Matrimonial advertisements like this can trigger of a chain of IMAX dreams for many young women. Hearts go flutter with breathtaking visions of plush apartments, glittering cities, romantic interludes at picture perfect locals, it seems like a dream come true to find a spouse abroad. In short, life as one never ending luxurious picnic, like Yash Chopra movie. But is life there as perfect as it seems from here? Or is it a case of the grass being greener on the other side.

Lifestyle factor: One of my friends living abroad says life is a lot tougher in India with day-to-day difficulties of basic necessities, transportation and lack of law and order. Here, it is a lot more orderly, with day-to-day hassles cut to the minimum and opportunities in plenty. However, she says, that the emotional support of a close-knit extended family is something she misses sorely in an alien land. Though qualitatively, life is soother there, having been weaned on unrealistic Hindi movies, the reality bite can be a harsh eye opener for some. Some of my known says, life is great here, as women have greater freedom, but one has to work hard for it.

But whatever the others say or do, I think one might be materially quite well off here, but it is equally possible that you may miss out on the martial bliss which you might get with a guy next door. America as the land of ultimate happiness is highly overrated. Because a marriage works out in the long run has a little or nothing to do with where you are situated. It is how the couple relates to each other that matters. A basically compatible couple can definitely count on a better of life here.

Compatibility factor: An interesting fact I noticed among men and women raised abroad is that while the guys actually prefer Indian girls, because they are thought to be a better homemakers and the girls would rather go in for NRI men or at least those who spent considerable time there as Indian men won’t be able to understand their lifestyles and hence be less compatible. Learning how little things are done differently can be overwhelming, but the current generation of smart and educated girls usually adapts pretty well in no time. Most welcome the freedom of lifestyle and expression of western culture and society. I have seen lot of men abroad, who go out with girls there but will go back to India for a bride, also the American born confused desis connect more easily with girls from here, but guys born in India, who have spent their early years in India. , prefer girls from India, but who are westernized.

Girls, as is quite evident, are more adaptable and fit easily in new surroundings. NRI guys however still have problems with the assertive, independent NRI women as well as the ones who are reluctant to follow norms in the west.

Now who is the best, east or west? There are lot of opinions about this, some feel the guys in the US are better, more straightforward and open than Indian men, also they are more open minded and more respectful. And some of them feel, Indian men are more sentimental, no doubt, but when it comes to sharing house chores, the NRI men come out tops. However, there is a still lot of room for growth. So whether you marry NRI or RI, problems arises with unrealistic expectations. It was generally felt that as long as your expectations are realistic, you’re ready to mould yourself to a new culture, and have a reasonably global thinking, you will find your feet quickly enough in any set up.
One has to pay back of course, in terms of hard work, like they say no pains, no gains.