Exactly two years before Dec 31 2006, I was worried if I will be able to move to India and uncertainty around it. I am happy man now that not only I moved but settled down happily. Its been almost 9 months that I am back to my country and to me it's a quickest year of my life. I still have lot of memories of last year, so fresh, that it seems all that happened just recently. I am very optimistic about the coming year and I welcome it graciously.
BTW, for my return to India, I had a separate blog http://myr2i.blogspot.com/ which I have made it public recently. For all r2i'ers there is some help on that blog.
Cheers 2009!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Saturday, August 09, 2008
4 months...
An email just popped up in inbox "Rakhi and Raksha Bandhan Gift Hampers to India". Well I thought I no longer need such a service, but that made me ponder on how things were while I was in US and how they have changed after I moved to India.
To start off, I had wonderful vacation and have joined SumTotalSystems in Hyderabad as Implementation Consultant. Got settled well and have got used to India and its living, traffic and inflation.
The move went very smoothly esp with help of friends and family. The biggest problem settling back was getting used to the new price tag for every commodity. Every commodity in India have almost doubled up. Living expenses in India have sky rocketed. My maid has quoted Rs.2000 for cleaning dishes and washing clothes! She makes more money than some white color jobs, I guess.
As I thought, the most I miss is people and friends and food. I am still getting used to the food options available outside. I definitely miss the continental, healthy foods and salads.
Many of my initiatives that I thought would continue even after moving back have short lived. The distance, time change, communication issues and not being in person in US have made me move out of all those initiatives.
That said, new things have started and I am finding myself busy enough to not add more to my plate.
To start off, I had wonderful vacation and have joined SumTotalSystems in Hyderabad as Implementation Consultant. Got settled well and have got used to India and its living, traffic and inflation.
The move went very smoothly esp with help of friends and family. The biggest problem settling back was getting used to the new price tag for every commodity. Every commodity in India have almost doubled up. Living expenses in India have sky rocketed. My maid has quoted Rs.2000 for cleaning dishes and washing clothes! She makes more money than some white color jobs, I guess.
As I thought, the most I miss is people and friends and food. I am still getting used to the food options available outside. I definitely miss the continental, healthy foods and salads.
Many of my initiatives that I thought would continue even after moving back have short lived. The distance, time change, communication issues and not being in person in US have made me move out of all those initiatives.
That said, new things have started and I am finding myself busy enough to not add more to my plate.
Friday, April 11, 2008
ARCD
America-Return Confused Desi, or ARCD for short is a term used to refer to Indian who returns to India for settling after living in United States for some time, in contrast to those who were born in India and always settled there.
For example:
1) An ARCD cannot bargain equivalent to real Indian. If he can get 10% off, feels happy for his success, even though he knows 30% off bargain is any average Indian skill.
2) Asks "What is your return policy?" buying a wireless router.
3) Wears a sunglass, a cap and a kerchief as nose mask traveling in auto to avoid any pollution. Also takes them off when curious pedestrians stare him.
4) Wonders how a loud Sai Baba song in city bus works? Truly secular he thinks.
5) Stands in line in front of any counter until 3 people cut short and get their work done.
6) Replies "Thanks" to autowala or anyone who helps him. But when he realizes that the other person do not understand it, cannot reply the gratitude in Telugu/Hindi.
7) Asks the cab driver, rather begs for his sanity sake, to drive between the lines and the cab driver pretends for few minutes before going back to drive on road line.
8) Requests a black coffee which creates a huge confusion at any place.
9) Complains so much about Ekta Kapoor serials, yet steels a glimpse of it to be truly Indian.
10) Writes this blog even when he is on vacation.
For example:
1) An ARCD cannot bargain equivalent to real Indian. If he can get 10% off, feels happy for his success, even though he knows 30% off bargain is any average Indian skill.
2) Asks "What is your return policy?" buying a wireless router.
3) Wears a sunglass, a cap and a kerchief as nose mask traveling in auto to avoid any pollution. Also takes them off when curious pedestrians stare him.
4) Wonders how a loud Sai Baba song in city bus works? Truly secular he thinks.
