After six long-awaited years, I was back at my birthplace– not only a birthplace but the place where I created infinite memories. Landing at the Ahmedabad airport, I sensed the familiar, bright sun. I witnessed the rising vapor from the hot concrete through my windows.

I finally landed, and I sensed that familiar heat– the heat I used to sense every single day for 12 years. My friends waited outside to pick me up, and I felt that despite the distance, nothing ever changed. We all grew, but that bond was still intact.

Shortly after, we departed to visit one of the best “sev-usal”(a delicious dish) places in the town. I was taken aback when I realized how people drive. The motorcycle riders would just cut through the smallest of the places; my friend who was driving a car was driving between the only two lanes on the road; they would only keep a distance of an inch between the two vehicles. I, who was new to this, freaked out and told them to drive safe, and they told me, “This is the safest people drive here.” I used to drive on the same streets when I was 12 years old, but I never felt this scared for my life. Perhaps, the driving aspect was one of the only things I forgot about India.

Everything else was pretty much the same except for some new constructions which greatly contrasted with the old, shabby buildings. The changing landscape of Ahmedabad, my hometown, was new to me. New luxurious apartments stood tall while there were still some single, traditional houses. I recognized some old houses, but the new ones were a bit of a surprise.

So far, it has been an exhilarating, warm experience. I still have some places and people to visit, like my old school, old friends, and my village.