Dear Folks,
Well! you must be thinking why I chose this topic to blog on. However the reason behind this choice is my observation and experience of Indians whilst in India. I would like to make a disclaimer in the beginning that this is not a pre intended discriminatory or racial article and the sole motive of this piece is not to offend anyone. It is purely based on my perspective and I would appreciate if you could respect my freedom of speech and take it in a lighter way.
I remember in the year 2007 I had a friend of mine who had visited India from the US. I happened to meet him and I kind of had a night out with the gang. We visited couple of places like the hawaaiin shack and other two clubs on that day. I kind of was in a transition of my lifestyle as I was recently introduced towards spirituality so, I didn't enjoy that much of the night life as otherwise would have been the case. The friend happened to be boasting about his life in the US and cursing every little thing in India. I didn't like his attitude a the patriotic in me. I just couldn't get that and I thought to myself that - Dude you grew up all your life in India and what made you change so much. Well, I left that thought there and continued with my life.
It happened that a turning point came in my life and that I myself decided to go to the UK and pursue my master's degree. And with all that beam in my eyes I flew to the UK in 2009. It was a complete different experience living in the UK right from the lifestyle,etiquette, Food,Uni Life etc. But I was loving every bit of the transition that I was going through. Over the period of few years I could see myself thinking and acting like a English person. I think I had changed a lot as a person with more liberal thinking, wider thought process, open minded and a bit mature. I guess I became a bit of - COCONUT ( A termed used in the west to describes a desi born who is brown from outside however their thoughts are white - like a westerner). I had a set lifestlye, a comfortable living a descent job in the city and lot of spiritual activities to engage in.
My first visit to India happened to be in the year 2012 since I had left the country. Well, the first thing that happened was the mosquitoes at the Mumbai Airport when I had arrived post midnite. My family was very happy to see me as it was a surprise visit to them. Whilst coming home in the taxi I had literally forgotten the way to my house from the airport but I managed to reach. I was happy with the food and sunshine in the initial few days. I couldn't dare to get in a crowded local train. I couldn't stand the honking noise of the cars and also couldn't cross the road. I had dust allergy and my voice literally changed. There were many such instances and situations that were appalling to me. My cousins had to remind me that this is India and not UK. I started to get irritated at little things, the system in India etc. I couldn't comprehend a life for myself in India. This was exactly the point when I realized how back in the days my friend was acting. I really couldn't make my family or friends or cousins understand exactly how I was feeling or going through. It was difficult as you can only feel certain things in a certain way until you yourself experience it. But in the hind sight I have a patriotic heart and I chose to ignore other factors.
In terms of lifestlye I could say that I did grew up or atleast or had accustomed to a very modern way of living whilst my university days as I studied and lived in south Bombay who are known to be little snobs. I did go to clubs often with my friends and did all crazy things possibly. There was not much that I hadn't experience in Mumbai before going to the UK except the gentlemen's club (I haven't been there myself but yes I have few Uni friends who have been there). Well! people in India try to ape so much of the western culture. And yes I do agree I myself did it. But I am happy to also know the good side of the west which people in India unfortunately cannot experience unless they live there for a good while. I mean we want to follow the western lifestlye but not certain good principles. I really don't get that. But then I really cant blame as many haven't experience that side of the life. If you live in the west its very difficult to live back home. You can still adjust with the lifestyle but its very difficult to live with the Indian sort of mentality. I find people in India so rude and impolite. I mean there is no courtesy at all. In my little experience I also find the corporate clads also very unprofessional about the way they talk or behave. If that's the case with the sophisticated class then what do I expect from the other masses. With due respect to all its really very annoying when people receive us in a very different way. I wouldn't even blame the NRI's for not contributing to their home country and instead choosing to live in the west. The reason being that even if we would want to contribute to the nation, the system,the culture and the corporate sector is such that it will be very hard to live with it. I have many appalling stories of my friends who have had trouble working in India. I wouldn't want to generalise the whole lot but yes in majority instances that is what has been experienced. People please look at the brighter side of it - and could you please refrain from asking questions such as- You been away from the country for x no. of years how would you fit in ? but pls look at the other side where a person with international experience can definitely add value by getting the best experience gained in the west. In my opinion if people can be successful in the west then definitely they can contribute in their homelands. Don't stick to the rusty management practices but be open minded in this global age. I guess more than the west in India there is lot of discrimination on the basis of caste, colour,creed, state,gender, mother tongue etc. Also all the so called Indian elite class should really learn from the west. These people need to stop accumulating loads of money and pocketing money by finding invasive loopholes in the system and instead do more of charity. The income disparity that they create is really really unbelievable. My heart really breaks when I see very old people begging on the streets, homeless people, little children selling stuff on traffic signals etc instead of going to the school. They are just deprived of their basic right to live a descent life.I am not sure what I can do about it but I would like to take few steps donno how! I mean we are the so called tax payers of the country but I don't see in any way the tax money is been distributed to the citizens. The poor people are just left in some corner. Yes I did grew up seeing all these my life and people do accept and live with this fact but for me only living in the west made me so much more sensitized. I never wrecked my nerve when I paid taxes whilst working in the west because whatever amount that I paid I really got the benefits despite being not the citizen. There is so much I would want to rant about but I would stop it here. Sigh!
