Being Away - Is it Getting To Me?
Before I get to the topic of today’s post, some updates and announcements. 
Photos
After finally making it home on Thursday from Manchester (my flight was three hours late, missed my connection, and then had to drive three hours home, didn’t make it until after midnight 
), on Friday I sat down and looked through all of the India photos taken by my parents.
Mumma had already started putting most of the photos in an album, and guess whose photos I saw in the album? Yes, my dear Neeraj. So assumedly they think Neeraj as a part of the family, if they wouldn’t have, they surely wouldn’t have put his photo (yes more than once), in the album. Those photos have been added to our gallery and can be seen by clicking on Our Photos. Do let us know how they are!
Babies
Karishma Kapoor had a baby girl at Breachcandy Hospital in Mumbai. Madhuri Dixit had a baby boy in Denver, Colorado. Poonam had a…..oh wait, not yet. 
Yes yes I make the cheesiest jokes. 
Ok now finally to the post. Well for the past month I have been traveling every week only seeing my parents and brother on the weekends, and today it made me think. 
Do I want to keep on doing this? Am I missing out on the days that I am not here spending with my parents? Am I really enjoying being away from my family and really can I not have a job that does not make me travel?
Then it made me thiink more. When I get married, I am not going to be in my parents’ home anymore, what will I do then? I will also then see my parents only on weekends and during vacation, so is this just a test that God is putting me through now to see if I will be able to adjust later? This really is the first time I have been away from home for a long period of time. During high school, I was at home and even during my college days I commuted from home. Maybe I will ask Neeraj to find a nice home at a city nearby my parents, but then is that right? Most likely we will have to move to Washington DC (far from IL :sad:), if I want to stick with this job and not travel, so then what?
Do I really miss my family when I am not at home during the weekdays? Do I look forward to coming home on Thursdays? Do I hate to leave on Monday morning or Sunday night? YOU BET! 
Yep, I love my family and love being near them, but I like being on the road too. Confused? Yes. I won’t be quitting this job anytime soon, I know that, but I just think about it because I could make changes with this company and work close to home.
Why does the girl have to leave? Indian marriages are all about the girl moving out of her parents’ home and living with her in-laws, and then not seeing her family as much as she did before, where as the boy was with his family and stays with his family. In our case, Neeraj will be quite far from his family, but at the end we will move back to India to be with his family. We won’t be close to my family either, but enough that we would visit. But still traditionally the girl makes the ultimate sacrifice, I wonder why that is.
For those who are reading this post and are away from your family, I wonder how you do it. Coming from India to the United States for MBA or futher studies or for a job, and then staying here for so many years, just how do you do it? I am missing out on the Mon-Wed with my family, others are missing out in much more, which makes me think that still isn’t that bad. That’s why I try to make the three or four days that I am home as memorable as I can. I admire those that are far from their family and pursuing their ambitions and dreams. Really, you are the strong ones.
Alvida. Jai Mata Di.
…
March 13th, 2005 at 8:48 pm
I m away from home right now (for the past six months) and yes, the feeling is the same confusion - i enjoy being alone but at the same time i m missing my family as well. How do i do it? by taking each day as it comes and thinking at the end of the day, ke chalo ek din aur kam hua. Recently, i was to go back to india for a brief tour…it got cancelled…and i was miserable! But kya karen, naukri kee hai toh nakhra kaisa… :) hv fun!
BTW, me first here, for the first time:lol:
March 13th, 2005 at 11:08 pm
I am too staying away from my folks. And I do miss them a lot. But, staying away has several advantages… you become more independent… more mature… you can do things which you can’t even think of if u stay at home ;)
Take life as it comes… Live the moment!!
March 14th, 2005 at 12:19 am
About the flight … hmmm that’s really bad
The connecting flight is always a problem. When one flight is delayed, it effected the whole journey 
Glad you were home 
I will check out the pictures later and give you the comments
This is really interesting …
I know there are some people who are close with their family, very very close … they can’t be away from their family too long and you know what ? I am amazed with those people of course including you 
That’s why when I was going overseas for studying last time, I was able to manage my feeling. You will not believe that when I was studying in Australia for 3.5 years, I went back for only once 
and my parents never visitted me either. My father is afraid of flying, he can’t be on the plane more than 2 hours so he can’t visit me. I don’t want something happened to him so I didn’t allow him to come to Australia 
It’s really weird but I am able to control that feeling … maybe because since I was young, I was with my grandmother almost all the times rather than with my parents. My parents were mostly out of town due to some works. I am used to it I guess … I love them very much but I am ok if they are not around me … as long as I know they are there for me and I am there for them
Don’t worry *hugsss* you will get used to it later after you get married
It takes some times … but you can do it … don’t worry 
First time it will be hard but it will be better a long the way. Definately you can do it ! 
Yeah it’s true that this travelling is really a good practice. You should try not to go home longer … and see how you can manage that 
Actually, after you get married, the hardest one is when you apart from your husband 
When I do travelling, I cried because I miss my husband hahahaha 
March 14th, 2005 at 1:30 am
wowww I have seen the pictures, it’s greattt
You and Neeraj looked very lovely as a couple …. 
hahaha your pictures with your parents and Neeraj in Jaipur, with yellow background ( is it mustard seed ? ) I took exactly the same picture when I was on the way to Jaipur
It’s really beautiful … and it reminds me of Hindi movies 
March 14th, 2005 at 6:45 am
hmmm…dear Poonam, i’d have surely let u knw how the snaps were had i got the authorization to view them! i say, it’s high time u ppl sent me an id/pwd!! so hurry up now!
