r2i forum

I recently lost a loved one who wanted to go back to India to settle. The loss left me with a huge void and a feeling of hopelessness. I have been thinking about R2I for the past 10 years but couldn't pull the trigger due to the condition of my loved one. I consider myself a fairly successful individual. Undergraduate and graduation education in the US, over 15 years of experience in the field, a house without mortgage, money in the bank, property in India, no debt, cars, loving wife, and kids, yet I still want to R2I.
One day in a cold January (2011) morning, while driving on a long trip to a job, I decided now is the right time to R2I and decided to document my thoughts. Started to write the document and as I was doing the research, I ran into this forum. Performed a financial analysis, of my assets, expenses, revenue and decided to R2I in Fall. I initially didn't feel like posting anything here but later felt posting can only help (not only me but others too).
Stay tuned for more...........3/13/2011

Hi Yennes!

Welcome to this forum... this is the first post that I am seeing where someone has started with writing a diary instead of asking questions related to R2I dilemma, R2I confusion and so on....

Financially you appear quite solid with no debt which should make your R2I plan and execution quite smoother, there are some of us who have R2Ied with house still left in US for sale/rest (I am in the same situation), there are some who want to R2I but are not able to make a decision due to the house mortgage and other financial commitments, there are some who are not able to R2I because of lot of experience and concerned if they will get a good Sr. Position/Title Job in India, there are some quite un-satisfied with work in US are on H1/with no-GC or GC process pending complain about everything they can about job and immigration but still are not able to take a plunge and do R2I and so on....

Looking forward to hearing your diary,

yennes - would like to let you know among all this noise about the term "Tamil American", I'm sure there will be few folks out there (like me) who are tuned-in and looking forward for more updates...

yennes;375504I recently lost a loved one who wanted to go back to India to settle.
loving wife, and kids, yet I still want to R2I.
One day in a cold January (2011) morning, while driving on a long trip to a job,
.................3/13/2011

Cold Weather can be a catharsis in more ways than people had experienced or imagined. in Lake Wobegon, it always took a good calvinist to tolerate the life as it was dealt. We have been told that this winter had been more of a catharsis all over the eastern seaboard than any of the past winters in known memory. We had already decided that our mild winter this season is just the trick to lull us into sloth and punish us for it with the terrible floods from snow melt and the April showers from the skies in another few weeks.
However, in your neck of the woods, come Easter, the spring time and one is sitting under a cherry tree in full blossom, having a picnic with the family, the memories of a hard winter, the drastic notions (like R2I) that came out of that transient hardship, may seem unreasonable, quite rash, and may one say, even idiotic.
And then one may be left to wonder whether one ought to live for one's own dreams or borrow them from someone else, even someone who had been a dear.

PART II
I was brought up in a middle class household where rational and thoughtful thinking was always encouraged so, the decision to R2I was not a simple one, in fact I consider it similar to an N-Body Physics problem with so many moving variables. I get a quite a few "WHY? Are you an Idiot" questions from folks both in the US and India and I quietly listen to their advice and interestingly it is almost always about money. Anyway, my main reason for R2I is to satisfy myself and my loved one's long time wish to live in Tamil Nadu, at the same time, my children learning the Tamil culture, myself sharing my knowledge with others, and my wife being close to her parents are all added benefits. My biggest concern is my children's wellfare, hopefully, I will not have to wonder if I made the right decision for my children.
Thanks Okonomi for the lake Wobegon reference. I have been a fan of the Prairie Home Companion and Garrison Keillor for the past 12 years and hope to listen to the show after my R2I. BillyBlue, I made the title "Tamil American" specifically to show my equal affection toward both Tamil and American values but not to stir up any pot.
Stay tuned for more...........3/14/2011

Thanks to admin for deleting the drivel arguments over one's screen title.

yennes...please do share your experiences.We'd be glad to hear from you .

yennes;375720PART II
I have been a fan of the Prairie Home Companion and Garrison Keillor for the past 12 years and hope to listen to the show after my R2I. ...3/14/2011

I am a fan of Prairie home companion and other NPR shows like 'wait wait..', car talk etc. Since my R2I I have subscribed for the podcast of these shows and listen to them every week here in B'lore..usually while working out at the gym.
Welcome to India !

