My Flight Tracking website is live! https://sdr-flight-map-webapp.azurewebsites.net/ After multiple iterations to get the device working without glitches, build the data pipeline, and finally deploy to the cloud, I’ve launched my own local flight tracking web app

Why I built this

I’ve always been intrigued by data from satellites, drones, and flights. Aircraft generate massive amounts of invisible radio signal data, but it’s rarely accessible in a way that feels local and relevant. At the same time, flights contribute to air traffic, emissions, and resource consumption, yet the data behind these systems often feels abstract.

After finally getting my API set up on my local device, I created my final react web app. It took me a few searches to identify what library to use so that I could have an interactive map as the base map as well as different components for my project. Initially, I just used the default markers that was in leaflet to represent the different flights. I was able to access the latitude and longitude variables for the flights from the API url, using the .map function to loop through all the JSON data in the API and access all the flights. They were then plotted on the leaflet map using the default markers.

The next thing I did in my process was actually set up the API to store all the data from my dataset. I used the dataset that I had been collecting locally using an SDR antenna setup. This data included flight details like aircraft ID, position, altitude, and speed. At first, it was just a CSV-style log stored on my machine, but I wanted to make it usable through a web app, so that my final app with the map can use the data from the API and run it publicly for other people to use the data received from my antenna as well.

I started storing all of the JSON data that I got into an aircraft.json file, where I wrote a simple python program to remove any rows and json data that didn’t include the coordinates (latitude and longitude). This project was done in Ubuntu because dump1090 primarily works really well in Ubuntu. Running it on a MacOS or Windows device will cause you to install WSL or something similar just to be able to access and run it properly.

Updated: Aug 8

Recently I started exploring more about SDR (Software Defined Radio) through my antenna and found out about flight tracking patterns. Each flight sends out a specific signal that is transmitted by a certain frequency (same for all flights). That is then picked up by my antenna. My antenna isn’t strong enough to capture all flight data around 300 miles around my house but it’s good enough to capture up to 10-15 flights in the surrounding areas. The ones I’ve logged so far range from areas near Kent and Seattle, even Bainbridge Island!

I started learning a beginner’s course for React recently, a webpage building tool. Over the last couple of days, I mastered being able to create different components in the main folder and start the local host webpage. By running the lines, npm run dev, it starts my local webpage, one that I can tweak and edit on, like a canvas printing the lines I’m coding before I can properly publish it.

I recently got the device Nooelec NESDR that can receive Sensor Data Records (SDR)/radio signals. I was able to connect it to my Mac and installed the basic setup for SDR to run on my device. I enabled it to run on python and started installing the dump1090 software to detect flights in the nearby area based on the waves emitted. It was incredibly fascinating to see the different flights detected in the area near my house and to see their altitude, speed, Lat and Lon. The image below represents the table that it popped up in. The table was constantly printing, revealing updates and changes in the flight’s altitude as well as the speed and location that it was at. One of my next targets is to actually see whether I can take these latitude and longitude coordinates and be able to plot them on a base map that represents the location of the flights as well as in which direction they are going as they travel.

I’ve been introduced to computer science and the world of programming languages at the beginning of high school, learning initially what every programmer once does. How to print “hello, world”. Though I never really fell in love with it until I started off with projects. Seeing something of my creation actually come to life was a different feeling, whether it was the beginner Arduino projects I did or the heart and soul that I put into my correlational environmental engineering project. It took me months, with most of it going into research and just plain understanding how millions of data points would come together and get filtered out through my code and produce viable results.

Participating in a high school competition club meant reaching and taking part in the state competition. I was a part of a competition club this year, where you are able to select up to 5 events you are interested in competing in, varying from website development to fashion design, all using a component of technology. This club is the Technology Student Association, or TSA, and ranges in things that are all technology related. My partner and I were participating in the forensics event, where you first have to pass a written multiple-choice test for the qualifying round. My friend and I both had to take it individually, but we both did well, and hence made it to the state competition! We were going to participate in the event with people who qualified from all over Washington State. This is when the fun began.

