Hate Crimes started by Political Parties (Part II)

Only having a month of stability after the fiasco that Raj Thackeray had created, there was news of a SMS showing him cutting a Cake that had discriminatory word against the North Indians written on it. He cut the cake in a very non-traditional way – using a Sword and slashing it in two pieces – (Read my previous post on ‘Hate Crimes started by Political Parties’ for the background on this incident). These actions just spell out the “Hatred” against your own kind. Western world experienced and some parts still see some sense of differentiation against people of different origin. Count United States out of this – they have shown the world by electing a Black President, with Islamic background. These are signs of a true leader Nation – no wonder every one tends to adopt to their belief – why? It’s the most Humane approach. Why is United States the most sought after country - tried to think over it. They are the most ‘Internationalized Nation’ in the world. They have a biggest culmination of people, traditions, culture. It’s the biggest melting pot in the planet. A very simple example of what can diversity creates. It’s only here where you see a person from Pakistan and India, person from Israel and Palestine, even from Iran and Iraq, sitting together in same restaurant, going to same schools, travelling in the same bus and greeting each other. These were the people who came to United States to get a better life. But I then think that what is that we don’t have to offer. I understand countries like Iran, Iraq, Palestine and Pakistan have limited resources in terms of opportunities, education, social safety. But these are omnipresent in India, we got the best Engineering, Business, Medical Schools in the world. We got the good jobs, our society is safer (I know what you are thinking) – but comparing to these Countries, we are safer. Then why do lot of Indians still prefer to leave India in search of better ‘Life’ and go to other countries. That is because its our very system who drives these people out. Previously it was only the people who had no life back in India – they are from a lower middle class family and have very limited opportunity for even surviving. So they get out and go to U.K, Australia, U.S etc. But now the trend is among the people who have been doing good (I saw that while I was teaching I.E.L.T.S) also. I saw doctors, Surgeons giving these exams trying to get out of India as fast as possible. I still remember one of my students – who was in his late 40s wanted to get his Permanent Residency in Canada and needed to clear this exam – and he did. He went, before going he had come to meet me; he knew that I was planning to go to U.S for my higher education. He said something that I couldn’t forget until this day, he said “Don’t come back to this place – it’s a Sh*t Hole”. At that point I was offended and didn’t understand why he said such a thing being an Indian himself. But reading the news now, learning about all the dirty games Politicians play. I start to understand that the very fabric that makes the country is started to become dirty – some people would say it was always this way – I think that is right too. But how come I didn’t see that? while I was still in India. Its because I didn’t have a comparative subject. Now when I do, I see why that gentlemen left. Why was he correct, at least on his end.
I now understand, why those Doctors and Surgeons who could have stayed back and served their own country, savings lives of their own people. Are now abroad, serving someone else. It’s like using your own water to tend the other person’s garden. But it’s the very system that forces them to leave. Going back to the start of this discussion and comparing between United States and Bombay (Not Mumbai). They have so much in common, one is an ‘Immigrant Nation’ and another an ‘Immigrant City’. Both have prospered due to the very fact that they have varied minds working together, making it a better place, but then politicians come in and instill the hatred. I have never seen the New York governor giving a speech against people from outside state who have come and settled there. Instead there is always a welcoming atmosphere for outsiders. They share the “Big Apple”, let everyone take the flavor of it. Cause these very people work together to build it. Don’t get me wrong – I completely know that our constitution does not discriminate at any level. An every Indian has complete freedom to choose where he/she want to live and raise family. Then who are these small politicians saying against it. We say that India is having a ‘Brain Drain’. Well if there are politicians like this, then who wants to stay back? I will want to go back to India in a few years myself, I want to share my experience, give my Country back what She has given me all these years. But seeing all the discriminations among ourselves just makes me feel sorry. I will not blame any of those Engineers, Doctors, Scientists, who didn’t leave because of financial reasons – they could have stayed back if they wanted, but the very system forced them out.

Life as we see it....

