Three and a half years ago, I was terrified in the United Kingdom with a suitcase full of dreams and a heart full of uncertainty. I arrived in Dundee, a city that I had never heard of before, but that would soon become my home. Now, while I prepare to leave, pack the life I built here feels surreal. Each element folded in my suitcase carries a memory, a milestone, a moment of struggle and a moment of triumph.
Moving to a new country is never easy, but doing only as a single father added layers of challenges that I never anticipated. From adapting to a new culture to raising my son in an unknown land, every step was a resilience lesson. I built a house from scratch, not only with articles and furniture, but with friends, experiences and a deeply rooted sense of belonging.
Duendee: The city that became my home
Duendee, with its cobbled streets and its quiet charm, became more than alone A place to live It became my home. It is where I found my strength, where I discovered my voice and where I carved a path to me in a way that I never thought of possible. It is where I learned the true meaning of independence, balance work, studies and fatherhood while building a support community around me.
One of the most precious parts of my trip was to see my daughter grow in this city. She continued her school in Dundee, and I saw her bloom so that she would fill my heart with pride. From his first day in a Scottish classroom, being part of a musical band, learning different forms of arts, adapting to a new accent and making friends, theater works and the laughter of the recreation patio, every moment was a testimony of its resistance. She hugged the culture, climate and the adventure of living in a different country with a curiosity that inspired me daily. Dundee nurtured his childhood.
Life as an immigrant in the United Kingdom was full of experiences that changed life. I met people from various origins, I learned to adapt and grew up in ways that I never imagined. There were struggles, isolation and loneliness, bureaucratic obstacles, moments of doubt, but there were also victories, large and small. Every challenge I faced made me stronger, and every connection I made reminded me that it doesn’t matter where we are in the world, we are never really alone.
Now, as my visa comes to an end, I am at the crossroads of bittersweet emotions. The emotion of meeting with my family in India is mixed with the sadness of leaving a city that I call home. Duendee will always take a special place in my heart, it is the chapter that transformed me, the bridge between who I was and who I have become.
When I go to that flight back home, I have more than just my suitcases. I carry the lessons, friendships, growth and love that this city gave me. I go with a heart full of gratitude and I will never forget the city that made me feel at home, even when I was at miles where I started.
For the city of Duende, you will always be part of me.
