We have now past our 6 month anniversary in this wonderful yet crazy country. Its a melee of colors, smells and noises - our senses are permanently on overload, and without the comparative calm of the 'hood I'm not sure we'd survive!
I've been thinking about where we are at the 6 month mark for a while - and the answer is I'm not quite sure!! Missing friends for sure, but also already saying good-bye to new friends in this transient ex-pat world here. Such is the ex-pat life among ex-pats. Yes we are ex-pats in the US (now we are citizens, not any longer) but this is different. In the US, we became integrated into the domestic community. Here we are essentially amongst ex-pats from all over, here for a few years (some professional ex-pats who make our travel adventures seem rather feeble!) and returning Indians who are back in India for the foreseeable but not necessarily for ever - its very transient. Its a bit like the essence of the country itself, it becomes very intense. Friendships amongst the ex-pats are made fast and furious as we are all in the same boat needing friendships, connections in this foreign land but on the other hand knowing that time will take us back to our homelands, or the next assignment, in the not too distant.
The thought we have already been here 6 months is scary - 6 months of a finite period is a material percentage. When I think of it this way - there is so much I want to do here, to experience, to learn, to absorb and we have barely scratched the surface. I don't want to waste this once in a life time experience. On the other hand I feel we have come a long way and now have our heads above water, have routines, to some extent have learn't to get stuff done, have friends to call and folks to do things with. The kids seem happy - both have friends and get a lot more freedom than they do in the US, partly because school seems to entail a lot less supervision especially for Wills who actually once missed class as he was playing with first graders and missed the kindergarten teacher taking them back. Adam seems to be largely unsupervised at break and lunch, much like the US - but the school is on an 80 acre campus!! Here in the hood' they run wild, wielding cricket bats, dribbling soccer balls, brats on bikes, rebels on rib-sticks - well thats an exaggeration but I thought it sounded good! Ads has finals fast approaching so is somewhat curtailed at the moment.
There are things I miss from the US, but now I know there will be things I will miss from here when we come back. Experienced ex-pats tell me how it is hard to return home after such an absence /experience and I can in someways see how. But I have learnt how adaptable we as humans are - with an open mind and "go with flow" approach you can make a home almost anywhere, technology makes the world so much smaller, the difference is only ever in the details, and long may the details stay different!!
So for now, we will enjoy the moment, make the most of this incredible experience, embrace the country we are in, leaving something of ourselves behind and bringing something new back home.
I've been thinking about where we are at the 6 month mark for a while - and the answer is I'm not quite sure!! Missing friends for sure, but also already saying good-bye to new friends in this transient ex-pat world here. Such is the ex-pat life among ex-pats. Yes we are ex-pats in the US (now we are citizens, not any longer) but this is different. In the US, we became integrated into the domestic community. Here we are essentially amongst ex-pats from all over, here for a few years (some professional ex-pats who make our travel adventures seem rather feeble!) and returning Indians who are back in India for the foreseeable but not necessarily for ever - its very transient. Its a bit like the essence of the country itself, it becomes very intense. Friendships amongst the ex-pats are made fast and furious as we are all in the same boat needing friendships, connections in this foreign land but on the other hand knowing that time will take us back to our homelands, or the next assignment, in the not too distant.
The thought we have already been here 6 months is scary - 6 months of a finite period is a material percentage. When I think of it this way - there is so much I want to do here, to experience, to learn, to absorb and we have barely scratched the surface. I don't want to waste this once in a life time experience. On the other hand I feel we have come a long way and now have our heads above water, have routines, to some extent have learn't to get stuff done, have friends to call and folks to do things with. The kids seem happy - both have friends and get a lot more freedom than they do in the US, partly because school seems to entail a lot less supervision especially for Wills who actually once missed class as he was playing with first graders and missed the kindergarten teacher taking them back. Adam seems to be largely unsupervised at break and lunch, much like the US - but the school is on an 80 acre campus!! Here in the hood' they run wild, wielding cricket bats, dribbling soccer balls, brats on bikes, rebels on rib-sticks - well thats an exaggeration but I thought it sounded good! Ads has finals fast approaching so is somewhat curtailed at the moment.
There are things I miss from the US, but now I know there will be things I will miss from here when we come back. Experienced ex-pats tell me how it is hard to return home after such an absence /experience and I can in someways see how. But I have learnt how adaptable we as humans are - with an open mind and "go with flow" approach you can make a home almost anywhere, technology makes the world so much smaller, the difference is only ever in the details, and long may the details stay different!!
So for now, we will enjoy the moment, make the most of this incredible experience, embrace the country we are in, leaving something of ourselves behind and bringing something new back home.
We are moving to Bangalore this summer for my job. I would love to chat with you about schools as we have 2 daughters (7th & 9th grades). Please email me if we can chat.
ReplyDeleteDawn - happy to chat - if u email me at towersfamily@mac.com
ReplyDeleteI'm just getting caught up on your posts and enjoying the thoroughly as usual. It's amazing how quickly the time goes by. What a wonderful opportunity your family has.
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