After living half of my life in the US, I’ve to say that I miss my life there. It’s much easier than living in India. As I am planning an event in India, it’s absurd, annoying and mentally taxing that I’ve to negotiate for every dime with everyone. Why can they just not have fixed prices for everything and everyone!! I’ve come to a point where I better pay extra for the peace of mind.
My mornings are getting equally frustrating. If one wonders that only the younger generation is absorbed in the world of social media, you will be amazed to find that in India everyone is so hooked up on their WhatsApp, yes – people of all ages. My parents are also part of that “WhatsApp” craze. My Dad loves to blast on videos on WhatsApp every morning which are nothing more than political propaganda by the current nationalist party. Once he gets tired with browsing on his phone, it’s TV time, the same political bullshit or some guru giving a super loud speech. I can’t do much because I’m after all just a guest and whatever I say ends up falling on deaf ears. I try my best to stay calm by putting on my headset to listen to some soothing music but my parents complain that I’m too much into myself. It’s the typical Indian parent guilt trap. When my Dad gets home from work, it’s the same ritual all over again in the evening.
On top of that, my health has been the worst here. My body has been rejecting any food I’ve been eating. I try my best to meditate and practice yoga everyday but there are some days I just don’t want to do anything. Today was such a day. I went for a walk but the heat, pollution and the sun wore me down and I got the worst migraine. I came back home and retreated to my bedroom, put down the shades and yanked on the AC.
As I lay in bed, I realized it was time to prepare a list of places I can’t retire and, sadly, India is going to be on it. The process of elimination has begun.
I reached out to my friends in the US and it was so nice to catch up. This is exactly what I was missing. Open, honest and raw conversations with my close friends. Having good friends in life is so important when you are going on a crazy adventure like mine 🙂
On the positive note, I am able to operate an industrial sewing machine with confidence and ended up making a tiny tote bag. Making small progress like a turtle 🐢
