new'fun'land part 2

Hey Everybody, How is she cutting? (as they say in newfoundland for asking how are you)

I finished my first semester in Canada this month. I got to know the education system of western countries better then i had known ever before. My friends might take it as a joke, but i really worked hard acadimically. This was partly because of my previous knowledge which was almost zero (thanx to my 4 year holiday at IIT) and partly because i wanted to maintain an 80% this time. I almost succeded. Results just came out and i got 81% , 79% and 72% in 3 subjects i took making it a total of 77% approx. Not bad for me seeing my previous record for sure, but i will try harder next semester. The goal is 80%.

If i compare the organised university education system in canada and india now, i get a feeling that west is still way ahead. My collegues in india were by far smarter then most of my collegues here in canada but the amount of research that goes in at university here and the superorganised industry-acadmia collaboration dazzles me. In a broder perspective, it dazzles me that how a country like canada of size 3 times that of india and population 3% that of india maintains itself so beautifully. As i often say to my friends here, even the wilderness seems organised in Canada.

Anyways, i will keep trying to break the code, as always. As of now, i have decently acclemetised with the climate here. I have come to term with life in sub zero temperature. It sucks to sit in house all day because its freezing outside, it sucks to sit on the freezing toilet seat everyday, it sucks when i wake up every morning because the house heating dries my throat and choakes me when i am in sleep, but ... i am doing just fine!

I am coming to terms with life of canadians which used to freek me out when i came here. This whole society is obsessed with individuality, but somehow i find them most unindivisual (not sure if its a correct word). Capacity of canadian, westerners generally, to follow intructions is amazing. I dont know how to explain myself, its just that the longer i am staying here, the more critical i am becoming of western society. Everytime i compare the beliefs of hinduism with beliefs of westerners, it becomes evident that hinduism is by far the most mature religion. It is becoming evident to me that for hinduism, most for the things/thought processes/events that are happening in west are 'been there, done that' kind of thing. I can see christianity slowing dying here, i can see how cool it is for residents here to say that they don't believe in god, i can feel why so many civilizations/beliefs/religions came to earth and disappeared and now i can understand why hinduism stayed for ever and will stay for ever. As its famously said in india 'kuch to baat hai ki hasti mitati nahi hamari (there is something in india which makes it never lasting)'.

Sitting in this remote corner of the world, i miss home. I have good friends around and i am learning a lot academically but i know for sure that i will not stay here for more then 2 years. This life is just too comfertable for me. I dont like the differences that exist in the world. I dont like it when i see that ppl working as waiter/waitress here can afford to fly/travel around the world/use blackberry phones/ have cars where as my father who is working as a doctor from past so many years has to think so many times before doing/using anything similar. I dont want india to become like west, not at all, but i am just very uncomfertable with the differences.

Signing off,
Karan