5) Stands in line in front of any counter until 3 people cut short and get their work done.
6) Replies "Thanks" to autowala or anyone who helps him. But when he realizes that the other person do not understand it, cannot reply the gratitude in Telugu/Hindi.
7) Asks the cab driver, rather begs for his sanity sake, to drive between the lines and the cab driver pretends for few minutes before going back to drive on road line.
8) Requests a black coffee which creates a huge confusion at any place.
9) Complains so much about Ekta Kapoor serials, yet steels a glimpse of it to be truly Indian.
10) Writes this blog even when he is on vacation.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Boston Living and Leaving Boston
Boston Living
I can say Boston as one of the best place for eateries and roaming around. People complain about cold but surprisingly I have always have enjoyed it. I enjoyed meeting friends whom I knew since long time and making some new ones.
In my 18 months of Boston living I drove to Canon Mountains, Fox Woods, Mohegan Sun, Acadia National Park, Martha's Vineyard, Newport, RIU, Ithaca, New Jersey.
Top 5 things that I enjoyed most apart from having good time with friends
1) Playing free pool at THE WAVE SPORTS PUB
2) Visiting DeCordova
3) Roaming, shopping, eating on Moody St, Lexington Center and Harvard Square
4) Photography at Charles River, DeCordova, Blue Hills reservation and Prospect Hill
5) Food at Dominic's Italian Bakery , Lizzy's Homemade Ice Cream, Josephs II Family Restaurant, In A Pickle Breakfast & Lunch,asiana fusion,Hotbreads
Leaving Boston
I know am leaving US, but leaving Boston has its own significance with every day being just absolute fun. VistaPrint was hard working yet partying place, very hard to find such 'passion and fun' work place. I enjoyed staying in Waltham with most of my friends living nearby, visiting and bugging them as often as possible was fun. I will be missing all the fun time that I use to have with them though.
Here are some of the pics of my Boston last week
I can say Boston as one of the best place for eateries and roaming around. People complain about cold but surprisingly I have always have enjoyed it. I enjoyed meeting friends whom I knew since long time and making some new ones.
In my 18 months of Boston living I drove to Canon Mountains, Fox Woods, Mohegan Sun, Acadia National Park, Martha's Vineyard, Newport, RIU, Ithaca, New Jersey.
Top 5 things that I enjoyed most apart from having good time with friends
1) Playing free pool at THE WAVE SPORTS PUB
2) Visiting DeCordova
3) Roaming, shopping, eating on Moody St, Lexington Center and Harvard Square
4) Photography at Charles River, DeCordova, Blue Hills reservation and Prospect Hill
5) Food at Dominic's Italian Bakery , Lizzy's Homemade Ice Cream, Josephs II Family Restaurant, In A Pickle Breakfast & Lunch,asiana fusion,Hotbreads
Leaving Boston
I know am leaving US, but leaving Boston has its own significance with every day being just absolute fun. VistaPrint was hard working yet partying place, very hard to find such 'passion and fun' work place. I enjoyed staying in Waltham with most of my friends living nearby, visiting and bugging them as often as possible was fun. I will be missing all the fun time that I use to have with them though.
Here are some of the pics of my Boston last week
 |
| Boston Last Week |
Monday, March 31, 2008
Farewell trip and visit to alma mater - KSU
We group of 9 KSU friends try to meet every year (or more often than that) and I could see that there will be 8 less friends with me every time a get together happen. Though we had so many long conversation, every silent moment between them, kept me thinking, I will not get to hear them this often once I move back to India.
The trip was very nostalgic. Reliving all the college days, walking through the alma mater, trying to repeat the daily activity of college was exciting and fun.
Shopping through the local grocery store, where we shopped during college, finding all the things that we bought during that time was like revisiting those days. Aisle after aisle, with the shouts like "Remember this fruit mix can?", "Hey the strawberry vanilla ice cream bucket." to "The rice brand has changed." clearly sought how we were mapping ourselves to five years back.
"Ah the supervisor lady is still working" said of my friend when we went to have lunch at KSU dorm dining center, the place where we all worked to earn our first dollar. We remembered how we worked, filled the ice in the pop machine, loaded the milk in the vending machine, learned to do the salad bar and laughing over all the mistakes, paid off every dollar we spent to make this trip.
