Today’s post is about me instead of a topic for a change so I hope you’ll bear with me…I tend to do this only when there are big changes in my life – and today is a big day – so I hope you’ll humour me and read on. It’s been almost a month since I left Bangalore to sort out my employment visa back home in Spain but at long last that chapter has finally closed. I’m sat on a BA flight on the first leg of my journey back to my life in India and this time – finally – my daughter is by my side. Things seem different this time because things ARE different this time.
When I moved to India in April I went alone because my daughter was in her final two months of GCSEs so it was impossible to move her. Then she stayed to hang out with friends all summer there at home on the Mediterranean Sea. And who could blame her? Chilling at the beach in Spain when you’re about to turn 16 is way more fun than hanging out in Bangalore in July and August. Hell, it would be more fun for most adults, too! This turn of events gave me five months in India to just be a “woman” for a change instead of a mom. Aside from our two cats, the only person I had to worry about was me. I worked like a good girl and then could play, go on dates if I wanted, party like a rock star, write all day and night and continually order in delivery food…it was actually a really fun break. I knew this was a short-lived moment in my life too so trust me when I say that mama didn’t waste a moment! 🙂
In fact, my daughter did the same thing. She was virtually free to play and party like a rock star herself. It was a vacation of sorts from our normal life together as mother and daughter, I suppose. But I’ve missed her tremendously and am so happy she’s here by my side. I hope with all my heart that she falls in love with the country as much as I have. Lordy, I can imagine how miserable we will both be if she doesn’t – my daughter because I forced her to leave Barcelona, her friends and school and me because her misery will make my life a living hell, haha. But I’m actually not too worried because over the years we’ve holidayed – just the two of us – in Tunisia, Morocco, Paris, Prague, Venice and lots of other places. She’s always been drawn to the more exotic spots like the crowded streets of Marrakech and the deserts of Tunisia. So I have a feeling that she will love India like I do but my fingers and toes are still crossed.
Don’t laugh but you know that saying “today is the first day of the rest of your life”? Well, I think for me, for this next phase of my life, that this day is today.
The party girl in me is pre-planning how to balance my family life and my social life. Obviously I won’t hit every party in town anymore and to be honest I don’t want to. My social life will now include my favourite person in the whole world and activities that won’t land us on Page 3 but will generate memories that last forever. Don’t get me wrong, I still plan to paint the town red and party like a rock star…but I’m pretty damn excited that I’ll have a more well-rounded life again!
The career girl in me is trying to figure out how to balance my cool permanent part-time job (that doesn’t cover all my living expenses) with all the other fabulous freelance work that I need to do to support my family. I have my seasonal jobs as media spokesperson with the KPL (Karnataka Premier League) and as head of marketing for the Bijapur Bulls cricket team, as well as my new gig writing for the coolest men’s magazine in India and other fun projects. I think I’ll need to master the art of time management from here on out.
Oddly, the single girl in me is breathing a sigh of relief. For whatever reason, I had so many Indian men trying to convince me that I would be happier in a relationship than single that I was sick of hearing it. I would continually tell them “NO” and that I was very happy single but some of them couldn’t get their heads around this idea and – annoyingly – tried time and again to convince me that I was missing out on being happy because I was all alone in India and not in a relationship. Oh for Pete’s sake! Haha! Sorry but what a bunch of crap! If I am happy with my career, have lovely friends, a beautiful life and an amazing daughter… can’t that be enough? Well, it wasn’t for them but it is for me at the moment so I’m hoping that having my daughter here will literally kill that topic of discussion for them.
I love change. I love adventure. And I definitely love not knowing what tomorrow holds. Though at the moment I think a little more financial stability would reduce my stress but I really can’t complain. Today I have come home to India with the one “love” in my life, with a soul full of hope…and a happy disco beat in my heart!
XOXO Angela
© Angela Carson, 2011
You go girl.
hehe…. I’m on it 🙂
I just found your blog, and I just love it! I am an 18 year old American girl, but I spent a year living in Pune as a 16-17 year old. I just loveee India, and miss it a lot! It’s fantastic to read about your experiences there, and remember the exact same things I went through!
Hi 🙂 Thanks so much! I see you subscribed to my blog so please feel free to comment on the differences between Bangalore and Pune as you read posts from time to time…will be interesting to hear the perspective of a younger girl (as my daughter is now 16, like you when you first moved here). All the best, angela
Hey,
Hope you have a fun time.
— Someone who moved to Bangalore recently
I always have fun, even when things are tough 🙂 Loving it here, now even more that my daughter has arrived! Thanks for commenting, Angela
How awesome for you!! I’m glad Alina is finally here.. 🙂 And I hope she likes it here as well.. 🙂 🙂
Keep rocking! 😀
Thanks sweetie, so far so good. She’s loving her en-suite room/bathroom, the flat, and we walked up and down the high street in Frazer Town and she liked it :–) Tomorrow we’ll do a bit of sightseeing (suggestions on where to go in town are welcome) and then we are headed to UB City for lunch and a visit to Mirros & Within so she can see my favourite posh spots in Bangalore. Hope that all is great with you, xo
Hey!
Just came by your blog.Really glad you’re liking B’lore.I for one had a few issues with the food and language, (even though I am an Indian, well, north-indian is how they classify me..
And thanks for the tips with the ladies…..will help me I guess!..:)
Have a happy stay.
Hey there… I am assuming that you must have read one of my “guide” posts for the tips on ladies? Or are you talking about how I hate guys telling me I will be happier if I had a man? haha Hmmmm…. And hey, I have a friend here with your exact name! What a crazy coincidence…kind of thought it was him playing a joke on me until I clicked on your FB profile. What a small world. Hope you’ll keep reading 🙂 –angela
Welcome back hope all settled in and how does Alina like india so far……you should do the entire kerala backwaters and the royal rajasthan tour as i had mentioned earlier. Check out klresort.com and mirvanaresort.com both owned by mah friends. The 2 of u will have a blast
Hi, thanks so much. I do plan to do the riverboat thing with Alina, thanks for the heads up on the resorts 🙂 Ang