“I’m Surya. I was born and brought up in Bhimavaram, West Godavari. When I was around 13, I moved to Hyderabad for middle and high school. And now, I’m doing my undergrad in Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University. I just finished my freshman year, and I’m a rising sophomore majoring in Information Systems and Business Analytics, or ISBA.

When I’m not studying, I’m usually playing a casual game of badminton, cooking, or more often eating. I really enjoy spending time with friends and family, going on long drives, and checking out new cafes in Hyderabad whenever I’m back. At college, one thing I’ve come to really enjoy is taking walks around campus during sunset, AirPods in, listening to soulful Telugu songs. It’s a simple routine, but it keeps me grounded, and in those moments, something about it always takes me back home.

Being an international student has been a journey. One of the biggest cultural differences I’ve noticed between India and the US is how collective life is back home. In India, you’ve always got people around — family, friends, someone to help. Even the small things get done with or for you, so life feels a bit lighter.

But here, you don’t have that. You’re on your own, figuring everything out by yourself. And yeah, in the beginning it felt like a lot. But slowly, I realised that even small things, like doing laundry, going for a grocery run, or just making your bed — those are now part of my day. Back in India, these things got done without me even thinking about them. But here, they matter, and they’re part of what makes up my routine. I’ve come to understand that when you’re living alone, everything needs your attention, because it’s just you now.

Still, no matter how great LA is, there’s something about Hyderabad that’s hard to put into words. Maybe it’s the people, the vibe, or just the atmosphere, but every day there feels full of possibility. Like you don’t know how your day’s gonna go, but by the end, it just works out. That’s what I love about it. It just feels right. LA might have similar things, but Hyderabad is personal. It’s home.

One moment that’s really stuck with me was the day I left India. At the airport, when I was at the departure gate getting my flight details checked, I had about seven people behind me, waving goodbye. Some of them were happy, some were sad, and some were smiling through their tears. I looked at them, but I didn’t feel anything. It was just blank. I was numb.

But the part that really hit me was the car ride from Kondapur to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. It was me, my mom, my dad, and our driver. We were just driving silently on the ORR, and in my head, it was like a full-on montage of my entire life. From childhood to now. It felt like how they say, those seven seconds before death when your whole life flashes in front of you. That’s what happened to me. I was remembering my favourite foods, my childhood, funny moments, the times I danced in front of big crowds — everything just flooded in.

It got so heavy, I didn’t want to cry, but I started sobbing. I think that was the hardest part. Not because I wasn’t ready, but because that montage in my head made me realise how much I love where I come from. It made me think about how we sometimes take things for granted — not intentionally, but we don’t always realise how much something means until we’re about to leave it behind.

I’m really grateful though, two of my close high school friends live near me in LA. We hang out almost every weekend. Having them around makes this city feel more familiar. It’s comforting to know there are people here who just get you. It means a lot.

And honestly, food helps too. I’m a big foodie, and LA has a bunch of great Indian restaurants. Whenever I’m missing home or just feeling off, I order sambar or biryani, put on a good series, and just unwind. It’s simple, but it works.

To me, home isn’t just a place. Obviously, your childhood home or your city is home because of all the memories, but more than anything, home is people. The ones you’ve grown up with, the ones who’ve left a mark on you, the ones you feel most like yourself around. In Hyderabad, home is my family and friends. In LA, it’s the people who’ve been there for me here.

And that’s what I’ve come to believe — home is the people you surround yourself with. It’s the love, the memories, and the moments that make you feel like you belong.”