PART III
I once again questioned the efficacy of my postings because, it seems up to this point I have not shared any helpful information. So I decided to spice it up in this part about why someone like me shouldn't R2I in "Jeff Foxworthy" style. These are not in any order but just as they came to my mind.
1. If you love money, and all money has to offer then don't R2I
2. If you love horse shit but only on a race track then don't R2I
3. If you love bull shit but only from an non-Indian politician then don't R2I
4. If you don't want to hear, talk or see your neighbors and feel your life is no one else's business except Google and Facebook then don't R2I
5. If you like to socialize just to see what TVs, Cars, Vacations, Jewelery your friends are having then don't R2I
6. If you think bribing is wrong but lobbying is OK then don't R2I
7. If you hate your relations because they are always nagging and asking for help then don't R2I
8. If you think punctuality is very important then don't R2I
9. If you are not used to people doing you favor then asking for a bigger favor then don't R2I
10. If you are not familiar with the term, "Take it with a grain of salt" then don't R2I
11. If you are not willing to change then don't R2I
12. If you would like to live a long life, don't care how miserable it may feel and have everything done to you to live longer at all costs then don't R2I
Well, thats all for now with the "If you"s. Just to update, I started to fix up my house to get it ready for renting (I am not selling it in this economy.. are you crazy?). Researched on containers for moving but doesn't seem worth it for me so I will just give things away, store it, or take it to the dump. Called a few travel agents for one way tickets, and it seems like July is the best time to buy tickets for September so I will wait a month and check again. Inquired few friends about their living expenses like utilities, Internet, food, groceries, schooling, etc.
Stay tuned for more...........3/20/2011

Love what you say below and it is well said. I do however think that LIA or R2I are not binary options. The world is flatter now and people should go to the destination which is right for them for that particular phase in their lives. I'd say the US has a set of benefits and compromises and so does India. I have friends who loved the US, then crapped on it as they began R2I plans and then eventually returned and now crapping about India.

yennes;376795PART III
I once again questioned the efficacy of my postings because, it seems up to this point I have not shared any helpful information. So I decided to spice it up in this part about why someone like me shouldn't R2I in "Jeff Foxworthy" style. These are not in any order but just as they came to my mind.
1. If you love money, and all money has to offer then don't R2I
2. If you love horse shit but only on a race track then don't R2I
3. If you love bull shit but only from an non-Indian politician then don't R2I
4. If you don't want to hear, talk or see your neighbors and feel your life is no one else's business except Google and Facebook then don't R2I
5. If you like to socialize just to see what TVs, Cars, Vacations, Jewelery your friends are having then don't R2I
6. If you think bribing is wrong but lobbying is OK then don't R2I
7. If you hate your relations because they are always nagging and asking for help then don't R2I
8. If you think punctuality is very important then don't R2I
9. If you are not used to people doing you favor then asking for a bigger favor then don't R2I
10. If you are not familiar with the term, "Take it with a grain of salt" then don't R2I
11. If you are not willing to change then don't R2I
12. If you would like to live a long life, don't care how miserable it may feel and have everything done to you to live longer at all costs then don't R2I
Well, thats all for now with the "If you"s. Just to update, I started to fix up my house to get it ready for renting (I am not selling it in this economy.. are you crazy?). Researched on containers for moving but doesn't seem worth it for me so I will just give things away, store it, or take it to the dump. Called a few travel agents for one way tickets, and it seems like July is the best time to buy tickets for September so I will wait a month and check again. Inquired few friends about their living expenses like utilities, Internet, food, groceries, schooling, etc.
Stay tuned for more...........3/20/2011

yennes;376795So I decided to spice it up in this part about why someone like me shouldn't R2I in "Jeff Foxworthy" style.

If you can only spice it up in "Jeff Foxworthy" style, but not in "Jaspal Bhatti" style, then don't R2I. :)