Coming back...to freedom

Coming back to live in the Indian subcontinent after many years in the West has given me a special gift. It reminds me of my childhood- the swimming club we frequented, the aunties in pretty saris smelling of fresh talc and 4711 cologne; our maids who did everything and were really part of the family, the respect with which you are treated as you belong to a certain class, the green beans we begged not to eat; the particular taste of the milk, the cute lizards and other little insects you find, the way everything melts so quickly when out of the fridge, the sweating in the midmorning sun, the whirring sound of the fan, the unexpected smells, the sudden shouts of roadside sellers....the way you never knew how long it would take to do anything, the entire unpredictability of life, near brushes with road accidents; the infectious smiles of the people.

But it's on another level now. A level of freedom a child could not have. Freedom to experience anything, any time and with pretty much anyone is a big change. The US also gave me an immense sense of freedom. Here it is enhanced perhaps by the climate, as hot weather always gives me a sense of freedom, freedom to wear fewer clothes, to be outside at any time of night. Coming back is good! Of course our pride in, as well as life in, the region has changed a lot too. Cadburys is made in India for instance (access to Cadburys chocolate was a big issue in my life as a kid).

I realise many of my traits are asian, such as being flexible and relaxed with time and planning. Things that i always struggled to change in the UK. People are willing to share so much time with you and its spontaneous and not pre-planned. The emphasis on personal space and time is less so, but I feel I have a good mix. I feel less lonely here due to it. Here people do things in groups much more, perhaps because of this sheer unpredictability of things. This makes me feel like a teenager again, to just hang out for hours on end with friends. Just being together. Sharing experiences.

Since life has many tribulations here, it seems there's a different level of interaction, a deeper honesty and empathy that comes with knowing everyone has to overcome niggling daily hardships (as well as larger long-term issues). This means relationships are different. To me it seems to favour being more open and holistic. People love chatting and it's harder to keep you hidden. Even at work.