What do you miss living abroad??

[Thiru]

I tend to miss a lot living abroad... Though most of these things tend to be a headache most of the time, not having these for the last few years makes me yearn for them... The road side tea kadai with a bench and tamil newspapers, the early morning cycle bell of the milkman or the newspaper guy, the gossiping maid-servant, the bargaining with vegetable vendors, the weddings and the numerous functions, the occasional night show and subsequent police checks, the 5 minute osi batting from kids on the street, the free advice from neighbours etc... What do you folks miss the most??

[hehehewalrus]

Morning walk
Home food
Scanning the engagements section of the papers for local functions, talks or megasales
Finish reading the paper by 6AM and sit by my tinted glass window and watch the neighborhood thanni-thozhiching, oldies walking/going to temple and officegoers/kids getting ready.
Listen to the primary school kids chatter as they pass by my window 3pm in the afternoon.
Watch the kids play cricket in the maidan in front(i would often keep score and follow the game :))
The best part of life is to watch the city spring to life or go to rest(6-7AM and 6-7 PM)
Lazily chatting for 2-3 hrs with relations after a good afternoon meal, especially in summer holidays.

The rest of the items you quoted are big headache/nuisances - Every other encounter in india is a win-loss encounter, rarely a win-win encounter like abroad.
Worst part is TV - when you wish to chat with someone and they are too engrossed in the TV.

[svasu_ani]

I miss

Home food
The flowers (malli, mullai, jaadi)... :( I used to keep them everyday....love flowers like anything
fortnight train travel between chennai and bangalore..
the sunday market to buy fresh vegetables...
beach....
the temples....

[malligai]

The thing that I really miss is Malligai poo...everytime i wear a saree for some party, i feel that it is incomplete without mallipoo... :(

I also miss all my cousins weddings, family gatherings, my college friends [many still live in my home town :) ]...the worst part is when people describe all the fun they had in the gatherings :x [inspite of me, not being there :( ]

one other thing that i reallyyyy miss is eating in 'kaiyendhi bhavans' :lol: [the roadside dhabas]...i always think that when i come back to live in India[ :( ], then i will NEVER cook... :lol:

[Thiru]

malligai
have you ever eaten in highway punjabi dhabas?? There is nothing that comes close to that...

[malligai]

Thiru,

i have eaten in every kind of dhaba...i like the simplicity of the food... :)

[Girish11]

Playing cricket with friends on a small open terrace or other
small area within the house with a tennis ball or rubber ball
and not neccessarily with a cricket bat (just the small bat
using for washing clothes most of the time)

Get to gethers with friends every day night for 30 minutes
near the potti kadai sharing cigarettes

The movies together with friends

Site adichufying with friends (appa bachelor aiyya)

Bunking college and hanging around with friends.

Last but not the least the food (home, our great hotels of
India (restaurants of course), mess, kai yendhi bhavan etc etc)

Many many more.....

Thiru.....you culptript......noga vechittinga sir.

[Anoushka]

Good thread Thiru :)

Seven years after leaving India and 16 years after leaving home, I am yet to find what I miss! It is not that I don't miss anything! When I was in India, away from home, I used to travel home atleast once a month. And now I fly home every six months.

I tend to get a bit restless if I don't go home twice a year. But I still don't know what I miss. So now you have got me thinking.... :roll:

I call up home atleast once a week, email my Dad everyday, send SMS ever so often and so I don't miss my people that much!

I make all Indian food at home, right from vatha kozhambu with paruppu thuvayal and sutta appalam to pav bhaji and bhel puri, so it is not food!

I speak Tamizh with most of my friends, read tamil on the net and the books that I have at home so it is not the language.

I don't even have a long list of things to do when I go home, I just laze around at home.

I rarely bring back stuff from home, infact my total luggage each time is less than 15 Kgs.

Most of my friends are outside India and I call them up regularly as well.

Beyond all this, I miss home, Maybe it is lazing on the couch when the rest of the family is watching TV and commenting on all the serials and irritating everyone else that is in the room, maybe getting pampered for a day or two when I go home (day three my brother says that I should go back because I am fighting for the remote), maybe the odd day that I tend to sleep on the terrace, or even just spend the entire evening sitting on the terrace and reading a book or chatting with someone!

Oh my God! It is time to book my tickets for my next journey home :)

[Thiru]

Few other things I miss

Deepavali... As a kid I remember getting up as early as I could and light the first fire cracker in our street.. there used to be a competition between us and our neighbours on this... Also showing off the new dress to everyone and then sharing sweets and stuff with the neighbours.. Now a days I dont even realise its deepavali being abroad :(

Cricket: I wont miss a single game during my school days.. even if its zimbabwe vs newzealand I would watch it.. When I went to college we rented a colour TV for 2000 Rs for 2 months and watched the entire world cup with about 30 people in our house.... ( Imagine the cheer and noise during Jadeja's sixer and when Venkatesh prasad took Sohail's wicket).. Now its me watching only the finals of a tournament alone on a PC

[Anoushka]

Thiru, our Deepavali used to be the same, the whole family used to get together and while the women made sweets, the children found a way of sneaking into the kitchen without anyone noticing and stealing them, the fire crackers always came from Sivakasi and we always waited till everyone else finished to show off what we had :) But now it is not the same even in India, all the kids have grown up and the house nearly feels empty!