March 14th, 2005 at 7:24 am
Hmm, staying away from family. Initially it was difficult, but slowly got used to it.
And I feel thats the way it goes.Enjoy life. :)
March 14th, 2005 at 2:55 pm
Staying away from the family is indeed very hard:sad: I remember the first time I had to be away from my parents. I was excited on the fact that I would get to be alone & independent, but at the same time, I was very scared and knew that I was going to miss them a lot. But I guess life goes on & sooner or later we get used to it.
Even I sometimes cannot understand why girls hIave to do all the sacrifices. But then that’s how our country’s traditions have been - I wish we all were living in ‘a perfect world’ - just imagine how wonderful life would have been.
ps: I started my blog:hyper:
March 14th, 2005 at 3:40 pm
nice pics…u both really look very nice together:hyper:
March 14th, 2005 at 6:45 pm
I guess life teaches one to be tough. When i visited India last May, it was almost after two years that I saw my family.And the next time I will visit will also be after almost one and a half years.
Life is full of compromises…we just have to make tough choices at times.
March 14th, 2005 at 7:06 pm
March 15th, 2005 at 12:58 am
Nice pics….
Congrats for all the babies
March 15th, 2005 at 1:54 am
Poonam, I know its always difficult to be away from
the parents.. I’m getting to see them one weekend per month only.. but, one thing is for sure.. u’ll learn and see both the bright n dark side of life only if u r independent.. I’m sure I got to know lots of stuffs only after my college days.. till then I was completely under my parents care….
But, as always.. once I go home.. i’ll be the same old pampered kid to my parents… outside, I’ll be a practical man…
hey, am not able to see ur pics.. requires auth id n password.. isn’t it? if u don’t mind, do send it to my id…
ok then… bye…
March 15th, 2005 at 2:09 pm
well well…i havent been home since 2 years now…and only God knows what i am going through…
March 16th, 2005 at 12:50 am
Poonam:!:
When the banner competition’s result will be announced
March 16th, 2005 at 2:43 am
Poonam … cant view ur pics
… says pvts album n asks 4 username n password 
March 16th, 2005 at 6:05 am
Yep I knew that you were also living on your own Manpreet, and its good to see your point of view as well. There are positives and negatives in all situations, including this one, so I guess you win some and you lose some.
Wow Mona I learned so many things about you from that comment!
I didn’t know that you stayed with your grandmother when you were young, I didn’t even know that both your parents worked! 
I guess the surroundings that you have been play the part to the independent individual that you are! I am quite impressed! 
And your father is afraid of flying? Yes, that makes it difficult for you all to visit. Now, how far away are your parents from your home?
Thanks for the nice words on the photos.
Those are the photos in front of the mustard seed flowers, i think they are flowers. 
You took photos there too? My father wanted to stop there as we were going to Neeraj’s home. The flowers remind me of Diwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge. 
Yep V, the user id/pwd has now been sent. It wasn’t sent earlier because its always nice to get to know the people first who want to see the pics.
Now you shouldn’t have a problem. 
I know that you are also away from your family Govind, but it is true that you do get used to it after time.
Maybe its soon for me to think abt. it…we will see what happens further. 
Your thoughts Mannat were very similar to what I have been thinking lately. At the beginning I was quite excited to be on my own, living in hotels, driving different cars, being in different cities, but now after doing it for a while (a year), just this last weekend I began to think about what I wrote, and just don’t know if I am missing out too much in what is happening @ home.
I don’t know either why girls have to do the sacrificing, but you are right about the perfect world.
Glad to see you blogging! Welcome to the Blog World! 
Thanks for the nice words on the photos.
Yep life is full of compromises Ashwin, you win some and you lose some. Yep for you all that come to the USA to study, its admirable how you do it, living away from your family at years of time. I am not sure if I would be able to do it but to achieve your ambitions its something you have to do. You all face more than what I am facing and that’s quite admirable.
My problem is very small in that aspect. 
Actually Tarun, I am thinking abt. the days that have gone.
The days that I have missed being with my family and if I should avoid losing any more days. 
Thanks Ankur.
Interesting Prasad. Yep its a give and take but at that time, I am not sure about you, but I can definitely move to a job that is closer to my home where I am home all of the time. That’s what I am debating if I should make the move to enjoy the time with my family prior to getting married?
Not sure. :???:
Sent you the user id/pwd for the photos. Enjoy and do let us know what you think abt. the photos.
You were one of the few Priya that I was thinking abt. when I was writing this post.
I know that it must be so much harder for you than it is for me, but the feelings that we are feeling are the same. How you have been doing it for two years is admirable. 
I am still waiting on any other competitors Ankur.
Might talk abt. it in my next post. 
Will send you the user id/pwd Shradha.
March 16th, 2005 at 9:53 pm
Poonam…add Raveena Tandon in the list of ‘mom’s’. She had a baby girl today:hyper: Now I guess there are 2 matches for Madhuri’s son - Lolo’s & Raveena’s daughters:rotfl:
March 17th, 2005 at 11:51 pm
Yes Poonam,read your reply to Deepak’s comment. Yes, you know how I work. Aaj raat ho gai hai..chalo ek aur din kam hua..:smile: And LOL at your joke about babies.what did Neeraj have to say about that?:lol:
March 18th, 2005 at 10:10 am
Its amazing isn’t it Kaush ke kaise thoda sa waqt main hum kaise ek doosre jo jaane lagte hain?
That’s what friendship is all about, I guess. 
My jokes are very cheesy — as you know :wink:, Neeraj kya kahega other than: “pagal hai”..