Talking Basics

My Europe trip has left me wondering about how people think differently (or rather how we have to think) on things that effect ours lives daily. Back home we usually face a daunting task of getting petroleum and gas as we like. We need to be in queue for hours to get our bike refueled and it might take a month to refuel your gas cylinder. Obviously they matter to us greatly in everyday life. So if things get better and we get those daily needs without much hassle then these things excite us. We talk about how we managed to remain without being frustrated during 9 hours a day load shed. We inform our friends and relatives that life's getting easier, or you can get those things at these particular places. If not we discuss how the fuel shortage problem has hit us hard again and how difficult and tiring it is to get to the office walking. We discuss about how long we waited in queue to get refuel or to what extent we went to get a bit of what we wanted. The monsoon is ending soon and the topic will now shift from fuel shortage to the daily load shed. We talk about these voids usually. It’s not a hobby it’s a necessity, you have to learn to survive. Wise men said "sorrow is divided when shared".

These talks are a total shock in Europe. infact people there have never ever imagined in their worst nightmare that getting your bike refueled will take you hours or you have to wait a month to get your cooking gas cylinder or you have to face 9 hours a day daily load shed. They haven't worried about those things ever and it’s likely that they won’t' have to in future too. Infact I didn't find anything they should be worried about. Perfect living condition, good income, healthy and happy people, clean and healthy surrounding, cheerful and friendly people, adequate resources, perfect weather etc...Did I say weather??Yes. The only thing I found them worrying is about the weather.

When I was there we have weekend’s plans to visit the Alps. But they were worried about our plan at Wednesdays as they already knew what the weather is is going to be in the weekends. It rained on both the weekends. They often discuss about what the weather is going to be in the next couple of days. I wouldn't have worried about the weather a bit. Back home in Nepal it would have been a trivial to worry about the weather. why would I worry about the weather, I have to get a new cooking gas cylinder, my fuel is going to be finished in a week's time and I don't have sufficient petrol for my bike too.