Spurthi Alluri And I’ve finally reached that “1 year in San Jose” milestone. On my one year anniversary I had varied feelings going on inside, but I definitely couldn’t be more happy.
Honestly, I contemplated way too much on coming here. I wasn’t sure if it were really worth staying away from home, away from the people and everything you love. It was my dad who tried to make me understand that you don’t always get such opportunities to gain first hand experience at Silicon Valley.
One year ago, keeping the excitement aside, I was quite scared to take the first step into adulthood and an independent life. For me, the thought of studying, working, cooking and cleaning all day everyday was frightening!
And now when I look back to that time, all I can do is laugh. ‘Cause today those little fears have been overcome and have turned into my daily routine. It’s not a struggle as I thought it would be, but it’s actually an enjoyable experience. Who knew that a girl who would send her brother to go cook Maggi (instant noodles) would actually cook biryani for 25 people on a biweekly basis? 😛
So in this one year many things have changed; and I’ve learnt that change is good, sometimes great! These little changes actually contribute to your personality, whether its for the good or the bad.
Above all the emotions that are going on in me now, I feel grateful; grateful that my family had faith in me to do something greater in life; grateful that my brothers still mock me no matter where they are; grateful that my friends back home understand when I can’t be physically present for their important moments; grateful for the new friends and family here, who support me, love me and give me the comfort of being home; and most of all, grateful for this wonderful journey here at San Jose.
Life in a foreign country could either make or break you. I’ve heard many cases where people couldn’t handle the struggle and their life ended up in a mess. And at the same time, I’ve witnessed many people who’ve done amazing things in their time here.
So to quote a song from La La Land: “I could be brave or just insane, we’ll have to see”, my journey here at San Jose has just started. Only time will tell if I did make it or break it, and I can’t wait to see where my road leads me!