The experience of WSSEF was a world in itself. By the way everyone was bustling around, practicing their presentations last minute, or just simply fluttering around in their suits, it was a world of activity. That was WSSEF. The Washington Science and Engineering Fair. This was the state fair I was a part of after participating in the regional fair a few weeks ago, which was the Central Sound Science and Engineering Fair. I opened the fair door to a hustle of activity on a Saturday Morning. Quickly going over to get my badge for the day, acknowledging that I am a student participating, I headed over to my stall. Each person had their own number allocated to them, on their welcome sheet, so I navigated my way through the maze, trying to find my section. My friends soon joined me, helping me set up my board and binder of articles, my notes neatly arranged in a stack.

Competing in a science fair is an experience of its own. I recently participated in a science fair called CSRSEF, which stands for the central sound regional science and engineering fair. It’s a regional fair that takes place in the western side of Washington each year before moving up to the state fair. It consists of coming up with a novel idea or an extension of past research to bring something new to the table in the science world. There are many different categories that you can compete in, 22 to be exact. I participated in the earth and environmental science category.

Waterfalls. There’s something tranquil about the way the water flows down from a hill or a crevice in the side of the mountain. The tumbling of the water into the stream or river at the bottom is satisfying. It fulfills the source of those white noise speakers for sleeping. One of my favorite hikes surrounds a waterfall, the entire path containing the echo of the rushing water in the stream below. It’s so peaceful as during the summer, if you go early enough, the only sounds that you can hear are birds chirping and the water.

Updated: Feb 26

Almost 30-40 minutes of my school days are spent on the school bus. It’s one of my favorite moments of the day, especially because I love rides. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve gone on long drives with my parents. There was this clown poster on one of my favorite malls that I used to like, I used to call him joker dada. My parents would take me there almost every night when I was a toddler, when the city was quiet, and the world seemed to be asleep.

A week off of school in February, and that was not even our midwinter break. A welcome surprise greeted us this past week, with the trees, roads and rooftops covered in snow. It was something all of us, especially students, were really looking forward to. Nobody expected such a large amount of snow, as the weather forecast for flurries with 60% chances of snow was common in the months of January and February and wasn’t something we anticipated about too much. The Sunday before, people were so excited by the first flurries that greeted us that season, immediately rushing out for a car ride in the swirling flakes all around us.

Just as humans take on the challenge and promise of the new year, so do birds, trying to find their comfort in the winter and starting the new year with a life afresh somewhere other than their own. Yes, I’m talking about migration. To escape from the cold from the areas they are originally from, tons of birds migrate towards the ponds and farms near Skagit Valley in Washington, where they stay over the winter before migrating back in the spring. Back in 7th grade, when school was still remote, one of the most favorite things to do for me and my parents was to drive down there and watch them as well as the daffodils that spring during this time as well.

Learning to drive is a rite of passage for people my age, especially in the United States. Driving is a completely different experience here, the process being unique to the system. You can start driving at the age of 15, which completely blows my mind. It gives you freedom, exhilaration, and most of all, it’s fun!

It first starts by you turning 15 and getting your permit. A permit is when you can start driving with an adult with a license always in the car with you. That’s how you can first start practicing driving before getting the license when you turn 16. There are mandatory classes that you have to go through as you are first learning to drive. There are centers by the police department around the state where you have theory and practical classes. The classes can be taken in person or online, where they teach you all the rules of the road and how to drive.

I’m only 16, but I’ve been to a fair share of weddings ever since I was a little girl. Weddings feel like a whole new world to me, when two individual people move from “I” to a “We”. It’s the commemoration of two souls joining together, and the event and the ceremony are both touching.  I always love a good event, a get together where I am able to meet so many of my relatives after such a long time, but weddings are even more special because there’s cause for a celebration.

