The journey of a thousand miles began with curiosity.

I was 17 when I first left home to study abroad. I filled out college applications haphazardly, not knowing what I really wanted to do. All I wanted was to go somewhere far away. When I got into Singapore Management University, I was overjoyed. I would be living on my own for the first time, and I couldn’t wait. But when it came time to pack up my life in Dehradun and move far away from my comfort zone, I was nervous. In the days before I left, the nervous butterflies fluttered so hard in my stomach that I got sick and had to delay my flight.

I too have been feeling similar anxiety for the past few days.

Of course, I’m in a very different phase of life now. I’m 36, have a lot of life experience, and I even have gray hair! But I’m writing this as I move to the US, for an education I never thought I’d do.

It all started with curiosity. During the pandemic, I secretly dove back into the academic world, eager to learn more about the climate and biodiversity crisis we face. The next thing I knew, I was completely immersed in an exhilarating journey of learning.

For the past 2.5 years I have been pursuing a Master’s degree in Sustainability and Environmental Management at Harvard’s DCE, in my comfy pajamas. Like, literally. I wake up at 3am for classes. I’m learning about regenerative economics, life cycle assessment, global food systems, design of renewable energy projects, Scope 1 Scope 2 and value chain emissions – with a focus on regenerative tourism. I’ve outlined research papers on winter afternoons in a sunny meadow in Himachal Pradesh, listened to lectures on the train in Switzerland, and worked on virtual team assignments from the countryside of Taiwan!

A lot happened during this time. The Environmental Defense Fund Climate Corps Fellowship. The Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award. The opportunity to speak at the UNWTO conference in Indonesia. A strong professional network. Deep insight into various industries. It has been a rewarding, eye-opening, and sobering experience.

Now when I look back at the last few years, I find that this academic journey has quietly blended into my professional and personal commitments. Yes, it has been intense. Filled with stressful deadlines and long-winded textbooks, yes. But it felt like an extension of my life.

However, now that I am moving to Boston to work on my capstone and finish my degree over the summer, the butterflies have started to flutter. I can feel all kinds of emotions fluttering in my stomach. I am thrilled, but also nervous to spend time on the 17th-century Harvard campus that has inspired some of the greatest minds from many eras. I feel anxious as I dive deeper into my capstone — not just from academic pressure, but also from climate anxiety stemming from my research about climate adaptation solutions in tourism. I am filled with so much gratitude, but also with that damned imposter syndrome that has settled in the back of my mind forever. I know I am going to be at odds with my community, but I am also an introvert.

I still can’t see the finish line, but I know it’s there. It was never about the destination anyway; it was all about the journey. A journey that began with mere curiosity and turned into a thousand miles.

What direction has your professional life taken in recent times and how do you feel about it?

Welcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer”, social entrepreneur, solo traveler, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant, and environmentalist. But at my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has the power to change us and the world we live in.