Third World Citizens

The stark difference in treatment of human life is easily noticeable as one traverses from the West to the East. People are more accepting of insults, of lesser convenience, and of ways of life that don’t even make sense.

As I disembark the hugely courteous Emirates airlines in Dubai from US I am a satisfied customer. The airhostesses are the best in quality, the food and drinks are above standard, and the smiles..oh smiles. There are travelators even when walking makes more sense but they are there as they give a sense of service. The deep service and satisfaction that every traveler is entitled to... as I came to believe.

Apparently on the other side of the world... as I had clearly forgotten... thats not the norm. You are an Indian.. a third world citizen.. and you will take what we give you and make it work. I commend us for the innate ability that we have developed during our growing years to accept and adapt. We excel in the world we live coz of exactly this. However we leave behind a lot more we can achieve by not demanding more... by not allowing ourselves to ask for more to align with what we deserve.. by not agreeing that we deserve more.

I used to think that the source of all problems for us is population. Its difficult to sustain anything given the sheer number of people. At some point the patience runs out. But now after giving myself a 7 year break I realize its not just the population ..that adds to the problems for sure.. but thats not the problem. The system is indeed the problem. Why do we have to travel for 15 mins in a bus on disembarking the airport. Real Estate problem? Ok agreed. Why do we have to have 5 different security checks before boarding the plane? Why do we need an OTP for EVERYTHING. When majority (upwards of 60%) of the urban metro population is transient then why an address proof in the form of Aadhar card is required for everything. And if it is then why changing address on Aadhar card not an online solution or an easy solution without standing in line for 4 hours. 

Im only venting on the above. Im sure it will take me less than a month to get used to all of the above. But it was important for me to note it down as I continue to live life in the coming months and years and be able to compare the innate sense of adjustment that is built in a normal middle class Indian life.

..beyond words...

My vocabulary failed me. I have been looking for a word or words to express what I feel..what I am/have been going through for the past few weeks/months. I cannot express. Two posts in a row I talk about concoction of feelings.Surpring eh?

I have made one of the biggest decisions of my life and since then not one day have I regretted it..yet. I have been happy. I have been looking forward to this crazy new beginning. My boss thinks I am crazy. And I think somewhere somehow coz of this bold step I am being reverred. Coz I am following my heart.. my dreams.. that many fail to do. I am proud of myself. Not many were with me through this decision. But I did it regardless. And I did it for me for reasons that were important to me and no one else.

But as the day is coming closer.. I am feeling sad. I know this feeling. Its just sadness. I am sad to leave my life.. my home here. But that being said, most all relationships I built here I am burying them as I go. They werent worthy enough for me to take back home. Or I wasnt worthy enough for those relationships. However it goes. Its sad that after seven years I take nothing back. A more mature, wiser, jaded version of me now heads back. Its quite a fresh beginning in many ways.

The huge contemplation on whether I take my furniture and entire house as it stands today with me or not. People find me indecisive and exhausting sometimes when I delve so much and spend so much energy into this very small decision regarding IKEA furniture. But its the comfort of taking it all there with me vs starting completely fresh and with an unknown agenda. Still unsure.. Im leaving it all behind. Just like my relationships.