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Tujhse Zindagi Hai Yeh Kah Rahi
Sab To Pa Liya, Ab Hai Kya Kami
Yun To Sare Sukh Hai Barse,
Par Door Tu Hai Apne Ghar Se
Aa Laut Chal Tu Ab Deewane,
Jahan Koi To Tujhe Apna Mane
Aawaz De Tujhe Bulane, Wohi Des
Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera, Swades Hai Tera…..

Lunch today kicked off with an entrée of Tom Yam Soup with Bee Hoon, main course was Chicken Hor Fan and dessert comprised Lotus seeds with Ice Kachang (Please note that the meal was ordered without the help of a menu and mostly communicated via an abstruse Hokkien-Malay hodgepodge dialect).

The objective of this ejaculation, in all honesty, is not to criticize Singapore. Nor is it a DDLJ Amrish Puri (may his soul rest in peace) jingoist call on all NRIs to transmogrify into God and create Light. According to Nicholas Cage in Adaptation, the singular factor that distinguishes homo-sapiens from other species lies in their ability to adapt to change. I will further extrapolate his theory by adding the variable of “being happy” while adapting to change.

I am a homo-sapien (oh shuddup!).
I have been out of my natural habitat for 7 years, hence have had to adapt.
I have adapted quite well (refer lunch details).
I am not happy.

Does this rather ludicrous hypothesis demote me in the evolution hierarchy?

Speaking of hierarchy, a certain Mr. Maslow propounded a certain “hierarchy of needs”. On route to the zenith of self-actualization lies the need for affiliation. I believe that to conquer this rung, one has to be in his natural habitat, be with his own.

Does this mean that people cant be self-actualized if they live in an alien land?

There are two kinds of people in this world. Some, are happy, enthralled even, to be where they are now. Not ever wanting to look back. They are “beyond” all of that now… the population.. the dirt.. the pollution.. the inefficiency.. the gauche society.. or maybe they’re just happy to be away.

Others, much like myself, await the day when the immigration officer in Bangalore (trained by the Infosys HR), asks, “Yaake bandidde ninu?” and instead of the routine “Holiday saar!” I say, “Holiday finees saar.. I’m home now..”

I don’t want to stand out in a crowd…
I want to be the crowd.