The appetizers looked really good. Tulip shaped dumplings and a vegetable roll with sauces in a cute little dish. Maya ordered the red curry and Nisha ordered the green curry.

Maya smiled to herself on the simplicity of the names.

Nisha cut the Tulip dumpling in half and dunked it in the sauce.

“So what happened to the house you were planning to buy. It worked out?” she asked.

Maya sighed “it dint work out. Actually we bought a land instead. Now we are thinking of building a house. I thought of building one house in the ground floor and two houses on top. So, my parents can live downstairs and rent the top two houses. But its all going in circles now. I have to see what to do”

Nisha said “sounds like a good plan..whats the problem?”

“Well, you know how it is. I was thinking I could build the entire thing with 13 lakhs or so. Already I sent around 7 lakhs for the land. But my Parents are planning for 20 lakhs house. They are saying while building itself we will build it good etc.. I think according to them it’s a shame not to build a luxury house with a NRI daughter. They are not understanding my point. How can I wipe out all my savings and put it on this house? For this 13 lakhs itself I am thinking of asking Vivek for some money. I cant blurt out as well. I am afraid they might think that I am questioning or ordering them or something. U know what, being a daughter, you can never win. If you are helping them, they think after all we educated her like a son, so they should help. But if you ask them to do something as per our plan, they think its because they are accepting money from us.. I am really tired of this” Maya lowered her voice which was now little bit higher for the calm atmosphere in the restaurant..

Nisha sighed sympathetically “hmm..for me, there is no use of buying houses..u know, our home town being such a small place and all, you cannot get good money from rent..i was thinking of helping my father to start a small business. Even if it gives a small profit, that would be enough. But the plan he is coming up with, not only its not profitable, definitely it will go into loss. But his point is that he can provide work for few people, that should be good enough. Its not like we have some excess money to throw around or something. How can he expect me to earn and send all my savings to start some unprofitable business, I don’t know..the last time we discussed I got so pissed..”

Maya bit her lips and concentrated on her entrée the waiter brought. The unspoken thing being atleast Nisha’s father is thinking of helping others.

Maya thought to herself “Being NRI’s is not very simple. Sometimes the expectations of the family and friends are so high. At times the folks back home so easily adjust to the higher income and plan accordingly, the NRI’s still plan like the average middle class Indian, it was like suddenly he/she got caught in this storm”.

Nisha continued “I just have to think of some other plan. This business idea is not working out. When my Father retire, we need to do something to invest some money properly”

Maya said “its not so simple you know. Now the roles are reversed. Now the kids are helping the parents to settle down in their old age. But this time around, we have to be respectful and give importance to their experience and we have to make sure their ego’s are not crushed by our advice. And if you are a daughter, its even more tougher. What bugs me most is they expect the daughters to help them like a son, but they are not ready to treat them like sons. The married daughters are still some other family, we are just expected to give money without asking/saying anything. That’s what pisses me more. Money atleast we are giving for our parents, that I don’t mind. Jeez, it’s an endless battle. I give up. Lets just enjoy this good Thai food and worry about it later”

Nisha smiled.

Just one more normal day in an NRI’s life. Especially NRI Daughters.