Travelling to India is a different experience all together, because more than a vacation, it’s kind of like travelling from one home to another. The journey itself is a feat to achieve, as it takes about seventeen and a half hours to get there. The very first step is the packing. Every time that my friends and I are talking about travelling to India, it’s a guarantee that there would be ample amount of luggage that would be travelling with us. That’s because we’re always taking some souvenirs or gifts for friends and family in India but mainly it’s because of the amount of stuff that’s coming back with us.

As soon as the 5am alarm sounds on my phone, mostly because I’ve forgotten to turn off a previous alarm, there are people gathering outside stores, lining up, their wallets full and their bags empty. This mostly happens on only one Friday in the entire year. Black Friday! Right after Thanksgiving every year, after families have celebrated and spent time together, they pull up to all the nearby malls and outlets.

This week, a storm welcomed itself into western Washington, one that a lot of people weren’t prepared for. I myself hadn’t experienced one like this ever, with winds going at about 60 miles per hour, the tree branches swishing in the breeze. It was exhilarating at first, with the constant sounds of nature at its best outside, the wind and the rain making it almost impossible to see anything.

I came home at about 4pm Tuesday evening (19th November 2024) on what I thought was a normal day in western Washington. There was a light breeze and rain, which was expected. I had heard the warnings on the news that morning, and hadn’t given it much thought, knowing that storms were frequent during this time of the year, and the one last year wasn’t so bad. little did I know what I was in a treat for. The lights kept flickering throughout the day, when I was studying and eating dinner. They started getting more frequent and we first lost power at 10pm.

As the weather drops a few more notches, the air starts feeling magical. The cold, dry air circling around you every time you’re outside makes you feel closer. Closer to the north pole. As winter draws nearer and the night falls quicker, something changes in the air and fills you with warmth inside.

That’s when I know it’s time to take the Christmas tree out. I love the tradition in our home, where we all help set up the Christmas tree, taking out all the ornaments we’ve collected over the years. Sometimes we also get ornaments from places we’ve been to, like mementos of our time there. The Christmas tradition is very profound in the United States, which is why almost all souvenir stores in all states have  a souvenir of a Christmas ornament. Whether it’s a tiny snow globe, or just an engraving of the state’s name on the small colorful bauble, they make the ornaments that much special.

October just ended, and with it, ended a spooky season. The beginning of October is always special, with the cold just starting to seep into the weather, the wispy remaining of the summer still there, the sun still in the sky. It’s also when all the spooky decorations start getting put up at people’s houses.

All this, in celebration of Halloween! The Halloween decorations are all always exuberantly arranged on people’s front yards or porches, things like pumpkins and stuffed ghosts, witches and basically anything else you might see in a children’s horror movie. Some of the cooler decorations also include motion sensor witches, which yell or say menacing words in a witches voice every time you walk past. Some of the Dracula or vampire decorations also raise their hands as you walk past. There’s always this one house in the neighborhood that’s the most extravagant of all, with the coolest decorations and the best candy.

There are a lot of festivals that India is known for, but some of them have an especially prominent and special place in my heart. It’s something that I’ve grown up celebrating, and even though it’s not a Maharashtrian holiday per se, Mumbai has been known for its prevalence and events. Adding to that pretense, it’s celebrated every fall, the date varying as it follows the Hindu calendar. Yes, indeed, I am talking about Navaratri. It is a nine-day Hindu festival that commemorates the goddess Durga through dance and celebration until the end of the demon Rakshasa on the 10th day.

Fall colors are just something else, the way the trees just seem to change their whole personality as their favorite season approaches. A bright sunrise gets me up in the morning, sparkling with shades of crimson, baby pink and orange. The way the sky sings as the first rays of the sun hit it still mesmerize me. It’s time for my favorite season!

Fall is something that can’t be summed up into words, because it all feels too surreal to be true. The way the misty fog engulfs around the ground, as if hugging the earth as the world is slowly waking up. Like a blanket enveloping the land, it tickles your ankles as you walk past the grass, the sun’s rays hitting the water droplets as if diamonds are protruding up from the earth.

