40 Years in Bahrain: An Expat Family’s Bittersweet Goodbye
It’s 3pm on a quiet Monday afternoon when Varghese T. Iype, Boban, to almost everyone who knows him, pauses in the middle of packing to take one last look around. Forty years. Four decades of routines, friendships, memories, and moments that have stitched Bahrain firmly into the fabric of his life.
When he first stepped into the Kingdom on 30 September 1981, arriving from Mavelikara, Kerala, he had no idea how deeply this island would shape him. A year later, he joined Bapco, a move that would define an entire lifetime. From 1982 to 2024, Boban’s career grew in stride with the company’s evolution. Loyal, steady, and endlessly committed, he built a reputation rooted in integrity and hard work. He credits his brothers, John Iype and the late Mathew T. Iype, for guiding him here and setting him on a path that would transform his life.
But Boban’s story at Bapco wasn’t just about work, it was about people. He recalls, with a spark in his voice, the friendships carved over years of shared deadlines, laughter, and support. He speaks fondly of the camaraderie among colleagues and the easy, open rapport he enjoyed with his superiors. “I could walk into my boss’s house like family,” he laughs. Weekend gatherings, spontaneous parties, and long, warm conversations blurred the lines between coworkers and loved ones, a rare bond he knows he will miss deeply.
Outside the workplace, Boban became a familiar face in the community, especially at St. Mary’s Indian Orthodox Cathedral, where he served as Committee Member, Harvest Festival Convenor, Secretary of the Senior Citizens Fellowship, and President of MANNA. His wife, Lally, who arrived in 1985, carved her own professional journey through roles with GPIC, Alba, and Bapco.
And then came the memory that would forever tie their hearts to this island: the birth of their twin sons, Binoj and Binith, a joyful blessing that arrived after eight years of longing. Binoj Iype Varghese and Binith Alex Varghese were born and raised in Bahrain and are both postgraduate mechanical engineers. Binoj works with SKANSKA in the UK and is married to Dr. Reya, while Binith works with GKN Aerospace in Bangalore and is married to Sonu, a PhD scholar at Christ University. Their lives were shaped by the opportunities the Kingdom offered, and the family recalls this period with immense pride and gratitude.
Talking to The Daily Tribune, the family’s affection for Bahrain flowed effortlessly. They spoke of the lovely, welcoming people who made them feel at home from the very first day. They recalled the warmth woven into everyday interactions, the kindness extended without hesitation, and the respect Bahrain gracefully offers to every culture. Their attachment to their church, the island’s quiet beauty, and the calm, organised pace of life are among the many things they say they will miss the most.
The Iype family also expressed deep gratitude for Bahrain’s healthcare system, reliable, compassionate, and consistently reassuring through every stage of their journey.
As they looked back on four decades, the changes stood out vividly. Boban chuckles when he remembers how the iconic Gulf Hotel was once surrounded by the sea on three sides. “If someone returned after 40 years, they wouldn’t recognize the place,” he said, marveling at how dramatically the Kingdom has transformed, from infrastructure and skyline to innovation and modern living.
Yet through all this change, one thing, they say, has remained beautifully constant: the love, respect, and sense of belonging Bahrain extends to its expatriates. “This country made us feel truly at home,” they said, a sentiment that lingers long after the words fade.
Now, with their bags nearly packed and a new chapter awaiting them in Mavelikara, the Iype family prepares to leave Bahrain carrying the most excellent souvenirs of all - gratitude, friendships, memories, and a piece of this island forever tucked into their hearts.
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