With all these nostalgic moments, everybody had a question - When will we all will be meeting again? esp with one friend missing this meet as he is in India and with my moving back to India. People were guessing when I will be returning back to US and I was giving some random answers, and that kept the faith and hope that it will happen. I think we will all will meet but just don't know when and where.
My eyes were like red sunset, wishing to catch some sleep after no more than 3 hours of sleep per day in last 3 days. Everybody pulled it to their max as this could be a last visit to Kansas State University, a place where we earned our degree, where we made some good friends, where we thought our dreams will come true and where we had unlimited fun.
The trip was very nostalgic. Reliving all the college days, walking through the alma mater, trying to repeat the daily activity of college was exciting and fun.
Shopping through the local grocery store, where we shopped during college, finding all the things that we bought during that time was like revisiting those days. Aisle after aisle, with the shouts like "Remember this fruit mix can?", "Hey the strawberry vanilla ice cream bucket." to "The rice brand has changed." clearly sought how we were mapping ourselves to five years back.
"Ah the supervisor lady is still working" said of my friend when we went to have lunch at KSU dorm dining center, the place where we all worked to earn our first dollar. We remembered how we worked, filled the ice in the pop machine, loaded the milk in the vending machine, learned to do the salad bar and laughing over all the mistakes, paid off every dollar we spent to make this trip.
With all these nostalgic moments, everybody had a question - When will we all will be meeting again? esp with one friend missing this meet as he is in India and with my moving back to India. People were guessing when I will be returning back to US and I was giving some random answers, and that kept the faith and hope that it will happen. I think we will all will meet but just don't know when and where.
My eyes were like red sunset, wishing to catch some sleep after no more than 3 hours of sleep per day in last 3 days. Everybody pulled it to their max as this could be a last visit to Kansas State University, a place where we earned our degree, where we made some good friends, where we thought our dreams will come true and where we had unlimited fun.
 |
| Manhattan trip |
Moving back to India
I have fastened my seat belts to finally go back to home. When I left India five and half years before, I always knew I will go back one day, it took little longer to accomplish it though. To keep the promise that I made before moving to US, to live more closely with family, to seek a new career in growing economy, to feel the sense of belonging, I am moving back to India on April 7th.
Its been fabulous time learning, earning, working, having fun and its time to pull the socks again to some new challenges, new expectations and new hopes. It will be tough to miss some great friends and great places to work and easy way of living life though. The decision had lots of question, lots of confusion and pros and cons, but am glad I was able to cross the ring of fire with support from family and friends.
Last few weeks have been so hectic, visiting friends, running errants to finish all things, packing that I couldn't get time to pen this blog early.
I hope my decision to move back to India and living there will be fun filled, successful and that I will reach some newer and important goals of life. Am excited to see family and friends, feeling happy that I could do this big step and excited about "change" in life.
FAQ's :P
What am I gonna miss most? - Friends and daily life.
Whats exciting? Authentic home food (though will miss continental food :( ), freedom from H1/Green card paper work , enjoying Indian music, movies, TV and cricket.
Will you be back? Well time will answer. I might come back on visit and on business visa.
Its been fabulous time learning, earning, working, having fun and its time to pull the socks again to some new challenges, new expectations and new hopes. It will be tough to miss some great friends and great places to work and easy way of living life though. The decision had lots of question, lots of confusion and pros and cons, but am glad I was able to cross the ring of fire with support from family and friends.
Last few weeks have been so hectic, visiting friends, running errants to finish all things, packing that I couldn't get time to pen this blog early.
I hope my decision to move back to India and living there will be fun filled, successful and that I will reach some newer and important goals of life. Am excited to see family and friends, feeling happy that I could do this big step and excited about "change" in life.
FAQ's :P
What am I gonna miss most? - Friends and daily life.
Whats exciting? Authentic home food (though will miss continental food :( ), freedom from H1/Green card paper work , enjoying Indian music, movies, TV and cricket.
Will you be back? Well time will answer. I might come back on visit and on business visa.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