Ever since I was a little kid, I was a foodie. At a very young age, my parents introduced me to a variety of foods included in a balanced diet. Every time we visited restaurants, I would always ask for a piece of whatever my mom was eating. I was always curious about food, and that curiosity led me to love it.

To be honest, it’s kind of weird being back at school, being back to a place you have spent almost 3 months away from. You’re so used to only be alone at home, or only hang out with friends, that you aren’t used to seeing other people from school. Another thing that was daunting this year was junior year.

It’s so weird how all these years junior year was such a thing of the future, something we didn’t need to worry about for years to come. Slowly, we approached high school, and finally came to junior year. everyone says this is the hardest year, and I better watch out. Though I love my school enough that with enough hard work, my friends and I will persevere. I feel like I’m not as scared of junior year anymore after my unique experience of sophomore year.

As the summer is starting to come to an end, I am trying and soaking in any last bit of sunshine. That includes swimming in lakes, playing in the park, having picnics with friends, and walking on the beach. Though the thing is, any sandy beaches near Redmond are almost 3 hours away! So, I have no choice but to simply relive some of my best memories of the beach in Miami at the beginning of the summer!

One thing I love the most about India is the community, (and the food of course). Ever since I was 3 years old, I remember going downstairs at exactly 6pm to play with my friends. It was like a ritual we followed every day. I would drag my parents to the playground, where they would sit and talk with my friends’ parents. My friends and I would fight for the swings, play games on the slides, and pretend we were superheroes saving the world from peril.

I love the water. ever since I was a little girl, lakes and seas always mesmerized me, their cold, peaceful waves drifting with the wind. The way the sunlight danced on the water, reflecting the blue sky always made me smile. The serenity you experience at a lake or a river is unparallel. It’s peaceful, looking out into the water, surrounded by it to as far as you can see. This is why I am glad I live in a place with a lot of water bodies. Seattle is home to multiple of them, as it is a city bursting with rain. One of my few favorites are a 10 min walk from my house.

It’s a wistful summer, one where every sunset digs up a fresh new memory, lost in the setting rays, casting a light on the world. This specific sunset reminded me of my trip this summer, specifically the world of Pandora at Animal Kingdom, Disney. It was a truly magical sight, walking under the beams, the vines dangling in front of me, about to embark on a ride; a ride that would transport me to a different world.

This summer, like every summer, Anand Mela was hosted in Redmond. It’s hosted every year by a temple called ISKCON. The temple, or mandir, as it’s called in Marathi is devoted to Lord Krishna. We started going since 2020, at first to check it out, and then for every Indian festival. They hold a ton of events, and they even have volunteering there. I used to go during covid times to help out with their prasad, which is the food they offer to the deities and then gets served to all the people who came to pray. A lot of kids my age and I served people the prasad.

A whole field filled with the most richest color of purple! Ah, a dream come true. It feels like I’m entering a dream, as I walk through the lanes of flowers, the thick boroughs of the tightly knit petals brushing past my ankles; they give a rise to bees as they swarm around, trying to settle back down onto the flowers, feasting on the decadent nectar. Indeed, I’m talking about lavender.

Carnivals! That simple word brings me so much joy. I’ve grown up listening to childhood stories of all the fairs and carnivals at my parents’ and grandparents’ hometown and have longed to visit one someday. I’ve always lived in a big city, which is why the carnivals there were a lot different than the typical traditional setting. I had even grown fond of them through movies based in USA, including Mary Poppins. I’ve always been an energetic person, seeking thrill rides and fun with friends.

Just as summer break starts, a world of vacations commences too, where people drift off as if in dreams, and take a breath that they’ve held in for far too long. And just like that, I was transported to a world where dreamers dream, and anything is possible if you believe. A world called Disneyland.

The very first time you walk through those gates is a time you’ll never forget. It’s like you step into a new world, a world full of Mickey Mouse and princesses. The big beautiful castle is the first thing you see, looming over all the other attractions at the park. It’s royal blue and gold coloring glints in the morning light as it happily puts a smile on my face. The park is allocated into different sections, with each section having a specific theme, such as Fantasy Land, Frontier Land, Tomorrow Land and more. All of these different sections contain various rides based on the theme.

