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‘I feel so alive,’ says Danish woman who ‘quit everything’ and moved to India
A Danish woman who moved to India without a plan says it’s one of the best decisions she ever made.
A Danish woman who moved to India without a plan says it’s one of the best decisions she ever made. Astrid Esmeralda shared an Instagram Reel on her experience of living in India for the past 10 months which has blown up on the social media platform. In her Instagram post, Esmeralda opened up about her decision to “quit everything” and leave Copenhagen to experience living in India.
On leaving Copenhagen
Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, is a major tourist hotspot known for its charming blend of historic elegance and modern innovation. For Esmeralda, however, it was a city that had begun to bore her.
“I needed a change. It felt like there was nothing left for me in Copenhagen,” she wrote on Instagram. “I loved my job, my apartment, my friends, but I was so bored of the city…”
Her dissatisfaction with life in Copenhagen stemmed in part from its climate - “It’s only fun in the summer! The rest of the time, we’re all just waiting for summer, and it feels like such a sleepy place,” she explained.
On her video, she wrote: “Quit everything, sold it all, and moved to India.”
On life in India
Life in India, on the other hand, is full of mini adventures. Esmeralda says she has fallen in love with the country and its culture.
“Now in India, I feel soooo alive!!!! India has opened my eyes to so much,” she wrote on Instagram. “First of all, I’ve fallen in love with a country that’s so diverse, wild, and beautiful. I’ve fallen in love with the culture, the people, and the nature.”
The Danish woman has travelled extensively across India, going from Rishikesh to Goa to Mumbai and more. Her travels have brought her not only a sense of adventure and belonging but also a better understanding of her own self, she says.
“India has shown me new sides of myself, awakened my dreams, and given me trust in my journey. It’s also shown me the real effects of karma,” Esmeralda said on Instagram. “I’m grateful for everything—most of all, the privilege to be able to travel, live abroad, and explore the world.”
She now plans to stay one more month in India before leaving for a summer of travelling in Europe. She still plans to return to India after the monsoon season.
Astrid Esmeralda’s love letter to India has gone viral with over 2.5 lakh views on Instagram.
