blogging

Diya Chakrabarti, 12 (Cupertino, CA) Hello, it’s Diya again! Today, I wanted to keep this write-up short and simple. I recently moved to the Bay Area in California, as one of my parents moved jobs. My family and I relocated from Portland, Oregon, and I would like to share a few of my thoughts about moving. At first, when I got the news that my family was moving, it didn’t seem like as much of a deal. The following day was just another typical day, going to school, doing homework, playing outside, etc. The same routine as always. But with each moving box being packed up, I felt a stone in my heart drop, making my stomach churn, and I sighed, knowing the house would soon be empty. Sometimes I would stare at a room, noticing even the most insignificant detail, and imagining in my head how it would look without our chairs, rugs, desks, and our favorite stuff, and soon all would be packed away and moved to our new abode. But on the other hand, I had a few exciting things to look forward to. One of our closest friends lived there, the weather was much more pleasant, and we would get to experience new things. Going to a new place can sometimes feel like taking a fresh breath of air. But, this was not a vacation, we were moving! That meant our family had to adapt to a new place, new surroundings, even if we did not like it in the beginning as change always creates some imbalances. A couple of weeks passed by, and a team of movers packed up the bulky furniture, also packing the small boxes we packed along with it. We had to be confined to one room since the workers were buzzing around like bees in a hive! It felt fun, being able to connect with my family and my little sister, and I got a lot more screen time, although my mom was not too happy with that. Fast forward a couple of days, and we were spending our last night in Portland, Oregon. I had mixed emotions; my heart was heavy, yet I was looking forward to moving to California. The entire house was empty and it felt surreal. The next day, the entire family said our farewells to our neighbors—which was very hard—got the car ready, and looked around the house for stuff that we might have forgotten to pack. Walking around the house, I saw each room, completely empty and spacious. Every room felt like it was missing something, and it was. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that we would have to say goodbye to our beloved home so soon. Soon, It was finally time to lock the door from behind, this time for the last time. To this very day, it still somewhat feels like we are on summer vacation. California is a state I’ve heard a lot about and visited several times in the past, but to really know more, I must experience living here myself.