A recent post shared by Humans of Bombay has put the spotlight on an unlikely friendship between a woman from Karachi and her best friend from Delhi. The two first met as students in London in 2017 and have remained close despite eventually returning to different countries.The friendship began with a simple question.Areeba and Anushna had both arrived in London on the same day to study at the London School of Economics (LSE). Sitting in the university’s reception area, exhausted after travelling and missing their families, they struck up a conversation when Anushna asked Areeba, “Do you want some water?”That brief interaction eventually grew into a friendship that would see the two navigate university life, personal struggles and separation.
From random London walks to a close friendship
A few days after meeting, the two bumped into each other in a lift. Anushna suggested going for a walk, and they began exploring London together.Their outings were spontaneous. They would leave around 10 in the morning without deciding where to go, turn into whichever street looked interesting and spend hours talking.Areeba said that even their silences felt comfortable.“With her, there was apnapan,” she recalled.
‘It’s not a zero-sum game’
The friendship became an important source of support for Areeba during her undergraduate years.She recalled being bullied by some people and said she would share her experiences with Anushna. Her friend encouraged her to be careful about the people she allowed into her life and to surround herself with positivity.Anushna also helped her deal with academic pressure and the habit of comparing her progress with others.“She’d remind me, ‘It’s not a zero-sum game,’” Areeba recalled, adding that everyone has their own journey and hers could not be compared with anyone else’s.The two also celebrated smaller milestones.When Areeba finally moved out of a difficult roommate situation and got a room of her own, she immediately called Anushna. The two went to a Starbucks near campus, ordered a pastry and shared it.
They stayed connected after returning home
Eventually, Anushna left London and returned to Delhi.Areeba recalled sitting with her at the airport before her departure. Anushna called her mother and then spoke to Areeba until she checked in for her flight.Instead of spending their final moments together dwelling on the goodbye, they laughed about the memories they had made.After Anushna returned to Delhi, the two continued speaking through weekly video calls. They remained part of each other’s lives, discussing jobs, setbacks and everyday experiences.“There is a border between our countries that most people never get to cross. But we video call every week,” Areeba wrote.
‘I feel happy when India wins over Pakistan’
Areeba also shared how her friendship has changed her feelings around India-Pakistan cricket matches.“I’m from Karachi. My best friend, Anushna, is from Delhi. I am so fond of her, that now I feel happy when India wins over Pakistan in a match,” she said.Her comment came while describing the closeness she developed with Anushna over the years, despite their different nationalities and the geographical distance between them.
Nine years later, they shared another pastry
The friendship came full circle last year when Anushna visited London with her mother.The friends returned to a cafe near their old campus and ordered a pastry, recreating one of their earlier memories.There was one difference this time. Anushna’s mother joined them.“Last year, she came to London with her mother, and we went to a cafe near campus again. We ordered one pastry. This time, the three of us shared it,” Areeba recalled.What began with a glass of water in a university reception in 2017 has continued for nine years through weekly calls, shared memories and the small traditions the two friends created along the way.Thumb image: Instagram/@officialhumansofbombay