As for Cricket, for the last world cup we were 25 of us sitting in blue coloured t-shirts supporting India in a friend's house screaming and shouting and enjoying the matches...

[hehehewalrus]

( Imagine the cheer and noise during Jadeja's sixer and when Venkatesh prasad took Sohail's wicket).. Now its me watching only the finals of a tournament alone on a PC

Ippo onnum kettu pogala. Just open a conference chat with your old friends and watch this :P

http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=WC

Appadiye intha black sellerku paisa vasool :)

[RC]

I miss
* the company of my parents, sisters, brother-in-laws, nephews and nieces.
* my mom's cooking though my wife's cooking is close enough.
* celebrating festivals
* eating at restaurants, kayyendhi bavans
* watching movies on the big screen especially kamal's movies on the first day.
* watching Sun, Raj, SCV(?) tv (not serials, I hate them but movie songs)

[Thiru]

* my mom's cooking though my wife's cooking is close enough.


patha vekka news thareengale RC :)

[RC]

* my mom's cooking though my wife's cooking is close enough.


patha vekka news thareengale RC :)

patha vechaalum onnum aagaathu-ndra dhariyam thaan.. :)

[Thiru]

( Imagine the cheer and noise during Jadeja's sixer and when Venkatesh prasad took Sohail's wicket).. Now its me watching only the finals of a tournament alone on a PC

Ippo onnum kettu pogala. Just open a conference chat with your old friends and watch this :P

http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=WC

Appadiye intha black sellerku paisa vasool :)

thanks for the link h3w... marakka mudiyaadha game...
Its funny to see old faces like venkatapathy raju and azhar

[Scale]

( Imagine the cheer and noise during Jadeja's sixer and when Venkatesh prasad took Sohail's wicket).. Now its me watching only the finals of a tournament alone on a PC

Ippo onnum kettu pogala. Just open a conference chat with your old friends and watch this :P

http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=WC

Appadiye intha black sellerku paisa vasool :)

Man! Million Thanks for that link. Venkatesh Prasadha kooda goba pada (after he got out) vaitha Sohailukku ithuvum venum innumum venum. Infact, VP was very lucky that delivery hit the stumps. A clever bowler would have gone for a yorker or a good slow delivery when someone is so aggresive.

a) How come David Shepherd didnt notice when Sohail was lifting the bat and pointing that shot?. Neither VP, nor any players complained it to him immediately??
b) This might have been his best innings blemished bcoz of his overconfidence & egotism. :lol: :lol: he lifted the bat again near the pavilion towards the spectators. What for?

manam getta jenmam.

thats the real turning point and INDIA WON THAT MATCH :clap: :thumbsup: ...

[hehehewalrus]

Scale, your first question is a good one. In fact, the coming Saturday after the game, Raju Bharatan pointed this out in The Hindu's Saturday Sports Special! Shepherd had his back to the batsman and was busy signalling the boundary. Hence he did not notice Sohail.

I had the Miandad jumping at More link too in the previous world cup :) Will find out and post it.

[lordstanher]

The thing that I really miss is Malligai poo...everytime i wear a saree for some party, i feel that it is incomplete without mallipoo... :(

I agree! :D IMHO, mallipoo goes best w/ Saree! :wink:
I luv malligai poo as well......even tho I'm a guy! :wink: We had this one mallipoo chedi in the garden of our ex-house in hyd. for years.......planted by my late grandma long ago....I loved tat plant & the flowers it used to give.......after selling our house & while moving to Vizag last year, I'd insisted tat the plant be taken away from there & brought in a pot over here during the transfer......wanted it w/ us always so we cud keep having flowers from it often.........but the guys didn't do the transplanting job properly & it died by the time it was brought here......I was (& still am!) really upset abt it! :cry:
I only hope tat I get a wife who equally luvs these flowers, as she'd obv. hav a greater advantage of wearing them in her hair, unlike me! :wink: :D
I was living abroad too, (Singapore) for 2 yrs until a few months ago.......& luckily over there, u cud always find mallipoo at the flower shops in the Little India area but sumhow I felt the way they were sewn together into strands were quite 'clumsy' comp'd to the way they sew them in India...... :?
Moreover the fact tat wearing Sarees wasn't too common for Ind. women even in Sing. except for functions etc......so even while walking thru Little India on ordinary days I sumhow didn't really feel the same sort of 'familiarity'......as opposed to walking on most Indian streets! So.....missed tat! :D
Also didn't know ne Indian families too well over there so I unftly didn't hav a chance to attend ne weddings/cult. gatherings unlike over here......so missed those as well!
Also missed celebrating Diwali (which is a public holiday in Sing. but no celeb. allowed!)......


one other thing that i reallyyyy miss is eating in 'kaiyendhi bhavans' :lol: [the roadside dhabas]...i always think that when i come back to live in India[ :( ], then i will NEVER cook... :lol:

Well, I missed being served coffee in steel tumblers w/ the damra (except in a select few restaurants there like Komala Vilas, Woodlands Madras).......also being a veg'an, I missed getting veg. puffs/sandwiches & varities of veg. pizzas (which I cud always get newhere around here!)......and on a personal note, also missed having tomato curry w/ dosas tat my mother often makes for me! :D
Not really a cricket addict, so never missed tat....... :D
Well tats it 4 now........

