India Chronicles 2 - Decision Made, what next?

After having made your mind, there are a lot of things to take care of. Lets see what are the obvious ones.

1. Job : The main reason that brought you abroad is career. Job plays a very important role in setting your lifestyle in a foreign country. When you return to India, same would be the case.
A few things one would consider while going back are :
-are both husband and wife working abroad? would both want to work after going back to India?
To maintain a certain lifestyle, may be that double income is required. But on the other hand, if the lady of the house has enjoyed a job which allowed her flexibility like part-time, work from home etc - can she negotiate a similar arrangement in India? If not, is she willing to work full time? What would be the arrangements then in terms of childcare, travel, house work etc?
-is there a possibility of getting a work transfer for either of them - preferably in a desired city in India?
If one is fairly happy with the work they do abroad, negotiating an offer to work in India with the same employer might be beneficial. If its possible , that is. For one, you know the organisation, so may be you know what or what not to expect. Also, that way a few other things like relocation charges, initial setting up in India can be taken care of. Once one of you is comfortably placed, the other can take his/her time to find a suitable job.
-do your research before you accept an offer. 
To land a job in India, one would have his/her own resources. Contacts, agents, network etc. Keep your expectations realistic. A salary earned abroad does not translate dollar-to-rupee while moving to India. Factor in the cost of living in different cities in India. Check the extras that go into the salary - HRA, medical, leaves, bonus - even for the same employer, these things vary with geography and country policies.
Get a rough estimate of your day-to-day expenses, and the in-hand salary you would draw monthly. Consider savings you would make, if any. Owning a property in India, renting an accommodation, kids' education, medical expenses, car, loans - everything needs to be considered before you reach a figure you would want to accept. Again - keep your expectations realistic!

2. Current arrangement Abroad
-House
Once you know where you are landing in India, its time to wrap up things abroad. If you are renting, then things might be a bit easy. Hand in your notice, dispose off your belongings that aren't coming with you, ship off the ones that are and you are set. If you own a property - you have a bigger task at hand. Do you want to sell? do you want to let? How long would it take for these transactions?
Also, keep in mind your subscriptions, utility services, insurance policies etc. Allow enough time for transfers, cancellations, refunds on all of these. Don't forget to to forward your postal mail!
-Belongings
Does not call for a separate tab, but lets just quickly skim through. Anything and everything can come under belongings - cars, furniture, white goods, books, clothes, kitchen stuff and what not!
There are roughly 3 ways to categorise disposal of belongings. 1) Take with you to India 2) Sell off or
3)  Donate, distribute or just bin it!
Allow enough time for this activity as it gets a bit crazy towards the end!!
-Shipping
People do a lot of research before shipping goods to India. There are numerous options available. You can send by ship or by air cargo. The charges and limits vary. Some vendors are packers and movers, some just collect the boxes that you pack.
Air cargo normally drops from door to destination city. Custom clearance needs to be done by you. It costs more, but is quicker.
Shipping normally is from door to nearest port. Shipping takes longer, but is less expensive than air cargo.
Some go by volume, some by weight. People share containers with others if there isn't much to fill a whole shipping container. The vendor might do this for you, or you might have to do it yourself.
What ever you do, keep a detailed inventory for your reference. It helps during custom clearance, and also later when you unpack.
Also, keep receipts of valuable items - electronic goods, furniture etc.
Check details on custom duties. It might be cheaper to buy again in India!
Check what your airline is allowing you. Also compare costs of booking extra baggage with airline against shipping options, for things like clothes, books, vessels which can safely be checked-in- you might get a good deal !

