Returning back after a 2.5 year assignment from US of A was something interesting. There were multiple sets of comments that I heard / received.
Here is one
X : Did your project end ?
me: No , I chose to return.
X : Have you gone mad? People die to get to onsite, and then do whatever they can to stay in US, and you are going back?
me: hmm
X : is it recession? Did they offshorize your stuff ?
me: No, a guy has already replaced me
X : I think you want to switch your job, so you are getting back. You have been a long time with this company, I know you will back soon from a different company.
me: ( If you have got it all figured out by yourself , why ask ?) As of now, I havent planned anything..Well Lets see how things go along .. See you later.. (How else do I stop the firing?)
Another one in India as I am back
Y : So you got bored in America ?
me: (Smile) Well, kind of ..
Y : Its so much tough getting food out there isnt it?
me: Well not so much , you get pretty much every Indian stuff there..
Y : But is very costly there , isnt it ?
me: umm, it depends..
Y : You must be feeling hot here isnt it ? It must have been very cold there in America?
me: Actually I was in Dallas, which is pretty hot and dry.. Its just more humid here.. Aaachuu !!
(For the uninitiated, Dallas, Texas is in lower lattitude, a bit higher than Mumbai and sees Extreme temperatures , Mumbai has been never that hot)
Y : YOu are having a cold !!! Stay away , did you get swine flu ?
me: (Taking two steps back) Ah well, not that I know of .. Aaachuu!!
Note for the readers, I have just got sever cold and cough due to change of weather, NO FEVER , and you cannot catch a Flu from reading :P
Another Friend inquiring on Yahoo messenger
F : So you are back ! welcome back!
me: Thank you ! How are you?
F : Hann Ok ok.. You tell me, what did you get for me ?
me: Did you ask for something :P ? Got lot of Choclates, come down to have it till stocks last..
F : Courier Companies bhi hoti hai .. You can send by that ..
me: HAHAHAH
F : So what electronic items did you get ?
me: Not much, lens for my Camera, camcorder.. small stuff..
F : What did you get for me?
me: (Speechless)
F : Aur tera Bank Balance kitna hua hai ? YOu must have got a very fat sum there, isnt it?
me: uhh?
F : Thoda daan Punya karna chaiye .. mere jaisa gareeb koi nahi milega tujhe
me got logged out due to a Load shedding routine. ( Load-shedding is a scheduled power-cut, the routines vary area wise from 1 hour to 18 hours).
For the first time, I was thankful about Load shedding.
No hard feelings for the friend, she was just joking. She is a very close friend of mine and is very obnoxious by nature. But she deserved an entry to this blog becos she wasnt asking about my health or my contact number to call up and talk but interested in other things :)
These are typical conversations I had. In my views, US of A is just another country. It has its own beauty, culture, abundance and discipline. I do not compare it with my own country as India also has its own beauty, culture, abundance and discipline. I dont compare the two as I beleive it will devaluate both of them. I had done my job with assignment I was given and it was turning slightly monotonous. Also my visa was expiring and I wanted to get back to my family.
Right now, I am happy to be back !!!!