[malligai]

The thing that I really miss is Malligai poo...everytime i wear a saree for some party, i feel that it is incomplete without mallipoo... :(

I agree! :D IMHO, mallipoo goes best w/ Saree! :wink:
I luv malligai poo as well......even tho I'm a guy! :wink:
........

Lordstanher,

U agree too...Same Pinch!!! :lol:

hope ur wife/would-be-wife agrees with it too.. :thumbsup:

[Idiappam]

hope ur wife/would-be-wife agrees with it too.. :thumbsup:

or at least pretend to agree with it!

[malligai]

hope ur wife/would-be-wife agrees with it too.. :thumbsup:

or at least pretend to agree with it!

Idiappam,

yaarukavadhu mallipoo pidikaama poguma??...chancey illa.. :D

[rajraj]

yaarukavadhu mallipoo pidikaama poguma??...chancey illa.. :D


Not really! We have jasmine vine in our backyard. Very few ever asked for the flowers. It seems to be out of fashion or not fashionable any more! :)

[malligai]

Raj, neenga endha oorla irukeenga-garadhu also matters right?...if u r in a place where there is lotss of mallipoo, then no one will ask...

and also what kind of parties we go to..normally when we just have movie nights everyone is in a casual dress, and who would think of Jeans and Mallipoo?? :lol:

and above all, neenga ketalum kuduka maateenganu nenaichi irupaangalO enavo!! :lol: :lol:

[hehehewalrus]

jeans and mallippoo doesnt seem to be such a bad combination, atleast in MY imagination :D

any guinea pigs for it?

[svasu_ani]

yaarukavadhu mallipoo pidikaama poguma??...chancey illa.. :D


Not really! We have jasmine vine in our backyard. Very few ever asked for the flowers. It seems to be out of fashion or not fashionable any more! :)


Malligai poo vayum fashion ayum link pannatheenga....unga veetla malli poo vekka aalunga illaya? en mathavanga vanthu ketkannum????Naraya poo iruntha naama konjam pakkathu veetukku, illa kutti pasangalukku kudukarthu thaan azhagu.

[malligai]

jeans and mallippoo doesnt seem to be such a bad combination, atleast in MY imagination :D

any guinea pigs for it?

Walrus,

whats the point in looking for 'gp's here??...u cant see right??..try asking someone in ur 'closer' circle... :lol:

[stranger]

Malligai poo vayum fashion ayum link pannatheenga....unga veetla malli poo vekka aalunga illaya? en mathavanga vanthu ketkannum????Naraya poo iruntha naama konjam pakkathu veetukku, illa kutti pasangalukku kudukarthu thaan azhagu

I think he meant that when indian folks (guests) visit his back-yard and see the malligai, they do not get too excited about it. :)

Well, not everybody gets the "correct message" in any post! 8)

[rajraj]

Malligai poo vayum fashion ayum link pannatheenga....unga veetla malli poo vekka aalunga illaya? en mathavanga vanthu ketkannum????Naraya poo iruntha naama konjam pakkathu veetukku, illa kutti pasangalukku kudukarthu thaan azhagu

I think he meant that when indian folks (guests) visit his back-yard and see the malligai, they do not get too excited about it. :)

Well, not everybody gets the "correct message" in any post! 8)

Thanks Stranger. You got it right. A lot of Indians have visited our backyard and seen the variety of flowers- jasmines and roses. We used to tell them they were free to pick/pluck whatever they wanted. Still, not many takers. :) My neighbours, all Americans. enjoy the fragrance wafting into their yard! :)

[lordstanher]

Lordstanher,

U agree too...Same Pinch!!! :lol:

hope ur wife/would-be-wife agrees with it too.. :thumbsup:

Tks! :D Me hope so too (desperately sumtimes!)....... :lol:

Neways, can only hope for such things nowadays....... :(

[lordstanher]

jeans and mallippoo doesnt seem to be such a bad combination, atleast in MY imagination :D

Um.....this doesn't seem to make a very good joke, Walrus! :P

[tomato]

jeans and mallippoo doesnt seem to be such a bad combination, atleast in MY imagination :D

any guinea pigs for it?


How abt stretching ur imagination a bit more ???
Something like jeans, mallipoo and hehehewalrus? :lol: :lol:

[hehehewalrus]

i am a jeans-hater and i dont see myself "using" mallipoo", though sometimes I wish i had a hairpin for my hair :P

[Anoushka]

Thanks Stranger. You got it right. A lot of Indians have visited our backyard and seen the variety of flowers- jasmines and roses. We used to tell them they were free to pick/pluck whatever they wanted. Still, not many takers. :) My neighbours, all Americans. enjoy the fragrance wafting into their yard! :)

Raj, ithukaavathu unga veetuku varanume :) I don't want the flowers, but just snips of all your plants so I can grow my own! I have jaathi malli in my front garden and when it is in full bloom I spend two minutes each day when I walk in and out of the house to breathe in the wonderful smell! I don't like plucking flowers though :(

[rajraj]

Raj, ithukaavathu unga veetuku varanume :) I don't want the flowers, but just snips of all your plants so I can grow my own! I have jaathi malli in my front garden and when it is in full bloom I spend two minutes each day when I walk in and out of the house to breathe in the wonderful smell! I don't like plucking flowers though :(

Anoushka,
Rojaa endraal April/May. Malligai vaasam June-kku mel!
neengaL eppodhu veNdumaanaalum varalaam. ippodhu andhi mandaarai poothirukkiradhu! August-il vandhaal maadhuLam pazham kidaikkum. murungai keeraiyum kidaikkum. :)
poraamaiyaa irukkaa? :)

