As the clock ticks away and the figurative year 2013 comes to an end, I have amazingly managed to catch up on writing and post a few articles here and there, which should have been a fairly regular affair. I always say that and end up not writing. Nevertheless, I would today like to jot down a few random things that gave me an insight into the people and my life in this soon to be over year 2013.
In 2013, I realized that
- there is nothing like a 'bad' mother. Every mother, who is newly born with her baby faces, does face challenges and devises her own ways to cope up with them.
- Motherhood is not always blissful. It can be extremely tiring and mundane and exhausting sometimes. One need not feel great about it everyday. One can feel miserable about it sometimes!
- Euros can buy you anything and everything under the sun, alas not your loved ones.
- Euros can't always balance out the mental satisfaction one derives in working what one really really likes.
- German summers are not that pleasant and beautiful as I had imagined them to be. Your life can become torturous if you stay on the last floor and have no fans or Air Conditioners.
- People in this country can be extremely sweet and polite to you, but they will always keep you out of their lives and maintain a distance from you. Reasons, unknown! Maybe due to the color or due to the inability to trust and welcome someone of a foreign origin.
- You can be treated in an extremely rude and insensitive manner if you are loitering in the shops during the closing hours. No matter what they won't extend a single second of their precious services. Medical shops close at 1 pm on Saturdays and there are no regular pediatricians and other general physicians available on weekends. If you plan to die on a weekend, you will have to think twice and be ready to call an 'Emergency Service'.
- One can feel extremely lonely and homesick in the most economically developed country. Laptops, Tablets, Mobile Phones, Televisions can"t possibly replace human presence and their feelings.
- German colleagues, who are your very own teammates, can just ignore you even if you sit next to them in the train while coming to office. They do not do it purposely, it is just the way they are brought up. No one waits for you to start having food or no one pays for you when you go out for lunch unless specified likewise.
- Your neighbors can look through you and not wish you or greet you even if you show them all your teeth and make an effort to break the ice. I can never imagine this in India!!!
- Most of the Indians who come here on deputation or who are settled here for many years start considering themselves Germans, though they never find a place in the German race and culture. They start relying more on time and private space and run their lives by planning everything well in advance. The room for impromptu visits, inspite of several reminders and courtesy calls falls on deaf ears.
- Last, but not the least, it can be extremely amusing to watch your kid speak German and ask for a tissue and a fork at the table.
- The giggle and laugh of your kid can make you forget the boredom and his innovative ways to keep you busy can also test your patience.
On this note, I sign off and bid adieu to this year where initially I faced a lot of challenges in this country and the new role of a working mother. There was not a single external factor that was making my life difficult. I made peace with myself then and now live through it with a smile on the face. I am happy under all and any circumstances now!
2014.. Bring it on!
In 2013, I realized that
- there is nothing like a 'bad' mother. Every mother, who is newly born with her baby faces, does face challenges and devises her own ways to cope up with them.
- Motherhood is not always blissful. It can be extremely tiring and mundane and exhausting sometimes. One need not feel great about it everyday. One can feel miserable about it sometimes!
- Euros can buy you anything and everything under the sun, alas not your loved ones.
- Euros can't always balance out the mental satisfaction one derives in working what one really really likes.
- German summers are not that pleasant and beautiful as I had imagined them to be. Your life can become torturous if you stay on the last floor and have no fans or Air Conditioners.
- People in this country can be extremely sweet and polite to you, but they will always keep you out of their lives and maintain a distance from you. Reasons, unknown! Maybe due to the color or due to the inability to trust and welcome someone of a foreign origin.
- You can be treated in an extremely rude and insensitive manner if you are loitering in the shops during the closing hours. No matter what they won't extend a single second of their precious services. Medical shops close at 1 pm on Saturdays and there are no regular pediatricians and other general physicians available on weekends. If you plan to die on a weekend, you will have to think twice and be ready to call an 'Emergency Service'.
- One can feel extremely lonely and homesick in the most economically developed country. Laptops, Tablets, Mobile Phones, Televisions can"t possibly replace human presence and their feelings.
- German colleagues, who are your very own teammates, can just ignore you even if you sit next to them in the train while coming to office. They do not do it purposely, it is just the way they are brought up. No one waits for you to start having food or no one pays for you when you go out for lunch unless specified likewise.
- Your neighbors can look through you and not wish you or greet you even if you show them all your teeth and make an effort to break the ice. I can never imagine this in India!!!
- Most of the Indians who come here on deputation or who are settled here for many years start considering themselves Germans, though they never find a place in the German race and culture. They start relying more on time and private space and run their lives by planning everything well in advance. The room for impromptu visits, inspite of several reminders and courtesy calls falls on deaf ears.
- Last, but not the least, it can be extremely amusing to watch your kid speak German and ask for a tissue and a fork at the table.
- The giggle and laugh of your kid can make you forget the boredom and his innovative ways to keep you busy can also test your patience.
On this note, I sign off and bid adieu to this year where initially I faced a lot of challenges in this country and the new role of a working mother. There was not a single external factor that was making my life difficult. I made peace with myself then and now live through it with a smile on the face. I am happy under all and any circumstances now!
2014.. Bring it on!
Mast Lihites . I could feel your loneliness . . Looking forward to read new posts from you this year!!! Happy new year
ReplyDeleteI must tell you this - I love the simplicity and honesty of what you write and they are a delight to read. Like all your post, this one did also brings about a certain view of life that's interesting to read about. I hope 2014 has more friendly neighbours, more running around Tanay and co-commuters like me who would talk about all things that we like to talk :-)
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