Four Years
It will be four years since I moved back to India. Not that I was in the USA for such a long time, but still, it is a country with a wonderful idea called an American Dream. This idea has an instant appeal and who can not but get infected by it. I was one of the victims of the dot com bubble burst and leaving USA was one of the hardest decisions I have made. However, I stuck to it as it seemed right at the time.
The next year in Bangalore was the worst. Although I started my career in Bangalore, I was in for a shock in the second innings here. I used to look for similarities with USA everywhere. I looked for a Starbucks in baristas and cafe coffee days, a Safeway in foodworlds, nilgiris and fabmalls, Century Cinemas in dilapidated theaters of Bangalore (no, PVR and INOX have opened fairly recently) etc. I had the same feeling when I left home at the age of 17 to join IIT Bombay - homesickness. I just wanted to run away.
Things were not bad jobwise. I had a decent job, somewhat exciting, but definitely not of the sucky variety I had in the US. Money was never a problem. I was just married and had found a wonderful companion in my wife; parents were around and family life was good. I survived the first year. A Maruti Zen is no replacement for a Mustang GT convertible, but things have been better since then.
I have not yet grown to like the situation here. No one can get used the traffic situation and the daily commute in Bangalore. There is no explanation for the way people behaved when Dr. Rajkumar passed away. I cannot, for the love of God, understand the psyche of people like V. P. Singh, Arjun Singh and Ramvilas Paswan and hate the fact that I have to share my country with these morons.
But, I have definitely changed - I am once again comfortable purchasing vegetables in the local market. I do not ask for mineral water bottles in hotels and restaurants (those who have seen Swades, the transformation of the hero revolves around the bottle of Aquafina, very true!) and I love eating rice bath and set dosa for lunch. I have finally managed to purchase an apartment. The transformation has not just happened; I have worked towards it.
In this post, I will not include methods to cope with India on your way back, because I am planning to open a consultancy for relocation advice. Coz one thing that I have learnt really well after coming back here is that NRIs are there to fleece.
I am still living the American Dream... ;-)
The next year in Bangalore was the worst. Although I started my career in Bangalore, I was in for a shock in the second innings here. I used to look for similarities with USA everywhere. I looked for a Starbucks in baristas and cafe coffee days, a Safeway in foodworlds, nilgiris and fabmalls, Century Cinemas in dilapidated theaters of Bangalore (no, PVR and INOX have opened fairly recently) etc. I had the same feeling when I left home at the age of 17 to join IIT Bombay - homesickness. I just wanted to run away.
Things were not bad jobwise. I had a decent job, somewhat exciting, but definitely not of the sucky variety I had in the US. Money was never a problem. I was just married and had found a wonderful companion in my wife; parents were around and family life was good. I survived the first year. A Maruti Zen is no replacement for a Mustang GT convertible, but things have been better since then.
I have not yet grown to like the situation here. No one can get used the traffic situation and the daily commute in Bangalore. There is no explanation for the way people behaved when Dr. Rajkumar passed away. I cannot, for the love of God, understand the psyche of people like V. P. Singh, Arjun Singh and Ramvilas Paswan and hate the fact that I have to share my country with these morons.
But, I have definitely changed - I am once again comfortable purchasing vegetables in the local market. I do not ask for mineral water bottles in hotels and restaurants (those who have seen Swades, the transformation of the hero revolves around the bottle of Aquafina, very true!) and I love eating rice bath and set dosa for lunch. I have finally managed to purchase an apartment. The transformation has not just happened; I have worked towards it.
In this post, I will not include methods to cope with India on your way back, because I am planning to open a consultancy for relocation advice. Coz one thing that I have learnt really well after coming back here is that NRIs are there to fleece.
I am still living the American Dream... ;-)
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