I liked owls. I would like to have a garden full of birds, all kinds of birds. At night I would like to feel that there is an owl perched outside the window of my room. The owl, Nanna would tell me, was a bird of wisdom and it was a night bird. It would be awake while I was asleep.

I went to the garden and stood at the gate. I liked to watch people walking along the main road, talking, going in their cars, and the place I would have to go to the next day would be so far away ….

I felt so clean after my shower. Aunty gave me some pretty clothes, a cream blouse, delicately embroidered, of Chinese silk and a shirt but I preferred my own shorts and shirts. I liked to look like a tom-boy. The food was brought to the table in a big shiny wok—noodles with vegetables, mushrooms, prawns, sauces and hot fish curry in big chunks. There were sausages too which I loved and then ripe mangoes after dinner and a cup of milk before bed. The next day after breakfast, the journey would begin. I slept close to Nanna that night, sharing the same mattress. Aunty Madeleine slept on the big four poster. I felt cozy. Protected.

We set out on our journey in a three-wheeler the next day. It was so far away, beyond winding roads, acres of land cultivated with vegetables, hills covered with tea gardens in the distance. I did not want to come here. So far away from the sea. The school was in an estate, I knew, I couldn’t run away and play with my friends anymore. There would be all those rules. I wouldn’t have my Ninja turtles to speak to. I couldn’t roam about the lane or go to Aunt Debbie’s; Aunty Debbie with her knee-length hair, sometimes so kind, welcoming Nanna and myself, saying, ‘You come and stay with me’, at others shouting, angry, drunk. She even chased her father away when she was in that mood.