Monday 9 April 2012

Home Truths


We’ve been apartment hunting for the past 2-3 months now. Found one finally. The better-half is satisfied, thinks he got a good deal.  Kids are thrilled because there is a nice little park just behind the apartment. 

Me, I’m ok…..not on top of the world or anything just ok. It’s a nice little place. Almost like brand-new. I stress on this bit[the brand-new bit] particularly because the place we are staying right now is an old building almost falling apart. My husband came to this apartment when he was 8 years old which means he’s been living in this very place now for 3 decades now.

Three decades……thirty years & more……seems like a lifetime huh; now can u just imagine the junk accumulated inside this old apartment. There are certain cupboards in this house which I don’t open at all. These cupboards are stuffed with junk…..stuff nobody needs but can’t be bothered to throw out or things which they[esp the parents] hoarded because they believed that they’ll need it at a later point……like old ceiling fans, an old VCR and the cassettes, bits and ends of electronic fittings, shower fittings, old, old books, old & broken photo frames & mountains of photo albums…….and….don’t ask…..there’s even an old school bag of the better-half. Seriously, its there. It’s not like the school bags the kids are lugging around now. It’s like a tiny hard suitcase covered with red & black checked cloth material. In these past 12 years I have taken it till the door atleast 3 or 4 times to throw it out along with other garbage. But somehow at the nth minute it disappears from the trash and if I made an effort to search for it I would find it back in the same place I had taken it out from;-/.

I may not be looking forward to moving to a new place but I’m certainly looking forward to throwing out all the junk. You are wondering why....about the former I mean??? Yeah for some reason I’m not so thrilled about the moving. The apartment itself is nice…..it’s a bit smaller than my present one and comes with all facilities especially maintenance; the living room is spacious, it’s got central-AC which will be a huge relief in summer, the bedrooms though are a bit box-like, the kitchen which I was obsessed about throughout[apartment-hunting I mean] is spacious with natural sunlight which is like a miracle. You’ll be surprised at how many apartments I saw which had super rooms & facilities but had dingy kitchens with little or no natural light coming in from anywhere. I couldn’t imagine staying in a place like that. The bathrooms again are small but like the better-half told me I take comfort in the fact that there’s less area to scrub;-P

The new apartment is in a good locality but there are hardly any Indians in the building. I’m not so sure I like that. I got used to the colony I’m living in. it has old shabby buildings but it is a mini-India. And I feel right at home here. It is also centrally located……all amenities like the metro, bus station, taxis’ all were available in 5 minutes distance. Whether it was the grocery[Indian], laundry, tailor, the parlour,  the kids’ Arabic tuition or the money exchange, nursery[plants], recycle bins, they were all here within comfortable reach. Whereas the place I’m going now to shift to has just a Baby shop closeby, a huge supermarket 10 minutes away. And an Ethiopian restaurant nearby;-/. 

The kids school-bus stop which is almost below the building will now be a 5-10 minute walk away depending on the traffic signal we have to cut through;-(. And not the least, the rent was very reasonable here but now we are going to be paying more than double the amount. And that’s also going to take some getting used-to.

I bet you are wondering why I’m moving if everything is soo goodJ…….like I said the buildings are getting old and shabby. The roof leaks & there are cracks in the walls; just last week an entire section of a terrace wall of another building crumbled and fell damaging 3-4 cars parked below. And not the least, it’s no longer a colony for families anymore; bachelors are making their way in. Everybody in Dubai knows what that means. Men who are not married or can’t afford to bring their families to Dubai will take up a flat together and stay. Sometimes 6 to 10 stay together in a single flat. It’s gets really messy. Cigarette butts all over the place. Paan stains. You’ll find them loitering near the entrance or lolling on the terrace. Womanfolk no longer feel free to walk about. We don’t feel very comfortable sending the kids out to play on their own. Get what I mean.

Actually our situation is not so bad but the better-half wants to get out before it becomes like that. I agree with him but it’s sad to leave behind everybody we know. Like my husband’s, most families have been here for a long time. The kids have made a lot of friends who they play with in the open spaces available. And I for some reason feel worst affected…….I’m going to miss the only home I’ve known in Dubai for the past 13 yrs.

When my sister-in-law called to wish for Easter I was telling her how gloomy I was about the whole thing and how I hadn’t the 1st clue about shifting. And she was like “It’s awesome, I’ve shifted 14 times in the past 10 years and made some really good friends”. I couldn’t help but laugh. She somehow manages to put everything into perspectiveJ.

43 comments:

  1. I think it's good to change things up every now and then. I mean I understand how you feel and all that, but there's this freshness (change) and new-ness(?) that I think you will appreciate once the hard part (The Move, capital T capital M) is over.

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  2. I get what you mean Agnes...and maybe deep inside I know that[freshness & newness] too but very difficult to accept. That's why probably I keep postponing the shifting date;-D

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  3. so this is why you've been super busy these days?? I know it is difficult to move out of familiar and comfort surroundings but who knows within sometime you might like it there better and there may be better things in store for you (in all ways)..
    at least the kids are not cribbing..:-)

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    1. Busy also because of the passion week ie the week before Easter is always busy with church and preparations for Easter:-).
      Yeah the kids are maha excited....they want to move as soon as possible.

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  4. Best wishes for the move Nancy!! I can totally relate to what you say in the post, I feel horrible to even shift my office of 6yrs, (and have stayed in this place for over 6yrs now, not sure how long more I can sustain). But, you will get used to the new place and will start loving it in no time. Given your kindness and demeanor, you'll easily make friends with people around. So will Niki and Nain.

    BTW, I am wondering what it must be like for your husband to shift from a home of more than 3 decades!!!

