Are we getting too 'Americanised'?

sunitha · Feb 15, 2007

Dear Ilites,

I have been thinking about this a lot these days.I have been here only for 2 yrs but I can see the changes in me since I landed in the U.S.

In India,I never used to look at the expiry date on anything,here I look for the expiry date first before purchasing anything.Here,you can get almost anything done thru' the net or a phone call.In India,that is not possible.Here,I rely on the dryer to dry my clothes 100%.In India,I don't know whether we have a 100% dryer.All the vegetables I buy have to be absolutely clean.In India,I would buy anything and would not insist on it being clean.Nowadays,I find myself buying any product only after reading the list of ingredients fully.:icon_frown:

I was reading the Organic Milk thread and I thought maybe I too should shift to that. I was telling my husband that and he tells me 'Don't become too American-If we have to go back and settle in India,our son should not suffer'

His point is also true.Which is what made me thinking...are we becoming so 'Americanised' that tomorrow if we have to go settle back in our country,we might find it difficult and worse,our kids might find it difficult?:roll:

puni88 · Feb 15, 2007

Dear Sunitha,
DOn't worry about you becoming 'americanized', you are just trying to adopt good things in our life which we are not doing in India, like, as you mentioned looking for expiry date of any product.

There are couple of things we might have to understand the differences of two countries ....
1. Washer and dryer: People in AMerica has to use dryer for drying the clothes as most of the country is cold and females in this country also goes for job and hence they will not have time to dry clothes outside etc, Dryer concept works fine in America, whereas in India it is different.

One thing you might have to remember is that you are born and brought up in India, for time being you might adjust to the American lifestyle, but when are in India you will adjust back to Indian lifestyle and you can adopt the good things whatever you feed good for you and family.

SO there is no need to worry for anything and in India also nowadays you see lot of changes.

Punitha

jothi · Feb 15, 2007

Dear Sunitha,

My answer to you question is no.

Just because you have started to check the expiry dates on the products that you buy and use dryer to dry your clothes and buying cleaner vegetables does not mean ur are becoming americanised. I'd like to look at it as adaptation.You are just adapting to the circumstances that you live in. Ofcourse if you change ur way of living, to that of an american then you have something to think about. By that I mean, if a person has started drinking black coffee in huge mugs, has started frequenting bars and restaurants leaving his or her child with a sitter and start cooking american food everyday forgetting what Indian food is then ofcourse thye are getting americanised. I know few indian families who try to be as americanised as possible by going to the extent of having block parties in their negihborhood.....
Nowadays people in India are also using dishwshers and dryers and buying clean vegetables. I have a feeling that people in India who work in call centers and MNC's are more americanised than indians living in america.
As you already know that I am going back to chennai for good, after almost 12 yrs in this country. I still eat thayir sadham practically everyday and my kids love to have thayirsadham everyday too. They do like macaroni and cheese and ocassional taco and pizzas. I dont think that they are going to suffer when we go back to India. If they suffer it will be because of the school system in India and nothing other than that. Ofourse they will miss a few things
the effects of which will be minimal and negligble to the long term effects that they gain.

Regards,
Jothi.