India, March 12 -- Leaving home is never easy, but for Jhanvi Santoshkumar Varma, a Mumbai native living in Connecticut, the void left by her family was filled by an unexpected source. In a moving conversation with HT.com, Jhanvi describes how her Japanese landlady, Keiko, stepped in like a second mother, from bringing her "Japanese bhajiya" to carrying a printout of Jhanvi's resume to help her find a job. It is a story that proves family isn't always defined by blood, but by the kindness of strangers.

Varma relocated to January 2024 to complete her master's in data science. She is currently seeking employment after completing her higher education.

She learned about Keiko's place after seeing an advertisement. Though the landlady initia...