I started my career in psychology at the age of 26. When I was 15, I told my parents that I wanted to be a psychologist. I was discouraged from the idea; as at that time, India was not a society which was open to psychotherapy.
So I was asked to join the family business of jewellery making instead. I studied Gemmology from London and even got accepted at one of London's leading design universities.
But a part of me always knew I wanted to go back to my original plan. Long story short, I got married at the age of 22 and moved to Budapest, Hungary with my husband.
Soon after I got married, I started to take Hungarian classes to keep myself busy as my husband worked all day on his business and I had a lot of spare time.
Living in a Non-English speaking country came with its challenges. I had no idea what to do with my time.
One day, I stumbled across an advertisement of a local university offering a Bachelors course in Psychology. In English. Suddenly, I knew it was time to take up what I had always dreamed of studying.
At that point, I thought to myself that a Bachelors would take 3 years. So I would finish by the time I was 29 and have kids. I had no plans of going further. I was not aware of the changes ahead of me.
Once I started university, psychology changed my life. I made many international friends and some of them are still my best friends today. I faced some hard questions and challenges along the way.
Was I really who I thought I was? Did my personality appear to others as it appeared to me? What was I meant to do all this while?
My time in Hungary taught me a lot about life, myself, family, patience and resilience. I have many beautiful memories like the birth of my kids.
My life in Mumbai is one I am most familiar with. It is full of hope, dreams, ambition and comfort. It is home away from home.
This blog is my story, a story about life in two cities, two cultures and two places I hold very dear. It is about all the things I have learnt as I became a psychologist.
I hope many of you find yourselves and your stories echoing in mine.
shruti@shrutiahuja.com
My life in Mumbai is one I am most familiar with. It is full of hope, dreams, ambition and comfort. It is home away from home.
This blog is my story, a story about life in two cities, two cultures and two places I hold very dear. It is about all the things I have learnt as I became a psychologist.
I hope many of you find yourselves and your stories echoing in mine.
shruti@shrutiahuja.com
