A cup of ...

'TEA' (The Hyderabad Expatriates Association).

Last night we found ourselves (more by accident) at a casual dinner hosted by TEA at the Walden Club (in Whisper Valley). TEA is a network of expats from around the world -- they meet every week and organize family friendly events, trips and members participate in local activity based clubs for biking, running, hiking etc. Members also have access to the library and facilities at the Indian School of Business (ISB).

India is not an easy country to settle into, esp. if one has had limited exposure to the East and I can see a support system like this being extremely helpful in shaping one's experiences in a foreign land.

Are you an expat in your country of origin? The answer is complicated and confusing but I for now I am happy to meet people from around the world.

the one way ticket

"When do people buy one-way tickets?", " What massive change could a one way ticket bring to their lives?" These and more questions like these rang in my ears. Why? Read on...

After a 17 year jaunt in the US, I will be returning to India on a "one-way ticket". This impending travel and its impact finally hit me along with the realization that life would not be the same anymore. Good or bad I was ready to embrace this change (I am starting to sound like a certain political campaign :) ), though reluctantly.

The Pacific Northwest has been the most beautiful place I have ever lived in with its numerous lakes, islands, rivers and evergreen forests set against the backdrop of snow covered mountains. Where, on a clear day, one can see the Olympics on the west side and the Cascades on the east with the gigantic mount Rainier standing tall and peering out between the clouds. For me, these are the most unforgettable scenes of Seattle and the east side where I live.

The prospect of moving from this sleepy, rainy, coffee-drinking town to the hustle-bustle of a noisy, dusty, overcrowded, concrete jungle in an Indian city is going to be a challenge. However, these challenges will also open up opportunities and one of them being the ability to convey and share these experiences and trials. I will be documenting my journey back through the country where I started from.