some very fun Friday nights, cooked some tasty dishes and even managed a very memorable trip to Niagara together! Finding room-mates who are tolerable is difficult enough, finding ones who become friends is more than you can hope for. I consider myself lucky that I met these girls who helped make my time away from my husband easier and also made it pretty special. I'll always cherish the long walks and talks with Deepali, the fun and partying with Dimple and teasing Brindha (and not to forget the delicious food she made!).
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| Boating in New York |
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| Diwali party! |
Toastmasters: I believe that one should always try to learn new things, conquer new territories and reinvent oneself. This was my motivation behind wanting to join Toastmasters, the international organization for public speaking and leadership skills. As soon as I settled down in Stamford, I searched for the nearest Toastmasters club and joined it. To say that Greater Stamford Toastmasters had a positive impact on my life would be an understatement! This club gave me the encouragement I needed to be a good public speaker, the opportunity to show leadership skills and most of all, the chance to meet some very talented and extremely friendly people. Every Tuesday, I looked forward to 7 pm when I would forget everything else and just have a great time.
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| Small achievements...! |
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| Humorous contest! |
A new hobby: Sometimes situations just motivate us to try something new. I had never been into fitness and exercise and would probably have continued that way. But Stamford, in a weird way, motivated me to get off the couch and get out on the road. Every day I would watch people running on the sidewalks and one day I decided to try it for myself. Initially it started out as walks through Stamford downtown in an attempt to explore the city. This turned into evening jogs after work when I would explore new streets every day. I realized that I really enjoyed running but summer evenings were hot and I wasn't being able to do it for a long time. So, I switched to early mornings and suddenly I was waking up early to go running in a school running field. People who know me, know the kind of attachment I have to my bed in the morning. To leave it for exercising is something that surprised even me! But there you have it, when you really enjoy something, you will make time for it. And of course, before leaving Stamford, I managed to participate in a 5k run which was something I really wanted to do.
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| My running track... |
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| After running 5k... |
In a nutshell, my time in Stamford helped me grow as a person because it was the first time I was completely on my own. And instead of letting that overwhelm me, I actually had great experiences, met new people and learned new things. Today I miss all these but I'm sure this personal growth will help me in my life ahead!
