Before getting to the topic, some might be wondering about the cover photo, I usually don't give explanations as to why I put a certain image as the cover pic for a particular blogpost. Sometimes it is evident, but sometimes the readers don't really care. But what does JD from Master have to do with the life of an international student? 

First of all, a hearty welcome to June. Summer has gone but it is still a bit cold and windy. Yesterday was the only time perhaps where it was hot. Anyways, moving on. I wanted to write about this for a very long time but I just didn't have the right opportunity. You are not always waiting for it, but it just has to happen and you have to strongly feel it. I finally do feel it but I wanted to write this two days ago after what happened two days ago.

I went for Mass on Sunday; an English one which I prefer more and I don't mind attending the Mass in my mother tongue because that's what I have been attending here. Despite, being in a English-speaking country for almost two years, the number of English Masses I have attended would be nothing more than ten. We have our community here and that is why only the Malayalam Mass. I feel good whenever I attend the English Mass. I can still attend otherwise based on my convenience and it doesn't have to be on a Sunday. 

We move to a different city or a country hoping to make a living and also meet people from different communities because we went there to broaden our horizons. There is absolutely no harm in having people in our hometown around the city we are at as we can make contacts in that way and that shouldn't be the only contacts we have. 

International students make the mistake of sticking to their own groups and not making an attempt to mingle with others and they don't grow when they are in their comfort zones. At least, by interacting with them, they can practice their English. Sometimes I wonder how they even got their visas stamped. A lot of international students are around and most of them have trouble with speaking in English simply because they don't practice it. I am not talking about Oxford English but just basic English to survive.

Maybe you can't always hang out with them, or live with them and because there are people from your hometown, it is convenient to be in the same boat and sail together, which is good and in that way, you stay rooted to your ethnicity. What about learning the culture? Broadening your horizons. Earlier people were in survival mode which is one reason they can abide by the culture of the place they are at while at the same time staying true to their roots. But now, it feels like all the people coming and who have come are trying to uproot the culture of the place they migrate to and impose their culture and tradition on others. Now it seems like anyone can get a visa, and they are travelling abroad not to learn and grow but to just get away with responsibilities and stuff from their own country. 

For me personally, I feel good when I am surrounded by the natives and the other people rather than from my hometown because that is the only time I feel that I am where I am and not back in my country. I don't have a companion as such and I am glad there is no fellow Indian in the workplace and I was asked if there were any, I don't want any though I don't mind. I enjoy interacting with people that way, but at the same time, I try and stay within my roots. There is a mix of Indian and English thing. It is more neutral I would say probably because I grew up in the Middle East which helped in a way. 

I would say life abroad has to be in the middle ground without treading the extremes of either cultures. That's what I prefer. Just like the movie Master. Now, you got it! Master is said to be 50% Vijay film and 50% Director's film which made it a classy mass film despite its flaws. Master made me a fan of Vijay, especially the character JD. So life as an international student or life abroad should be like Master; not too English and not too Malayalam. That's what I have been working on.

Got the man with the plan right here
Bringing swag with the man right here
Livin' up and sippin' on beer
Yeah, clap for me man right here