Entered the State of Kuwait as a six-month old baby and now preparing to leave as a young adult of eighteen. A responsible resident to a happy visitor, this is what I would be to Kuwait in another few months. On the occasion of a very special day of Kuwait, this article comes from me as note of gratitude to Kuwait; a memoir.
This land is where I grew up and it means everything to me. Kuwait is very much close to heart who always compensated me at chances to miss my motherland in her own ways. The mesmerising and enthralling 360 degree view from the Kuwait Tower, smooth sandy beaches with the shallow turquoise waters, the beautiful and exuberant malls, the humongous Water Clock at the Souq Sharq (the only one in Gulf), the lush parks with lots of flowers throughout the country, the Scientific Centre, the museum and the planetarium, the markets in City that have not lost the traditional touch, deserts at the borders, the most beautiful sunsets one gets to see almost every day, and the list of things tied to my memories in this country can go on, and on.
Kuwait is the starting point of my life journey. I got so many opportunities, and became the individual that I am now, groomed into a responsible and capable global citizen. There are many things to thank this country for. Starting off with the wonderful teachers I got here, they played and still plays an integral part of my life and shaping me into who I am today. I got many openings be it the field of dance, music, debating, model UNs, elocution, quizzing, basketball and the list never ends. Being a part of these had a huge impact on my life, especially my perceptions on different aspects of everything. The beautiful memories tied to my school and the emotions attached are beyond words. The friends I made here throughout and the times we spent together will always be with me as fond memories to cherish. The pandemic actually confined those good times in my last year of schooling, which is something on the sad side of the scale.
The opportunities I got to taste and pursue my passions, was immense. I strongly believe that all these are the bounty of being in this land, where the chances of exposure are massive. You name it, and within a small span, we have the best of any field as our Gurus, right there from the Indian cross section of Kuwait. Festivals, be it Diwali, Onam, Christmas, or Eid, are always celebrated with great zeal; at times even better than what is held in India. Partaking in these all of these events also taught me from a young age how to be a team player. If there is one thing the pandemic made me miss the most, then it would be the amazing delicacy, celebrations, and festivities. Many cultural groups and associations make it a point to recreate the celebrations at its best. These celebrations were never confined to a few days but are spread throughout various months. I had always appreciated the way people organised these, even though they were far from their homeland. Many had tried to do these virtually in 2020, but those had never been the same.
All these years, many things have happened, many experiences, many memories; and while I am preparing myself to a new “phase in life” as most people say, I am happy that this land has given me all of it. I am excited to explore the opportunities my homeland has in store to offer me. But, it aches even to think about leaving my childhood days here and, I may or may not return. I am going to miss this childhood world of mine; and a revisit to Kuwait, to my school and other places here, after a few years, may be even impossible after relocation of my family to India. I had a very small ‘mega’ plan to revisit all the memorable spots in Kuwait and also those places I had never got a chance to explore, before I leave. But, because of COVID-19 pandemic, even that went down the drain. Only the beach got ticked off the bucket list, as of now.
I would like to take a moment and thank everyone who were a part of my life here. There is an unknown pain somewhere deep down when I think about how I would become to a mere visitor from a proud resident of the State of Kuwait, that too for maybe another few years. But I know that I’ll always treasure these 18 years.