The author is writing as if she is a white American. She is after all Indian and she shoudn't fee proud of her daughter just "visiting" India, but rather be ashamed. I left US post-PhD and staying in India in a much worse conditions -- drinking the same water in a mosquito prone area driving in under heavey traffic conditions.
This is utter non-sense. In US you could be working in McDonalds, but act as if you are a celebrity. People who have seen that "vadivelu-parthiban" comedy in a tamil movie (the dubai return one), will understand what I say...
