Marriage was still on my mum's mind. My Dad passed away when I was ten and to see me get married became my mum's only goal in life. When my family started looking for a suitable partner for me they had a huge checklist which only got shorter as time passed.

I wonder why Indian families consider settling down in life associated with marriage alone. I was given lot of freedom compared to other Muslim families but in certain aspects they seemed just like any other orthodox family.

The only checklist item to be considered eventually to get me married was that, the person should be a man. Every weekend a family would visit home to see me and judge me. No one ever asked what I wanted to do in life rather asked me if I wore Burkha or knew cooking.

Life was getting miserable to entertain but I had no choice.

Meanwhile my manager had put a seed of onshore in my thoughts and I knew this would be my perfect escape plan. My family was always very overprotective about me and I knew at the back of my head that they would never agree to send me abroad but I wasn't willing to give up without giving it a try.

When I mustered the courage to tell my mum my dreams of traveling onshore for my Project, she understood my ambitions and said I could go. I couldn't believe it but how can things go as planned in my life?

I wasn't eligible to travel with my current package but my Onshore manager reassured me that I would travel as soon as I become eligible which meant that I had to wait for another six months to know my eligibility. I hadn't given up yet on my dreams. I was hoping that this would turn out in my favor soon.


© Tisha W