Well! you must be thinking why I chose this topic to blog on. However the reason behind this choice is my observation and experience of Indians whilst in India. I would like to make a disclaimer in the beginning that this is not a pre intended discriminatory or racial article and the sole motive of this piece is not to offend anyone. It is purely based on my perspective and I would appreciate if you could respect my freedom of speech and take it in a lighter way.
I remember in the year 2007 I had a friend of mine who had visited India from the US. I happened to meet him and I kind of had a night out with the gang. We visited couple of places like the hawaaiin shack and other two clubs on that day. I kind of was in a transition of my lifestyle as I was recently introduced towards spirituality so, I didn't enjoy that much of the night life as otherwise would have been the case. The friend happened to be boasting about his life in the US and cursing every little thing in India. I didn't like his attitude a the patriotic in me. I just couldn't get that and I thought to myself that - Dude you grew up all your life in India and what made you change so much. Well, I left that thought there and continued with my life.
It happened that a turning point came in my life and that I myself decided to go to the UK and pursue my master's degree. And with all that beam in my eyes I flew to the UK in 2009. It was a complete different experience living in the UK right from the lifestyle,etiquette, Food,Uni Life etc. But I was loving every bit of the transition that I was going through. Over the period of few years I could see myself thinking and acting like a English person. I think I had changed a lot as a person with more liberal thinking, wider thought process, open minded and a bit mature. I guess I became a bit of - COCONUT ( A termed used in the west to describes a desi born who is brown from outside however their thoughts are white - like a westerner). I had a set lifestlye, a comfortable living a descent job in the city and lot of spiritual activities to engage in.
My first visit to India happened to be in the year 2012 since I had left the country. Well, the first thing that happened was the mosquitoes at the Mumbai Airport when I had arrived post midnite. My family was very happy to see me as it was a surprise visit to them. Whilst coming home in the taxi I had literally forgotten the way to my house from the airport but I managed to reach. I was happy with the food and sunshine in the initial few days. I couldn't dare to get in a crowded local train. I couldn't stand the honking noise of the cars and also couldn't cross the road. I had dust allergy and my voice literally changed. There were many such instances and situations that were appalling to me. My cousins had to remind me that this is India and not UK. I started to get irritated at little things, the system in India etc. I couldn't comprehend a life for myself in India. This was exactly the point when I realized how back in the days my friend was acting. I really couldn't make my family or friends or cousins understand exactly how I was feeling or going through. It was difficult as you can only feel certain things in a certain way until you yourself experience it. But in the hind sight I have a patriotic heart and I chose to ignore other factors.
In terms of lifestlye I could say that I did grew up or atleast or had accustomed to a very modern way of living whilst my university days as I studied and lived in south Bombay who are known to be little snobs. I did go to clubs often with my friends and did all crazy things possibly. There was not much that I hadn't experience in Mumbai before going to the UK except the gentlemen's club (I haven't been there myself but yes I have few Uni friends who have been there). Well! people in India try to ape so much of the western culture. And yes I do agree I myself did it. But I am happy to also know the good side of the west which people in India unfortunately cannot experience unless they live there for a good while. I mean we want to follow the western lifestlye but not certain good principles. I really don't get that. But then I really cant blame as many haven't experience that side of the life. If you live in the west its very difficult to live back home. You can still adjust with the lifestyle but its very difficult to live with the Indian sort of mentality. I find people in India so rude and impolite. I mean there is no courtesy at all. In my little experience I also find the corporate clads also very unprofessional about the way they talk or behave. If that's the case with the sophisticated class then what do I expect from the other masses. With due respect to all its really very annoying when people receive us in a very different way. I wouldn't even blame the NRI's for not contributing to their home country and instead choosing to live in the west. The reason being that even if we would want to contribute to the nation, the system,the culture and the corporate sector is such that it will be very hard to live with it. I have many appalling stories of my friends who have had trouble working in India. I wouldn't want to generalise the whole lot but yes in majority instances that is what has been experienced. People please look at the brighter side of it - and could you please refrain from asking questions such as- You been away from the country for x no. of years how would you fit in ? but pls look at the other side where a person with international experience can definitely add value by getting the best experience gained in the west. In my opinion if people can be successful in the west then definitely they can contribute in their homelands. Don't stick to the rusty management practices but be open minded in this global age. I guess more than the west in India there is lot of discrimination on the basis of caste, colour,creed, state,gender, mother tongue etc. Also all the so called Indian elite class should really learn from the west. These people need to stop accumulating loads of money and pocketing money by finding invasive loopholes in the system and instead do more of charity. The income disparity that they create is really really unbelievable. My heart really breaks when I see very old people begging on the streets, homeless people, little children selling stuff on traffic signals etc instead of going to the school. They are just deprived of their basic right to live a descent life.I am not sure what I can do about it but I would like to take few steps donno how! I mean we are the so called tax payers of the country but I don't see in any way the tax money is been distributed to the citizens. The poor people are just left in some corner. Yes I did grew up seeing all these my life and people do accept and live with this fact but for me only living in the west made me so much more sensitized. I never wrecked my nerve when I paid taxes whilst working in the west because whatever amount that I paid I really got the benefits despite being not the citizen. There is so much I would want to rant about but I would stop it here. Sigh!
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