3. Schools
If you have kids, then deciding on a school in India is a big task!
Start your research early. Check the curriculum, term dates, admission procedures and fees.
Many schools offer CBSE, ICSE or IGCSE curriculum. So called International schools have CBSE/ICSE till 8th grade, and then give an option to switch to GCSE pattern.
Academics has high priority. Some schools have co-curricular activities (everything within school timings) , some have extra-curricular ( after school hours).
Some schools have day care facilities. Some provide b'fast / lunch / snacks in school. Some provide transport facilities - school buses. Check everything! Ask about everything!
Terms normally start in June. Admissions start from Oct /Nov for next year term in June. Admission forms might be on first-come-first serve basis. Most schools are particular on the class strength ( not more than 25 students) and age limits. They also have sibling preference, management quotas etc.
Higher grades mostly have entrance exams. One time non-refundable admission fees, 'development fees', 'donation' etc are the norm. Be prepared for those as well!
Most schools have online application forms and websites giving details of the school. Most of the time they aren't of any use.
If you have friends/relatives staying in India with school going kids, call them. Ask favours - they can sell your case better if their kids go to same school.
If you can call and fix appointments to visit schools before you reach India - do that. It might not always count, but be sure to make some contact!
Always give preference to personally visiting the campus, talking with principal, management, teachers etc before you take a call!

4. Accommodation
Once you reach India - where do you plan to stay? Unless you have a home / place to return to, finding accommodation is another big task. If you are returning through your employer, most likely you will get a serviced apartment or hotel stay for a limited (or extended period if negotiated). Use this stay wisely. Scout around to choose a locality of your choice. Consider traffic, travel times to and fro work, schools etc. Ask around, talk to friends, family, colleagues for ball park figures on rents or sale prices. Though there are a lot of property sites to refer to, they aren't always very precise and property pictures etc can be deceptive. Get references for property agents - they make your task easier. If possible log on to property forums created by communities. Coming from abroad, gated communities is a good option to stay because all the services and facilities are better regulated. For e.g. setting up your cable connection, telephone, broadband, milk-wala, papar-wala , domestic helps, drivers etc is very easy. Also school buses for most of the schools around that area, office cabs drop and pickup etc is regulated. Security, water supply (even tanker loads), generator back up - basically things for which you would need to run from post to pillar if you choose to be on your own are easily sorted for you if you choose to rent / buy in a gated community. Do your research before you choose one.

If you have not shipped your furniture, you would need to buy some - not all rental places come fully furnished as that is not the norm in India yet. If cost is a constraint or you would rather buy the good stuff for your own place than in a rental , there are sites which offer pre-owned or used furniture at a discounted price through individual sellers. There are some who might what to sell the whole lot because they are moving abroad.


So you have decided on the destination in India, and you have successfully packed and shipped stuff.
You are ready to start your life in India !!

India Chronicles - 1 : Why would one want to return to India

I am hugely generalising things here, but some how, every Indian who goes abroad, plans to return to India , some day.
The key-word being 'some-day'.

The reasons for doing so - or even not doing so, but still wanting to do so are numerous.
Lets omit the technical, inevitable , obvious reasons like visa expiries, project closures, job losses, bankruptcies - in short the 'had-to-return' reasons. Or lets not even go to the 'need-to-return' reasons - family issues, elderly parents,   other responsibilities that require attention etc..

Lets just look at the 'want-to-return' reasons.
Why would you want to return? A few I gathered over the numerous discussions with friends here are..

