Rachna says

We have been away from home for seven weeks now. We traveled to the US in September to stay with our older son. We last saw him a year back, so this was a nice opportunity to spend time with him in his new home. I can’t help but reminisce how the tables have turned! The last time we lived this long in the US was when the husband and I lived as expats, when we were newly weds.

How much has changed in this time! From a new couple adjusting to each other to a seasoned bickering couple, we have come a long way. 😉 This is the country where I discovered my passion for food. Thank you Food Network! And travel! Thank you, husband!

You know, I have realized that most often the term expat is only used for people coming from richer or shall I say, white nations. No matter how educated, well-traveled or well-heeled we are, a lot of people assume that we brown people are hankering for the passport of a first-world nation.

Well, the husband and I are very happy living in India with the lifestyle and culture that we love, not to mention the creature comforts.

In our interactions with Indian-origin folks, it has interesting is to see how many Indians who left the country of their birth many decades ago see that country now.

They believe more often than not that India is still stuck in the 80s or 90s. Perhaps, their views are guided by the lives they lived before moving here. Or maybe it is a way for them to validate for themselves their current life choices. Food for thought, for sure.

That apart, it has been an absolute joy to come live with the older son. To play the parents again while enjoying being taken care of. It is a different experience when we have to learn to let go of our parental roles of incessant guiding and lecturing. 😀

Our son is so savvy when it comes to planning travels. We had an absolutely wonderful trip to Peru and came back with lovely memories. When it comes to traveling together as a family, we still function well (with just a little drama thrown in here and there).

Now we approach the fag end of our trip here and look forward to returning home while also knowing that we will miss living with our son.

As empty nesters, these days and weeks have even more meaning. I definitely focus more on experiences now and on spending quality time with my boys. And, I say this with a lot of gratitude that our kids still want us to come live with them and spend time with us. I see so many youngsters being completely disconnected from their parents.

In a way, this time is what every parent earns. We have done the hard miles of parenting. Now, we don’t have to micromanage anything. We can take a backseat while they build lives away from their childhood home.

It was nice spending Diwali here though not a patch on how festive and exuberant it is back in India. I missed all that I do during Diwali back home.

In the longest time, we have not taken off for a couple of months from our home. I had my apprehensions about how everything would pan out. Would we be bored and anxious? But luckily, it has been quite nice.

We are so close to DC and well connected with the Metro network. So, the husband and I do a fair bit of travel, walking in neighborhoods and seeing the sights. We also do the groceries, hence the son has to contend with a lot more fruit and veggies sneaking into his diet. 🙂 I was on a mission to fatten the boy a bit. While he has a hole in the stomach and can eat well, he does not seem to gain weight easily. Does have its benefits as you age.

In the past few weeks, we have been enjoying the outdoors. Fall colors are so pretty here. We are also enjoying walking about, something which I wish we could do more of in India. We are keeping up with our workout regimen, more or less. The son has a good gym in his building, so that helps.

Today is Halloween here. It’s been to see the spooky decorations everywhere. and people dressing up. The weekend is upon us, and some seafood and lazing around is on the cards. That’s a wrap up for now. How is everything with you guys?