‘Moving from Mumbai to Kolkata during the pandemic: Here’s what I experienced’

Last year around July at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic I decided to switch jobs It wasnrsquot an easy decision I was leaving a job which I held for almost four years in the middle of the Covid19 crisis when a lot of people were struggling due to layoffs and salary cuts However after a lot of discussions with friends and family ndash and a pros and cons list I decided to take up the offerThe new job was in another city but due to the pandemic it was going to be work from home until further notice So I decided it would be wise to move back with my parents till the time I was asked to shift for my new job This meant I had to wrap up everything ndash my four years in Mumbai and move to my hometown KolkataIt was around six years that I was staying away from home In 2014 I moved to Pune for my postgraduate studies and then I shifted to Mumbai in 2016 for my job The annual visits to home during those six years lasted mostly for two weeks or so Of course it was difficult Every time I came back to Mumbai after visiting home meant at least a week of homesickness and missing my motherrsquos cooking ndash and pampering But my independence has always been dear to me I have been and will always be very particular about having my own spaceSo shifting back with my parents felt a little different ndash this time my stay would last for months This meant adjusting to live with my parents again Not that my parents are overbearing or interfering but at the end of the day even for them my visit this time wasnrsquot the same They were also not used to staying with me for years now So with a mixed feeling of nervousness and excitement I moved back homeI reached home on July 5 2020 Immediately I quarantined myself and remained in my room for 14 days I had to be even more careful because both my parents are senior citizens with comorbidities It was understood that it was difficult for my parents to not enter my room for two weeks being in the same house However once the quarantine was over the real challenge beganBack in Mumbai I had my own routine of doing things at my own pace and way But now I had to learn or rather relearn to do certain things according to how my parents wanted Waking up late on weekends was not acceptable ordering food meant answering various questions and concerns of my father and bingeing TV shows and movies led to arguments about being addicted to technology and not spending enough family time Also another distressing factor was that I wasnrsquot happy in my new job and it was affecting both my mental and physical healthAfter a few serious and notsoserious emotional breakdowns and arguments both my parents and I realised we need to meet halfway A hearttoheart during one evening made us reflect on the fact that none of us are wrong we just need to have better communication The problem was that both my parents and I were thinking that the other person is trying to either intrude into their personal space or disrupting the schedule we were used to individually The conversation wasnrsquot easy but I am glad we had it The next few months were extremely smooth ndash while I got as much personal time and space I wanted my parents were happy to watch the latest TV shows and movies with me They were extremely supportive when I told them I want to leave my job and take a break and focus on my healthSeven months later when I moved to back to Mumbai again I was lucky to get another job offer it felt harder I felt exactly the same when I was leaving home for Pune Somewhere I wished I could hang on to the comfort and security my parents provided As I begin my second stint in the Maximum City I am happy to be staying alone and having my own space but I am also mindful about not forgetting my biggest takeaway from the past year ndash gratitude towards my parents and the privileges I have