[Anoushka]

Anoushka,
Rojaa endraal April/May. Malligai vaasam June-kku mel!
neengaL eppodhu veNdumaanaalum varalaam. ippodhu andhi mandaarai poothirukkiradhu! August-il vandhaal maadhuLam pazham kidaikkum. murungai keeraiyum kidaikkum. :)
poraamaiyaa irukkaa? :)

Poraamaiyaa illai Raj, naanum inga rose, jaathi malli, andhi mandharai, chembaruthi ellam valarkuren. Intha varusham oru chinna vazhai kannu kooda nattu vachiruken, rendu thengai valara vachiruken - valarutha illayanu theriala. Murungai nalla valarutha? India-la irunthu murungai kombu kondu vaithen, winter-la vaithathanal sethu pochu, ippa thirumba try pannanum!

Intha varusham not much of gardening, just kadugu, venthyam, kothamalli, puthina, strawberry, garlic, lettuce, pumpkin, basil avvalavuthaan! Indian plant seeds intha weekend thaan podanum, already late!

Last year manathakkali keerai kooda vaithirunthen, intha varusham ellame delay :(

[Thiru]

thread name-i vayalum vaazhvum nnu maathattuma?? :wink:

[Anoushka]

Thiru :rotfl:

Actually Thiru, I miss that.. oru kaalathula black and white TV-la vayalum vazhum paartha gnyabagam! Athu mattum illa, subbu arumugam villu paatu, kollangudi karupayi naatupura paatu, etc! Oru kaalathula rasam saadam and nethili karuvaadu saapitukite Subbu Arumugham villu paatu paarpom!!!! mmm...

Appuram Nannan-oda tamizh class, Veenai Balasubramaniam (???) shows, malarum ninaivugal, munnottam, wonder balloon, etc... I still miss the good old doordarshan!

[rajraj]

Anoushka: neenga sonnadhai padikkiravangaLukku idhai ellaam 'miss' panromnu theriyalaiyennu yekkam varum! :)

[Anoushka]

Raj: Unmai :)
Ippa theriyuthu why I don't miss India that much appadinu, I have a mini India at home anyway! :)

[svasu_ani]

RR:
America la neenga enga irukkinga...I want to come and see ur garden. Nan US ku vanthu 10mths thaan aarthu but am missing the garden at my home in chennai and at my aunts place in blore...My aunt she used to have so many variety of flowers and kalila ezhunthu garden pakkam ponna super a irukkum..
its really so good to have a garden at home....

Anitha

[ssanjinika]

This is a cool topic and I could not Not reply to it...
Things I miss most about India(actually Chennai - have never lived anywhere else in India)..in the following order...

First and foremost Parents,In-laws,Relatives
Nenaicha Dosa,Chaat ,tamizh padams (in that order)
3 naal kalyanams :) (its just too much fun..esp if you are a relative but not so close that you get dumped with a lot of work but close enough to warrant attending all 3 days )
Roadside masala tea.
Early morning walk along Besant Nagar beach.
movie songs blaring from the nearby tea kadai when you r wating for a Pallavan Bus.
Art/Home/Saree Exhibitions

I'll stop with this im getting a bit homesick :)

[Thiru]

one thing I miss sometimes is the ringing of cycle bells.. We can get that only in India :)

[j.chenkalvarayan]

i am very very happy that you people miss something. :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :D :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :D :D :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :D :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :D :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

[rajraj]

i am very very happy that you people miss something. :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :D :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :D :D :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :D :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :D :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

JC: When you go to Caltech you will miss lot more than India (Madras) ! :)

[svasu_ani]

bus, auto, lorry, car horns la vittuteenga ley

[rajraj]

Anitha: I sent you a pm!

Thiru: oru cycle import paNNunga! reNdu bell vachadhaa irundhaa nalladhu! :)

[Thiru]

bus, auto, lorry, car horns la vittuteenga ley

adhellam inga irukke... newyork city la oru 10 nimisham ottina idhellam kedaikkum..

[kpriyachary]

Living abroad i really miss !

Firstly Mom & Dad ! , my sister 2 sweeto kids,
Then ofcourse my mom's sweet morning kiss before i leave for work
Am out of home.. for the past 2 years...

and the daily sharing ofr schoo time,college time , office time stories,
a long un-defined destiny drive with dad, a needless costly shopping with mom
i really miss my morning song enque in my homely atmosphere,
then , college and school goers reminding me daily of my good old days
and nextly the fast and swift office goers reminding me to get ready :P

ofcourse home food, and sometimes even kaiyaendhi bhavans
talking about what dress to wear for the marriage,
even before they start printing the invitation for that occasion;)
watch the morning traffics waiting for green signal,
watching faces with sweet happiness, few tensions etc etc
searching for some good clear face, which boosts ur mornings

Chatting with friends for hours together, and planning for weekend and movies
having tea with small chukli near office.
commenting on the passer-by

sleepin on the terrace at nights
on the whole i miss the real "Me"

[hehehewalrus]

i am very very happy that you people miss something. :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :D :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :D :D :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :D :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :D :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Is this a hub record for the max no of consecutive icons? :D

[Nerd]

Things I miss:

1. Rash driving :) (atleast in TeXas)
2. Some TV channels (SCV - songs all the time)
3. Power cuts (Could not forget those candle-light dinners :lol:)
4. Kayyenthi Bhavans (Though the after-effect is often forgettable :))
5. Kumudam, AV etcc., (Reading online is a pain :x)
6. FDFS ( you could hardly hear anything for the first hour)

btw, HHHW, I nominate these posts for the craziest in the hub with max no of consecutive emoticons and high utilization of ctrl + V :banghead:

http://forumhub.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?t=2765&start=30

(People with slower processors, beware!)

