tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6574280106679759099.post-75014691678459153472009-10-02T11:41:00.007-04:002009-10-02T21:09:37.491-04:00Uncle sam's land seemingly influences some of their inherent traits to immigrants so effortlessly, even without one's apparent realization. I see this happen mostly to students/IT professionals, because they seem to interact with more Americans in a day than with desis. <div><br />I did not have this habit to saying 'You too' for many things when I was back in India. But this country has taught me enough to do so at least a good 10 times a day. This has become a habit, making me say it, even when not completely necessary.</div><div><br />Couple of months ago, as I was boarding a flight, the flight attendant, looked at my boarding pass and said '<i>You seat is on the left aisle sir'. </i>I said<i> 'Thank you'. </i>She then added<i> "Have a good flight sir</i>'. I instantaneously said '<i>you too</i>'. She gave a blank and a puzzled look. I moved on without looking back, feeling slightly stupid.</div><div><br />The other day, during my visit to a temple nearby, the priest offered me the 'crown of blessing' (or <i>satari</i> if you will) and mildly said '<i>Aayushmaanbhava</i>'. Instantaneously I said '<i>you too</i>!' He gave me the weirdest of looks, as if to ask 'are you ok?'. I shamelessly smiled back, realizing what a douchebag I was. He muttered something that appeared to me like 'hopeless!' and moved on.</div><div><br />The western traits seem to catch on desis after a prolonged stay in this place (in some cases after about a month or so). And where else is this evident if not in desi temples?! A visit to a desi temple in Uncle sam's land has always made me come home with a tinge of self-smiling humour. The various people I see, the way things are organized, the discipline people exhibit and of all, the priests themselves!</div><div><br />Most priests, either because they stay here for a long time or because they interact with 'American-turned-Desis' way too much, get acclimitized to the US culture so well. They tend do demonstrate some characteristics which one wouldn't get to see otherwise.</div><div><br />The other day, at a temple nearby, an old priest (who looked like he hailed from kumbakonam) asked me, <i>"how you doin'?"</i></div><div><i><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">I said</span> "Fine, how are you?".</i></div><div><i><br /></i>He answered, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">"I'm good!".</span></div><div><br />I doubt if he would have cared as to how I did, if we both met in kumbakonam.</div><div><br />Later, when he distributed prasadham, he asked the person next to me "Are you good or you need more?" That seemed indigeniously American to me. After a while, as I was doing my pradhakshanam, I overheard two young priests talking enthusiastically about Yahoo-Microsoft merger and how it affected their stock prices. wow, I thought.</div><div><br />It's interesting to see how people catch up on local culture and get used to the land. <i>Not that there is anything wrong about it, it just seems a little funny when the 'getting used to' part becomes a little too much at times! </i><br /><div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6574280106679759099-7501469167845915347?l=arunsundarthinks.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Arun Sundarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18219885089043197381noreply@blogger.com15