Little Clouds Of Thought

I just made up that random title. Here I am on a Sunday afternoon bordering on the evening, doing an assignment. Other than organizational politics, there are a million things running in my mind right now. The first one of them is today would have been my Grandmother's 81st birthday - Aaji, I hope you're reading this, and all my love is with you. Do you read my blog regularly? :D - I am also wondering how I'm going to get all my work for school done in a very short time. I was asked by a certain someone to write more serious stuff here. But what if I dont want to? Its my space just to be. I don't have to write all kinds of techie stuff in order to be cool. Nor do I have to write about management and my ideas of a better strategy. I love writing about general things, my thoughts, friends,family and I have a fun time writing about my shopping escapades.
This is the second or the third saturday night and sunday I'm spending studying. If this was Chennai, saturday night would have been spent having dinner outside or a general night out with friends. Sunday afternoon would have been at A's place watching That 70's Show episodes or some movie. Shyam providing us with entertainment. The evening would inevitably end at Subway, with A finishing his sub and mine, and then going home to Thayir saadam. (next time you ask me why ur jeans size went up without you realizing, i'm going to direct you to this space)
All these things make me miss Madras more and more. But on the other hand I do love it here as well. I don't really know where it is that I want to end up. One of my best friends is getting engaged tomorrow and needless to say, I am not going to be there. I will probably miss her wedding as well. "Be prepared to miss a lot of things now that your here" was what I was told by my cousin. But I dont want to. I dont want to miss things that are happening with my family and my friends, with people whom I care for. At the same time, I dont want to forgo what I am doing here. I guess I'm speaking not just for myself, but a whole bunch of people in the same situation. I do not regret coming here, I will not regret any decision that I probably am going to take. Cause thats one question that I always ask to make things clear to myself "Ne, are you going to regret this decision a year or 10 years later?" If the answer is no, then I know what to do.

One thing that really puts me off, is people who come here and then complain that this place is not like India. Why the eff would it be? You are half way across the world, how can you even EXPECT it to be the same? I come across a whole bunch of these types. I dont like the supermarkets here. I dont like the way the vegetables taste. Its not like home where everything is so tasty. The Indian store is too expensive. What is this we are studying? Such a stupid subject. I just cannot refrain from asking why did they make this choice to even come here in the first place. Why would one spends lakhs of rupess to come and study here, and then diss the country? I feel that the whole experience and quality of education is wasted on them.
Some thing that I have tried to explain to people. I am not anti-any country. I do not love or hate any place. I will just probably gravitate towards an opportunity that will help me grow professionally and on a personal level as well. I have a special love for home because of the support system that exists there. Why wouldn't I love to be closer to my family and enjoy the benefits of a good education and a career? I did not come to a country half way across the world just for fun!