The main point of my project is the tension between departure and return—not as physical points on a map, but as states of becoming. Each chapter branches into a distinct phase: the pain of leaving, the vulnerability of beginning again, the quiet joy of connection, the ache of homesickness, the redefinition of self, and the realisation that returning doesn't bring you back to the same place, but to a new version of who you've become. The circular structure reflects how growth is not linear, but layered—how we leave, how we change, how we carry it all home. I want to use my story to convey a sense of empathy, the loneliness of being in a foreign land, the warmth of a different place, and the constantly reconstructed self, allowing readers to feel, ‘you are not experiencing this alone’, and touching more international students—reaching a broader audience, such as everyone who has been ‘on the way’ or ‘in transition’.
I didn’t plan to turn my life of studying in London into a book. These were just scattered moments—shared kitchens, silent train rides, tearful video calls, the long pause before answering “Where are you from?”
But over time, I realised I was carrying a story. Not just about living abroad, but about becoming. This book isn’t a guide, or a memoir. It’s a conversation across distance—between who I was, who I am, and who I might become. If you’ve ever left somewhere, or someone, or even a version of yourself—this book is for you. And if you haven’t yet, maybe it’s still yours to carry.