Home away from home: Chasing the sun

Many of my friends who moved abroad have told me how much they missed the sun. I have empathized with them, but never fully understood what they meant. When I decided to go to Massachusetts for an internship, I said a prayer of thanks that it would be during summer. I love the sun and bright sunny days. What I did not know, and naively did not look into, was that summer came with abundant rain in Amherst. So I packed my summer clothes, leaving most of my rainy and winter clothes at home. The first day I came to Amherst was a cold, rainy afternoon. The skies were dark, and a cold wind threatened to freeze my limbs. My poor fragile umbrella struggled to hold up. It rained incessantly all afternoon and evening, and a feeling of gloom and foreboding set in. Was this how my summer was going to be!?

The next day dawned bright and sunny though, and I once again felt cheered up and uplifted. The very next day, as I was walking to work, the skies suddenly opened up without warning, drenching me despite my umbrella. My "breathable" shoes breathed in the rain, and as I stepped into unavoidable puddles, my feet froze. And then, I endured the awful feeling of clammy and wet shoes, socks and feet the whole day. Despite my acrobatic attempts at using the hand drier to dry my feet, they remained soggy and frozen. As I walked back home, the sun greeted me in all its glory, and I welcomed it like a long-lost friend. My feet were dry in no time, and I could feel my toes again. Over the next few days, rain and sunshine alternated, sometimes in as short a span of a few hours. I spent my first weekend shopping for warm clothes, a rain jacket, and waterproof shoes. I felt a little more prepared for the rain and the cold winds now. 

It has been two weeks here, and I have learned to truly enjoy the sun. I sleep in a balcony-facing room, and I always leave the curtains open. I really love the long days with the early sunrise at 5am and the sunset at 8.30pm. I am trying to keep the same time as the sun - wake up at 4.45 and sleep at 9. I feel in harmony with the sun, and I cherish its presence so much more than I did in India. Every time the sun is out, I try to take a walk and bask in its warmth. But the best part is, even when it is damp and rainy, I know that it will not always stay this way and that the sun will be out soon. I am grateful to be in such a picturesque place and have such glorious weather. Till the next time. :)