Solan
Living in a hill station is something that many people yearn for but never get to experience, let alone living in a place like Solan, on the foothills of the Himalayas. I was presented with an opportunity to be an assistant teacher at Solan Public School, an experience in which I earned invaluable friendships, learned critical life lessons and got answers to life’s most intriguing questions. It is an experience that I will cherish for many years to come.
Immediately, after boarding the flight, I was overwhelmed by a tangle of emotions. My heart felt heavy as I was leaving home, but at the same time, I felt a sense of excitement and anticipation of what the future beholds. The farther the flight travelled, the more freedom I felt. I felt freed from the shackles of emotions that were holding me back.
One of my lofty ambitions during my stay in Solan was to hike Solan's highest mountain, Karol Tibba. On my way to work, I would see the peak of Karol Tibba and think to myself that I have to trek and reach the summit. We set off on the trek at the break of dawn. I had never trekked in such challenging conditions before. The air was brittle cold and owing to the altitude of Solan, had lower concentrations of oxygen. Being from the Indian sub-peninsular region, these conditions were completely alien to me. I felt several contradicting sensations on my skin. On one hand, the brisk pace of the trek had me sweating profusely and on the other, the thin cold air made my breaths heavier and my body felt constantly in need of heat. This was the highest summit I've reached so far.
The views were surreal, there were mountains and pine trees all around. Solan had several inherent traits about itself, the most noticeable being how limitless it was. It taught me that nothing worthwhile in life is easy. To reap the benefits of your efforts, you must push yourself beyond your comfort zone and never give up. Often, we forget to look at things around us and enjoy the little things in life. It's a magnificent adventure, like life, that should be properly enjoyed. Hiking in the wilderness allows you to appreciate how beautiful the world truly is. Reaching the summit was the icing on the cake.
In hindsight, going to Solan and being a teacher is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. At the time, I was in a decisive stage of my life. Hyderabad’s life had a sense of modern loneliness in which ironically, I was always surrounded by people. This made it extremely difficult to make lucid choices. I needed to be in an environment in which I would not just survive, but instead thrive. I needed to be amidst foggy mountains, lush green trees and pristine landscapes. Most nights, I would find myself going on a walk, completely alone and exploring the quaint lands in the vicinity. The night was lit by the moon, the only source of light and stars would complement the entailing darkness. I would sit by myself, surrounded by vast mountains, which were only visible as a silhouette in the sky. The experience was both serene and daunting. Serene because of the blissful beauty of the landscape in front of my eyes, and daunting because of the sheer scale and vastness of the mountains, coupled with the night’s darkness. Solan provided me with one of the most important things that I needed in my life; solace. Moreover, I found happiness in something that I had not expected. Teaching young kids about tourism, sharing my experiences, being the “cool” teacher, and making a difference in their lives satiated my soul. I celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas with the kids. Their innocent joy manifested into mine.
