Dreams that take wing with the taking off of an airplane, sometimes come crashing down when it lands.
This is my story, but unfortunately it’s not a new one and it’s not the last one. I’m from a small city in Western India. We’re a family of working professionals, that always laid an emphasis on education and career. By the time I was 26, I was a junior professor in a well known college. It was around this time, that an acquaintance suggested a marriage proposal for her nephew in Canada. This family had immigrated a long time ago and the boy had been born and raised there.
Upon meeting the family seemed warm, welcoming and eager. They said I was exactly the kind of bride they wanted for their son – educated with career goals. The boy, seemed polite, if somewhat distant. When I mentioned this to my family, they attributed it to the barrier in language and culture which would soon be bridged. With no reason to say no, I agreed to the match and the wedding was solemnised in a few months. On our parents encouragement, we even had a honeymoon in India – to show him his motherland.
It was when we finally landed in Canada that the skeletons came tumbling out of the closet. My husband had been forced into this marriage by his father, on whom he was still financially dependent. Unknown to the family, he was married to another Canadian girl. Even when everything came out, the father still wanted me to continue with the marriage, get a teaching job and start contributing to the family. My initial refusal invited mental abuse, which quickly gave way to physical abuse by the family.
Even before I could wrap my head around my predicament, my husband left the house. I was left scared and confused in a strange land. I had no one to talk to and no clue about my rights and options. While searching the internet, I came across getmeadivroce.com, I wasn’t sure if it was going to helpful but I booked an appointment to see if they could give me a few answers. A single conversation with their legal counsellors gave me a lot fo strength. She gave me a plan of action, the first thing I needed to do what take custody of all my paper work; passports, immigration papers, degrees etc and the second was to secure my money, jewellery and credit cards. I was then advised to get in touch with the local authorities and specifically the immigration authority. Fortunately in Canada there are specific agencies to deal with people in my situation.
They have helped me leave my house and have provided me with temporary housing while I sort out my situation. The getmeadivorce.com legal expert also laid out my options for filing for a divorce in India. This is a complicated procedure given the fact that I am in foreign country, however even the Indian government has resources available online that can be of help. I am in constant touch the legal advisor, she has not not only given me professional advise but also helped me maintain my sanity.
At the moment, I am trying to decide my next steps; whether to come back to India for good or consider beginning a new life in Canada — This time on my own terms. If you’re in a similar situation, then the only thing I would say to you is to be vigilant. Be very aware of how you’re being treated by your family and always remember that you have choices. You don’t have to continue being in an abusive house just because you are in a foreign country. Take all the help you need, I know I did. getmeadivorce.com is a great option especially if you’re overseas because they connect you with an expert via video conferencing. This really helps establish a certain level of trust with the person, which is essential when you have to share the most intimate details of your life.
