Part 1: SHE's with ME

Life has been a wonderful gift to me! Being the only child of my parents, I have always been treated as a princess and whatever I have asked for; I have got that without any delays and questions. And at the same time, I was reserved, logical, practical and an obedient child of my parents. My parents loved me more than anything in the world. They knew what parent’s love means to a growing child. This was because of the fact that my mom’s parents got separated when she was just four and have never got the love from anyone of them; whereas my dad’s parents passed away in a car accident when he was just seven. I think I will not be wrong if I put it like this that life has been very cruel to both of my parents. But since the day they have got married, I think they have started loving the life they have been gifted with. The transformation in their thinking came because they could bring in love in each other’s life, which was earlier missing. Now with each passing day, they wanted to live together forever and love each other. They wanted to live every minute at their disposal and when I came in their life, it was like a heaven on earth for them. They named me Aarshi, which was a combination of both of their names i.e. Aarav and Sakshi. And since childhood, I have had a blessed life, which every child desires for.

I was 18 when I moved to Denmark for further degree. That was for the first time I was getting away from my parents. Rather it was even more difficult for them because their life moves around only one being and that was me. It had been a worst feeling while departing from the airport. The dimming sight of them, as I was getting closer to the airport entrance, was the inexpressible sensation. I felt like going away from my life. The first thought which came to my mind at that time was to question my own decision. My parents are everything to me and moving away from them for just one extra degree is not a wiser decision I have taken. I thought of moving backward to live my life with them. But then my mom’s teaching echoed in my ears, “Life is a bad teacher. It gives you hardest of test to check whether you deserve the best in life or not! And when you pass in those tests, it gives you even better rewards, which you may not have ever imagined.” And considering this parting as one of my tests, I moved on. Leaving all the feelings aside and concentrating on the future goals, I just moved on.

With a brave heart, I landed in Denmark. I have been received by Mrs. & Mr. Ludwig. They are my parents’ friends. Since my dad is into tourism industry, he has many good friends almost all around the world. And we are used to get the homely treatment everywhere in the world. Where ever we go, whether it is for leisure or for business, we always get a home away from home. And so as a custom, I have a home in Denmark too. They were as loving and caring as a family and not just I have got a home away from home but a family too. Although I have taken the hostel facility, but for the first month I have been requested to stay with them at their place. They wanted to make sure that I get accustomed with the place, rules, regulations and also the ways to travel in the city. And I had no option other than to say yes to them.

We reached their home, which was a bit in the country-side area. But without a shadow of doubt, they have got a beautiful house. I met Zarek there. He is Mrs. & Mr. Ludwig only son. He seems to be of my age. But unlike me he has a part-time job and side by side he is preparing for a Danish Govt.’s job test. Along with that he is enrolled with the University for his degree course, to which he goes in the morning every weekday and during weekends, either he prepares for his job test or works overtime. And still if he gets some time off, he visit his parents. And to their surprise, he was at home to meet them.

We were introduced to each other by Mrs. Ludwig. And after a shorter session of introduction, I have been asked to call my parents back home to inform them about my safe arrival. Since keeping a cell phone in the hostel was not allowed and also taking a new connection was not that easy in that city so it was a mutual decision of me and my parents that I will not have a cell phone instead I will be using Mrs. & Mr. Ludwig landline to converse with them back home. So I phoned them and inform them about my safe arrival and the humble attitude of my hosts. They were happy to know this and I decided to keep my conversation brief as I was tired and also others were waiting for me to have dinner together.

It was really nice to be eating the proper Danish food and also the conversation to get to know each other was an experience in itself. Although I was meeting each one of them for the first time but none of them made me realize that way. It seems like I knew them since ages. After dinner Mrs. Ludwig guided me to a very pretty room, which she addressed as my room. It was really a loving and the most humble gesture of her. The room was really really beautiful, with all the important things in place and the decor done with the most delicate taste. What else one can ask for in a stranger country? I thanked her for all the things she have done and greeted her the best for night.