[hehehewalrus]

kasi,
andha pagela icons ellaam Walmart "I am feeling..." Stickers maari irukku :D

one thing about SCV and Sun TV Enrum Iniyavai was they used the same irritating playlist all the time - :(

During power cuts the high school guys in our colony used to hide as patrol gangs with cycle chains as it was peak hour for thefts.
A thing surely missed by everyone - being chased by dogs while going for tuition on cycle :D

[Nayagan]

I left home as soon as I finished college.
So I miss chatting with my college/school friends.
I miss going to the small time hotel near my house to get chudda chudda vadai/bhajji.
I miss hotel sambhar and chutney :)
I miss riding my dads scooter.
I miss finding more abt the new chudidhar in the colony.
I miss ganging up to watch a movie/cricket match at friends place.
I miss the bus ride to college.
I miss the fresh fruits from our garden.

Now that nostalgia has set in, thinking all of the above
I miss the younger happier simpler me :(

[dlaxmi16]

Away from India gives a nostalgic feeling..

I miss my dearest family a lot..my sis, bro, parents.. :cry:

I miss my adorable friends .. :cry:

I miss Bombay of all , city I was brought up.. :cry:

I miss those pani puris, sev puris eating from the outside stalls.. :cry:

I miss all those star tv, sun tv, all the possible channels.. :cry:

I miss those kancheepuram pattu sarees..which i normally make it to wear to any function on earth :cry:

Basically I miss everything about India, but the constant thing that keeps going , is the annual trip to India.. :) Which I make the most of it.. :)

[Sowmya]

Hi all
Everybody has given amazing 'Missing lists".Mine maps to the existing lists too.
BTW seasonla paatu kutcheri irukkume?Yaarum miss pannalaya? :(
Chennai sabhas... I miss them and not to forget the great canteen specials.. :D

Sowmya

[kickboxer]

Don't you guys miss the desi barber shops, where you sit and read the news papers peacefully and get a hair cut without speaking a word to the guy!

in the US barber shops, the moment you enter, all you hear is blah.. blah.. blah.............. blah.. blah.. blah.. from the woman.... and after the hair cut you have to wear a cap atleast for a few weeks!!

[hehehewalrus]

Interesting memories. I used to goto one saloon where a softspoken middle aged guy cut my hair. One fine day he packed up and left. I was a bit disappointed since I had to travel a bit longer to get an alternative saloon.

After a couple of months, another young chap moved into the old saloon and set up shop. He was a smart and handsome young chap who would easily beat the pants off our Kollywood heroes in terms of looks and grace! He was innocence personified and had a ready smile, I would often silently wonder what he was doing in this profession.

He set up a TV and would do some channel surfing every 5-10 minutes while working on his customers. As usual, like in any saloon, the boy from the nearby tea-stall would bring him tea and he would often offer it to his customers as well!

Even after I began to work in a different city, I would visit the guy on vacation to get my hair cut. Sometimes I would be a little disappointed that he wasnt there and left his attendants to do the work. He had a 4 year old daughter and half the time the guys he employed would complain how he often pampered his kid with biscuits, chips, ice creams and everything she asked!!

A haircut in India is a most enjoyable experience, you will find some regulars who lived in the vicinity of the saloon dropping in daily to comb their hair, stay around and share neighborhood gossip or watch the TV. I always prefered Saturday nights to get one.

Thanks for reminding kickboxer!! :) Will surely visit my fave hairdresser with a gift next time I visit him...i miss all those days :(

[Sunflower77]

I just moved to US last month and I already miss a lot of things about India. I am a tamilian born and brought up in Delhi.

I miss
-the vegetable vendors on the streets and bargaining with them
-kids playing and screaming in the streets.
-Believe it or not, I sometimes miss the cows on the streets, too. :D
-chaat, gol gappa (pani puri) and all kinds of street food.
:( -road side dhaba food - highway dhabas... yummmmy
-I miss the smell of indian spices.
:( -amma's home made food.
:( -appa's long boring talks about income tax rules.
:( - my annoying, but loving thambi
:( - my friends
- I miss the walk to the market to buy bread or eggs, and not having to go through the stress of choosing from 100s of variety of eggs or bread.
- I miss listening to hindi songs on the radio or tv and I miss speaking tamil, malayalam and hindi.
- I miss my scooter that I used to ride to and from work. :cry:
-I miss my adorable yellow lab (we have a cute little shiba inu now that's equally adorable in its own way :)
-I miss all the bright colors.
-I'll miss Rakhi :cry:

Sunflower77

[Thiru]

h3w, you brought some good memories on going for a haircut.. I used to sneak into the saloon on a sunday morning after watching all the TV shows.. Obviously there was a big crowd, and I used to read all the news on Thina thanthi (the kuruviyar padhilgal part :lol: ), filmfare, cinema express etc and get updated with all the cinema/masala news... I used to spend almost 2 hrs in the saloon those days.. During my college days I went to a different saloon which was more modern with an A/C, Generator backup and Color TV...During my recent visit to India, I went to the same saloon and nothing has changed in the last 10 years, except for the fact that they have cable Tv now instead of doordarshan and the owner now has a cell phone :).. He was able to recognise me and was saying 'enna sir.. aalaye kaanom.. vera ooru poi settle aagitteengala?? '

[hehehewalrus]

Thiru,
nice to know that. Saloon guy is one of the most important and valuable people we interact with(without really much personal involvement).

