Every Indian who steps foot in the Yankee's land (aka America) ... including me ... one thing they have to face is certain ... the wrath of people back home! Because, you are not only stepping into an alien land, you also somehow become a representative of this country, responsible for every crap this country does or gives.

Obviously, my situation was not that different. Any talk with friends ... cousins ... parents ... or any Indian in general led to statements like "Dude, your economy sucks!" ... "Dude, do you realize our Asia is the next superpower" ... "Dude, what does your Obama have to say these days?" What the heck??? My country, your Asia, and my Obama? Since when? Of course ... its all for fun ... but then, after a while, it starts getting onto your nerves.

On the first hand, ain't these people supposed to be proud that one among them got into a world-renowned university for a PhD program? To be one among the 3 PhD students selected every year ... you think it was just a fluke? Great ... now i will be branded as a big-time bragger.

So, suddenly, i am somehow responsible for every decision the US government takes, i am responsible for every economic crises the world has to face because of a dying US economy, and I not only have to give explanations about why US always goes to war against the middle-east, I also have to admit that nothing can stop the rise of India and its booming economy.

I shall keep the humor part aside. But why on earth do we have to continuously prove that our country is shining? We should let the figures talk for themselves right? Its said that in 10 years, India's economy will be larger than that of Italy's ... and in 15, India would have overtaken Britain. Of course, its still China leading the race among the Asian countries with consisting improve in the economic status since 1980. If we have to constantly keep telling others and ourselves about the flourishing India ... it only talks about our inferiority complex ... something probably instilled into us during the British rule. Or else, why do we weigh ourselves against others so much all the time.

Its obvious that no country is free of problems. And with a growing economy ... responsibility increases ... so do the problems; the only difference is, with a good economy of the country, we have better ways to tackle problems. America is a prosperous nation ... resources are so plenty, people here can afford to waste it to the core. Yet, America is plagued by so many problems all the time ... if its not natural disasters, its terrorist attacks; if its not increasing crime rates, its the increasing rift between the 'whites' and the 'blacks' ... if its not dying economies, its about unemployment. So development does not promise a problem-free nation ... it never has!

Believing in the growth of a country, being proud of its rich culture and being patriotic is one thing ... India and America are perhaps not so different in these aspects. Probably, Americans are more patriotic than us ... surely possible. And to say America has no culture ... is another big misconception being cleared only these days ... we don't identify with it because it is not our culture. 3 months here has taught me more about India than what I could learn back home. Its said that patriotism reaches a new high in an alien land ... its true! You know the value of something when its not with you. At the same time ... i also learnt that we only tend to adapt wrong ideals from the West and then end up dubbing it as Western culture.

And then there are this other section of Indians who settle down in US but just talk shit about India. I had seen them in movies ... read about them in books ... now that I am actually here, I can see them ... and oh man! They are such irritating people ... they ask if Bangalore has any flyover as of now ... and if I say 'yes' ... they give this mocking laughter that makes me wanna rip my hand off and throw it at them. Russell Peters says it right - "America and India are pretty different. Like ... they have different enemies. Americans fight against the Muslims ... Indians fight against each other! So for all ye who think India is the greatest country in the world - all i can say is - "I don't think so mate! We have the potential for it ... we just aren't there yet"