On Wed, Sep 17, 2008 at 10:51 AM, Stephanie Whiting < [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Hi, > > I got the welcome mail asking me to introduce myself, I'm Stephanie Whiting > and I am a 24 year old American citizen, who intends to move and settle in > Kolkata, India in around a year's time as I have met and fallen in love > with > an Indian guy. Right now I am working on finishing my bachelors degree in > Criminal Justice, with no idea what to do with it. > > Right now we are working on figuring out exactly what visa I need to get in > order to arrive (whether to come in on a simple tourist visa and apply for > a > entry visa or what not) and be able to stay in India after we marry. I > worry > about the culture shock and the learning the language (bengali > specifically). > Stephanie...welcome to the silk list, and to our country as well....Of course there will be some culture shock, how can there not be? But the fact that you are making the decision to move will, in my opinion, make things a little easier. You might even find more to relate to here than you might think! I have a daughter (also on this list) who did this in reverse; she is the US, married to the American (as someone said, an "American American", and also on this list, talk about nepotism!) and still suffers bouts of homesickness after 12 years of living there, but has learnt to appreciate what's good in the US, too. Also in my opinion, Bengali is an easier language to learn than some others..because of the habit Bengalis have of speaking no other language when they meet...so instead of having conversations that are half, or more, in English, you will get a chance to absorb the language faster. Kolkata was, and is, a city that might initially repel, but later grows on you considerably. So....once you move to India, set yourself reminders every six months or a year, and see how much you are able to integrate in that time frame...! Wishing you the very best. Being with the person you love is worth a LOT of difficulties! Where are you doing your degree in Criminal Justice? Manhattan? Cheers, Deepa.
