India

Panda hadn't eaten two bites, I asked directly, "So you guys talked? About moving to India for a few years? What did Yanyi say? I told Raj I have only one condition - get a place close to Yanyi's so we can stay together." "Ya ya, we are ready to go to India, stay there for 3 years, then we will actually stay in some other Asian country after that, the taxes are too high here, but a lot Asian countries are not. And as you know, life is much more fun there, unlike here nothing is open after 8pm. And all of our families are there, P will have a lot of fun growing up." "Oh wow, we haven't thought about after India, so you guys don't come back to America anymore?" "Nope. We will stay in Asia."

Then when Yanyi's daughter was finally awake from her nap, I talked to Yanyi too. She replied, "What? We haven't properly talked lol, we just discussed once or twice about how high the capital tax and all that is here. We haven't gotten in detail about moving to India and after that. But ya, I don't mind moving back to India and staying in Asia." "So Panda just decided by himself while talking to me? lol! You guys are so funny!" "Ya, all in all I go anywhere he needs to go. Suddenly he wanted to move to East bay, then I got transferred to there for two years, now suddenly he wanted to move back, I am transferred back again." "Yaa, haha I understand, we are the same! So you guys in long tern will leave America huh?" "Yaa, most probably." "Anyways, let's first stay here for two more years then move to India together, we will see from there haha!"

Not paying America's taxes meaning giving up American citizenship, I guess Y can do it, but I can't. "I really like it here in California, we will stay, we will get you passport then go, and we will come back, kids will apply colleges here. For having the American passports, I don't mind paying to Uncle Sam." "Okay, if you say so, I don't mind if you don't mind. I just really need that passport for protection."

Now all papers for 26m total are signed but the accounts are not yet cashed in, hence the guys are still tensed. "Still hanging in the air, not 100% there, okay? Still need to get some seed funds from here... But things are going in the right direction for sure, we are getting there." "Chill out dude, you guys got this." 

So we are indeed going to India in some time. Will clear out our house, put things in storage, and rent it out. When we are back, maybe live in the same house maybe a new one, who knows. Kids will be fine, wherever we go, wherever is home to them. They will attend international school, make new friends, have a new life, learn new things. I will have a cook, a driver and a cleaner and I will document the shit out of my "for real staying in India" experience, not some touristy 10-day travel. I will learn Hindi, learn Sanskrit, learn dancing and have yoga retreat. Maybe I will be a teacher in some school too, or something else that's interesting to do. 

Been listening to Buddhist chanting and realized all those chanting words that pop up in Chinese Buddhist scriptures, which we have been seeing since a kid, in books, in novels, in magazines, in movies, in tvs, in souvenirs, in gifts, in temples, in shops, in my neighbor's houses, are all eventually Sanskrit! Buddhism is prominent in Fujian for as long as there's Buddhism in China. Asian Chinese traveling monks who brought Buddhism from India to China just mugged up Indian people's chants and use Chinese characters to write the exact sound into scripture! Without translating the meaning and expressing it in its own language! Well, part of them they did, but most of them they did not. When Chinese monks chant, it sounds so much like my father-in-law's daily praying! Do any Chinese ever connect the dots and realize how deeply connected Chinese and Indians have been for thousands of years? Yes I am excited! I want to learn Sanskrit and study Buddhism and history, ya maybe I will enroll in some college or institution or something.   

At the end of the day, I am happy to go wherever Raj goes. In this world, everyone has hated me on and off, and disliked me for whoever I am, except Raj. From day one he has been standing by my side for no matter what, he has never left me in despair. He has always loved me deeply for whoever I am in whatever split personalities and he is my shelter. I'll go wherever he needs to go and at whenever he needs.