Perspective- Life in the US vs. India

When I first came to the United States back in 2003, my first reaction was "Wow everything is so big here!" big onions, bigger coke glasses and even bigger icecream tubs! Well jokes apart, I really found this country a bigger lot with an abundance of space. To compare it with my homeland which is about one third of the size of the States and three times the population, you can well imagine how many people I was used to seeing per sq. foot of land! Thus it was but natural that after the initial excitement and euphoria subsided, I felt lonely in this alien land with no relatives and a handful of friends to fall back on. I feel the loneliness even now after spending four and a half long years, the reason being that India is a very lively and colorful country with its people being very warm, friendly and cheerful and sometimes, over indulgent in the lives of others. Not that I don't see any down side to that trait of Indians. Being in this environment now, I feel the need and importance for my space. Being independent and living for myself comes more naturally to me than it would have been few yrs back! Now, I cannot just have my cake and eat it too.Can I? An example of how different is India in this respect would be that we usually invite our Parents and In-laws in our homes for periods like 6 months which is quite unheard of in the States.
The second big difference lies in the attitudes of people of the two countries. I find in general, a lot of honesty, kindness, forthrighness in people here vis a vis in people of India. The judiciary in this country is a lot more organised and laws and rules are enforced effectively here as compared to India. Its a lot easier for influential people or even the common man in India to bend the rules. The prime reasons behind such behaviour might be the corruption, red tapism and poverty. The political structure in India is digging holes in the entire system and the corruption is so deep rooted that it is becoming increasingly difficult for a country like India to grow despite having all the modern technology, nuclear and space programs and the most intelligent brain power in the world. As a result of the big difference in the incomes of the two stratas of the society, the crime graphs in the big as well as small cities are on a rise. The rich are getting richer by the day and poor getting poorer. Hope the young blood takes the reigns in their hands and do a makeover of my beloved nation!
The third major difference I feel is a lot more open culture through out the west than the eastern region! India is a land rich in culture and diversity. There are 30 states with a different language spoken through each state, hundreds of dialects spoken, different types of foods eaten, diiferent kinds of dresses worn in different regions. There are many types of religions followed, hundreds of Gods, countless saints, dozens of scriptures. India beholds the key to spiritualism and lots of saints have attained the highest levels of salvation or Nirvana following the core principles of Indian scriptures. Contrast that to the open culture here, I feel a lot of materialism here in this abundant land. Materialism is not a bad thing, only values should not be lost and the correct values should be inculcated in the children. When I see adolescents driving a BMW here or kids having the most expensive toys in this world, I think about the kids playing in dirt backhome who don't even have enough to eat! On the up side, I am glad that people here don't meddle with others' lives and are not bothered about what others are wearing, eating or behaving! In India, Parents are more indulgent in their childrens' lives and provide financial and physical support till they have completed their education and have started earning for themselves. Here, the children are made more self reliant and confident by letting them earn for themselves from a pretty early age which inturn, helps them build the much needed confidence!
Having quoted these major differences in my point of view, I feel myself to be fortunate to have experienced both the worlds. I got to see a different perspective of life from this angle! I absolutely love this land of oppurtunity which has given me everything in abundance but my heart still pines for my motherland and I keep living in this hope that some day, I will certainly go back to where I belong! Amen!