Its been three years since I landed on these shores (entered at 12:30AM August 7th 2002). Can’t believe how fast time flies! “… lived through some good times, and some sad times …” but I did live it up! Met a lot of people along the way, some moved on, some stayed. So I guess its that time of the year to reminisce on hits and misses …

This is a good time to think of things I should have done or the things I could have lived without …

• Should have gone for the swimming classes when I started out instead of when I was ready to graduate.
• Should have gone for the Football(American) games the first year I was there. I used to hate football because it was called football and football was soccer! (Confused? See what I mean!)
• Should have used the gym!
• Should have started line dancing in the first year, ’cause I was intimidated by it, instead of waiting till the second year of my studies.
• Should have got the speeding ticket going at 100 mph instead of 87 mph … wait maybe not that.
• Should have made … nope … saved more money than I did
• Should not have quit ice skating

I guess I am out of ‘should haves’ and ‘shouldn’t haves’. But there were some many things that happened, I have decided to list just a few that come to the top of my mind … in no particular order

• The power of my word at home, just because I was halfway across the world. This is true even of my cousins and uncles and aunts …
• Getting a wonderful bunch of new friends at FSU through CCF and Chi Alpha.
• Getting to fight with my ‘enemy’ Swapna and getting a picture of her inside an Alcatraz cell.
• Being able to roam all over the US, in part because of having the right connections like Shelly acca in California and Srila & Sadhana acca in Detroit
• Being able to meet old long lost friends Rajesh, Nanda and Hussein
• Surrounded by a wonderful Christian family wherever I go, Specially Koshy annan and Aunty who also brovided me with a home, complete with food and transport
• Having a bunch of cookies and cards sent across the continental US so that I won’t feel alone, by Angela and the wonderful crazy people at CCF.
• Getting to go horse riding and getting to handle various shot guns and hand guns at Perry, thanks to Whitney and her family.
• Having squirrel stir fry made by Buddy and cake for my birthday with Florida and India drawn on it.
• Getting a T Shirt from Romania by Mike who also is the first friend I made at FSU. Now that he is in the Air Force, he can probably beat me in running
• Having cookies by Katie and cake by Fallon for my birthday
• Having my shirt Ironed by Meagan and who also cleaned out my kitchen with Audra
• Going to Stetsons to line dance with Amy
• Getting to drive a Benz courtesy of Sri acca who also incidentally got me a job
• Driving with a broken leg to visit John and getting struck in a hurricane
• Setting the town on fire on a 750GS with Akhilesh as Wingman
• Getting to play co-rec Football(Soccer) and American Football with Jillian, Kathy, Brian, Eamon, Erin and the rest of the gang
• Driving to Washington DC with Rhea
• Crashing at Ravi’s place and having him drive with me to St.Louis for no particular reason whatsoever
• Playing tennis in the rain and the sunshine with Adriaan
• Swimming in the pool during thunderstorms with Amit
• Taking a break in Atlanta at Katie’s house
• Getting to see Eric’s GI Joe collection and getting my first Star Trek figurine from him
• Getting birthday bums … Chris Pink and Justin I don’t forget easily
• Visiting the smoky mountains with Aarthi and Preeth and having Aarthi make a week’s supply of food for me
• Visiting with Jeba’s family and Mani in Minnesota and having Briyani there
• Having good clean fun with the house of fire youth led by Ron & Kelly
• Breaking seven cellphones and having Scott get me a 20% discount on my monthly charges
• Having Latha, Swapna and other friends visit me
• Having Thanksgiving dinner with Amber and Erin’s family
• Going to Connect with the Feagans
• Swing dancing at the FSU Swing dance club with Jaquline, Sara and the rest of the gang
• Getting a car for free from Mark and then selling it for 200$s after some repairs
• Going Sailing with Lee
• Having Thanksgiving dinner with the waers
• Driving to Canada by myself
• Getting to throw a lot of people into the fountain for their birthdays even though it was less than zero outside
• Breaking my leg playing raquetball with Jason
• Tubing down the icknetukee and breaking my watch in the process

This is definetly not an exhaustive list. I name names because I can … and am willing to take the fall for any omissions ;). Keep checking for updates to the bullet points and old memories come back 🙂

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.”