Letters to the Editor - NRI Online Feedback

My America

From : Chitra Venkatram

1999

It is quite interesting to note how one can tell how unhappy someone else is. India is clearly overpopulated, so what if some leave ? There is so much to do wherever one is. People have a lot of love and affection for friends and family in the US as well. During my recent visit to India, I was overwhelmed with the obsession with jewellary and silk sarees. There is plenty of divorce, bad relationships, illness, everything there as well. And then there was the family politics - fight over little things.

While it is true that "saturday night parties" and the "TAX Talk" are the highlights of a typical Indian family, it is simply a choice. It would be nice if more Indians take interest in their communities and participate in voluntary activities, show that they care for others - black, white or hispanic. Most Indians here are very happy with their routines, however boring they may seem to those in India.

As for our children, they adjust and do quite well. Reasonable freedom and rules go a long way. As a matter of fact, I am yet to come across a single next generation youngster(among some 100 that I know) who is smoker!! If anything, they appear to be a lot less into drinking than their parents who are the first generation Indians!!! Although many choose americans to marry, I find that they are very picky and seem to have a strong sense of committment to marriage.

Every time we make a choice we trade one for another. In the end absolutely nothing matters if you have not left the world you came into, a little better than the way you found it.
- Chitra Venkatram The views of this column are the author's own, and do not necessarily represent the views of NRI Online.

more letters...