My First...........

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CUser%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="time"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> It was my first trip out of <st1:country-region><st1lace>India</st1lace></st1:country-region>, my first trip on a plane and most importantly travelling on my own. Yes, I was flying to <st1:city><st1lace>Melbourne</st1lace></st1:city> to join my husband. My hubby had called me a couple of days before the journey and had asked me to note down everything that I needed to do, from the time I entered Madras International Airport to when I landed in Melbourne Airport, including what and where to find things at Singapore Airport while on transit. I had lots of things to pack and was not sure what to take and what not to take. So then I had to sit down and work a list on what were the most essential and what could we do without for a while. The baggage allowance for a person travelling/migrating the first time to <st1:country-region><st1lace>Australia</st1lace></st1:country-region> is 40kgs. We had more than that and I had to book some of them separately as unaccompanied baggage.

My parents, sister and in-laws had come to see me off at the airport. After check-in, immigration and security clearance, I managed to spot my parents through a glass door and gave them thumbs up, indicating all had gone well and I was waiting then to board the flight. Even from that distance I could see my mum’s eye swell with tears. I think that is the most painful moment in anybody’s life. One of the lady cleaners spotted me crying inside the ladies restroom and she came near me to console. I finally boarded the flight and I had knots in my stomach and a lump in my throat when the flight was building up speed to take off. I closed my eyes and was holding the seat tight fearing that I might fall off or something and possibly did not even breathe for a few seconds. The man sitting next to me knew the score and later asked me if I was travelling the first time. I looked at him and smiled and said nothing more.

Rest of the journey was fine. I had a long transit time at <st1:country-region><st1lace>Singapore</st1lace></st1:country-region> and that is when my dad’s cousin had come to pick me up from the airport. I slept for a while at their place, freshened up and my dad’s cousin took me around some places in <st1:country-region><st1lace>Singapore</st1lace></st1:country-region>, although I do not remember much now. So, <st1:country-region><st1lace>Singapore</st1lace></st1:country-region> was my first overseas city that I had a glance at. Surely impressive! All that I remember now is the cleanliness and how organised everything was.

Singapore-Melbourne flight trip was great too. It went off without much of an issue. It was the first time that I was using a toilet facility in a flight. I was amazed to see how they manage to fit in so many things inside that small compartment. The highlight of Singapore-Melbourne travel possibly was that I travelled in my jeans! Never had I imagined myself to be a person wearing jeans. I have to thank my in-laws for introducing jeans into my wardrobe. My first pair of jeans was a gift from them when I was in <st1:city><st1lace>Madras</st1lace></st1:city> staying with them. Once I managed to parade a bit more comfortably in them, I got a couple more stitched. I was excited to shop for some nice tops to go with them. Of course, I had to buy very loose fitting and long tops/t-shirts so that they would cover my back side. Short tops were a big NO for me because it made me feel exposed! Now, jeans are possibly the most comfortable thing I can ever think of!

Finally landed in Melbourne and I was soooo relieved to see my hubby. We then quickly called my parents and in-laws to advise that I had reached <st1:city><st1lace>Melbourne</st1lace></st1:city>. Riding in the car, sitting beside my hubby, our first stop before we reached home was at McDonalds. Yes, that was my first meal in <st1:city><st1lace>Melbourne</st1lace></st1:city> – a medium sized meal of chicken burger, fries and coke! Then we headed home, got changed and my hubby decided to take me to his friend’s place, where all of them were waiting to see me. So there I met my friends for the first time. I have always been a quiet person and a slow warmer, but I still enjoyed meeting them all and chatted away into the night. The following day was the start to a fresh week. Thankfully hubby’s work then was very close to home. Again he left me with a set of instructions on how to work things in and around the house, before he left for work. Everything was new and I was not sure what button or switch would do what.

Later during the day, our house owner came to visit and say “HELLO” to me. Till then I had not really spoken to anybody other than Indians. When this lady visited, I was not sure if she could follow my accent. But soon found that she herself had a strong accent and so we managed to exchange a few sweet words, and then she left. So, one task was over without much of confusion. Next task was when the people from the stores came to deliver the washing machine and fridge. I was terrified just seeing them because once again I was not sure if they would understand what I was saying and vice versa. But they were very sweet and helped me remove all the packaging and install the fridge and washing machine and left with a “HAVE A NICE DAY!” I replied with a “THANK YOU” and spent the rest of the day trying to set up the house into a home. It was exhausting.

It possibly took us a week to settle down properly, before I started trying out my hand in cooking. Hubby was thrilled at the thought of coming home to have hot lunch. I was never good at cooking. It was time for me to put into use what my mum had taught me. I had started cooking at <st1:time hour="7" minute="0">7am</st1:time> for preparing the lunch. Cabbage subzi, rice and sambar was the menu for that day. It was nothing new to me as I used to make this at home back in <st1:country-region><st1lace>India</st1lace></st1:country-region>. But this was the first time I was making it without mum supervising and wanted it to be at least decent enough for hubby to eat when he came home for lunch. I nearly made it on time. Managed to have a quick shower and was waiting for him to come. Lunch was over in a flash and he had to go back to office. Before leaving, he looked at me and said, “It was good. Try not to burn them next time!”

I remember my first trip on the public trains in <st1:city><st1lace>Melbourne</st1lace></st1:city>. The closest station was about 15 minutes walk from home. My friend and I decided to go out one day. It was exciting. The train looked like a long aluminium biscuit tin from back home in <st1:country-region><st1lace>India</st1lace></st1:country-region>, with wheels, windows and doors. That is exactly what went through my mind when I first saw them. The doors are automatic and close before the train starts moving. It was very secure and nothing to be afraid of. The only point that my friend and I missed noticing was how to get off the train.

Our station was approaching and we went and stood near the door. The train stopped at the station and we heard a beep noise and waited for the doors to open. There were just the two of us trying to get off from that compartment. Another beep noise and the train started moving!! We both did not know what to do. So waited till the next station and again the same thing happened and we missed getting off there too. Then a passenger possibly sensed something was wrong and told us that when the door beeped the first time, we had to actually pull the door open. But the closing was automatic. We both went red due to embarrassment and thanked for the help. We got off at the next station and both of us could not stop laughing at what happened.

Many more such “my first” episodes unfolded from then on, like my first valentine’s day, my first movie, my first theatre show (Phantom of the Opera – that was awesome!), my first time at Formula 1 racecourse, my first visit to the Australian Open Tennis tournament, my first sunburnt experience (where I ended up looking like a roast chicken the following day!), my first job, my first salary….and the list goes on. With each incident I started becoming more and more comfortable with the place and people and self. Except for the extreme cold weather and extreme heat, <st1:city><st1lace>Melbourne</st1lace></st1:city> is a lovely place to be.