I spent the past two weeks in Thailand, and faced a similar crisis. Every time a stranger asked me “Where are you from?” I answer something like “I am from India but I live in the Netherlands” or “I‘ve travelled here from the Netherlands, but I am originally from India”. Surprisingly, this vague answer often led to interesting conversations. It especially intrigued both Indian and Dutch people to think that I belong with them! I met a Dutch at a Thai travel agency who gave us a discount for our next daytrip, associating my life stories in Holland with his own childhood memories. An Indian group of tourists became intrigued with my good experiences in the Netherlands and almost booked their next trip to Holland right then and there!

The loveliest part of these experiences was when I noticed two girls were speaking Dutch in local public transportation in Thailand. No matter how little I speak Dutch, the fact that I recognized their language worked miracles and we became friends immediately. We compared Dutch and Thai infrastructure, politics, food, weather and cultural differences and not for a single moment did they consider me to be a foreigner in their country. A trip to a foreign land made me less foreign among people from the foreign country of my current residence.

It’s amazing to think how my connection to people around this world has expanded and has become deep-rooted, and more so every day I spend outside my own country. To associate myself with more and more people and cultures across the world was one of my childhood dreams. Thank you Holland for offering me such a precious gift, that I will cherish for the rest of my life.