Comment by rushabh | Hacker News Reader

Comment by rushabh | Hacker News Reader

This brought back a lot of nostalgia. (I was Indian grad student in a state university in the North East in ‘01)

For me the killer is the “master of the universe” feeling you get in the United States coming from India. Everything is in order and under control from the lawns in suburban homes, to supermarkets and libraries to traffic and restaurants. You see a lot more straight lines and perfect Bézier curves. This is a completely different texture in extreme contrast to India where “chaos” reigns and the spices and smells are a lot sharper.

After coming back to India. I somehow feel more “free” and “alive” in the chaos. Giving up control feels like a more natural, intuitive way of living and dying.

When I go back home to India, the very first cab from the Mumbai airport to home is like a dangerous roller coaster ride. No lanes, criss crossing autos(tuktuks), bouncing on small potholes on the road, smoke, honks, buses and cars in close proximity etc is a sensory overload.

I breathe a sigh of relief when I come back to the US, but I do miss home.

> When I go back home to India, the very first cab from the Mumbai airport to home is like a dangerous roller coaster ride.

Somewhat oddly, I had exactly the opposite experience the one time I visited Mumbai — but I was coming from a few weeks in Ahmedabad, where traffic lights were basically a (typical ignored) suggestion.

I grew up in the US but when I visited India (Bengaluru) the first thing that struck me was the chaotic nature of the streets. Everyone seemed to be following their own personal set of traffic laws and it just worked out.

The nice side-effect of the chaos is that you have to pay attention. I find it too easy, in the more constrained US culture, to zone out and assume I'm not involved. It leads to a sense of isolation.

In India, I had to be present and mindful of everything around me at all times. It made daily life feel more vibrant, interesting and paradoxically more relaxing.

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