Change

I've often said, and I have truly come to believe that change is the only constant. Try as hard as you might, this is one thing that is inevitable. My life has, once again, gone through some major changes. I've changed countries, occupations, phone numbers, even some perspectives about people. And all this, in a span of 2 weeks. Now that i'm beginning to settle in the routine of life again, I'm keeping in mind that this routine is only transitory and there will be a time when this too will be different.

I just moved from Milan to Dubai. The two places could not be more different from each other. While Milan has the feel of an Italian big city with Fashion treated like a religion, Dubai is a majorly Asian setup with buzzing life and noisy construction everywhere. Milan was relatively easy-going and chilled out, with dinner and happy hours with friends, with a quiet movie here and there, with frequent shopping escursions, with late night drinks and public transport, with the quintessential European living. Dubai however, is a city of fast life and consumerism , with food joints open till 3 am and cars which look like aircrafts on roads, with some new building or road being built at every corner, with South Asians everywhere and Indian food easily available, with the social circle of other Indian families and a rather modest dress code.

I'm adjusting. It'll be a slow process, but I'll manage somehow. I do miss my apartment in Milan. I do miss living alone. I do find it hard to be told what to do again. I miss cooking for my friends. I miss the aperitivi ( typical Milanese concept of drinks and buffet in the evening). I miss hanging out at my friends' houses. I miss going shopping with them. I miss just laughing with them. I miss the rain and standing in my balcony with my friends looking at hailstorms. I miss the company of my friends when we studied till 4 in the morning for some annoyingly difficult subject. I miss the celebratory lunches after the exams, when we all did well. I miss the long walks to get to Duomo. I miss the feeling that all my closest friends are just a phonecall and maximum half an hour by tram away from me. And most of all, I miss my best friend Mr.Adorable, I miss talking to him for hours, I miss watching Sex and the City at night with him, I miss calling him up when I was feeling low, I miss eating at the kitchen table with him on the other side. I miss his affectionate hugs, I miss his heart-warming laugh, I miss his shoulder on which I've broken down many a time.

I'll get used to it, I'm sure I will. I will get used to my life here and slowly all that I miss will fade away. It will stop piercing my heart so sharply. It'll hurt me less. Soon, I know, I'll get myself busy with the routine here. I'll find new things to miss, I'll find new people to be around. What I will not forget are the moments I spent in Milan, the closeness I've felt with my friends there, the precious bond that we share. My life will change, my feelings towards them will probably not. We will probably not talk to each other often, or see each other often, but I will always care for them, I'll always try to keep them a part of my life, and will always hope that I remain a part of theirs. Yes, change is constant, but so are true friendships.

On to another set of challenges now...on to meet new people...on to a new life...