Essays

I have a craving to visit a foreign country. The very thought thrills me. I feel that a visit to some foreign country will do me a lot of good. I will know more of world geography. I will come back with new ideas. I will be called 'foreign-returned'.

There are a number of countries where people usually go. There is the USA, the richest country of the world. It is a land of crime, skyscrapers, and affluence. It is said that out of every two families there, one owns a big car.

Then there is the UK, whose inhabitants are very formal—they ruled over India for over a century and fleeced her of most of her wealth. The Britishers are still our friends.

There is Russia, the erstwhile USSR, once a super power, the leader of the countries with communist ideology. Japan, too, is a country that holds fascination for many. Japan once again is making rapid strides towards industrialization after the havoc of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. During the Second World War two American atom bombs had reduced the two cities to non- entities and Japan stood humbled and was on its knees. Germany, also, is advancing rapidly towards Industrialization and is progressing fast.

Which country would I like to visit? Well, I have no particular fascination for the UK. The reason is: I have heard so much about the country from my friends and relatives who have been there that I feel that I already know much about it.

Visit to Russia is ruled out. Undoubtedly, Russia is a great country. She has made great progresses in science and technology and armaments. Yet its way of life is not to my task. It is a very cold country, and I do not know the language. I understand adverse criticism is not tolerated.

The same holds good for China. The country was hostile to India. She already occupies large chunks of our country in the north and north east. Moreover, human rights are not respected in that country.

Japan is getting on its feet again. The Japanese railway system is perhaps the best in the world. Train in Japan, I am told, move at a speed of about 200 km an hour. Japanese gardens are very colourful. Yet, there is the language barrier. It will take me a long time to pick up the Japanese language.

The country left is the USA which I would like to visit—not for its richness—but I hear Americans are very informal people. India and the USA—are now allies, great friends—they get along well. Food grains were imported to tide over our food problem. In major industries we are collaborating—helping each other in many fields. The Americans use English too—but the accent and spellings are different. I am told the Americans are very hardworking people and knowledgeable. There is much in common between Indian and American people. I have thus chosen America for visit—as soon as an opportunity comes my way.

Do You Know?

France is said, by many, to be the most beautiful country in the world, though Switzerland, Sweeten and some others are also worth seeing.

In India, besides Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and Maharashtra also receive good numbers of tourists ever year.