First impressions

Before I forget, I want to list down the ten things in America that really amazed me during my first few months of stay here:

1. Democracy.. taken a step ahead.
Advertisers can name their competitors and criticize them openly. Imagine the detergent ad in India with the words 'sadharan sabun' and 'naya rin'. That would be so different if this were allowed back home.

2. Canine/Feline luxuries
There are specialty foods and diet pills for pets like cats and dogs. So you will see an extreme close up of some exotic dish and how its prepared, how mouth watering it is -- and at the end of it a dog/cat is shown savouring it! And as if there arent enough diet pills and weight loss programmes for human beings, pets can have their own dose, should they feel left out!

3. Ticket, Ticket...no more !!
You need exact change for the bus fare. If you dont have a bus pass or a student id, you need to carry the exact fare for eg. $1.75. Else, just pay whatever you have and move on. There is no bus conductor to tender change :)

4. Dedication goes an extra mile...
People jogging on the pavement. And mind you -not just in summer. There is no weather in which I've not seen a jogger on the road; and I believe I've seen them at all times of the day/night. While we shiver in our multiple layers of winter clothing, it is astonishing to see someone in half pants and a sweatshirt running along the road with the ipod plugged in. Truly inspirational.

5. A Convenient journey
All pavements are friendly for handicapped people. For that matter, special parking lots, seating in public transportation, public places of interest like museums - all have specific provisions for handicapped people. Thats called caring for the disabled.

6. Blame it on the weatherman
Whats the constant obsession with weather all about? Rainfall is termed as a "Rain Event", no less. Forecasts are available by the hour, location and based on the purpose eg. driving/outdoor sports/interstate driving/travel etc. Only until I saw a perfectly sunny evening change into a severe rainstorm and back to the sunny evening all within a half hour did I realize the importance of weather monitoring. And only after going through the first winter in Northeast America I understand why everyday in summer is called 'A beautiful day' :)

7. Goodbye, State electricity boards.
Electricity is privatized. So when you move, you take your electricity service provider with you.

8. Buy more to save more ??
Sales and discounts. All year round all the time. And more sales and discounts for every holiday - from President's Day to Chirstmas.

9. Size does matter.
From the tree alongside my apartment building to the grocery store round the corner, everything that meets the eye is larger than things I've ever seen in India. Needless to mention the cars, roads, malls, office buildings etc. And oh - people too. It took coming to America to make me understand the meaning of morbid obesity.

10. Whats your zipcode?
Vehicle Insurance changes based on location - not just by city but by area. The zipcode where you live/park your vehicle determines the insurance quote. That was definitely news to me!

Lastly, one note on the traffic in America. For folks (like me) who have driven through the craziest of conditions in India, it just seems too rule-ridden out here. Safe, but not used to it one bit.

Simplicity has charm

One of my favourite quotes is as follows:

Be simple maiden, for simplicity has charm
Which neither a friend can steal, nor a foe can harm

Watching old Indian movies makes me nostalgic of childhood - of simpler times. Life didnt seem this complicated back then. The father worked, the mother raised children, the children went to school, the family ate dinner together and tv watching was restricted. Every weekend didnt have to be special - people were happy to spend time at home or socialize with friends and relatives. Sunday specials were simple things like a different dish at lunch, the tv shows like Ramayan, Mahabharat, He Man, Barba Pappa or the regional movie on Doordarshan at 1.30 pm.
Everyone knew that good things in life were attainable ; and that patient waiting combined with hard work would pay off. Watching movies at the theatre, eating out at restaurants and eating cakes were celebrations on special occassions like birthdays and anniversaries. Remember the thrill of being gifted with a five-star bar?

Today, doing these would be considered 'normal' at best. Everything from weekday evening activities to weekends and vacations have to be exotic, superlative or extraordinary. Just observing movies, tv serials, music and news today will reveal the extent of 'hype' about everything in the world now. Actors are overdressed and over made up, locations are exotic and mostly foreign and ostentatious, music remixed so it can be played in discotheques and news revolves around celebrities. Letters are replaced by emails and greeting cards by e-cards, phone calls by sms s. Is there any kid who will be happy receiving just a five-star bar as a birthday gift?

Yet, change is inevitable and we must go with the flow. Every individual can now express himself; and as Thomas Friedman says - the world is flat. Opportunities are beyond imagination and connectivity couldnt get better. One still has a choice in what they embrace and imbibe.

In my own little way, I want to archive memories and collections of our times - for I dont know if our next generation will experience them firsthand.

Here are some cherishable memories -

The Rasna girl
Cadbury's gems
Plain yellow post cards
Inland letters
Mile sur mera tumhara
Black and white television
Television without commercial breaks
Karamchand
Maggi's original masala flavour
Street cat bicycles
Renting VCRs and video casettes
Walking to the milk booth to buy token milk