Hello to all, this posting is slightly different from what I have been submitting so far – its not related to my Career or my political viewpoints – I would like to talk more on my personal front. The changes that have happened due to reasons that many of us have well experienced treading along the path of life – Education, job, commitments. I still remember my pre-engineering days, I had a very well set motto in my life. Good College = good Job = Good life. I did my level best and got into one of the well known engineering colleges. I liked playing video games and owning cool electronic gadgets. But none of them could change my mind to take either computer science or Electronics and telecommunication. I was very strong headed to take Mechanical Engineering – as I considered that branch to be the ‘Mother of all Engineering Branches’. Now I know this statement will offend lot of my non-mecho readers, but here is my theory behind it. Mechanical engineering is based on the core principles of Physics. And all matter are bound to follow the laws of Physics. Even the electrons in the circuit boards of Computers, follow the law of physics (Electron-bond, Molecular attractions – that make up matter, everything. Wheel was the greatest invention after fire. As these are all from Physics and Mechanical Engineering is nothing but technical study of Physics, everything after that comes from Mechanical engineering– so there you go folks- no hard feelings now eh?. So got into to Mechanical Engineering – and had a very straightforward funda there after – pass every year without a Back(Bombay version of this is A.T.K.T – Allowed to Keep term, Northern folks call it as a supplementary) and If you can get a first class then nothing like it. Well, people from outside the Coveted (ha!) Mumbai University would know how big off an accomplishment even that can be – completing engineering in 4 years flat. So studied enough to get cleared off every semester. In all of the hassles like submissions, prelim exams, Orals and Practical and finally the dreaded final paper – life was somewhat simple and straightforward. Then came the time when I came over the US – Here is where it all starts to get tougher (read-interesting). Lived with flat-mates, so the good side was that every day was a party day. The bad side was, you think you know people for a long time, but when you start living with them, you see that they are totally a different person. Especially where there are “Gurlsss” involved in the scene – I’m not saying there was scenario of “Do Maali ek Phool” (For all my Non-Hindi speaking readers it means 2 guys interested in one dame). Then there are tensions of getting a job – but not the same as getting a job back home in India. Here in US if you don’t get a job, then basically you are packing your bags soon for good – so time was very crucial. Finally you do get a job (Read my post on Indians outside India). Then what ? Then you bump into someone interesting (ah..a twist in the plot). Then starts the real stuff, the first few days are the most magical of them. You realize that what you would have been without this person. You reach the milestone of first anniversary of being together, this is quite a feat – trust me. It’s like breaking a free willed horse and putting a saddle on his back. You are conditioned slowly but surely. Questions of who gives up what to make this move forward start to pop up. And to add this up – throw in the parents elements (Now the plot becomes more Indian Centric - As most of Westerner friends will find it hard to co-relate from this point on coming from the western culture). You go to your parents, tell them that you like this girl, they will say a yes again with some conditions to it. Going forward from this point, from the time of becoming a domesticated mammal – you will become (you better) a balancing personified fulcrum. Balancing between the parent’s and the wants of the love of your life. You think that you can keep both the parties happy – then you are greatly dilusioned. Wait – I forgot the best of it all – if one of you wants to go back in the long run and the other doesn’t. Then you are looking at a blockbuster in the making, but don’t know with a happy or a Sad ending. While I write this I smile and think back how my life was back then and what changes happened now. It’s not bad honestly – but complicated? – Yes. I’m sure there are many people out there who experience this in their own life (and my probability becomes more accurate with the folks from the age group of 25-30). In this post, I’m not trying to say that I don’t want to take any commitment of life. But I ponder upon the well known thought that, you don’t always get what you expect – You want ‘The Girl’ then she will come with her own package of goodies – some you will like, some you will have to like. There can’t be everything coming your way. Well for those who do I’m willing to bet my money that they are all still single and unhappy. Does that mean that you can only be happy if you are willing to give up something? I think that’s the very essence of life……

Indians Outside India (Part II)

