Living Abroad - A Great
Learning Experience

chillibreeze writer — Shailaja Kulkarni

The decision to move out of one’s country elicits mixed emotions. Sadness at leaving family and friends behind; anxiety about leaving familiar surroundings; not knowing what to expect; and excitement about seeing a new land, gaining new experiences, exploring new opportunities, and making new friends.

Whenever I have left India for a long stay abroad, the first temptation I fight is to take the utensils and gadgets that I use in my kitchen. From experience, I can assure you that you can survive without them. It is only when you don’t have them that you get imaginative and innovative enough to manage without them and your first step towards adaptability is taken. Don’t worry about your food and spices; you will be amazed at how Indians have proliferated everywhere, and you are bound to find an Indian store - on foot or online - to take care of your mealtimes.

You will discover, as I did, how moving out of India can serve as a wonderful new opportunity of spending quality time with yourself. I decided if I were making the sacrifice of leaving my comfort zone, I might as well get something out of it for myself.

The first time I went abroad, I was newly married. Everything was new - from husband and home to people and country. I used to be working in India but due to the nature of my visa, I could not take up a paid job.

No job, no relatives, no servants, and no phone calls to encroach on my time - the day just dragged on, pulling me down into dumps of loneliness. Nothing to do, nowhere to go, I stayed at home and missed everything and everyone. I even resented my husband for being away long hours. I was miserable for several weeks till I just gave myself a shake and thought enough was enough.

I ventured out, lost my way, got on to wrong buses, missed the bus stop, forgot to carry money, walked on the wrong side of the road, got locked out, but I did not stay at home, moping.

My major learning after college took place overseas - whether it was computer programming, mastering Microsoft Office, volunteering for social organizations, fitness initiatives, trying out new recipes, baking, swimming, dressmaking, reading, book clubs, singing groups - all happened to me overseas. I picked up newer and smarter ways of managing things.

The local community centre, the library, the volunteer centre and the tourist centre make a happy hunting ground to find out what’s going on and what you can do. And then of course, there is the Internet to give you all the possible information.

I felt culturally enriched due to international arts and leisure. I enjoyed the Bolshoi Theatre, symphony orchestras and saw spectacular theatre productions. I enjoyed numerous Bharatnatyam recitals and attended Ghazal programs abroad. Somehow, there never seemed to be enough time for all this when I was in India, because of the rut I used to be caught in.

I shared my discoveries with people back home through letters. I felt it was my duty to make them experience the joy and beauty of whichever place I lived in and stumbled upon my potential to write. And then I started writing - about India and Indians. I loved it. I realized how much I loved promoting India. I was an ambassador of my country!

Being away and exposed to a new and different environment - I saw things very objectively. There was so much to treasure and hold on to - our traditions, culture, values, family ties, the ultimate ‘at-home’ feeling and so much to adopt - discipline, efficiency, cleanliness, punctuality. I understood the reasons behind the ‘quirky’ behavior of foreigners and now I am more sensitive and tolerant.

Later on, when I went abroad with my children, it was a great learning experience for them too. It was normal to see Africans, Chinese, and Europeans sitting around you in your classroom. They saw where Abraham Lincoln sat, watched the play he watched before he was assassinated, and visited the narrow alleys through which Oliver Twist walked. They were thrilled to see what the Savannas - the home of Simba, the Lion King looked like. They saw the house in which little Anne Frank hid, the square where Louis XVI was beheaded, and how advanced and well-developed small countries like Singapore could be.

I loved shopping for these experiences rather than shopping for goods at the huge shopping malls. By picking up the best of both worlds, you surely have a winning combination which makes your life more enriched and fulfilling.

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Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in May, 2010. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.

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—About our writer:

Shailaja Kulkarni has been a freelance journalist and a teacher for several years. Widely travelled within India and abroad, she has had exposure to diverse people and cultures. Her areas of interest include social issues involving women and children, culture and literature. She is currently based in the UK, where she has been instrumental in founding the West Berkshire Indian Society that aims to integrate the Indian professionals with the local community through cultural exchange.

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Living Abroad - A Great Learning Experience

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Living Abroad - A Great
Learning Experience