There are a lot of experiences to experience in the world, with a lot of them on my bucket list as well. Over time, I’ve managed to check some of them off, including a very important one this weekend. Shreya Ghoshal’s concert! It was truly a once in a lifetime experience, and an important check in my bucket list.

The initial moments once we entered the arena were ethereal. There was buzz about the concert, people wearing Indian attire, and a lot of Indian food. Everywhere I looked, I could see a splash of color, whether it was the food, clothes, or the enormous posters of her concert.

As June comes along, with it comes warmth, the happy feelings of school ending, and then finally, the best bright red fruit. Strawberry season is my favorite, the red berries bringing sweetness to our lips in the time of heat. Which is why, a person like me is the most excited for strawberry U-Pick. As I mentioned in my previous blog (link) a U-pick farm is a huge farm with various different varieties of fruits and vegetables planted, and the most unique thing is you get to pick them yourself!

As the summer approaches, the weather in Redmond warms me up to the extent that I never want to leave. All the Washingtonians are so happy that the rainy months have finally come to an end and the sun has started peeking through the clouds, pushing them out of the way. With the warmer weather comes a facet of other activities, one in particular that I love for its tradition.

As an explorer, I always like to try new things, including places. Though there was this one place my parents and I found in 2020 that we kept going back to. That was Whidbey Island. Travelling to islands here is a completely unique experience, and not something we had tried before. I hadn’t been to many islands before, especially one at such a short distance. I had always been curious about islands as a kid, wondering what their mode of connection with the city was, how their way of life was different, and what an island looked like in general.

There’s this one store that completely wowed me the first time I walked into it. I was small at the time, just about 11 years old, and the minute I walked through the first entrance, my eyes were transfixed, and my neck started cramping as I stretched it towards its full potential. There were things, all kinds of things, everywhere I looked. The lanes stretched for what felt like miles on end and racks and racks of food and clothes lined the shelves. Of course, I was at USA’s most beloved wholesale grocery store, Costco!

I just get happier and happier as summer approaches in pacific northwest (PNW). Every time the sun shines or the breeze blows through my hair, I reminisce and get reminded that hiking season is about to begin. Over the years, my parents and I came across a new family hobby, something that satisfies all our choices when we go outside. For me, it’s the rush of the trail and the view at the top.

As I celebrated the weekend of finishing my first AP test and started studying for yet another one, the universe gave me the sweetest surprise by showing me what, in my opinion, is the most beautiful sky I’ve ever seen. Indeed, I saw the Arora Borealis, or Northern lights.

Arora Borealis form due to the charged ions in the thermosphere (a layer of the atmosphere) that is hit with solar radiation at high speed, which creates interactions with Nitrogen and Oxygen, hence creating a dancing blue, green and reddish pattern in the sky. I didn’t know that before I took my APES class in school. It was cool to learn about them and even cooler to be able to experience it.

As I sat at my desk contemplating what to write about for this week, only one thing came to mind because it has taken over me for the last few weeks. I am talking about AP tests. AP stands for advanced placement and are annual tests that happen in the month of May.

AP classes are college level classes, with the same rigor and assignments, and to test your knowledge on the subject, a test is held on a day in May. Over the year, the course is broken down into units, same as a non-AP class, except the tests and content is made to prepare you for the final test. Since they are college level classes, we are able to get dual credit for the class from specific colleges, which counts as one of your subjects from college and gives you a head start when you attend it.

I was just a little baby when I was introduced to the magical lands that reside in writing on pages, coming to life when the reader read off of it. It was always there, it’s presence vibrant on the shelf, it’s glossy cover gleaming as it urged you to pull it off the shelf. Whether it was about a spider trying to go up the spout or a visit to the seven dwarves, the stories always encapsulated me. Books for me was where magic resided.

