PARIS

“I had lived in India all my life. Never left the country once. I got used to all the Indian customs, traditions and holidays, and therefore adapted myself to them, permanently. Cricket became an important factor in my life, as I started playing it from an early age. It helped me maintain a balanced life, socially, as well as physically and also developed a skill that I would remember for a lifetime.

I thought I would never have to leave the country, so maybe I could start playing for a team or for a club and pursue it with passion.

I guess I was wrong.

My mum got an amazing job offer in Paris and wow, what a life that must be. Visiting the Eiffel tower, eating croissants, learning french and an entirely new culture! I really got excited thinking about it. Then for a split second it hit me that I had to leave basically everything behind. Where I had come from, what I was used to and where I had grown up.

My dream.

My life had revolved around playing cricket, and now that I was moving away, it forced me to leave it behind and look forward to what was to come.

I was very scared at first. New friends, new life, new culture, new home. Everything was going to change. I had given up all hope after my first day.

The school system seemed fine, and the teachers seemed nice.However, there was nobody who was like me, and worse, there was no cricket.

I hated it here.

Why did I even allow my mum to take up this offer?!.

I felt all these emotions that I never would’ve though I would have to experience.

I felt lost, but then I gave it some thought.

I had come here for my mum and for the amazing opportunity she has in her career. I took all my emotions of anger and frustration and used this to motivate myself to drive forward and use my experiences as a way to help myself fit in.

I go to an international school after all, and there must be so many different cultures; I just had to learn how to adapt.

It’s been a year now, and I have found friends which help me and motivate me to be the best version of myself. I joined a cricket club near by my local area, as well as introduced it to my school.

At first I really didn’t have hope in getting through all of this, but somehow, I got through it.

My experiences, of me, being Indian have helped me achieve and adapt into to the life I am living today, even if it isn’t home.”