In the developing world, there are generally two sorts of people - one are the "liberals" who don't like the West. Who assumes that the West (including USA) is the embodiment of capitalism and all sorts of vices that come with material pleasures, a loose society and consumerism. The second bucket thinks that the West is a dream world. As if everyone is rich, houses are elaborate, streets impeccable and life more or less quite heavenly. Well, I am generalizing for sure, but these are the two ends of the scale. While none of the above facts are true, both are somewhat true. I don't agree with all societal norms here, there are places which are extremely dirty, not everyone follows the law, but also the general work culture is great, generally people are law abiding, an ambulance will arrive on time, etc.
Immigrants have flocked to USA over hundreds of years. Even Wikipedia says that the first sight of the Statue of Liberty signified a new life to many immigrants who came here over the years in search of a better life. They can be software professionals like me wanting a better quality of education and a healthy workplace or they can be a person from Africa wanting to just live like a human being. The common thing is the American Dream, about which Wikipedia says - "In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" regardless of social class or circumstances of birth."
I sometimes look back at my life and think. A few weeks back I was sitting at our break room during lunch waiting for my buddy as he was heating up his food. I looked across over Lake Washington towards Seattle and down below at the lunch time crowd walking busily down in Bellevue. I sat and thought how did I land up here? I was out in a totally different city half way round the globe, leading a totally different life. Where was Lake Washington and Bellevue and Concur and my buddy ten years back? How did my life change? What changed? What did it enrich me with?
I am a big proponent of leaving home and residing in other countries, with people of other cultures. So it is really rewarding how my (and people like me) slowly learn new things. Arnab was saying how they are learning basic greetings in Turkish and Chinese and teaching their team the same in Hindi and Bengali. Was this part of his job description? No. But is that enriching him? Yes, for sure! My American dream is not about buying expensive cars or designer wear. I think I have evolved out of those because I don't see any value in them. Neither do I want to live in a huge impersonal mansion.
My dream is to be myself.
To be what I am without any inhibition. To live in a society that does not judge, to work where someone who speaks up is cherished and not snubbed down. To have opportunities to help others without people mocking me. To have a career that helps me grow and have hobbies I love. To learn, to travel, to talk, to experience....even to have healthy pets.
After a year of coming to US I wrote an article on the changes in my life. Those were apparent from the surface, after six more years I realize the deeper things. The stuff that has opened my eyes, the things that have taught me to be less judgmental and to be more compassionate. And also the little things which are actually not so little. Like a sky full of stars beside the Pacific, snow storm at Mt. Rainier, the multitude shades of blue at Hapuna Beach, talking with friends from the world over about their homelands, being invited to eat a turkey at Thanksgiving, giggling over a cup of Starbucks coffee with crazy coworkers, setting up my own home, cuddling with my babies, finding the right guy to get married to...and in all these things really finding who I am.
Immigrants have flocked to USA over hundreds of years. Even Wikipedia says that the first sight of the Statue of Liberty signified a new life to many immigrants who came here over the years in search of a better life. They can be software professionals like me wanting a better quality of education and a healthy workplace or they can be a person from Africa wanting to just live like a human being. The common thing is the American Dream, about which Wikipedia says - "In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" regardless of social class or circumstances of birth."
I sometimes look back at my life and think. A few weeks back I was sitting at our break room during lunch waiting for my buddy as he was heating up his food. I looked across over Lake Washington towards Seattle and down below at the lunch time crowd walking busily down in Bellevue. I sat and thought how did I land up here? I was out in a totally different city half way round the globe, leading a totally different life. Where was Lake Washington and Bellevue and Concur and my buddy ten years back? How did my life change? What changed? What did it enrich me with?
I am a big proponent of leaving home and residing in other countries, with people of other cultures. So it is really rewarding how my (and people like me) slowly learn new things. Arnab was saying how they are learning basic greetings in Turkish and Chinese and teaching their team the same in Hindi and Bengali. Was this part of his job description? No. But is that enriching him? Yes, for sure! My American dream is not about buying expensive cars or designer wear. I think I have evolved out of those because I don't see any value in them. Neither do I want to live in a huge impersonal mansion.
My dream is to be myself.
To be what I am without any inhibition. To live in a society that does not judge, to work where someone who speaks up is cherished and not snubbed down. To have opportunities to help others without people mocking me. To have a career that helps me grow and have hobbies I love. To learn, to travel, to talk, to experience....even to have healthy pets.
After a year of coming to US I wrote an article on the changes in my life. Those were apparent from the surface, after six more years I realize the deeper things. The stuff that has opened my eyes, the things that have taught me to be less judgmental and to be more compassionate. And also the little things which are actually not so little. Like a sky full of stars beside the Pacific, snow storm at Mt. Rainier, the multitude shades of blue at Hapuna Beach, talking with friends from the world over about their homelands, being invited to eat a turkey at Thanksgiving, giggling over a cup of Starbucks coffee with crazy coworkers, setting up my own home, cuddling with my babies, finding the right guy to get married to...and in all these things really finding who I am.
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