Yeah the title is little weird, I am talking about parents visiting their kids in US and returning with rich experience. Parents traveling for the first time, especially the middle class are excited about the trip. Entire life they had save penny to give good education to their kids, probably sacrificing lot of desirable things. And kids complete their education and fly to foreign land for higher education or jobs. Kids settle down in US and don’t come back. Mother and Father in India are lonely, only excitement is when kids call them up on web cam and send tickets for their US trip.
Mummyji and Papaji are happy as its their first trip to USA and also their first flight trip. They are happy cause their sacrifices have brought colors after a long time. And why not they deserve to see other part of developed world. Son and Daughter in law give them traveling and etiquette tips before they start. Initially parents enjoy their stay, like the life style, cleanliness, huge shopping malls, departmental stores, luxury car, long stretch of free ways, express highways, discipline, and respect. Luxury apartments make them cozy and probably start comparing with Indian standard of living. Well definitely, there is a huge gap of Indian life style and developed countries. People in US love their country and have less patience, need to get the work done very fast, which is opposite in India.
So finally Ma and Pa are settled down in US for their 6 months stay. Pa enjoying shopping at hyper market and Ma cooking favourite dishes for their kids. Also trying to digest culture shock and keeping a check of not intervening in the life of local citizens. Site seeing, shopping, traveling, meeting relatives, celebrating birthdays, Baby Shower day, parties and get togthers keep Ma and pa busy. Son and daugther in law try to keep their loving parents as comfortable as possible. Probably a modern Ma , may change her style of clothing or remain the same.
Its almost 4 months and few parents start getting bored since their kids might be out for work whole day and they have nothing to do much, even though they might be having grandchildren to take care. They start missing India as they cannot jump into neighbour’s house or even visit relatives frequently. No gossips, not aware whats happening around in the neighbour hood and not interested in US economy progress.
They start missing the dirt, pollution, people, relatives and sharing daily quota of news with relatives, friends etc. Some Pa enjoy staying their but Ma is not much interested in this Luxury jail. Well Ma cannot bargain with the Walmart vegetable guy, also there are no fishwali coming at the door step to buy fresh fish, They had gone through so much of hardship, its this hardship a luxury for them. The aroma of their Indian home starts calling them back. Some people feel something is missing till they do not jump in muddy puddle of Indian rains.
So after much argument with kids the “US return” parents are back in India with lot of goodies.First few week it takes time to adapt Indian style of living and they are excited about sharing experience and stay in US. But final conclusion is loneliness kills them.
They start comparing being lonely in India is much better than in US. In India if Ma and Pa gets a little scratch or some small illness, crores of relatives come to meet and ask their health status.
The sabji wala will be the same here, always calling Maji Maji, I think nobody will call Ma and Pa in Walmart, Maaji or Papaji. The Fishwali bargaining on fishy things.The Grocery guy and shopkeepers asking Maaji aur kay du, naya chaval aya hai bhej du kay. Kamwali sharing gossips of neighbour. The aroma of grocery shop, vegetable markets, crowed market will always keep Indians their Indianess. Ma and pa will meet their kids frequently and also travel to US, but finally most of the MA and PA will avoid travelling to US giving reason like”What we will do coming there its boring and lonely” and kids wont come since they are entangled in time factor, Citizenship rules and money factor. Ma and Pa are happy here in India.
Its finally the India Soil where we are born and brought will never detach us.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment