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‘The prince charming from US of A!’ That’s how she described her fiancé to her friends. She weaved a picture of her life in the US with her handsome to-be-husband. It was all rosy, happy, luxurious and easy.

She realized how wrong was she, when she landed and started her life in the USA. No doubt, there was money, all the luxury and the means to fulfill her dreams; but beyond that there was nothing. The loneliness of the whole day, the work that she had to do all by herself, the lack of friends and family and worst of all the desire to hear her language or see something of her culture, took a heavy toll. She would spend her days crying and longing. But then one day she decided, it was her life and she had to adapt to her life. With no one except her husband to support her, she began her life.

Today, when she looks back at what she has achieved, she never fails to exclaim with a smile on her face, ‘I am a superwoman’!

The same story of all

Shreya and most of the Indian girls, likewise become quite tough while getting adapted to live the American dream. Its has not easy, but they manage to do it. It takes superhuman efforts to manage and juggle life between the house, career, kids and the husband.

Take the case of Puja Chauhan who is doing her masters in microbiology from University of Florida. A practicing social worker, Puja left her job when she came to US. After a year of staying at home, she decided to start studying again and joined her MSc.

However, things became quite tough when she had her baby. “It was quite a struggle. I was juggling lab tests, exams, having the baby, taking take-home exams, recovering, taking care of the house and not having anyone except my husband to provide the support,’ she says. According to her, this was something for which she had prepared herself in the last 4-5 months of her pregnancy.

“In India, you have quite a good support system. You have the support of a family, which takes care of a new mother and the newborn quite efficiently. Whereas, out here one has to do everything on ones own,” Puja sighs. However, on the happier note, this has made her more confident and careful about her self and her health.

Tough times go, tough people stay

Most of the Indians staying abroad say that generally most of the girls who come here are quite unprepared with the realities of life, which they have to endure in the coming years. Most of the women who try to go for further studies or starting a job have to work harder compared to their counterparts in India. There were many instances where the women were the sole providers of economic generation in the household. Take the case of Urvashi Gupta, an economics graduate now working as a lecturer in one of the private universities in US. Married for more than eight years, leading a luxurious life, things became quite tough when she became pregnant. “I was studying, going to have a baby and suddenly got a news that my husband is going to loose his job in the coming months. It was a terrible time for all of us. Being in a different country and with the job slump all around, things looked really dicey in the future,” she says. However, gathering her courage Urvashi started applying at different places and finally got a job. “I didn’t understand how could I work, take care of my baby and manage the house. But the I did.’ Three years down the line, she is proud of her achievement. Not only did she do well but she also helped her husband start his own company.

The reason of being a Superwoman

‘I think, despite all the trouble, we still manage well...thanks to our upbringing. Since childhood, we are taught the importance of our helping our family and holding it above all. We are taught how important it is to work hard. And most of we are taught to be patient and to have faith in ourselves and God. All these help us in getting through all the problems in far away and new world,’ opined Puja.

Agrees Shreya, ‘It is not easy. But our culture and traditions have taught us some very good things. And these are so ingrained in us that we can go through all the hardships with a smile on our face.’

It would not be wrong to describe these women as Superwomen. Says Priya, a working mother who herself has worked hard, “It is not that we have gone out of our way to achieve something. What is commendable is the way we have put in our best and made an extra effort to let things be normal for us and our dear ones.’ Then she added with a smile, ‘I think you are right; you can call us Superwomen.’

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