http://www.theindiansabroad.com/2010/07/nris-and-the-duplicity-of-life/
NRIs often have a complete role reversal in their adopted countries, compared to their perceived status back home in India. Unlike everyone looking up to them in India, they are often looked down in the land abroad.
If you think about it, the NRIs, especially the first generation NRIs, sacrifice a lot to succeed in the foreign country, including their pride, social stature and their social identity. They have to re-adjust to the role of a minority, they often have to adapt to the rules and customs of the new land and that is just the beginning. The hurdles and challenges that a new comer faces are way too many. Overtime, the NRIs often lose their language; their own way of life is compromised and they end up adapting to the foreign life-style. The whole adaptation happens so slowly – over the years, that NRIs don’t even realize the slow self-change in many cases, the slow changes over the decades of life abroad.
Life is a funny thing.It always looks different when you look back at the past, versus looking at the present. Perhaps going abroad was the right decision at that time. Perhaps, many of us did not have any better choice when we first left the homeland, long time ago. Or perhaps, most of us never thought that we were leaving our country for good. When we first start the journey, most of us may have never realized that we are permanently leaving behind so much. When we first go abroad, we all make a self-promise to return home, and yet rarely keep the promise
For some monetary gains, for a dream of prosperity and a perceived better life, most of the NRIs have lost a lot, many have sacrificed too much. The sad part – most of us don’t even realize it, don’t even think about it. All along, over the years as times goes on, something called ‘life’ happens – a new life with new friends, and in the new society in the new land.
NRIs often have a complete role reversal in their adopted countries, compared to their perceived status back home in India. Unlike everyone looking up to them in India, they are often looked down in the land abroad.
If you think about it, the NRIs, especially the first generation NRIs, sacrifice a lot to succeed in the foreign country, including their pride, social stature and their social identity. They have to re-adjust to the role of a minority, they often have to adapt to the rules and customs of the new land and that is just the beginning. The hurdles and challenges that a new comer faces are way too many. Overtime, the NRIs often lose their language; their own way of life is compromised and they end up adapting to the foreign life-style. The whole adaptation happens so slowly – over the years, that NRIs don’t even realize the slow self-change in many cases, the slow changes over the decades of life abroad.
Life is a funny thing.It always looks different when you look back at the past, versus looking at the present. Perhaps going abroad was the right decision at that time. Perhaps, many of us did not have any better choice when we first left the homeland, long time ago. Or perhaps, most of us never thought that we were leaving our country for good. When we first start the journey, most of us may have never realized that we are permanently leaving behind so much. When we first go abroad, we all make a self-promise to return home, and yet rarely keep the promise
For some monetary gains, for a dream of prosperity and a perceived better life, most of the NRIs have lost a lot, many have sacrificed too much. The sad part – most of us don’t even realize it, don’t even think about it. All along, over the years as times goes on, something called ‘life’ happens – a new life with new friends, and in the new society in the new land.
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Indians have a resurgence in their country, pride in themselves, & they don't care about the glorification of the west by the super loyal NRIs! this is a great turn of events for India & TN, they can in years to come put to rest the inferiority complex they have been suffering from the colonial days!
