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Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Like a crack on wall, my thoughts grow bidirectionally and wander not-too-beautifully. An attempt to see through the other side of this wall - until it breaks...

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Comfortably numb

After two months, I blog again. The subject and the object, unchanged . Object being my flame (the inner me) and subject being the thoughts within me.

The Thought: Are Indians better than Dutch? Or are they comparable at any level?
The Flows: Being an Indian I would rather like to follow the tradition of being politically correct. I would answer the second question with a big NO. No two individuals from different geographies can be compared. I being an Indian, have my own identity, my own thoughts and my own principles. How do I compare a person with a different set of thoughts, and a different quantum of emotions? I may offend a person without even knowing it, as what is good for me might be bad for him. I have been associated with people who are totally different in almost all aspects of life from us. I am working for a Dutch client for almost six months now. Indian way and Dutch rules, thats the way we are supposed to work. Although we had cross-culture training before joining them, and they also had a similar training for Indians, but did that help, or let me put it like, will it ever work. Well for some 'out of the place' associates it does, but not for me. Amsterdam is good, so are the people. But I can never change my identity. No bias here, but then the reason, roots down to my existence. My values, my thoughts and all gestures are Indian. We say, when in Rome, be Roman. I agree, you can eat Roman, speak Roman, feel Roman, walk Roman, see Roman, but can certainly not think Roman. And why should anyone do that, when they are proud to be the way they are, think that way they like. So although I know that I’ll have to spend a major part of my next year here in Amsterdam, amidst Dutch, I cannot change the inner me. My flame would always continue to dominate the outer me.

Finally, to justify the title, well was actually penning down this blog, listening to the song, and felt quite same. Feel numb, as I move down the streets of Amsterdam with my Indian friends. Are we losing our Identity? Why are we here? Experience or money? Mind is blank and heart is NUMB, indeed Comfortably Numb!!

4 comments:

Preethe said...

Hi Sandeep

Nice blog. Well chosen words.
Keep writing.
Waiting for ur next post

Unknown said...

I have been there too, infact I am there with you. I feel different from them cos maybe I think differently. With due respect to the American way of life I think I would still prefer to die in India. Maybe its the inner peace that I am talking about.

I just hope that someday we all come back to from where we took off filled with more wisdom and pride for what we are and will always be.

Tarun Kapoor said...

I would rather have bad time in India than good time abroad !

Anonymous said...

Hi Sandeep,
Sorry to react, but I guess I have to have this of my chest as a Dutch person.
Saying: "But for me India and for that matter all the Indians are better." leads (for me) to an uneasy feeling.
I think non are better then the others, just different. We have to respect each others differences and try to communicate so the differences don't become a problem, but gives us a wider view of each others lives.
I think it's a real good thing you can see how we live down here, althought I don't think one will get to know the others culture really. I worked with some of you now a few months and gained great respect for your knowles and driven spirit. I love working with the Indians I worked with and hope it will come soon again. I can understand really well most of you never want to stay here permanent.(like I never want to stay permanent outside of Western Europe) India is your home and I love to see you're all so proud of it. Hope you'll take a lot of good memories with you anyway and hope you like(d) your stay here.
Ingrid