NRI… huunn!!!
18th January 2010, 2016 hrs: It has been exactly 128 days, 12hours, 30 minutes and 55 seconds since I arrived in the UK or to be more specific 4 months, 6 days, 12 hours, 30 minutes and 55 seconds.
[Continuing further I have been here for the last 18 weeks, or the last 3084 hours, or the last 185,070 minutes, or finally the last 11,104,255 seconds.]
When I first came here, I was distinctly Indian in everything I did – from the way I acted to the manner in which I spoke. Although I am still that same Indian guy I was before, things have changed and I can feel that deep down inside. Many things that would have astonished me before are now routine. This is maybe all part of the “adapting to a new place and culture game” but it is brutal. Culture is such a big part of who we are and what we do that when you have to rip it apart to belong to some group and to conform, it hurts. But, that is what life is all about – adjustments. What we are today are the manifestation of years of evolutionary adjustments made by our forefathers. These small adjustments – made one at a time- shaped our culture, our traditions, our beliefs and values. I am making some more now to tweak my existing one to fit into a new one. I hope this adjustments phase passes soon.
Among other things, I will officially be a Non Resident Indian (NRI) in about 52 days from today. The Government of India defines an NRI as someone who has been out of the country for more than 180 days in a year. When I was in India, I used to wander what it would be like to be one. Now, that I am officially on the brink of becoming one, I must admit it feels nothing. You get trapped in your silly, miserable life and never realize how all that time has passed by. I am pretty sure I will never be able to tell when the 52 days threshold arrives. It will come and pass by as any other day and that will be it. I will be another Non Resident Indian in a distant land with hopes and dreams of a better life. A life, I will have no one to share with…
