Time: January 9th, 2017 -
Place: Bangalore, India
Company: Wife and Daughter
Highlights:
After 6 years and 6 months stay in various cities of US (from May 2011 to Jan 2017), finally moved back to home city Bangalore for good. The thoughts and discussions were going on for a very long time - almost 2-3 years - about whether to return back or not. Even read through many R2I websites and forums, but the question & answer that mattered most was - 'If you want to spend the rest of your life in one city, which would that be?' Bangalore won unanimously - by all three of us.
Once the decision was made, the implementation was next step. With almost 3-4 pages of points listed in the checklist on to-dos both in US before leaving and in India after arriving. In addition, had to dispose off innumerous things that we had purchased over the last 6 years. Some of them even had sentimental value attached - like daughter's birthday gifts like bicycle, scooter, etc. Heavyweights such as sofa, mattress were a worry but got rid of it at last minute. Donated several things for free. Much gratitude to several of our neighbours for providing the helping hand when it mattered the most. I guess we can never repay it back.
The trip itself was uneventful except for daughter's air-sickness(?). She had pretty much lost all her energy and very dehydrated by the time we landed but still in great spirits to see her grands. But a few hours in Namma Bengaluru and she was back to normal.
It was a wonderful time spent in the US with family. Unlike in 2007 when I had left US and come to Bangalore as a bachelor with still a valid US visa, 10 years on, the trip back home was almost like a final lid on the coffin with me shutting the doors to US pretty much in all aspects - work visa, GC, etc. But this decision had to be made and there was no time like now - especially with Tontu entering 1st grade in 2017. Any delays in the decision would have tilted the balance towards a lifetime in US.
Much thanks to the planets for giving me an opportunity to live, experience and enjoy the American lifestyle...
Place: Bangalore, India
Company: Wife and Daughter
Highlights:
After 6 years and 6 months stay in various cities of US (from May 2011 to Jan 2017), finally moved back to home city Bangalore for good. The thoughts and discussions were going on for a very long time - almost 2-3 years - about whether to return back or not. Even read through many R2I websites and forums, but the question & answer that mattered most was - 'If you want to spend the rest of your life in one city, which would that be?' Bangalore won unanimously - by all three of us.
Once the decision was made, the implementation was next step. With almost 3-4 pages of points listed in the checklist on to-dos both in US before leaving and in India after arriving. In addition, had to dispose off innumerous things that we had purchased over the last 6 years. Some of them even had sentimental value attached - like daughter's birthday gifts like bicycle, scooter, etc. Heavyweights such as sofa, mattress were a worry but got rid of it at last minute. Donated several things for free. Much gratitude to several of our neighbours for providing the helping hand when it mattered the most. I guess we can never repay it back.
The trip itself was uneventful except for daughter's air-sickness(?). She had pretty much lost all her energy and very dehydrated by the time we landed but still in great spirits to see her grands. But a few hours in Namma Bengaluru and she was back to normal.
It was a wonderful time spent in the US with family. Unlike in 2007 when I had left US and come to Bangalore as a bachelor with still a valid US visa, 10 years on, the trip back home was almost like a final lid on the coffin with me shutting the doors to US pretty much in all aspects - work visa, GC, etc. But this decision had to be made and there was no time like now - especially with Tontu entering 1st grade in 2017. Any delays in the decision would have tilted the balance towards a lifetime in US.
Much thanks to the planets for giving me an opportunity to live, experience and enjoy the American lifestyle...
No comments:
Post a Comment