Craning your neck to see the clock behind you, you were aware of the scraping noise the sweater was making on the chair, drawing eyes from everyone sitting around you. There were five minutes left till the end of class, people signed to each other. Five minutes until there was freedom to eat lunch. A minute, 30 seconds, and finally you’re out. Everyone in Tesla Stem has biological clock wired into their brains, knowing exactly when it’s time to leave, because there are no physical bells to signal the end of class.

I was 9 years old, just beginning to register all the changes happening around me, how the quiet streets had started to grow louder, the people in the area increasing. I was 9 years old, my imaginative streak running wild, smiling at all the new experiences, however big or small they might be. I was sitting on the ocher couch by the window, the lined pattern on it digging into my skin as I flopped on it in my denim shorts. I was gazing out the window, sliding the blue-screened blinds until I had a clear view of the peach-colored buildings in front of me. It was a warm summer day, and I was hoping to catch some of the late morning breeze still confused on whether to stay or move on.

That morning sunshine that hits the windows of your car as you glide on the roads, the mountainous scenery changing besides you will always be one of my favorite parts of the trip. I’m talking about my trips to British Columbia, Canada. They always make me feel free, like I have no responsibility on my shoulder, like a bird who can fully spread their wings.

It felt exhilarating the first time I went, because it was so surreal that there was a border to another country only about 2 to 3 hours away from my house. It felt even more exhilarating that I was able to cross it. You can easily go from the United States to some countries without the need of a visa once you have a green card, which is permanent residency in the United States, or a citizenship. I didn’t know the significance of this trip the first time we went, for me, it was just another road trip that my parents and I were taking.

Suddenly, I wake up one day to the birds’ chirping, the sun streaming in through my windows instead of the usual Seattle rainy gloom. The air feels lighter and a smile creeps up on my face. This can only mean one thing. Spring is here! I look forward for this day since the beginning of the new year, January and February being the most depressing months for me.

The weather during those two months is constantly switching its choice on raining or snowing, especially because we live in Seattle. While the only good things during those months are the snow days we get off from school, spring is a much brighter time. Since I’ve grown up in India, I’ve been used to looking out and seeing the sun every day, the sun peeking out for a bit even during the rainy season, and so, I’ve always felt happier and warmer when it’s out. Which is why spring is even more special for me.

As spring draws nearer and the sun starts shining on the plants again, waking them up from their wintry slumber, I can’t help but reminisce in nostalgia about all the fun things that happen in India this time of year. For those who celebrate, I want to wish you all a very happy Holi!

Holi is an Indian festival celebrated each year, a festival of colors. Since Indian culture follows the Hindu calendar, the dates for this holiday fluctuate between some day in March. There are two days to this festival, with different rituals, both as important and who won’t be functional without the other. The first tradition involves a big bonfire and a history behind it. One of the mythological stories behind it goes like this.

For all my life, I’ve been the kind of person to figure it out myself. I don’t understand fractions? I’ll ask the teacher questions or learn it from my parents. I don’t know what to write about in English? I’ll ask my parents for ideas, or sit in my room, noting down my thoughts until I can get a clear picture in my head. I like having that sense of control, the sort that gives me the self confidence that I can do it on my own. Though that’s just me.

The very first year I moved here, I was surprised when one day, suddenly, the sunset had gone an hour earlier! I was confused on what had happened and how come I saved an hour (happily, I might add), when I finally came to know about Daylight Savings Time. There are a lot of things I learned when I first came to the United States, one of them being Daylight Savings Time. That is when all the time zones in the United States move forward by one hour to extend the amount of sunlight we get during the evening. This steals one hour from the morning sunlight and adds it back to the evening sunset time, stretching it out by one hour.

I never realized the power of my mother tongue until I was 10. I grew up listening to the Marathi and Hindi languages, as they were the only things I ever heard until I went to school. Marathi was the language I said my first word in, the language in which I learned to communicate with my parents, the way they interacted with me when I was a small girl. It’s the only language I speak to my relatives in. It gave me a sort of connection to other people who spoke the same language because we started on the same wavelength.

