Charting euphoria If I must be honest, when I first heard of this concept at a cultural training seminar I was fairly skeptical. The skepticism stood fast since I hardly went through such a curve when I moved to the US from India. And secondly, I strive to be non-average in such a vigorous fashion[…]
Well, hello there, Inder! (Source: Wikipedia – Indians In Germany) In a country of 80 odd million people, a couple hundred thousand are Americans and a handful forty odd thousand are Indians. I will spare you the elementary math and just tell you that either of these numbers turn out be to a fraction of[…]
the new neighborhood It is clear to me that either I severely underestimated how big a change this was going to be or that I overestimated my ability to adapt. There were fairly good reason for me to do so, though. One, I had visited Germany before several times, each time staying for longer and[…]
An open gate It is remarkably similar how these last few days feel at home. In fact, my India trips have now started to form a discernible pattern. Each trip is surrounded by excessive amounts of love from my parents. My friends through their jaunts express their affection. I eat superbly delicious food every day,[…]
At room temperature The immediate days after I land in India present themselves as days of rapid turmoil and gradual re-adjustment. It begins as soon as the plane lands when for some reason every Indian on the plane is very excited to get off the plane. So much so that they are repeatedly told by[…]
How do I say goodbye to this country? Each time I had asked myself this question earlier, I was certain that I would list my long account of travel and activity statistics in the country. The American firsts, the cars I drove and the ones I owned would surely be the meat of the matter.[…]
My American Appetite My first thanksgiving in this country was miserable. Without much money I stayed in town while I watched my roommates and friends take off for the 4 day break. I expected festivities to be like back home when holidays came around, but instead the walk around town on the day of thanksgiving[…]
United Words of America. (Sorry Alaska and Hawaii) I can vouch for the niceness of the number 8 purely because it is even. I had, however, vouched not to remember this day. It is, after all, an anniversary of some sort. More importantly it is a blatant reminder that time flies much too quickly regardless[…]
I imagine my mother a little pensive. Her son, the younger one cannot make it home this year. For the New Year’s and for his birthday and for her… She will wonder why she agreed to let me go two years ago. She will think all the food she had to cook if her son[…]
On Saturday I missed you Sanjay. Especially since it has only been a month and a half or so since you cut my hair. Here, on Saturday, I spent 13 dollars in five minutes and came out feeling cheated and almost violated. A three on the sides and scissors on the top does no justification[…]