Dreams and aspirations, take us places but somewhere, the feeling of missing on our culture and our traditions, keeps on perplexing us, time and again. What draws a person to another land or what makes one leave behind their homelands? A handsome salary, a better work environ, and riddance from the dastardly office politics; (I am sure all Indians must be well aware of) are some among the many factors, which entice people, particularly, from Asia to venture into the West.

Though, the move happens but, the detachment from the roots....well! it never happens. The odyssey not only brings with it many hopes of a brighter future, but simultaneously, also triggers an unexplainable anxiety among young parents, who are concerned about the future of their children. Would our children forget all about their own culture, and the particular way of life which is a benchmark in honesty and morality?. What if our children adopt the western ways of living and get spoiled? What if they get inspired by western thinking, and the scariest of all (in case of Indian parents), what if they start openly dating, and advocating love marriages...whoa! That's an open challenge to the authority of Indian arranged marriages, an unpardonable crime! And the verdict says- 'Send your children back to India.'

My only question to such people, who first migrate to foreign lands, and then raise a huge hue and cry, about culture is, why did you leave behind your country and your culture, in the first place, if you were so genuinely connected? If you are unwilling to accept another's culture, then probably you should have stayed back home to teach the real culture to your children. However, if you have stepped out of your country, then think logically, as to how you could still teach the right moral values, and acquaint your child to your own culture and traditions. Try inventing ways through which you can familiarize your children with your culture and your roots, in an appealing manner. Don't force your practices on your them, lest, they develop a repulsion; make learning a fun and interesting process. As an Indian, I can very well relate to the concern of Indian parents. Culture is indeed, an integral part of us, but it should not become a hindrance to our progress nor a limiting factor in the lives of our children. We should be able to sincerely ask ourselves- is the east to west shift absolutely necessary? Is it going to be a short term move or a long term planning? If you have come here for a few years, and you are certain about your return after a stipulated period, then off course ,you could send back your children to your respective home countries, else the vast curriculum difference would confuse them. For eg, in India the style of teaching is very class room focused and extremely theoretical, whereas, in Germany, the teaching is more practical, which aims at identifying, and developing a child's talents fully.

On the contrary, if you plan to stay out of India for a long duration, I strictly feel, in such a scenario do not pack your children off from here. Let them be exposed to Western Education....it is still, by far, better than ours. In countries like India, there is so much of competition even at the kindergarten level. Besides, don't deprive your children of parental guidance and most importantly, don't distance yourselves from them. What is the guarantee that they would not be spoiled in their home countries? Granny and Grand Pa, are too old to keep a vigil on them 24 hours....not possible! Keep your children with you, get them German education, and talk to them in your mother tongue at home. They would, any ways, learn German in school, and pick up English gradually. Teach them your traditions and culture, and imbibe in them the great values of your land by practising them in your day-to-day life. After all, the children imitate their parents first, and the society later.

The move from one place to another, is a global phenomenon but, don't make your adherence to your culture, an excuse to distance your child away from you. In fact, treat this foreign land, where you live, and where you earn your livelihood, as your own true home. I read it somewhere- 'Home is not only where your heart is, but also, where you get your daily bread from.' And who says you can't bring your culture along? We are all global citizens who are not restricted by boundaries. It's any day, a multi-cultural and multi-lingual world....truly cosmopolitan! And we are proud of it.