1)
One of the hardest decisions I had to make in life so far has been whether to pursue my bachelors abroad. Being a triplet, my parents have always been super over-protective of me and my two brothers. Hence, when my two brothers decided to study abroad, I was very conflicted as to whether I should be the one to stay with my parents or if I too should pursue my education abroad. I felt a sense of responsibility towards them and while no one asked me to, I felt like at least one of us should be there to take care of them and keep them company, especially since they were nearing retirement. I spent around 2 years mulling over this while interning at various places to see if there was any particular field that interested me. I took a couple medical courses while trying to convince myself to stay back and pursue medicine in Nepal. But when I sat in medical exam prep classes, all I felt was rote memorization - formulas and facts recited back without ever being asked to think. I kept waiting to feel the spark that I felt with academia, however, it never came. Ultimately, I chose to leave my nest.
Staying home was the practical choice. It meant financial security, family approval, and a path already carved out for me. Leaving meant walking away from all of that on the strength of a belief I couldn't fully justify to my parents: that I deserved an education that challenged me, not one I had memorized my way through. Between the practical path and the one I believed was right, I chose the latter. Looking back, I do not regret it. Had I stayed, I think I would have eventually grown frustrated with myself for choosing familiarity over something I genuinely wanted.
Leaving Nepal was difficult. However, it pushed me to become more independent and willing to sit with uncertainty instead of running from it. I chose to leave my nest not because home was not enough, but because I needed to discover who I could become beyond it. I used to think being a good daughter meant saying yes to what my parents wanted for me. I've since learned it can also mean trusting them enough to show them who I am becoming, even when that person doesn't match who they imagined.