Does living outside Madurai in a foreign country give happiness?

Based on a recent research and survey by David Burdram, a socialist - it is found that immigrants into foreign countries are not as happy as we think.

It is always believed that people who travel out of their native place and live in a developed nation like America or UK (London) live very happily because they have all the money there. But, the reality and survey report says that money and luxury does not give all the happiness.

People who go out of their country live far away and be away from their home country, relatives, friends and their closed ones. This makes lesser happiness and more depression in fact.

The report is based on 1400 immigrants living in America and London. However, as a past immigrant I know how it feels and I completely agree with this report.

Do you agree as well (as an NRI)?

Madurai and my Nostalgia - A pessimistic to an optimistic outlook!!

I was living in Madurai from my birth to my 12th standard. I had to go out of the city around 130 kms for my BE under graduation. That is where my nostalgia started. That is where my sickness started. When I said 130 kms - it was Trichy. I used to come to Madurai every one week or at the most 2 weeks. I thought it was long.

Though I got lot of things outside my city Madurai, I started missing lot of things, as soon I went out of my city. I was a book worm and academics guy until my 12th standard, but when I went to trichy for my Bachelors, I became a free person.

I got independence from what was told to do. I got independence, but I started to miss lot of things in my life. I could not get the same stuff and feel in any other city, as I get in my city. I missed my Madurai from that time. I missed my mom's food. I didn't see any match to that. I started eating outside. I started to smoke, drink, friends, night show movies, but still I missed my place.

I got placed in a bangalore company and still worse. It is a good thing to get a job, but still I was going slowly away from my place Madurai. As I grow in my career and improve myself in my life, I started to go outside my city Madurai. Is it always like that - to go away from my city, when we grow and improve? Is it like that for everyone?

I had to move to Hyderabad from Bangalore, which is now further away from Madurai. In fact, I was able to come to Madurai from Bangalore atleast by an overnight journey. I used to visit Madurai from Bangalore once in a month - that is to kill my nostalgia and still I was happy to do that.

This hyderabad thing was much worse. I cannot come to Madurai just like that. I had to come to Chennai first by an overnight train and then from Chennai I had to come to Madurai in another train. How painful journey?!

First I was just 3-4 hours journey, then it became 10-12 hours journey and then it became 20-24 hours journey by train/bus. So far fair enough!!

After that came an important opportunity in my life. I got an opportunity in United States! Well - it is again the same journey time as my last thing, but this one frequency of travel would differ right?, because this is expensive.

Initially I thought it was only 4 months trip, but that became a longer term stay in America and I could not forego any opportunity in America and that took me far away from my dear city Madurai!!

From that time, I have been in US for quite a while - I have lived in Kansas, NY/NJ, Virginia (Washington DC) and now in California! It is been 5 years I am in US!

Another problem I foresee is - if I get more and more opportunity in America and my child gets better future here in America, will I still go deep into the mess of nostalgia by going further away from my city and country?

Can I still be in a great position, by staying in Madurai only? If my daughter stays in United States and then I take my family back to Madurai - will my daughter get into this mess of nostalgia because of me - by thinking about America, when we move to India?

I am sure lot of people are going through this!!

Anyway - all of the above is more pessimistic outlook - I see that it is all for good. I would drive this negative energy into a positive energy for Madurai's improvement, my effectives, to fulfill my entrepreneurial dreams.

Middle Class to Upper Middle Class thinking? - Madurai Thinking

When I used to live in Hyderabad city in India, I used to think when I become well-off I should have one mid size car and one SUV. Currently I am in a different part of the world, and I have Honda Accord. Now, I am looking at Honda Pilot as my SUV addition.

When I think about it - Honda Accord was and is my necessity. But Honda Pilot is not. It is a comfort and it is a luxury.
My heart is saying go and buy Honda Pilot, but something else is stopping me and saying - Don't buy it, since it is not a necessity. May be it is guilty conciousness??

The way we are brought up in the middle class and lower middle class is that don't buy anything for luxury. Always buy it for necessity. I think that feeling is pricking me!

There are two different sets of thoughts knocking me. There are so many people in the world struggling for even basic necessities and you are trying to get a second car?! In another hand, you are working hard and you are treating yourself with a luxury of a Sports Utility Vehicle!!

Is it a time when we have to transition from middle class thinking to an upper-middle class thinking?

Send me a private note, if you have any comments.