Now I’m sure for all my friends already in the second stage of green card processing would agree that Internship does not guarantee you the longer stay that most of “Indians” are looking for. My supervisor as well as her own boss, who both having seen my work were more than interested in giving me a full time opportunity. But sadly my company was going through the time (later 2005s) when the American Car Industry was hit by the Japanese ‘Camry’, just like when the Japanese hit the Pearl Harbor with their Kamikaze air attacks – talking about History repeating itself, only in a slightly different pattern. So, then started the quest of finding full-time career opportunities. I started going to the career fairs in a more serious manner, and just not for collecting Pens, paper clips, duffle bags, not to forget my favorite coffee mugs and drinking bottle with emblems of different companies. Making sure that I get my introduction line perfect, “Hello my Name is ---- and I’m interested in full time career opportunity with your company in whichever department that can get me a H1-B visa sponsorship”. Lot of those representatives, whom are told to take the application from whoever comes to their booth, Black, Brown, Yellow and even the whites with the same smile and punch line and not giving out any signs of biasness. Well, they did a good job, some genuinely interested, others thinking “Oh, here comes another foreigner trying to make it big at Uncle Sam’s and taking away jobs from one of us”. As a note of advice to all my readers, I have no prejudice towards these people. I have only come across the people who genuinely don’t care about someone’s origin and only care about their abilities, so chin up. My best bet was the internet – just throw in a bunch of buzz words related to your industry and let your e-resume do the trick for you. And it actually worked, got a call from a small sized consultancy firm that specialized in ‘Industrial Engineering’ work. They called me (all on my expense) interviewed me and told me that they will come back with a decision. This was the most excruciating wait, something similar to the one where you propose the girl you like and she says that she has to think about it. Till the point you get an answer from her (or the company) you have to be very very careful to do a follow up, well in this case the company doesn’t care, but the girl likes all that extra attention you pour in, keeping all the ego and self respect earned so far (mostly by showing off to people around you) at stake. This wait especially when you have applied to a so called consulting firm will help me learn later about the actuality on how they work on keeping the recruiting rate and the rate of getting project tuned up. After full 5 weeks of wait, I was given a reply. I still can’t forget those sweet words from the HR saying – “We are very excited to forward you an offer” – Finer prints read –“Here is what we are giving you, take it or leave it –we know you desperately want someone to apply for your H1 so don’t be a smart a$$”. I took up the job and gave a huge party to all my friends. Some of them were already done with this stage, some of them were getting into this. I was almost Godlike for them, and they considered me to be their mentor. I helped them without anything in return with my experiences, and I’m still helping some of them even know (ahem…) as I know how one has to go through this agonizing phase.

Moving to this new place was a fight in itself, but my social skills got me through this. Had to stay with some friend of a friend of a uncle’s son’s neighbor in the starting part. To do my bit of contribution, I sometimes got pizzas, beer (never forget that) and Groceries whenever I could. As most of them were still students doing PhD. My pay could afford this so I had no problem. I finally moved out to my own apartment. I had strict rules set for myself that I will NOT stay with any roommates. I had already stayed for 2.5 years with 3 guys, and quickly realized that it makes you a better person (read-more prepared) by teaching you to adjust – something that will be utmost useful when you are dating or married – I would like to write on this experience in the separate blog. Coming back to my experience with this firm, I quickly blend with these folks as I was a part of this firm ever since it was first commenced. But, certain instances started to make me think that, I would not want to be for a long time. I’m sure there are people out there with a fare share of these incidences. I used to see the office space soap, and I have to give it to the production team, that they have done a fabulous job in capturing the essence of a “Office Space” – no wonder we all get a good laugh, as each one would have some kind of experience similar to one shown in last night’s office space. I soon turned to my Internet job search mode, and this time my resume looked much fuller than before – lot more buzz word with the best one out there “The Consultant”. U.S. market has got lot of respect for this word in its own sense, some people’s definition of a consultant is ‘ A Glib, (very powerful) PowerPoint presenter, who knows everything about everything - and can make your sinking boat float – even its on a desert”. I will talk more in my next posting – please be tuned….. Thanks