Dollarized strangles..

They moved from their motherland to this alien place.. found growth, comfort, development here and settled down in this land of equals..
The gr8 states of America and the strong currency "$", made them feel that this is where they belong, that this land which brought them prosperity deserves their utmost loyalty and they must try not to reconnect to the roots they had in a poorer land back home...

I am not sure if it is the - keenness to learn (as might be the case of many students , IITians coming here for MS/PhD) or the dream of earning big (those who work here - from IIM/ISB grads to PhD scholars to the Patels to Sardarjis) which keeps them bonded to this land but I personally find it impossible to settle here as an alien...

I had heard of 'mitti ki khusboo ko dil tarasta hai' stuff from NRIs in bollywood flicks but I swear how true this is.. the eerie silence , the extremely formal and self centered approach of people around might look like a freedom oriented, non - interfering one but to me it looked very unfriendly, very selfish and just too boring life out here!

How can one ever shun the 'not so hygienic and spicy' tandoori chicken with a kingfisher over the weekends.. , the bike ride in the heavy traffic of Pune/Jaipur... the friends, gang sitting and gossiping for long hours over the weekends.. singing at the top of the voice in night and then next day dealing with the complaints of the neighbors.. how can one forget the ever forgiving society and ultimate freedom of India..
I agree that at times this freedom in India is exploited by some which can cause trouble to the innocents.. but oh God one can at least actively criticize the system then being an outsider and a passive onlooker over here..

I am missing Pune.. India.. in spite of the painful buggers .. corrupt auto drivers to bureaucrats .. high headed politicians and their kins to cheat grocery owners.. I am missing the nation where I exist and am counted and can make a difference.

I prefer living a life of higher accountability , higher involvement in society than the life of higher comfort and riches. I can't leave India because I would earn more and get better life style some where else... I would rather try to create a situation where people are earning more here itself and have a better life style here itself!

Anyways.. now coming to what I did over the weekend..

It was snowing yesterday.. so I could not really go out.. I am happy I didn't go with the rest of the gang to Washington DC in such a cold... I loved to see it snow.. it looks very b'ful .. I had not seen it snow ever before .. never visited shimla or norther parts in winters...
I watched 3-4 movies.. ordered Indian food on Saturday and went to a nearby place for pizzas for lunch today.. tried to prepare tea in indian style and managed to make something close enough.. talked with my wife.. discussed the pros and cons of US with her.. she got bored and asked me to change the topic.. talked with friends studying or settled in US... chatted with friends in Pune.. and that's all week was gone!!

1 down , 12 to go! ... 12 more weekends and I will be back to my sweet home..