Another thing i miss badly is the weekend visit home. If you are lucky to stay in a non-cosmo city, that is.

Saturday evening I always start from home at 630pm and do some shopping and roaming. The peak shopping areas and the deserted residential areas/outskirts can all be covered within a quick 2 hours! I visit all the hot spots in my city, do some shopping, sightseeing and from 9PM get into philosophical mode watching the city people, rich and poor, returning home for a well deserved sunday rest.

For 4 hours, I would step into 2-3 restaurants for a plate of idli and coffee, sample different tiffin items, my last snack would be at a tiny hotel around 10PM closing time. I would silently observe the customers, then walk to a bus stop and ignore the first couple of buses if I want to watch more people :) I would then catch a 1030pm bus, listen to the FM station playing some old MSV songs on the bus. Then go home and take a light home-cooked meal, everyone would go to bed, while I would stay awake till 12 or 1 and think how quickly the saturday evening passed.

I cant believe people spend Sat evenings before TV or chatting when such immense pleasures are there :)

[RC]

hehehe: neenga irukkura area-la irukkura hotel kaarangaLukku ungaLaala pozhappu Odirukku-nu solla vareenga..adhaane? :)

[hehehewalrus]

RC, ethana dhaan saaptaalum bill Rs.10 or 15-ku mela varaadhu. Sila hotel-la konjam neram observe panninaale coffee/tea-ku mela edhuvum order panna manasu varaadhu :)

[NM]

Now I can contribute to this thread.....

I miss :
i) Food -
char koey teow
nasi lemak
ikan bilis sambal
nyonya kuih
all the different types of fish we can get in malaysia
roti chanai
mamak mee goreng
having coffee at kopitiam with chakoi :lol:
rendang
mee rebus
pasembur
rojak
teh tarik with pasumpaal
aapam
tit bits .....murukku, pakora, fried kilanggu, nuts..

ii) shopping :
little india in penang
megamall in butterworth
supermarkets in taiping
cd's for thamizh paattu

iii) driving : miss breaking the 110km/h rule on the highway. Here, there are cameras everywhere and max speed limit is 100 on most highways!

and ,many many more...but most of all... I miss my mom, dad and brothers :cry:

[bingleguy]

the most important thing that u miss when u r ONSITE ...................


HOME !

[hi]

- support frm family
- Mom's food
- Lively atmosphere( esp chi-chatting with neighbours)
- childhood friends
- visting my fav ayyapan temple on friday
- mom's bargain with veggie vendors..(hilarious to watch :lol: )
- our little castle (HOME)
- bursting crackers
- rangoli (decorating house during festivals).. esp karthigai deepam
- latest trend in indian dressing
- sight adikiradhu :oops:


(more to list)

[Alien]

- support frm family
- Mom's food
- Lively atmosphere( esp chi-chatting with neighbours)
- childhood friends
- mom's bargain with veggie vendors..(hilarious to watch :lol: )
- our little castle (HOME)
- bursting crackers
- sight adikiradhu :oops:


(more to list)
Same here :( ..... Like bingleguy said I miss HOME ! :cry:

[Hulkster]

Looks like im the only one whose family is born and bred in a foreign place.....intha mathiri na engaeyum naan single thaana?..:(

[bingleguy]

HULK ... the u rnt missing anything :lol:

[NM]

HULK : then you MUST really be missing all those that are listed here.......since you're born in foreign land! :D

[Hulkster]

ellei...i cant say im really living in foreign land...only my great great grandfather was from india and he came here with the british.

Cant say i miss....more of i wish to see...oru chinna chinna aasai avalavu thaans...:D

[bingleguy]

With the British ? wow !?
What did ur GGF do when he came there along with them ?
so what are ur parents there now ?

[Hulkster]

Well im not sure but he was sort of a village zamindar there...kampung zamindar should i say...not sure what business he did too....my parents well my mum is a social-worker involved in community services while my dad is cargo exporter in a delivery sense.

[crazy]

what i miss,

i miss myself. i dont feel like iam living here in abroad. i hate living abroad, just after my studies iam going to move back( either to tamil eelam( :roll: :?: ) or to india)
i miss:

spirit
courage
paasion
love
hope
faith( i have.........but only in God)
tamil(they speak tamil, but its not tamil its tanglish+ norwegian)
tamilargal( here is quite a number tamil, but i dont know, they r so different from me or maybe iam different from them)
food(i love all those veg foods)
friends
kaveri water
uchipillayaar kovil
uraiyur samosa
telephone calls(when i was in india, i used to talk for hours and hours, that was so funny, we had nothing to talk other than ur teachers and super 10 comedy, and songs)
my innocency
panjumittaai(its so hard to get those here in norway)
porikadalai
etc etc etc etc etc ................................
thats all, i can remeber(i miss a lot, that i cant even remeber what i miss)
i havent spend my whole life in india, but my short life in india has given me things i cant forget and things i cant get anywhere else than in india!

