The Maverick's Mind-Space

Many Indians leave to the United States of America every year. While some of them prefer being called 'Indians', others tend to transform into Americans. But to get completely transformed is virtually impossible according to me. At one point of time, you begin to realise that you are indeed an Indian.

You realise that you are still Indian when...

1. You can't see money in Dollars.You still convert the price of every item you see in the market into Rupees.

2. You are not able to figure out why 'to be dressed formally' means 'to wear a black tie', and you keep wondering how can wearing a tie along with a sports jacket make the dressing 'informal'.

3. You can't digest the fact that your American friends and their parents live in separate homes, and that they would have to get an appointment in order to have dinner with their parents.

4. You watch 'Nottinghill' and wonder why everyone in the theatre bursts into laughter when Hugh Grant utters 'Whoopsie Daisies'. Even after looking into the dictionary, you still don't feel like smiling, let alone laughing.

5. You are not happy with the custom that every other worker including the hairdresser, taxi driver and the parking valet expects a 15% tip. You recall the day when you tipped a hotel waiter a couple of coins and he gladly accepted it.

6. American English still refuses to come out of your pen. An accidental 'U' slips in when you write 'color', 'favor', or 'flavor'.

7. You somehow feel uncomfortable saying 'Good Morning, Professor Norah', and you think of the days when you were a small child running behind teachers and wishing them 'Good Maurning, Misss', with a stiff salute and with your tongue peeping out when you completed the last syllable.