Following is an attempt to list my reasons to stay in the US and to not stay in the US. This list is not complete. I shall add more reasons as and when I think of them. If you think of some additional reasons, please add them in the comments.
Reasons to stay in the US:
- Higher pay. Even in comparative standard-of-living terms (as opposed to absolute pay terms), Indian pay does not match.
- Infrastructure & facilities in US vs in India. Higher comfort and ease for anything and everything material.
- Travel opportunities in US and other places.
- Polluted and dirty urban living and travel conditions in India.
- The US's extremely low Extrinsic Obstacles Index (EOI) for education, career and fun, compared to India's extremely high EOI.
Reasons to NOT stay in the US:
- Family & friends in India.
- Food. Mother's Cooking.
- Festivals in India.
- Travel opportunities in India.
- Cultural & social experiences of India.
- Thrills of being in the one of the most "happening" countries of the world.
- Experience of participating in the current phase of India's accelerated modernization.
- Exponentially increased opportunities to network with others of my own kind (Indian, young, passionate, techie) due to the fast-growing Internet connectivity in India.
- Missing the company of others of my own kind (Indian, young, passionate, techie). At this point (Mar 2006), I feel extremely lonely in the US. For some reason, I have just not been able to find very many people here in AZ, with whom I could enjoy great friendship and companionship.
More to be added whenever...
Posts
Hey..This tuf-of -war always happens....The festivities may not be in a big scale in AZ but I know tht all the imp festivals r celebrated in Atl with a whole lot of the Indian community- They have the Dandiya, diwali, onam and many more....
ReplyDeleteHey, also...DOnt you think the last point of the reason to stay in US is more appropriate in the reson to to stay in India...I felt so...Dunno why , byt I have never seen your posts as they were never displayed past "Web Feeds & Feed Readers" and now all of a sudden there so many appear!!!
:)
Its surprising LL, that whatever reasons you have mentioned are from your personal gain point of view. I am also one like you often torn between this conflict. Have you ever given a thought how much your Mom and Dad would like to live with you and see you day in and day out. Also have you thought about taking care of them in their old age?!!
ReplyDeletefierysaggi - Eventually, my mom and dad will indeed live with me. And yes, I expect that they will spend their senior years with me.
ReplyDeleteLoneliness can be hard to grapple with if you don't have any friends.
ReplyDeleteHave you gone out of your way to make friends here in USA or do you stay to yourself?
I bet if you had a circle of close friends who were really fun then you would not want to return to India any time soon. One can live in any condition if they are feeling loved.
Personally speaking I think it is unhealthy for grown adult men and women to live with their parents. I think this is one reason why India has so many problems. Of course once the parents are old and in need of help then that is different. But as long as one's parents are well and still kickin' it, what is the need or neccessity to live under the same roof as them? It reduces one to a child in many ways.
On the other hand though I have seen that Indian parents become needy at a much younger age than parents here in USA. Grand-parents in USA at the ages of 70, 80 and more are quite vigorous, active and independent. I have seen in India that alot of people no older than 50 are home-bound with practically no life left in them. It's all psychological. Fifties can be considered the prime of one's life. In India I have seen that even thirties are considered "old" sometimes. Like one is supposed to stop living, enjoying, partying once past 29. It's a hard mentality to deal with.
VG - You are right that one can live in almost any condition when one feels loved. Before I moved to AZ, I lived in OR and I had a fantastic social life with the local people there. It was an enriching experience. I am living a more low profile life in AZ.
ReplyDeleteHowever, even in OR, my American friends were not a funny bunch. They were a little older and fun, but not funny in the way that friends you went to school and college with can be, the people you grew up with can be. That is the kind of nonsense (almost "frat" kinda) fun I miss.
Older people are alright... But where are the younger jokers who say and do stupid things, get into troubles, etc.?
VG - India has so many problems because people are staying with their parents? Fantastic conclusion! I think a conclusion which makes more sense is that America has so many problems because people are too selfish and don't know how to learn from the wisdom of their elders and get along with their differing siblings. The personal selfishness of Americans has spilled over into nationals and international levels causing the American government to act like spoilt teenage brats at home and outside. I think my conclusion about America makes more sense than yours does about India. We have lived with our parents for centuries and we have been the source of countless riches (material and spiritual) for the world. We are not the country which has caused nuclear arms races, supported and caused untold number of wars and killings around the world in a few short years of its existence!
ReplyDelete