Four years have passed by and we have decided to move back to the U.S. Rohan will enter High School and we decided he should have his high school education in the US. Simone also needs a more creative approach to studies that encourages independent thinking. The children had a superb time at their Bangalore school (CBSE curriculum), which made sure the students get an all-round experience. But the method of teaching core subjects is still quite primitive. Schools really need to work on that. That would mean changing the textbooks, training the teachers, introducing mature and challenging projects, etc.
Rohan is quite sad to leave behind his friends – he spent his impressionable years in Bangalore. Well, he has a Facebook account now, just so that he can keep in touch with his friends in India.
My own feelings are mixed. On one hand, I won’t mind the efficiency of a smooth running country. On the other hand, we will surely miss the warmth and open-heartedness of people here. We now know more people in Bangalore than we know in the US!!
Four years ago, when we were planning the move to India, my American friends thought - What a great idea! My Indian friends thought I was crazy dragging my foreigner husband to India. I have to say it worked out fine with us. Both Cor and myself had decided to stay fully aware of the fact that each society has its own pros and cons, and that we should enjoy the positives in Indian society and not dwell on the negatives. I think that approach is very crucial to making your stay pleasant in any part of the world. I did not miss America in the last four years. Instead we had focused on discovering the hidden gems in the lanes and by-lanes of Bangalore.
We are moving back to the same neighborhood area in California that we came from. The familiarity will be re-assuring. So familiar with the roads, the shops, the schools…
Feels like going back home!
To everyone we have met and spent some time with in Bangalore - My love and best wishes. We may see some of you in Sunny Southern California!!
- Swagata
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2 comments:
Good luck to all of you, Swagata, Cor, Simone and Rohan. We will always remember you for we chose to keep the name Simone gave our child while Bhargavi and I were indecisive.
My work does bring me often to Lake Forest and Irvine and Orange County. May be i will bump into you folks there, some time in future.
Yes, Kishore, Simone's and Shriya's story will be like "Once upon a time, there was a little girl. Then came another little girl....... ANd now, they have their own little girls........" And so on, their stories will continue.- Swagata
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