Why I'm Doing This to Myself: Reason 002

My wife is from India and moved to the US in 2000 to pursue her Master’s. Through a series of seemingly random choices and events we met, fell in love, and got married – a process that took over 5 years. It’s amazing to think that a guy who grew up in a small town in North Dakota would eventually marry, or even encounter a woman from Kolkata. 30 years ago this would have probably only happened if I was in the Army or if I was a hippie looking for “enlightenment.” Not only was contact with Eastern cultures minimal, but opportunities for Indians to study in the US were scarce and usually reserved for the rich. Times, thankfully, have changed.

When I first visited India in 2004 for my brother in law’s wedding, I was mesmerized. The seemingly simple act of getting on a plane (though expensive) had suddenly created a whole new world with delicious food, loving people, and cows walking the streets. I knew that one day I would live here. Not only did I want to with all my heart, but I knew that, in a way, I HAD to. Being here makes me understand her life and culture, in ways that I couldn’t in any other manner. For instance, without living here I probably still wouldn’t know the difference between Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Saif Ali Khan and I would probably still think they were brothers. I still wouldn’t be able to follow a cricket match – now I know the whole team and spend the entire match disgusted with their poor play, just like a natural born Indian.

On June 4, we had a son. Ari Ohm Meier. I like to think he needed to live here just as much as I did. By the time we leave he’ll probably understand hindi better than me. I hope he feels connected to this country and that through him and this experience, that I become tethered to India in a meaningful way. I won’t just miss the street food once we leave. I’ll miss the tradition, the strange concept of time, the relaxed way of life, the scenery, and the people I’ve met along our journey.