Indian cuisine | My Journey So Far….

Dealing With Writer's Block — Dealing With Writer’s Block

Writer’s Block is when you are stuck and not have any thing good to write about. What I am dealing with is somewhat different. I have so much to write about, that I am not able to figure out what to pick next for writing.

It’s like whenever I sit down to write something, normally I would have visualized the starting content by then, but today, the moment I start writing, my mind goes blank. Totally Blank. Not even a sentence or a word.

Instant I will leave my writing table and would stand up to do some other work (mostly to settle down a intensive fighting session between my kids), ideas will start flowing, along with that visualization thing I told you about. :O

At first I thought, let’s start writing standing up. Maybe, I am sitting for writing that is why I am not able to write (weird right!!!). I was so wrong. It didn’t help. I even tried it lying down, took a nap instead (all thanks to kid for rescuing me from a peaceful sleep 😛 ).

Then I thought of writing down something on paper, and not on my laptop. I have heard that some still prefer to write using Paper and Pen. How cute? I also loved writing this way, when I was a kid. Not anymore, it’s just a hassle to upload it or transfer it to blog later.

Still, I decided to write on paper. First thing, where is that damn Paper? I have to go through my Kids stationary and bags to find one piece of nice Paper. Working pens?? when was the last time I saw a god working pen? Oh, my husband has stacked all the pens high in cupboard, so that kids won’t get hold of them. I don’t understand, Why my kids are blamed for everything that goes wrong in my house? What do they have to do with breaking of pens?

We will discuss Kids problems later, first I have to find out a pen. So, my hubby has stacked them up high, so high that I have to get help from my elegant yet fatty and quite heavy Chair, to reach the Pens. Got them, finally!!!

1 minute, 2, 5 minutes… almost 10 minutes…. No, I can sit that long without doing nothing. Scrap it. I am not writing anything now. My inner voice is so angry now. Shouting and screaming (only inner voice, not me, not my fault).

Then I got this brilliant idea. Let’s write about, why I am not able to write? Or, what I am going through? Cool!!!!

Don’t curse me. Yeah, I know I have disappointed you with all my blabbering, but I enjoyed it. It’s fun to write about ones frustration. LOL…. why did I use the frustration word 😛

What I Miss About India The Most — Taj Mahal

Last year this time I was in a plane, coming to USA for the first time, with my hubby and three kids. I was unsure of what future holds for me. How will I get along with new country, new culture and new people?

It turned out, pretty good. For those, who have read my post on How America is treating me…., would know what I am talking about. I didn’t write anything about India at that time, reason being, I wanted to feel it by the course of time, If I do indeed miss being in India? Or, what exactly did I miss about being there?

Now, that I have spent one whole year, I think I am eligible enough to write my first experience of missing India. So here it goes…. not necessarily in a specific order.

Indian Food

Indian Food – bet I won’t be the only one to agree on this point but, Indian food tastes better, in India only. You can visit any top notch restaurant of the world, but the taste of spices, that you have in Indian food, can not be found anywhere. I have been to the Indian restaurants here, but taste is not the same. I cook daily (almost), but still it’s not the same. I have eaten food cooked by others too, but it’s not the same. Miss that aroma, that smell of Indian soil and air.

Crowd

Crowd – I know you may not agree with me on this one, but I do miss that crowd, that long stretch of people everywhere around you. When you go out and you start seeing people the moment you step out of your door, to the small lanes, parks, elevators, stairs and main roads…. everywhere a stream of people running for their daily errands. It’s so lively, as if everything has a life. Here I can stroll around blocks away from my home without seeing a single soul for miles (if we leave people running to their destinations, in their cars).

Movie Queen

Movies – I do see Indian movies here, in theaters too, but the feeling is not the same. Indian movies are meant to be seen in big halls, with a cheering and whistling crowd of movie watchers; with some school kids still in their school uniforms bunking their classes; few college going love birds trying to find their corner seats; some oversize uncles spreading their legs and bumping your seat over and over again; smell of that buttery popcorn and slurping sounds of big colas; this is what Indian movies audience should be like. Miss it here.
Kids flying kite

Indian kids – I miss kids playing in the neighborhood. Now, nobody rings my doorbell and runs away before I open the door. 🙂 I miss that innocence when little girls would come by ringing your door bells not once or twice but million of times and would ask, “Can we take Tisha to our home for play?”. I miss kids playing cricket in the streets or flying kites on the roof, and shouting with all the strength of their lungs, on small victories. I miss seeing kids all dressed up in their uniforms, looking fresh and tidy in the mornings. Miss seeing grandparents dragging and carrying those same kids, exhausted after school, and take them back to home. Miss the mayhem and mischief of kids.
Indian street

My Neighborhood – I miss that chat with the neighbors through balcony having sips of tea in between. How easily we discussed everything from household matters to cricket to debate on who should be the next prime minister, with the whole neighborhood, while still in the comfort of our homes. I miss those small gatherings on the stairs with the neighbors, which used to start with the simple namaste and how are you?, to discussion about their daughter’s friend’s kids school admissions. I miss those visits by neighborhood uncle, who will come by just to say hello. Miss listening to Hindi songs playing on a radio of a very distant shop.
Indian Food

Late Nights – In India we have a wrong notion that people in USA have a better night life, as if they party all night, and have more fun, than us. On the contrary, I have found, here people sleep early, to be precise 8pm is their sleeping time, while we on the other hand would not even have our dinner by that time. Markets are close by 8 or max 9, and then you have no place to go to. I miss those evenings/night snacks of chaat and golgappas by roadside at 10 pm. Going out to eat at 11 and still be able to find good food, specially those late nights aaloo paranthas in Noida.
Indian Driving

Driving on Indian Roads – It would be insane to say that, but seriously, the fun that you have while driving on Indian roads can never be the same in USA. I loved going on long drives there, specially on highways; here it looks like every road is a highway, pretty boring. Missed that road rage and honking. Cutting into each others lanes and taking wrong turns. It may sound bad, but it was thrilling (however, I would never advise others to do that). Miss bikes and rickshavalas passing alongside your cars and taking sharp turns, miss cycles and school vans, with kids waving byes.
Golgappe

Street Food and Dhabas on Roadside – Dear dhabavalas, you are really a blessing, and now I have realized your importance. The way we can stop our cars anywhere on the road and would find a small dhaba, have a little glass (not cup) of tea with pakoras… yumm… and those jaljira places in summers…. ooohhh…. missing you. Miss aaloo chaat, golgappa, momos, chowmein, paranthas, ice creams, and jalebi shops/counters (thela to be precise).
Vegetable Market

Indian stores and Markets – Maggi and Dairy Milk Chocolate are no longer soem food item for me, they are life’s little pleasures. You will know it, when you have to go to 100 miles to buy a dairy milk chocolate. Running to Indian stores to buy that Imli chatni or Indian namkeens and sweets….. how easy it was in India, to go to a store on a walking distance and buy these life’s small luxuries. Step out of your home, and there you will have a shop, delivering everything that you desire, sometimes home delivery too.
Most importantly, I miss family and friends. Miss those times when we would just go to a friend’s place unannounced, just to have a cup of tea, and would come back fully loaded having dinner. Miss that, when you feel close enough to your family and friends to be able to reach them in time of need within hours. Every birthday or small celebration with your close ones. People who really matter in your life. Miss home and miss my hometown. Miss actually everything that my country has. Miss India. 😦