HAPPY DIWALI!!!

Hey friends, wish you a heartiest Happy Diwali!! Another Diwlai in US is like no Diwali atall; inspite of US President wishing Diwali (Below is a message from Nobel Prize winner US President Barrack Obama). Diwali is a real celebration in India, there is so much that happens here. That's why it was always the first pick when we had to write essay in school on something, or Holi .Not much thinking but just writing the obvious stuff, added with whatever we have crammed up (Just start with Diwali is festival of lights or Holi is the festival of colours.). Diwali was the day to really celebrate; celebrate with new clothes (3 times a year your parents had to buy you new clothes, Diwali, Holi & Happy B'day!!), shopping, gifts, lights, crackers (I was always anti-cracker, not because I was scared but I was environment conscious... I guess!!!) and ofcourse tons of sweets. It was always a wait to see what the other person has brought you as gift; mostly sweets & snacks, but alway fun to get free gifts (remember.. that uncle gave such cheap sweet as gift, the other one brought such nice thing, lolzzz). Lots of cleaning was supposed to be done before Diwali which used to go on till last day. And then decorate it with all those fancy lights (now all cheap chinese lights, if they work they are best or your luck with chinese), shiny paper designers & all that crazy awesome stuff. Mom used to start preparing the best sweets (rasgullas & yummy gujhiya) & there was sleepless nights of such work for one night of fun & party. Ahhh... all that happens here is fake desi parties at most (like the one I went to @ Mantra in Boston, it was terrible without any real Indian music, sweets & the true spirit of Diwali). Well, all I can say is... Shubh Deepawali!!!

Kal aa raha hai... Main jaa raha hun!!

That means "Tomorrow is coming, I am going" and that's right (I know the title was very cliche). I have my flight to Boston on July 16th at 12.40 am (i.e. Wednesday late midnight) by Air France (with a 7 hrs layover at Paris). I have heard they don't give you a transit visa there or let you go out of the Paris Airport (that's going to really boring unless I find some good company, i guess you know what I mean.. lol). At Singapore Airport, you can actually get a transit visa there itself if your layover is more than 4 hours; they even have bus tours there (which I couldnt use in my visit because I was there at night). Lets see how Air France & Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport is (Why do they have to give such weird & non-memorable names for these International Airports? Just the City Name is not good enough??)... Preparations are full on, tons of shopping including clothes (I even bought formal suits as they are mandatory I have been told. & I dont know how to 'tie a tie') & groceries (i know cooking so I am supposed to buy full kitchen ration) for the foreign trip. Its really an ordeal to pack & on top of that, this shopping for/before packing. Trust me I am no good at packing (my reasons will ocnvince you & peopel who know me have seen how pathetic I am), on the other hand my Dad is an expert (I think because of Defence Services, they make you move & pack a lot!!); so he still takes care of all my packing when I am going outside India. At other places the pain is mine, but I have always got great help from my friends till now (but I still paid almost $200 while coming back to Inda because of my extra luggage)... Thanks Dad & Friends too!!

I am lil excited & lil tensed too, leaving home is never so easy. My parents, my sis, my friends & a lot of my people are here and they are already concerned for me & missing me (specallly my mom, I know she just loves me & get sreally upset over this). But you have to move as life moves, and world has anyways become a small place now. Daily chatting including voice & video (I use both skype & yahoo), occasional visits and it all seems just one place (my mom who didnt even used to touch computer has become an internet & chatting expert, even better than my dad & sis at times!!). Ofcourse the company of your people around you is special on special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, festivals etc & I do miss that too (remember I spent my 25th b'day alone). But a different experience for something better I would say. I am hoping things turn out just great & amazing, please hope & pray the same for me. Amen & Thanks a lot everyone... Goodbye India!!!!