There’s always room if you have space in your heart, a Bahraini mother once told me.
Having enjoyed Bahrain’s remarkable hospitality for years, my family and I have decided to take our leave.
So as our plans to return come to fruition, the countdown to leave a country that was home for a decade and a half is well underway.
We will be leaving behind a country that is coming to grips with a transition that will eventually render it a strong character born out of phenomenal political developments and economic compulsions.
They may have risen out of the need to cushion the oil trauma in the region, but bodes well for a society that will now have to dig deeper into its pocket, work harder and be accountable.
Bahrain is a complete experience – from its stupefying malls and avenues to its suq bundled in an ethnic fabric. We have enjoyed riding its superhighways as much as elbowing our way through its alleys, and above all basked in a profound sense of personal security.
In this small island nation that stands tall for nurturing a tolerant environment, we didn’t just espouse our faith and traditions in our hearts but wore them on our sleeve.
What’s more, hundreds of civil organisations representing the interests of various countries and even parts of a country function without any restraint.
As expats we had a clear intention to return home sooner than later, and having rightfully stayed here as members of the community that proverbially ‘built the country’, I must say the sense of belongingness stemmed from the splendid coexistence we enjoyed with the hosts.
Now, along with goodbyes and frenzied farewell dinners we are scrambling to do things and visit places one last time.
What’s heartbreaking is leaving behind friends as they have taken the place of family on foreign land. Friendships made here may slip through the fingers, but will be cherished all the same. Friends made at the school gates and apartment lobbies are as precious as time tested buddies, who were always there for us clapping and cheering as children blew the candle year after year.
We will take back fond memories and leave behind unsold furniture and titles like ‘Asian’ and ‘expat’ as we step out, making sure we catch a last glimpse of Bahrain’s skyline and breathe in the familiar scent of the humid desert air that greeted us years ago.
While our footprints will be washed away like letters etched in sand on a shore, we will hold dear the many precious years spent here.
Shukran Bahrain!
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