Freedom for a Global Citizen

We were fortunate to visit Hong Kong for a week in Oct 2019. Our trip was peaceful and we realized how much media spreads fear. The protests were at night for that week and yes, there was vandalism for the metro, but people are living their own lives. They are fighting for their freedom. And it made me wonder when I got back to San Francisco, what is freedom in today’s world, where we are all connected in the digital era.

What does FREEDOM mean to me?

We are not fighting for our independence but fighting for our rights every day — the right to live on our own terms.

Who am I?

• An Indian millennial who has lived in San Francisco for the past decade, and exploring the world around the corner.
• A global citizen not limited by boundaries (with 4 Indian passports issued since I was a baby), lucky to travel to 30 countries and 75 cities (as of 2019), hoping to experience the culture and culinary delicacies of every city. Food and flavors transcend boundaries and bring us all together in ways we cannot imagine.

I had spent my baby years in Libya, but I don’t remember many memories other than a few photos. Due to the gulf war, we went back to our home to Calicut, Kerala and spent childhood years in my grandmother’s adorable home. Then we moved to Saudi Arabia where I spent a decade and made friends around the globe in the International Indian School (IISR). These friendships are one I will cherish forever as they taught us…