Advantages in living abroad.....
- the biggest I find is money, Indian money has no value, there the same calibre person can earn enough to live well and still have expendable money, here even qualified well placed people also cant have that freedom with money..of course now things are changing as both the spouses are working here.
- Infrastructure and governance.there one doesnt have to run door to door for getting things done and then ultimately grease the palms.
- many people cite job satisfaction also, but I think politics is everywhere, may be here it is more.
- Less pollution.
- One doesnt have to look after day to day guests and other family responsibilities and as is the trend in India:) people living abroad get more respect and awe even from the relatives without doing anything, and so they are forgiven everything. I remember once I had a neighbour who used to say...my brother comes in five years and gives a chq of 1000 dollars to my mother and she keeps singing his praises, and here I am who looks after her daily and must be spending a lot , so I who is doing everything physically and financially and taking her responsibility is nothing..and he used to be very bitter about it...I wouldnt take it as an advantage if I am abdicating my duties but for some people it is.
- Education has better access.
- One feels at home.
- we can bring up our children with our culture..now I know that many youngsters themselves dont want to follow discipline, but believe me once children come everybody comes on this earth and realises the value of traditions and customs.
- One thing I agree with sm that whatever people might say but nobody comes back for parents or family.Its a bitter truth that whatever children might say, nobody changes his life course due to parents, they do only what they can after making their life. Once in 80's I met a young manwho was the only son of his parents and he always used to blame his parents for ruining his life, as they didnt allow him to go abroad and he was struggling here(in his eyes)..Then only I decided that I will never stop my children from going anywhere. Sometimes I feel sad when I see very old parents living alone, but then how many DILs are there who make their inlaws happy if they live together, so may be it is ok living independently.
- One gets help for domestic chores.
- we get our own type of food.
- Medically also I feel more comfortable here, though not many people will agree with me.
18 comments:
My views differ in some areas.
Pollution, as you mentioned is less in other countries, I do not think that it's the case. Rather, India is comparatively less polluted.
Secondly, about the thing you mentioned that one can bring their children in their own culture, I think that can be done anywhere in the world irrespective of the place. If parents are careful about their children, their children won't disgrace their parents and abandon their culture and traditions.
If that was the case, what would you say about children here in India who have no respect and value for their culture?
Great points! Writer R.K. Narayan (of Malgudi fame), used to spend time in India and the US regularly. He once said, "Despite all its material short-comings, life in India is strengthening". And today the general feeling in the US and UK is that they won't be able to sustain their lifestyles for long as other countries eat into their share of global trade and prosperity.
The last point about medical system is so true. After her American experience, Sunitha Krishnan wrote: "I will never ever complain about Indian Hospitals, not even an Indian Government Hospital."
nice post
about medical sorry I do not agree.
Its crime to fall sick in India if one has no money.
I am myself afraid of this thing.
Every thing has its own advantages and disadvantages.There is a saying is it not? the other side is always greener!!.
Enigma: yes what you say is also right, but when you live abroad, controlling the kids become very contradictory with the atmosphere there.
uptake: I agree to you whole heartedly.Medically even I had a very bad experience over there.
sm: even abroad it is crime3 to fall sick if you are poor, they are much more mercenery than us. All that glitter is for rich only.
Chitra: true, one has to choose one's priorities.
I love the non-polluted clean atmosphere over there. Otherwise, our country is heaven!
Interesting comparison, Renu!
Wonderful post. I feel that good and bad part exists in all countries. There are advantages in some aspect but also disadvantage in other aspect in India compare to other countries.
Renu, one important thing I can think about is having the luxury of getting someone to clean the home!
Sandhya: yes there is nothing like your own country.
Babli;true.
Madhu: oh yes madhu, our domestic helps are really a boon, but now they are getting rare and rare.
I think you already know my views from what I had written in SM's blog. However i feel that the medical treatment in our country is much better and definitely more affordable than abroad. Our doctors are quite capable, though I have never had the chance to go a government hospital, ands so I won't be able to tell much about it.
Nice list..all the points are valid. I had written a similar post on this here: POST
I kinda disagree with point 3 under India. I am a living example of a person who came back to India ONLY for parents. I had everything there except for them.
Nothing comes fee in life. There is a price tag behind everything we get in life.
Having lives abroad,I would say,at the end it all boils down to the same.Life is easier abroad.But then,you live away from family and friends.Nothing is worth that separation.
And times have changed.Now the financial edge is getting narrower.There is no more need to go abroad to make money.
There are pros and cons everywhere. Money i think now you can make in India also. But standard of living is what we have to improve on here. :)
Valid points there. The first two points of infrastructure and yes, money are the two things that have the strongest pulling power I feel in terms of living abroad :).
I read SM's. He is my favorite blogger. He is very comprehensive most of the time.
Comparing India and the USA (or other developed) countries is not easy. This subject is far more complicated that cannot be captured in a list.
I live in the USA and often people asked me to write on it. I avoided a direct response to it because it is not simple.
May be I will write one day.
Most of the time, it comes down to money and where you are settled. Pollution, infrastructure factors disappear from the list when money comes to play. But it is not the same for everyone.
rama: Medically our system is much better but we are changing it like them.
Avada kedavra: people like you are there but few:)
dr. Antony:.true..one pays price for everything.
insignia:Money one can make, but abroad.most of the people can afford a good life, wheres here only few.
Deeps:still the dollar is very valuable.
A:In India one cant earn that type of money very fast,atleast not till young.
THere are more Pros then cons to come abroad ,, the one thing that you forgot to mention is that ABroad YOU ARE A HUMAN BEING , you are treated as a humanbeing..
Back home you are not , anyone who has a BIT More money then you or IS a friend of some hotshot Treats you like dirt...
No matter who says what .. there are still ques outside the embassis of almost all countries to get out.
Majority of people who i knew went back to india to settle have Come back.
Values in people have gone out of the window.
Right from getting down and standing at the que for immigration hassels start, A fellow officer would go to lick a WHITE MAN's Shoes , but say OYE to a fellow indian..
People who cant respect there own color and creed ... there own countrymen.. what do i say
We have been like this since the days of the RAJ and god knows how long we will be the same ...
:) sorry did i get carried away ..
Bikram's
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