Yet another outing

Preface: Originally written on June 17, 2007

Well, look at that. More than half of a year has passed since my last blog. Its been pretty hectic. Lots of changes - new team, temporary deputation to another location, lots of vacillation on various decisions. etc. The disturbing part of it is that I am not sure that I am wiser because of all the experience gleaned in those six months.

And oh yes - our team went out on another trip whose description does not waver one word from the previous one. The details are accurate even for the aftermath. I got a chance to observe the very same green feeling in an entirely new group of people (as my team has changed recently). This has prompted me to think a little more about the matter. My first assumption is that the feeling is generated only in expatriates and not in natives. I have anecdotal evidence for this assumption. I have a dual hypothesis. First is that the symbols of apparant enjoyment perused by them invoke a desire for enjoying the same things. This of course is the classic fertile ground for the feeling. The minutiae that is glossed over is that they wish to make no sacrifices for the enjoyment. They turn a Nelson's eye to the proverb about the feasibility of having a cake and consuming it. The observation of expatriates being succeptible is explained by the fact that they are familiar with the mode of enjoyment while natives are not. The weak point of this hypothesis is that it does not explain their conspicious display of the emotion, especially when such displays are in general regarded to be indications of imbecility. The second hypothesis actually is an extension of the first one. It seeks to explain the display by adding a few more facts. Since it is a given that expatriates enjoy a more materialistic life and are keenly aware of the efforts they have expended to achieve it, a sense of superiority is inevitable. (I do not mean to say that it is inevitable in every individual's case, but considering the issue statistically, I would be surprised if it does not exist in most.) Here is where I will take a huge leap of reason and postulate that most of they are aware of the said complex and in an effort to either further it and be condescending or being guilty about it and seeking to negate it, are openly jealous. If you are with me till here, I'll have to commend you for tenacity (or your willingness to set off on wild goose chases!). Oops ... running out of time. More later...