[Hulkster]

Indiavin mannai rasithaval nee...athu naal thaan antha mannai vittu poga unaal oru nimidam kuda irukka mudiyavillai...patriotism and lvoe seems to be evident in your speech..which is why norway doesnt seem to impress you at all...thai mannakku eppadi oru paasama...mikka santhosama irukku...:thumbsup:..but as i said...whether India,norway sweden USA..they are just land...it just depends on how humans govern these countries.

[S.Balaji]

Above all.... I miss our culture and practices

[crazy]

Indiavin mannai rasithaval nee...athu naal thaan antha mannai vittu poga unaal oru nimidam kuda irukka mudiyavillai...patriotism and lvoe seems to be evident in your speech..which is why norway doesnt seem to impress you at all...thai mannakku eppadi oru paasama...mikka santhosama irukku...:thumbsup:..but as i said...whether India,norway sweden USA..they are just land...it just depends on how humans govern these countries.

anbulla hulk thambi(i saw u r 1 yr younger than me)
as a matter of fact, iam eezha thamizhichi, but i was born in india. i haven't seen tamil eelam, so i see my land, my culture, my language and above all my people trough/in india!

[Raikkonen]

Naan etahyume miss pannala..
Vara appaye ellatuym suttukittu vanthutten

[Hulkster]

NTR sir...eppo thaan yaen india leh kaasu konjam konjam varum bothu unnum panjathil irukaangunu puriyethu..:x

[bingleguy]

hehehehe NTR ... unga replykku dhdaan kaathu kittu irukkanga ! ]

seri Illy anni eppadi irukaanga ...

[Raikkonen]

Actualy naan neraya things eh miss panren.. athu a va irukkalam, b va irukklam and c va kooda irukkalam...

[Lambretta]

Actualy naan neraya things eh miss panren.. athu a va irukkalam, b va irukklam and c va kooda irukkalam...
a, b, c? :?

[azhagi]

I miss mallipoo,jaadimalli buds...actually I like fresh flower buds...at around 3 pm,the pookari will be korthifying these buds on any roadside...I even miss kadambam flowers,the smell of marikozhundhu....hmmmmm... :P

When I was a kid,I used to go to school with Dahlia flowers -1 on each of the two pony tails...I used to look a real sight....but given a chance,I don't mind doing it even now... :lol:

I miss fresh drumstick(murungakai)..I miss kumbakonam degree coffee at Sangeetha's fast food,R A Puram...I miss Thenga,maanga,pattani sundal at the Beach,I miss panipuri at Marina Beach....I even miss the crows...the mosquitoes,cockroaches,everything... :o

[Sanguine Sridhar]

I miss mallipoo,jaadimalli buds...actually I like fresh flower buds...at around 3 pm,the pookari will be korthifying these buds on any roadside...I even miss kadambam flowers,the smell of marikozhundhu....hmmmmm... :P

I dont see any Pookari in my Chennai,but if i go to my native (Thaatha/Paati) village this will happen and my paati/amma used to tie those flowers!


When I was a kid,I used to go to school with Dahlia flowers -1 on each of the two pony tails...I used to look a real sight....but given a chance,I don't mind doing it even now... :lol:

Never mind do it! Vaazhkai vaazhvadharkey :thumbsup:


I miss fresh drumstick(murungakai)..I miss kumbakonam degree coffee at Sangeetha's fast food,R A Puram...I miss Thenga,maanga,pattani sundal at the Beach,I miss panipuri at Marina Beach....I even miss the crows...the mosquitoes,cockroaches,everything... :o

Drumstick is my fav one!! In my Paati house daily she used to get around 100 to 150 drumsticks from the tree.She even did a small buisness :wink:

Thenga,maanga,pattani sundal..Evn yyou can do it in your house right :roll:

You miss Mosquitoes,Cockroaches?? :shock: ..But here they dont miss us!!

Ikkaraikku akkarai pachai!! :)

[Querida]

that is one thing i would love to do....atleast once be able to wear fresh flowers in my hair...the cloth/silk ones are nice i guess...but i always lose them...and they are nothing like the real ones :( I love jasmine so just a strand or two would be nice or even a large-petal flower to tuck behind one ear...

[phil]

Gathering Mangoes from mango trees. Similary cashews from cashew trees, jack fruit from jackfruit trees, tamarinds from tamarind trees, guavas from guava trees, coconuts from coconut trees etc.
Also i miss taking bath in a clean fast flowing clean river in Kerala. Catching fishes in those waters is lots of fun. I used to collect/steal birds from their natural nests and put them in my stinking cage when i was a kid, but no longer dont want to do cruelty to birds. People prefer to return to Bangalore for job prospects etc, but i want to move to Kerala or atleast to my thaatha paatis house in Nagercoil/Kanyakumari even if i am going to be jobless and that is going to be life of fun. Even i miss the smell of Jasmine that is hung up in my Church for Easter. I miss decorating my church, playing piano in my Church. Miss many more things.