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    1. Oh RS we are just like eachother then, I'm always wary about change. In the beginning I sort I resist it with everything I have but later I end up liking it and then wonder wht the fuss was all about:-).
      My husband was no such qualms, seriously he is just waiting to get out of here;-P

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  5. m sure initially settling into a new place might distract u frm missing all that u hv left behind. sometimes comfort also leads to stagnancy. n if i know u well enough(through ur blog ofcourse) u'll tk each hurdle with a pinch of salt(optimistically) n keep us entertained! all the best, nance!

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    1. Thank U for the vote of confidence & ur wishes Lilac:-))!!!!

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  6. sounds like the old Karama i grew up in.. :)

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    1. Hehe I knw the bldg u are talking about...well this one is its twin in Deira;-D

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  7. Tell me about it... I shed like a bucket of tears when I was shifting from the last apartment. And, I had hardly lived there for a year. My husband knows how I am and actually gives me some personal time to say good bye to the doors and windows and all the corners before leaving finally.

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    1. Awww...I soo understand, I do that even when I go to India for a month;-D

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  8. I finally completed the tag. I could have sworn you tagged me just a couple of weeks earlier, but when I scanned your archive and found the post written in January, I could hardly believe myself, or rather my laziness !!

    Good luck with the moving Nancy.

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    1. Good to see u back girl.....gimme a few minutes and I'll be there;-). And thanks!!!

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  9. If someone lives more than three decades in the same house, it seems ghosts will come and haunt their wife. It's better you leave sooner :P

    Destination Infinity

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    1. Hahahaaaa.....I'd have been worried by this statement but u see DI, in my kundali it is mentioned tht I never need to fear ghosts, robbers or fire in this lifetime atleast;-D

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  10. Having shifted almost every 2 years in the past 10 years, I've always wondered at the amount of trash that I hoard, so can imagine what 30 years worth of that would be!!!!
    Don't worry, Nancy, you will start enjoy it in no time and wonder how you stayed in the old place all these years :-)
    Happy throwing away!!

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    1. Wow, every 2 yrs...u must be an expert at shifting;-o. I'm actually envying ur experience right now;-P

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    2. Tired of being an expert, looks like it is moving time again. At least this time it is after three years and within the city :-)

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    3. And I'm sure inspite of all that cribbing u r looking forward to it;-D

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  11. I am sure you ll do good & this means lots of new & interesting posts for us..yay!!
    dont worry Nanc.. happy moving!!

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  12. Happy moving Nancy! It would be a crazy time I know. After all I am moving soon(4 times in 4 years!!!) I somehow like the freshness and new beginningness of it all :D

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    1. Thanks girl....wish I had ur confidence:-)!!!

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  13. All the best in shifting!!! Dont worry, you will meet new friends & u will get used to the place very fast!!
    Take Care !!!

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    1. Thanks Blissful, I really needed that, the best wishes I mean:-))!!!

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  14. Aha I see. But dont worry, take only the things you cant live without, and there, you have a new apartment with minimum manageable and useful stuff. It is going to look clean even when you know it is messy. And during the shifting phase, you may become dead tired, but there is nothing more satisfying than a clean new place to live. Please do not be away from blogging too long!

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    1. We've finally shifted & I've set up the living room and kitchen. But a mountain of cartons[seems like it] are waiting to be opened;-(((((
      On the positive side, atleast the phone & internet connection is up;-D

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  15. good luck with move nance. that is if this is not part of an april fool since it is still april you know:-))don't worry you will grow into it just like me. i still lament not having any playmates for the kids around here..but a safe neighborhood is most important so this is the right decision. have fun decorating the new place and hope you guys had a good easter.

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    1. Easter was good, thank U:-))!!! Like u said a safe neighbourhood is everything finally.
      Hah decorating the place is the last thing on my mind now, emptying those cartons is my top priority;-).

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  16. We have changed 4 houses in Hyd in the last 5 yrs ;) And I luv it most for I get to discard so many unwanted things and make up the home again :D
    Wishing u the very best with the move and in making good friends :)

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    1. Gosh all of you are experts at shifting houses and enjoying it to boot. Here I'm so fed up that I dont want to shift for another 30 years;-P. And thanks Swaram:-))!!!

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  17. Well; what do we read into a move away from all those goodies to be near a baby shop ?? :):)
    I also presume we can get to hear about great tasting Wat and Injera you made !!

    Ahhh - Only teasing you. Hey, you'll love the move. Happy New Home.

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    1. I had a vague idea what wat and injera was all about, googled to confirm;-D...now why wd I go thru the trouble of making it if I can get from the authentic source withing 20 minutes;-D
      Thank U Ramesh:-))!!!!!

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  18. I just counted and we've moved at 16 times which I can remember. You do miss your old place but then the new place brings with it a new set of memories :) Imagine feeling light, rediscovering a lot of forgotten things when you pack, decorating the new place, the housewarming parties, oh it's going to be fun! :)

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    1. As a child I remember enjoying the moves but as an adult, no wayyyy. Dont remind me of the house-warming parties all my friends are already nudging me;-(((

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  19. You will do fine dear. :) The process of change is tough but all change is good.
    Good luck with the movement!

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    1. Thanks Amrita for the vote of confidence:-))!!!

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  20. Wishing you Good luck on your move. Love reading your blog.

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    1. Thank U Sahana!!!

      And thanks again for the nice words:-))!!!!

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  21. Congrats on the new place! I'm sure you'll have fun transforming it from house to home :D Get the girls involved, it'd probably be a big kick for them if they could make some decor decisions :D

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    1. Thanks Shalom, I'm slowly learning to like the new place:-)). Believe me no fun involved here....I'm still unpacking and am fed up;-/. The girls are more hindrance than help, they readily come forward but as soon as they chance upon an interesting book or object they disappear with it leaving a mess behind;-S.

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