• Kids  - A very very important reason. You have kids, they are growing up fast - they are getting assimilated seamlessly into the western ways. Some parents might not want that to happen. Returning to India to 'apne log, apne sanskar ' etc etc. seems like a safer bet. Also, parents want their kids to bond with the extended family back in India - the earlier they return, the better are the chances - mostly.
• Family - Coming abroad, you have friends. Lots n lots of them. They become your second family. You may have occasional cousins coming in too. But do we get that wide spectrum of relations abroad? Grandparents, uncles, aunts, first cousins, second cousins, nephews, nieces etc? Indians are very family orientated. All festivals, celebrations are incomplete without the 'big gathering'. The more the merrier.  Over years, this factor becomes quite prominent - again once kids are in picture, the urge to connect to the extended family is more.
• Feeling of Belonging - We walk English, we talk English.  Some of us, on passport, are officially English ( taking up foreign citizenship ). But are we really a part of the country we are in? Some blend in really well while some still feel like they don't 'belong'. They feel culturally alienated - they have great social life, fabulous friends , fantastic work colleagues - but still something is missing.
• India is a growing economy - the new Land of Opportunities. Today's economy is glum. Slowdowns, recession is the norm. The great big dream that first called Indians abroad for plush jobs and swanky lifestyle isn't there any more. Job market is struggling abroad. Business is slow. India on the other hand is a growing economy. Jobs pay well, even business ideas thrive. Everything sells. Money buys a lot of things.In spite of the infrastructure issues, one can create an oasis to maintain a fairly similar lifestyle one enjoyed abroad. So why not go back?
• Weather - Now this isn't exactly a huge reason to return to India. But for some it might just tip the scale. Extended periods of long snowy winters, grey rainy summers - isn't exactly what we Indians grew up with. If adjusting to the climate becomes a struggle in terms of health and lifestyle, one might think they have had enough!
• Lifestyle - Again, not a hugely impacting factor to return to India. Day-to-day life abroad is much more easier. No power cuts, no water shortage. Cars are necessities - not luxuries. Ditto with other white goods - ovens, washer dryers, dishwashers - these all make you independent. Supplies are abundant, supermarkets over flow with choices. Daily services are regulated - garbage collection, maintenance of property, clean safe neighbourhoods are common. Commute to work is easier. Work environments are much better. Work policies are supportive. 9-5 jobs really exist. There is far less pollution. Now the bad part - its just you who does everything. No help, no support. Again, with kids in picture - cooking, cleaning, laundry, ironing, meal times, bath times, bed times - even the occasional DIYs, plumbing, carpentry, electrical fixes - its you all the time. Family crisis, hospital visits, illnesses - again just you.For a working couple - this might become daunting. Agreed, its the way of life abroad, and its definitely more good than bad - but for some - this can't become their way of life. Also, many who come abroad make compromises in terms of accommodation, expenses etc. Having come here to study or on short term work assignments , it all begins like a temporary arrangement. Focus is more on saving than spending. Renting than buying. Not having the clarity for future - 'are we here for long term? ' means day to day life is lived 'temp' basis, than enjoying it full fledged - which for some is in stark contrast to the lavish life led back home in India. 

So, all or some of the above factors drive the decision one makes about returning to India.

Once the mind is made up - what follows next? What does one do next? 

There are tonnes of things to do then.

The steps towards making this transition are numerous - but the hardest one is already taken - the decision is made!

How Shopping kills the joy of shopping

As the festive season of Diwali approaches - so do memories of Diwalis gone past. Long ago when I used to be a little girl, Diwali was a season to shop. New clothes of course, but also something major for the house - an appliance mostly. Also, ours was a tradition to buy audio tapes. Good song collections, musical jugalbadis, even story-telling and speeches by famous authors.
The festival was a window to do things which were out of ordinary. Something different from the routine. Isn't that the whole point of a festival? You cook special food, wear special clothes, do special things - its not routine!

But these days - with shrinking families and closing social groups (which prefer virtual contact to real physical get-togethers) - one is driven to find modes of entertainment to keep oneself occupied. And what do most people do? They shop.

People go shopping not because they want to buy something, but because they don't have anything else to do, nowhere else to go! Going to malls is a routine weekend thing, and shopping is just a by-product of it. We buy stuff online mostly because we came across a good deal or we buy it on an impulse. There is no waiting, or wanting for things we yearn. If it catches your fancy, you buy it. You don't wait to earn it. You don't wait and then reward yourself with something. You just go and buy. Instant gratification!

Earlier, things were bought to mark an occasion - birthday, anniversary, festival - something. These days there is no such 'occasion'. We just go ahead and buy. And this is what is killing the joy of shopping.