This Wednesday was a day a lot of people look forward to each year, a day where you get to express your love for your loved ones and be able to tell them how much they mean to you. Everyone has their own way of expressing it, whether it’s through cards, candy, or other gifts. Not everyone has dates though, and so my friends and I celebrate it in an even more special way. Galantine’s Day!

Hiking is something that takes you miles away while still being in your city, just another weekend getaway. At least that’s what it is for me. Though it turned out to be so much more than that, walking through the dense forests, breathing in the alpine scent, I felt like there was so much of the world left to explore and this was the path for that journey to begin.

As I woke up in the morning, all ready for the daily study schedule I planned out today, I couldn’t help looking at the beautiful day outside, the snow still glistening on the rooftops, the temperature being 19 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 degrees Celsius) but the sun still shining down upon us like it was the middle of July. The snow glinted in the sunlight like diamonds in a jewelry shop. We didn’t get a lot of snow this year, only a few flakes for a couple hours this week. The roads and treetops are still bare, but the flakes in the grass and on rooftops have still not faded. You know, truth be told, there are times when I wake up in the mornings on weekends and all that lays ahead of me is hours and hours of studying. Sometimes it motivates me, but sometimes I feel like going on a car ride first to clear my head. Like me, a lot of high schoolers or anyone taking exams have a lot to study, learn and execute. It’s hard sometimes, which is why I’m glad to be living in a place that’s so soothing to me.

January means a lot of things to a lot of different people. For some, it’s the start of a great new year! Though for high schoolers, it’s also crucial for one more thing. Semester Finals! These two words pretty much characterize the state of being about everyone at school. First of all, the semester’s also going to end on January 26th, so everyone is worried about doing good on the last few unit tests, to be able to maintain or increase their GPA. With this, we hope to start an academically strong year.

Happy New Year, everyone. As all good things come to an end, 2023 did too, but with it, it gave me and my family a lot of learnings, memories, and most of all, experiences. Come to think of it, our last moment before entering 2024 was also a moment to cherish. It was the first time we had gone to visit the Space Needle (iconic tower of Seattle) New Year celebration!

What would your reaction be if your school suddenly decided not to have any uniforms and the students can wear whatever they want (with some exceptions of course). Well, that is exactly what happens here in USA. We can wear whatever we want, as long as it doesn’t violate the dress code. I believe that people here get a lot of choices ever since they’re children. This country strives to give people freedom, and the ability to choose the outfits to wear is just another step in the plan.

One of the first things that connected me to USA just after I had moved, was the library. When I was little, my parents would read to me every night, and so, I always had a love for stories. Ever since 1st grade, I would never leave the house without a book and was always in the middle of some drama or mystery. I would usually associate what I read to real life, and even implement some of the things I learned. For example, after I read a spy novel, I would carry a flashlight and a rope everywhere with me. Books were always a huge part of me growing up, and I think some of them definitely contributed to my personality. I started using words that my favorite characters used and got to know more about different cultures and lifestyles. Which later made it easier for me to adapt here, in the USA. Books life Spy School (Stuart Gibbs), Judy Moody (Megan McDonald) and A to Z Mysteries (Ron Roy) were a pathway for me to know more about life and trends in USA, and Disney series helped too.

Winter is finally here! With it, it brings friends, family, and most of all, Christmas joy! Being a resident in Redmond, Washington for the past 4 years, I’ve gotten used to some dreary and rainy winters, but the lights that I see around my area always ignites a warmth within me. I live in an area that is called the temperate zone. This is where the weather is cold during the winter but not freezing, and hot during the summer, but not sweltering. The sunrise is also really late, the day not starting before 8:00 in the morning. Plus the sunset is super early, the shortest day of the year ending at like 4:00pm. It used to seem a little bleak at first, but the way that everybody starts all the activities is truly magical and

My mind was racing, a 1000 thoughts spiraling through my mind. I have to finish this assignment, that project and study for so many tests. Though the thought that cut the long line of thoughts and displayed prominently in my mind was this. Winter Ball was in a week! This being my first dance in my new school, I was excited. I was simply bursting with joy at the thought of me wearing my dress, doing my hair and makeup, and taking pictures with my friends.

