28. Home is where the heart is. By Meeta Bhagtani

28. Home is where the heart is. By Meeta Bhagtani

 

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be calling China home. Hello everyone! My name is Meeta Bhagtani and I am from India. I am a teacher and I have been living in Xiamen, China for over 5 years now.

 

My husband, Nitin Karamchandani was based in the US for a decade. His best friend, famously known as Xavier, was Chinese. Xavier was a junior in his college who could not speak any English and had come to the US to study at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. Only Nitin could understand his broken English, and he helped Xavier survive college. Xavier’s parents often visited the US and were very happy to meet Nitin. After graduation, Xavier moved back to his hometown Xiamen in China. They lost touch. Life moved on, and we got married. Nitin still regrets that his best friend could not attend our wedding, but he’s also happy, as Xavier was blessed with a baby girl that very day.

After two years, Xavier called: “Bro, I’m getting married! You and Meeta have to be here.”  Xavier was getting married to his high school sweetheart, Carol. Of course, we were going to attend his wedding. All the arrangements were done, the flights were booked, and we were ready to travel. We landed in Xiamen and Xavier was at the airport to receive us. We met his family. All our friends were there too. It was a reunion for us. There was amazing hospitality, traditional rituals and ceremonies that we got to see, and most importantly, his beautiful daughter.

Xiamen was breathtaking. It was beautiful, clean, and green. It had clear blue skies with beautiful landscapes. The air was fresh and pollution-free, far better than most cities. There was excellent connectivity throughout the city with affordable transportation. Our stay here was amazing. The people were so warm and welcoming.

Xavier’s parents knew Nitin very well, and this time they offered him a job here in Xiamen. It was a very good opportunity for him in his career. Nitin was ready to move, but I was hesitant, scared, and apprehensive. Was it worth moving to another country? Nobody there speaks English. The food is different. And there was so much more on my mind. I was nervous, and the first thing I googled was if Xiamen has Walmart, Carrefour, Sam’s Club, Costco, and all the possible grocery stores I ever knew, or else how was I going to cook? I was so reliant on homecooked food, and guess what? The answer was yes, and half of my worries about basic survival vanished. We were one step closer.

Slowly, we got to know Xiamen better. It was all thanks to Xavier; he was extremely helpful and assured us that we’d be fine here. We trusted him, and the rest is history.

His parents were so loving and caring. His family became our family. We even knew his extended family, his uncles, aunts, cousins, and even his friends. They were all very friendly, always ready to help, and would go the extra mile for us especially knowing that we couldn’t speak their dialect. Even though we are far away from our families, they never let us feel alone. They have always been there for us, laughing, sharing, and making more beautiful memories with us.

We even learned Mandarin and taught them some English too so that communication would be easier and more fun. I learned to use Taobao and I cannot imagine my life without it now. I got used to cashless transactions and home deliveries. The public transport was so convenient. The infrastructure and the G trains cut travel time in half; it was astonishing then, but it’s a part of our lives now. We have gotten so used to these comforts. Every time Nitin used to travel back to the US, I didn’t have to worry, as Xiamen is a very safe city, and if I needed anything, Xavier and his family were always a phone call away.

We wanted to be here in China for our first Chinese New Year to experience the rich culture and traditions. We spent the Chinese New Year with Xavier and his family in their hometown in Pinghe somewhere near Zhangzhou, Fujian. We even visited the famous Chinese temple with them as a part of their religious customs. Everyone in his hometown came to visit us and welcomed us to their hometown. In no time, we knew all his family in Pinghe. We were no longer “laowai,” meaning foreigners. We were just “Nitin 和 Meeta”

Then came COVID-19. We were traveling to India to meet our parents during the Chinese New Year holiday. The situation here in China got grim, and we had to extend our stay in India for 2 months. That was when we started missing Xiamen: the perfect sunrise from my apartment and the beautiful beaches, quick getaways and the hot springs, our long walks, the serene mountains that enhance Xiamen’s beauty, and the family that we had here. We started missing home! And it was then that we realized, Xiamen, had become our new home!

We have so many wonderful memories here and each one of them is dear to me. We have met amazing people who then became our friends and are now a part of our family. They say that home is where the heart is. Xiamen is where my heart is.

We moved to Xiamen, China in May 2017 from the US, and since then we have called Xiamen our new home.

 

 

A little background on my hometown 

I was born and brought up in Mumbai, India. Mumbai is the financial capital of India. It is home to three UNESCO world heritage sites, namely, the Elephanta Caves, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, and the distinctive ensemble of Victorian Art Buildings.

It is called “The City of Dreams,” as migrants from every part of the country move here in search of a better life. The city is also home to the famous Bollywood cinema industry. The city has a multicultural vibe, a thriving nightlife, and access to food from different cultures of India. The local trains are best known as the lifeline of Mumbai.

 

 

 

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