Proud to Be An Indian !!

I got up pretty early and opened the newspaper
There was honor killing and violence and no place was safer
I wasn't proud to be an Indian

I went to Lalbagh to jog for a while
There was trash everywhere and dirt for a mile
I wasn't proud to be an Indian

Then I took off for office and stopped by a cop
For no reason a hundred rupee I had to cough
I wasn't proud to be an Indian

At a signal, there was a strike by a regional language group
They hated migrants from other states who came to earn their soup
I wasn't proud to be an Indian

Then I saw a kid begging and starving
People pushed her aside and I saw her suffering and crying
I wasn't proud to be an Indian

I reached office and worked with clients who once ruled us
My team had people across states, there was unity and no fuss

I learned that I paid huge taxes to the government
Maitree made me help poor; I was happy and content

There wasn't corruption in my job and it wasn't filthy
I gave world class services and made India rich and wealthy

I went home and sat at the window and thought
If everyone works professionally and passionately there would be no distress or drought
Now, I am proud to be an Indian !!

Advantages/Disadvantages of Living in the USA !!

Advantages of Living in the USA (compared to India)

1. Money: High salary (in terms of rupees). Can save more money
2. Beauty: No dust, dirt, crowd or chaos. Beautiful tress, buildings, roads, vehicles, machines and people. Fall colors are mind-blowing
3. Transparency: No corruption. Equality for all and majority work professionally
4. Harmony: No fights, riots, quarrels or dirty politics on the basis of religions, castes, regions, languages and what not
5. Standardization: Highly uniform and organized system throughout the country whether it’s transport, communication, retail business or government laws. Ex: credit history, carmax etc
6. Network: Can work from any corner of the country. Courtesy High Speed Internet. Majority of shopping can be done on net. Entire US runs on the net
7. Happiness: Smiling faces all over
8. Transport: Cheap gas, cheap cars. Long drive is fun. No parking issues
9. Dogs: No stray dogs
10. Chillar: No change hassles. If you buy for 1 cent and pay $100 bill, for sure you will get back the exact change, anywhere in the country
11. Pen: No need to worry about a pen. All the offices, shops have pen tied to a thread
12. Fun: Strip bars and cheap booze (Best thing that can happen to Indian men in the US)
13. Fitness: Excellent sports facilities. Stadiums, grounds, courts, pools aplomb
14. Restaurants: Variety food. Restaurants from all across the world
15. Safety: No terror attacks (barring 9/11). Tight security
16. One Language: No language headaches (unlike Europe and Asia). Close your eyes and just speak English
17. Dress sense: Indian women can be least conscious of what they wear. They can jog on the roads as well. No one cares and no one stares
18. Affordability: Cheap electronic and sports goods
19. Availability: few restaurants and gas stations are open 24 hours a day
20. Readability: No books are banned. Go to Barnes and Noble and start reading Lajja or Shivaji or Satanic Verses(books banned in India)
21. Beggars: Very few beggars
22. Advantage for Smokers: Smoking in public places is allowed unlike in India
23. Mobile while Driving:Talking on mobile while driving is allowed unlike in India

Disadvantages of Living in the USA

1. SSN Tax: Huge Social Security tax deducted from the salary goes waste unless you retire there
2. Online Banking: One can not do online money transfer to different banks unlike in India
3. Tough Weather: Weather is extreme unlike India. And of course tornadoes
4. Medical Checkup and Medicines: Doctor’s fee is sky high. You can’t buy any medicine in the medical shop. They don’t return your prescription too
5. Mobile Rates: Incoming calls and messages are charged. Horrible
6. Transport: No auto rickshaws. Taxis are too expensive and rare
7. Light: No streetlights in residential areas (not too sure if in all arears)
8. Visa Power: Visa headaches
9. Indian Food: Rare and expensive Indian restaurants. Indian shops are expensive too
10. Festivals: Can’t burst crackers or play Holi
11. Racial Abuse: If unlucky, racial discrimination
12. Self Service: Self service almost everywhere. You have to clean your own plates/tables
13. Family Woes: If you have a family, then your (house)wife may get bored and you may not want to educate your child there
14. Too many Restrictions: You can’t cut a tree or go on strike or play badminton on the road or spit outside or pee wherever you want to.
15. Family: Last and most importantly you miss your family and friends back home
16. Liquor on Sundays: Liquor sale is banned on Sundays in some states like Georgia
17. No Roadside Shops: It’s so easy in India to go out and enter small shops like watch repair shop or shoe repair shop or pan shops or pani puri stalls on roadside for 10, 20 bucks. In the US, there are only show rooms.

18. Cricket: You miss cricket matches esp. IPL

19. COL: Higher Cost of Living

20. Planning is Must: You have to plan every single time you go out. You won't find people on roads helping you with directions. No. You will only find speeding cars