Leaving home is never easy, but for Jhanvi Santoshkumar Varma, mumbai Born in Connecticut, the void left by her family was filled by an unexpected source. In a touching conversation with HT.com, Jhanvi described how her Japanese landlady Keiko stepped in like a second mother, from bringing her a “Japanese bhajiya” to carrying a printout of Jhanvi’s resume to help her find a job. This story proves that family is not always determined by blood, but by the kindness of strangers.
Varma moved to January 2024 to complete a master’s degree in data science. She is currently looking for a job after completing her higher education.
She only found out about Keiko’s address after seeing an advertisement. Although the landlady initially told her the property was not available for rent, she later called Varma to offer to rent it.
How much rent does she pay?
“I pay $425 plus utilities, which can go up to $150. The total is about $580 to $590 (between $53,556 to $54,479 per month), Varma told HT.com. In addition to the monthly rent, Jhanvi feels that she has gained something more valuable: a sense of belonging. She said Keiko and her husband, Greg, provided a respectful and kind home and treated her more like family than a tenant.
How did their relationship deepen?
“So when I moved here, I went and asked some questions. She welcomed me and gave me some Japanese food called tempura, like ‘Japanese bhajiya’. I’m a vegetarian, so she gave me sweet potato tempura. I felt loved by her, so I made dal rice and gave it to her,” recalls Varma.
She told HT.com that the next day, Keiko told her that she and her husband really enjoyed Indian food and gave her some kimchi and tofu soup in return. “From then on, if I cooked something good, I would give it to her. If she cooked it, she would give it to me. We just bonded. She was a sweetheart.”
Recall the situation of the old man Japanese The landlady cared about her, Varma shared, “What brought me closer to her was that I lived alone, so one day I woke up, went to the kitchen, and I started to feel uneasy. I felt like I was going to pass out. I went back to my room and passed out on the bed.”
When Varma told her landlady about her health the next morning, the response was immediate, protective concern. She recalled: “The next day when I told her what had happened she seemed concerned and told me if I felt okay to call her she would look after me. She also asked me to meet her nurse friend because she was worried about me. So I felt real maternal love from her. “
What is her fondest memory with Keiko?
“The funny thing is, I told her, if you know someone in the data space, tell them that I am looking for a job. If they can help me in some way. She messaged one of the people and wrote him some nice things about me. She also made sure that we met,” Varma told HT.com.
She recalled: “So that day Roger [Keiko’s friend] met with me. Oh my gosh, I was shocked when she came over and handed out printouts of my resume while I was talking to him. I was supposed to be the one to print out my resume, but instead she was there with my resume. I think my mom would do the same. It’s fun and heartwarming. I love this moment. I have never seen such a lovely person. “She added that Keiko would take care of her mother’s life.”
Earlier, a video of Varma and Keiko playing Holi went viral and heart-warming. Expressing her reaction to the video, Velma said: “It was a bit of a shock to me because I never thought this video would reach so many people. Everyone who saw the video shared lovely comments about me and my landlady, which was really heartwarming and lovely.”
Recalling Keiko’s reaction, she said: “She was really happy. She was shy so she didn’t talk much, but she said, ‘It’s nice to know that people from India love me’.”
She recounted an incident in which she spoke of her kindness during a lecture at Keiko Church. In turn, the older woman praised Varma and her upbringing, calling her a very “lovely girl.”
What is life like away from your family?
“I learned a lot living on my own here. I learned the value of my parents and family. I also learned the value of every penny I earned. I became more confident. But I also missed my parents. It’s very difficult to survive here if you don’t know how to ask for things. I learned these things when I came here,” she told HT.com.
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