As we completed a year of being away from India and in the Bay Area, I can't help myself reflect about what this place is all about. I absolutely cannot deny that the Grand United States has clean roads with high speed lanes and little pollution, great infrastructure and schools and parks and what not. But that you and I knew already and repeating any of that adds no value of perspective. I appreciate all of it, mistake me not. I wonder what then would be those few things that stand out for me, that will remain with me as life lessons when I leave this place in a few years.
First... is the respect and courtesy everyone shows to a fellow human being. Be it the executive at the barista counter to the server or the sales guy at the theater ticket counter to the customer or the passer by on the streets. There is always a polite smile and a harmless kind greeting that everyone has for the other. The simplicity and thoughtfulness of this cultural trait absolutely amazes me. I must admit, when I am in a long line (can't say queue in America!) and finally get to the front with several people still beside me, I sometime gush straight to the point (force of habit) and then am baffled and absolutely embarrassed at my crassness when the sales person flashes his wide smile and 'how are you doing today' with just the right dollop of sweetness.
Second is the tremendous love for the outdoors, sports and fitness I see all around. Mostly people here are up and about. They hike, bike, trike, walk and take part in all kinds of sports. There is a place for everything. The same zeal is passed down from parents to kids. I love the seriousness with which a father teaches the child to sled or ski or the mother bikes with kids in a trailer. Its envious how it runs in the DNA and is valued much over domestic activities. There is lot more seriousness about play over work or study making a person worldly wise and adventurous. I was absolutely gobsmacked seeing fencing classes and indoor skydiving and deep sea diving lessons on offer and parents religiously pushing their kids to get involved. I am hoping that by the time I leave this country I start getting into a regular fitness regimen and improve my overall wellbeing..
And lastly, I really envy the tremendous DIY spirit here in America. Everyone is an engineer on their own merit here, building and fixing and hauling their own houses and cars and boats and what not. This is completely unlike the hoards of pseudo engineers India's private engineering colleges produce en-mass with no aptitude or eye for designing or problem solving. Hired help is expensive here and that forces you to be independent and innovative and boy, what fun it is to do something on your own from scratch. This is something that I always had in me a little bit, but out here, I've grown wings! In my little way, be it with being innovative at the kitchen or with handiwork around the house, I an always setting myself up for bigger challenges. This one year has been great for me personally, with me planning a great outdoor birthday party for Taanvi with DIY decorations, baking a super fancy birthday cake for Ajith, going crazy with fancy appetizers in the oven and making decorative pendant lamps. Let's see what more I can build in the next years to come!
My 1st year celebration DIY lampshade :)
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