Moved

Yesterday, I moved to Marcushof from AVS40.
After living with Prem and Siddharth in Arthur Van Schendelplein 40 ( which I had started calling home) for almost two years, it was a hard decision to make.

AVS40 was previously rented by a french couple who had kept place amazingly clean and tidy and aesthetic. When we got this flat for rent, in November 2007, it was an empty house, with hollow rooms. Thankfully, they left the impeccable flooring intact and the kitchen equipped with a refrigerator, dishwasher and gas stove. 

AVS40 Kitchen

We furnished rest of the place, brick by brick, with our own hands (literally sometimes). Some of the furniture was second-hand but most of it was for free, picked up from the streets by people clearing their garage or leaving their homes. We called the later source Free-Ikea , after the cheap furniture store Ikea. The beds in all our rooms, the sofas and chairs , television and desks in living room all came from Free-Ikea.

AVS40 Living Room: Initial days

AVS40 Living Room: Latest days

It was great fun living in AVS 40. From the beginning all three of us had sworn to keep the place as clean and tidy as the french couple, and we stuck to the promise all the time. Sometimes when someone forget to clean kitchen or tidy the living room , I used to leave 'Post its ' requesting the required party of do his job. Siddharth abhorred this practice, and when he objected we started reminding people of his duty on the face. This open and direct approach worked well as we could speak our minds , rather sulk , if the chores of the house were left undone by others. The best part of living together was grandiose dinner we ate every night prepared by one of us according to his/her turn in the week. 



The kitchen was fully equipped and experimentation with food was encouraged by all. This encouraged me to try different recipes (often improvised based to what is available in the fridge) and cooking became fun as well. Have you heard of Chinese-Mixed-Vegetable cooked in Garam Masala, or Pasta Curry , Eskimo-Green-Salad and ofcourse my masterpiece, Jichkhana ?

Eskimo-Green-Salad

Although only three people were officially registered in AVS40, there were always more than three people staying in our place. Shiva, Ranadeep, Shreyas, Sandeep, Nestor, Jabus, Marilyne,Christiane, Rajeev, Aarabi.... all have taken shelter in AVS40.
Random Party Pic at AVS40

The AVS40 was a also social revolution for me. I was a able to expand my social circle incredibly thanks to the parties, dinner invitations and friends and couch surfers taking shelter at our place. Prem and Siddharth are both very social guys. Through them I have known people : not only TU- graduated students and TU-Phds, but also people outside the university .

Siddhrth Birthday Party

And they have encouraged me to do the same. Prem always kept me from loosing my focus from studies but also encouraged me to take up extra-curricular activities with equall stride. He also pushed me take these activities to the next level, which I did through my yearbook stints and journalistic achievements. Prem , apparently is cousin of Dinesh Chandra Siva , my best friend in Ramaiah. Small world huh ?!!

While Prem was my mentor, Siddharth has been my archetypal senior. His legacy as a Baba of the Gang (bang) has been narrated many times by his batch mates and I had the opportunity to witness it first-hand living in the same place. Hats off to his energy, enthusiasm for life and his unique style, something that I strive to achieve myself. Sid urf Baba B$%*# Balboa has seen it all, done it all, been there all and said it all. Yes, he bestows upon me words of wisdom, whose deeper meaning can only be understood by those who care to follow.

Last words of wisdom which I was offered by Sid, was this :

'When you become comfortable at a place, its time to move'

I took his preaching very seriously. And, when the opportunity arrived I grabbed it eagerly with both hands. I am now moving to Marcushof where I will have a small meagerly furnished room and attached toilet. The bathrooms and kitchen is common to every floor , shared by 10 to 15 people. Its an exciting place to live, since you meet different people every day, especially while cooking in the common kitchen. Every weekend and even in weekdays, there is a party on a floor where you meet even more party animals.

Marcushoff Party in Common Kitchen

Of course living all alone by myself in single room will be tough now. I wont have a friendly face welcoming me with a cup of tea, when I return from work, neither a helping hand during weekend-cleaning-ceremonies. But that is a small price you pay for big adventures. You have to come out of your comfort zone to experience new.

But it wont be so tough after all. Marcushof is just a kilometer from AVS. And since they are letting me keep the keys to the flat I have free access to my former home. Also, Its about time I immerse myself in my thesis which is progressing at snail pace. A dose of solitude will help me focus on my work, I hope.