No place like home!

Ever since I was 13, I just couldn't wait to get away from Fuvahmulah. I considered it a small town, and my parents were over protective, and I was the eldest daughter and I had 4 annoying little sisters. I just wanted to go away, as far away as I possibly could. I know there are many of the teenagers in Fuvahmulah who'd want the same thing. I know, I can relate, because I was once just like that.

I had it pretty good there, almost everyone knew me and respected me, all the teachers in my school knew me, the younger students knew me either because I helped choreograph that dance for SAARC or because I taught in my High School or because I worked in the Atoll Hospital or the Atoll Council or because I was the School Captain or because I got Best All Rounder not once, but twice or maybe because I got National Top Ten 1st place. I had amazing friends who were always there for me and things always got so crazy when we got together.  But I wanted to see the world, I wanted to live every Fuvahmulah teenager's dream, I wanted to live abroad!

So here I am, 4500 miles and 6-hours-ahead-in-time-difference away from home, and it has been just a month since I came here, but I already know what no student studying abroad ever told me before- there is no place like home!

I miss my family, yes, the overprotective parents and the annoying little sisters. I realise now that all those things were their way of showing me that they loved me. What wouldn't I give to just go back and be in the safe haven of my home, sharing a room with my teenage sister, get annoyed by the 7 year old and be fully entertained by how the 2 year old baby sister learns new words everyday! It might sound like random ramblings to someone who never had to get out of their comfort zone, someone who never lived in a place where no one else spoke their language.

I miss the tiny town, I miss the familiar roads, I miss the fun rides my friends and I went to, I miss the trips my family and I took to the Thundi, the lake, I miss the delicious dishes mom made, I miss how Mom is there to take care of me when I'm sick, I miss how random people I meet on the streets would ask me about my study plans, I miss every little thing about Fuvahmulah~!

So, to all of you who just can't wait to get away from home, let me tell you. Sure, I might have fun with my friends here, sure, we might  go to parties and visit cool places, and the unlimited freedom and the thought of having nobody else to tell you what to do may seem really appealing, but when it finally happens, specially when there are no Maldivians, let alone some one from your own island there with you, you would soon be feeling homesick. Very very homesick! You would totally be willing to be told what to do, to be annoyed by your little sisters and to get used to pizzas and submarines being only an occasional treat, just to have the comforts of a home.

If you are lucky enough to still be at home, enjoy it, savour every moment. Because when you leave, you are going to miss it- a lot! I know, because I've been there!

There is no place like home because the places and the people at home cannot be replaced.

Sometimes the only thing that overpowers the overwhelming feeling of homesickness is the thought that,

"You can change your hair and you can change your clothes
You can change your mind, that's just the way it goes
You can say goodbye and you can say hello
But you'll always find your way back home

You can change your style, you can change your jeans
You can learn to fly and you can chase your dreams
You can laugh and cry but everybody knows
You'll always find your way back home

Where they know exactly who you are
Where the real you is the superstar
You know it's never too far away"