Photo Guy Ackermans Coming back to the Netherlands after my first summer holiday in India felt oddly like pressing reset on life. I had just spent weeks being pampered with food cooked by my mother, endless family gossip, and the luxury of not doing anything. At home, family discussions happened at full volume, traffic jams honked me awake, and no one ever asked me to book a bike repair appointment session. Then—bam—I was back in the Netherlands, unlocking my bicycle like nothing had changed. But of course, everything had.
The first year abroad had already transformed me. Returning to India, I wasn’t the same person who left. Suddenly, the chaotic roads felt louder, the food spicier, and my relatives more relentless in asking about ‘future plans’. Even time felt different.
Leaving India this time hurt more. The first departure was about adventure and new beginnings; the second was about leaving comfort I had just rediscovered. Saying goodbye to home-cooked food, vibing with cousins, and yes, even the humble rickshaw ride, felt heavier. The airport was really a basecamp to start new hustle, where I carried one life in my suitcase while stepping into another.
Back in the Netherlands, everything looked familiar yet slightly strange
Back in the Netherlands, everything looked familiar yet slightly strange. The bikes zoomed past in calm, disciplined lines, and no jammed traffic. Progress, right? But then came the reality check: supermarkets with self-checkouts that beep accusingly, Dutch bread lunches that tasted low key after Indian thalis, and emails piling up faster than my energy could handle.
Yet there’s a strange comfort in slipping back into this rhythm. Cycling everywhere no longer feels exotic; it feels normal. The Dutch directness that once made me gulp now makes me comfortable. I even catch myself saying lekker without thinking.
So yes, I’m back to basics. It’s not always easy, it’s often confusing, but it’s also the spice of this double life: India in my heart, the Netherlands in my calendar.
And honestly? That mix is the most lekker masala of all.
Arohi Natu, is a second year Master’s student Food Technology from India. She is a creative person who likes to try new things and also loves cooking, singing, painting and exploring new places.