Thanksgiving. What does it mean to me? Truthfully, I never even knew that this holiday existed when I was living in India for 10 years. Though when I came here, I realized it was a thing, at first just enjoying the holiday we had during this time. Over time, as I got more exposure to the tradition, I got the importance and value it had on Americans, or anyone that celebrates it.

Cricket! Hmm, what can I say about this sport? Actually, for me, it’s not just a sport. It’s a community, an opportunity for loved ones to come together and be on the same team. Cricket’s one of the sports that I’ve been watching ever since I was a kid. One of my most fondest memories with my family came because of cricket.

As a kid, I always knew when there was a cricket tournament going on, even if I didn’t understand how the sport worked exactly. My neighborhood was always a big fan, celebrating after every match India won. One of my most fond memories are when I used to come home after playing downstairs with my friends, T-shirt sticking to my back because of the Mumbai heat, the humidity and hot summer sun casting a blaze on my face. As I stepped into my house, the blast of wind from the air conditioning greeting me was one of the greatest reliefs. Looking up, I would always see my parents in the same position, the memory a clear image in my mind. My dad would be on the back couch, leaning on one arm, cheering on Team India. My mom on the couch on the side, eyes glistening with rapt attention, she too would shout and high five my dad every time that one of her favorite players hit a boundary or a sixer. This was my first inclination towards loving cricket, and I have grown even fonder of it since.

My love for Bollywood movies started when I was just 6 or 7 years old. Though, surprisingly, it didn’t really kick off until the lockdown in 2020 due to Covid. When I was little, the most important things to me were the Bollywood songs. I would sing them in the shower and try to remember them when my friends and I were playing Antakshari. Antakshari is a very popular game in India, where you take the last syllable of a specific song and try to think of a song that starts with the same syllable. Though most of all, I used to love Bollywood songs because of dance.

Today, I want to take the time to talk about my grandma (Nani, my mom’s mother). Growing up in an Indian household, I was used to being around a lot of my relatives and family friends. I’ve always loved being part of a large community, a large family, especially during Wedding Season. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve known to dress up in Indian attire and go for poojas (prayers), and celebrations of various kinds. I know a lot of my extended family by name and grew up having small talk. Though I think my favorite family member besides my parents, is my grandma.

Waking up with clammy hands, butterflies in my stomach, and a haze in my mind, I was sure I was sick. But no! I was just excited for my perfectly planned homecoming weekend. I had studied extra hard the entire week, just so that I could have a little breather for the weekend. Oh, finally it was Friday! Feet bouncing, hair waving, I got out of the bus after school on Friday afternoon, just a day before the special day and started running to my best friend. We had planned for this for so long, and our dream was finally coming true.

Something that I really love about this country is the various types of U-picking there is. U-pick is when you go into a farm and get to pick your own vegetables and fruits. We started exploring new options during Covid times as we were always searching for things to do. We started with apples. It was highly recommended by a lot of our community, since the talk of the best u pick farms was going on in all the shared community platforms. It was the perfect season as the fall leaves had just started drifting to the ground. We searched the place on Google maps and were glad to find it only a half hour away from our house. Getting ready, I wore my apple print top, signifying the occasion. The car ride had an energetic and exciting buzz around it, and finally, we arrived.

Hi everyone, I go by my virtual name Navaka. I am a girl from two worlds. My idea behind starting this blog is comprised of a lot of factors. In my life, I have attended 6 schools (both in India and USA), lived in two countries, visited 14 states in India and 13 countries in the world which includes three continents. I have always liked travelling and have written about my experiences ever since I was 6 years old. The reason I’m starting this blog is because I want to put my experiences on the table and create memories.