[Lambretta]

I miss mallipoo,jaadimalli buds...actually I like fresh flower buds...at around 3 pm,the pookari will be korthifying these buds on any roadside...I even miss kadambam flowers,the smell of marikozhundhu....hmmmmm... :P
I love mallippoo too! Jus looooooove the smell! IMO it even looks nice! :D
One o the reasons y I decided to live in India only! (of course it'd be worth it provided I get a wife who likes these flowers equally & wears these! :|).....not tat fond of kanakambaram/marikozhanthu tho.....:)
We even had a gundu malli chedi in the garden of our old house at hyd, planted by my late granma yrs ago....we took it out & potted it, trying to bring it w/ us to Vizag after selling the house.....but it died due to neglect! :cry:

I even miss the crows...the mosquitoes,cockroaches,
:lol:
Btw, if I cud ask, do u/ur hubby intend to return to India sooner or later in future then? :)

[Lambretta]

I dont see any Pookari in my Chennai
:shock: Really?!
But I've seen loads of women ther still wear them......or do they get the flowers from their own gardens & kotthify them up themselves then? :?

[phil]

We can see lots of pookaris in Chennai. I dont know much about the city, but atleast in the outskirts eg, Guindy, Tambaram areas.

[azhagi]

Btw, if I cud ask, do u/ur hubby intend to return to India sooner or later in future then? :)

We would love to,doesn't look like it is possible in the near future...let's see..

[Raikkonen]

Ya Ya..
enakku onnu mindle vandirichi..

If i was in Hyderabad, enga amma asai padi i would have married a Telugu girl..
Inge vanthu ...:cry:....

[Lambretta]

Ya Ya..
enakku onnu mindle vandirichi..

If i was in Hyderabad, enga amma asai padi i would have married a Telugu girl..
Inge vanthu ...:cry:....
:roll: Athuku enna NTR garu......unga appa Malaysia lenthu AP ku vanthu angenthu oru penne (ie. unga ammave) pannikaleya?

So u 2 look for a Telugu girl from ur mom's hometown (is it Hyd. or Rajamundry btw? :?) wen u wan2 get married & then 'import' her to Malaysia.....:D

[Lambretta]

Btw, if I cud ask, do u/ur hubby intend to return to India sooner or later in future then? :)

We would love to,doesn't look like it is possible in the near future...let's see..
Neways, keep up ur hopes.....good luck! :D

[Raikkonen]

Rajamundhry than, konjam style la irukkanumnu Hydi ya vuttuten..

Thats a good idea, import a telugu girl..
Ana ive stucked in a relationship now..
Paravalla, enga pattikitte solli telugu solli kodukka solliduren..

[Lambretta]

*digr
Rajamundhry than, konjam style la irukkanumnu Hydi ya vuttuten..
Ohh.......puriythu...its ok.....! :D
Btw, unga appa vanthu appo AP ku ethukaga vantharu?
U can pm me if ther is too much digr. here..:)

/digr


Thats a good idea, import a telugu girl..
Ana ive stucked in a relationship now..
Paravalla, enga pattikitte solli telugu solli kodukka solliduren..
Ohh.....sorry! I forgot....yea, ur getting engaged already rite? :)
Neways, Telungu Tamil rendum South anathnale avolo periya vithyasam-um irukaathu....I mean compared to North & South....:D

[Raikkonen]

Digr

No, My mom with her father migrated here early 70's and they got married..

End Digr


Oo..
Appa nalattutan, avanga tamil le tittunna naan tirupi telugu le etahavthu solli tittaren epdi?

[S.Balaji]

Lambretta

Of late I am seeing lot of tamil words in your posts...What happened !!

[Hulkster]

Avarau nammoda pesi pesi tamil baashai ottikittu...:D

[Lambretta]

Lambretta

Of late I am seeing lot of tamil words in your posts...What happened !!
Nothing....! :? :huh:
Of course I know Tamil.....naan-um Tamil kaaran thaane! :D
I was under the impression u knew tat...?
Altho, I'm an illiterate Tamil....ie, no knowledge of literary Tamil.....only colloquial! :P :D

[girishk14]

ya..I am going to go back to India next month....I wonder how it will be

[Lambretta]

ya..I am going to go back to India next month....I wonder how it will be
Shud be fine.....relax! :)
Wher in India r u from btw?

[girishk14]

ya..I am going to go back to India next month....I wonder how it will be
Shud be fine.....relax! :)
Wher in India r u from btw?

Bangalore...

[Raikkonen]

Rajamundhry MANGOES

[Ghlli]

if i go on holidays i miss my bed, my bathroom, my computer, my cup, my mums foood :rotfl:

[ajithfederer]

I miss

1) my parents and relatives

2) the get togethers in my families

3) my honda activa with which i use to roam entire cbe

4) my sister son........aruntha vaalu...overtalking payal.... :cry: :cry:

5) all my cousins..have nearly 10 of em.....and we are so close with each other.......

6) the pani poori stalls........i am close buddy with all of em.......my akka says that thier business is dull after i had left... :lol: :lol:

7) As thiru anna said i wouyld really love to go to saloon on sundays ...where i can read vara malar and kumudam.....my dad doesnt like me reading th :cry: em at home..... :evil:

8) cinema theatres..i really miss ganga archana and kg :cry:

9) i miss the cricket match with my family and friends....

10) i have some indian money in my purse.......i really wnat to have more of that..... :cry:

11) I miss hotels like annapoorna, angannan and ajmer biriyani mess in coimbatore./....

12) and i miss Saint Michaels church very much where from age 1 i used to go......even after shifting to other place in coimbatore i used to go there only......even when i had churches which were closer to my place.......

will update later.....

[Nichiro]

All those beautiful chaos back home .