“Munir, when will there be life in your life?”, sarcastically commented one of my roommates about 4 years ago in Atlanta.
My reply was, “Dude, I don’t think going to strip clubs every other week and taking a lap dance with naked women means life. I don’t think going to a bar and spend 100$ on beer every Saturday means life. I don’t think betting on a pool table and losing $50 every week means life. All this may mean life for you. Not for me.”
Why did I mention this incidence here? When I noticed this topic on Mouthshut, I was intrigued to say the least, as it is very close to my heart. When I tell someone that eventually I want to settle in India and I don’t think I can survive in US for long, most people react predictably – ‘Are you stupid? People are dying to go to US and you want to come back to India?’ I think it is futile to reason with someone whose reaction is knee-jerk like this.
Being fresh from a 6 week trip to India, my thought process currently may be highly influenced and what I am saying below may not be completely unbiased. But the fact remains that these have been my thoughts for five years. First two months in US were very difficult. In fact, difficult would be an understatement. At that time I was very firm on returning to India eventually.
‘You will change your mind after 6 months’ I was told. 6 months later my mind was still firm.
‘You will change your mind once you complete your study and lend a decent job’. Did not happen.
‘Just settle in job for a year or two and you will definitely change your mind’. Did not happen.
‘Just get married and have kids. You will not be able to leave the country’ goes the tag line right now.