The place where you are most comfortable is home, i have heard. I am most comfortable here so this is my home. A lot of people, innumerable, mailed to me after reading my blogs urging me to answer this question. A lot of people I know are still not convinced by my arguments. The question is "Why did you leave such a beautiful country, an overseas land like Australia where people would love to go for something like India."

I had thought that I had already answered this question through my previous blogs. Guess I was wrong. Everyone and mind you I am not using the term most of them, EACH AND EVERYONE has told me that it is homesickness. Those who know what I am talking about will agree with me that it is not homesickness. By those I mean people with families, with children.who see their children play indoor games 90percent of the time , who see their counterparts in India emerge smarter and happier and living a better lifestyle will understand.

I cannot emphasize enough that overseas is not what bollywood shows. You cannot watch "Salaam Namaste" and think Australia is beautiful. I dont deny it is not. It is a beautiful country.but so is India.You cannot see a dark woman and assume she is not beautiful. Well coming back to the point. I think this mindset has come fom the fact the Indians always have assumed inferiority over white skin, Even to this date, fairness creams sell like popcorn, and matrimony ads say "very very fair a.k.a very very beautiful". Secondly it is the picture portrayed by the so called NRI's who say "Oh we have a much better lifestyle there, we earn 20 laks per annum" Anyone whose been there can tell you about the lifestle there. True you own appliances you wont probably buy in India, but there is a difference,because owning a dishwasher is a luxury in India, it is a necessity overseas. And mind you not all homes have one, same applies to the air conditioning. Not all countries are blessed with the weather as always being cool and pleasant.

Life is much harsher and harder, and all of you who have asked me obviously havent been there to live. Let me make it very clear, holidays are very different. And when people talk of earning more money I have a simple argument to make. You can see their spending power is probably more but, only when they visit India, not where they stay. They are shopping for a whole year in India because it is cheaper and better. Also I would like to add, if you dont convert the dollars into rupees, where is the wealth? And if you do decide to settle there, you are not going to convert, so you are not rich. Infact, I think educated people fall back on their levels of lifestyle and intellects.

I can only explain things according to my small ideas and opinions. For those whose dream it is to go to America, Australia, ...........whatever,,,my only advice is Please do so. It is always better to fulfil ur your dream for better or for worse, than to regret for the entire life. For me it was a dream to come back to India, and I dont regret it all, infact I now have respect for things and people that I always took for granted before I went to Australia, like the maids, the labourmen, family ties, friendships and the Indian way of life. I adjusted immediately in the land I was born. There was no need for me to drink mineral water or not eat outside, not even for my year old son. India was a decision made with a lot of thought, and not impluse.

As far as homesickness is concerned, I have lived apart from my family in hostels for around 6 years, then I got married and was at my inlaws for another 3 years. I dont have a huge circle of friends,except for a selective few. I am not new to homesickness.

I love India, and I feel blessed to be born in this country. It sure has some flaws, but what country does not. We prefer to overlook that fact. We want to hear what we like to hear. To all those blog friends and strangers who mailed me with questions, I hope I have made myself clear. Though I am not answerable to anyone but my own conscience, I still have tried my best to open out my heart to you. Thank you for listening.