Friends (especially Indian friends) ask me Why? Why now? What about efforts required to do mundane things like getting an electricity connection? What about delays in all small matters -- big or small -- because of general incompetence and unprofessional approach?
I really do not have very objective reasons for my move. This decision is based on a lot of changes I have seen. Most importantly now-a-days good people willingly go back to India. Its no longer true that qualified Indians want to live in the US at any cost. Indians in India are willingly taking measured risks to realize their big dreams, rather than just striving for a comfortable life in a government job. These are good signs. Not everything bodes well though. There is corruption everywhere; everyone assumes that such things are a way of life. Hopefully, with so many changes happening so fast, there will be positive changes too. There is a big pool of young people, full of ambitions, willing to work hard to realize them. I am placing my bets on India's youth, and I hope, we the elder generation are helpful guides rather than hinderances in their path.
There are personal reasons for our move. Family support is extremely useful with kids. Grandchildren and grandparents have a special bonding and the grandparents are the happiest of all with our move. Both our grandparents and our kids' grandparents (i.e., our parents) are very happy. About why now? Our eldest daughter will start her school soon and we realize that with each passing year the chances of our move will diminish.
I have decided to revive my blog after 5 years to document our bold move. A lot has changed in last five years. From a single carefree graduate student, suddenly I am a responsible father of three kids! I will try to record most important steps of our move, what works best and what doesn't, adjustment to India, etc. I'll also try to make observations from the perspective of someone who has only indirectly experienced the fast changing India for the last ten years.
