Everyday SHEROES: Getting Lost From The City On My Bike Changed My Life - Fatema Rehman

When I think of childhood ambition, I remember my drifting mind; I wanted to be so many things – a naval officer, a model, a surgeon, a marine biologist, an airhostess, a newsreader, a teacher. The list was long, each aspiration a phase, but I believed with my whole heart I could be each one of those things.

However, my parents had medicine and engineering in mind but I foiled their plans in college by changing my mind when I discovered computers. By the time I finished a degree in computer science, the glitter and shine of a coding monkey job had faded and I landed up taking a BPO job.  But each of these jumps seem to have be stepping stones.

Then one night, I gathered up courage and took the plunge, I quit my job and left home with a plan to travel for as long as I could (I had 30k in the bank). I traveled across 8 states of India, many countless miles of which 8,000 kilometers were on a motorcycle, I met friends, found work and the universe conspired, I stayed on the road for 8 months.

My 8 months of travel taught me many things but most importantly it taught me the value of life, the importance of enjoying it, revelling in it. The last 10 years of my life after my trip have been a rollercoaster, nothing has been easy but every moment of it in retrospect has been immense fun and a learning experience. I've worked in an Himalayan NGO for a season, married a man who is quite a foil for me, gathered 6 dogs under one roof, moved houses until we found this house with a garden and many many more little little things. I’ve experienced every minute of it and enjoyed every minute of it too.

I now live in the suburbs of Bangalore, India with my husband and dogs. I’m a part-time freelancer, and full-time house manager and dog Mom.

Some people thought I was nuts, some said I was cool, family was worried about me throwing away a career to travel, it was all the usual. My biggest personal hurdle had been taking the plunge into the unknown, giving up my monthly salary-paying job.  Doing that had been tough until that night. Everything else after was never tougher.