| nhuchche |
Posted
on 31-Jan-02 08:54 AM
Many of us have taken the initiative to live in a foreign country, and leave the motherland (at least for a certain period of time). In this period of time, what are the opportunity costs associated with not living in the motherland?
- missed time with family
- missed time with culture
- missed time with friends you grow up with
- missed time in a familiar environment, the communal sense of being in Nepal, where everyone knows you
While all of this may seem common knowledge, what is revealed in thinking some more is that these are opportunities that you forsake for good. The most important one being the first one. The time with family cannot be compared with anything. There's a different kind of charm in being with the family. You can't ever give this time back to your family. Your family longs to spend time with you. But they have to keep explaining to themselves that it's all for the good. Whose good is it? The emotional longings that we have to ignore from time to time just to survive abroad is a signal that maybe we need to set up priorities.
Another important aspect is the philosophical debates that seem to take place every other day in the motherland. While growing up, it was mentally and intellectually stimulating to participate in philosophical conversations. Maybe it's because we had too much time in hand, but now that I've been in the US for nearly a decade, that part of my brain seems to have become dormant, there's barely ever any time to indulge in these philosophical topics.
Love to hear what others think they are missing out by being away from their families and home country.
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