Did you know that Indians are the largest spenders on holidays abroad and with the dollar falling, ho boy American Malls here we come. But on a more serious note, there’s a growing trend amongst people to immigrate because they think other countries are better.
Everyone wants to go to America “land of opportunities” or Britain, which, I can proudly say is filled with pre-independence based Indians {Curry on England}.
But it’s not so hunky dory to immigrate or even to study abroad because eventually like it or not, you encounter racism. And I’m sure everyone is anti-racism but really, look at the bigger picture; we are in fact all racist pigs. And racism gets really ugly. Some drunken Brits beat a friend of mine and I thought he’d be angry or terrified but he wasn’t a tiny bit fazed so I asked him “why?” and he said, “they were just trying to make some money” “some money” “yeah, you see in Britain you get money if you’re a health hazard and recently they’ve added xenophobia to their list, so… Had to agree, you can’t argue with that.
Recently some very dear friends of mine immigrated to Australia and they had many problems getting some stuff across customs. So when they told me, I was surprised and said “well, pretty tough for a penal colony don’t you think”. Yup, before Foster’s Australia was a penal colony and that makes for a good pick up line if you’re ever in a bar in Australia “Hey good looking, wasn’t your great,great,great grandfather a convict? What, mine too, only recently, but mine too”.
Another thing I stumbled on was that the Brits refer to the Queen as “mummy”; This gave Shekhar Kapoor, the writer and director of Elizabeth and Elizabeth: the golden age an idea on how to get his film prints across without plagiarism. He simple titled them “the Mummy” and The Mummy Returns”
Oh, and before I forget, I promised to dedicate this blog to my friend, which is why the blog is named such and so as to not leave the title completely useless here are some thoughts –
The amazing delicious plant is the 4th largest crop in the world and Ireland depends on it.
There’s quite a famous song based it as well, if you don’t remember it here are the lyrics
“You like potato and I like potahto,
You like tomato and I like tomahto;
Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto!
Let's call the whole thing off!”
Now isn’t that a good way to handle feuds. Just Potato Potahto it. India can make the nuke deal don’t call and say the left is threatening to topple the government, just say “oh Potato Potahto”.
And on that note would like to leave you but if you have anything to say for which I should apologize; I say to you “Potato Potahto”
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2 comments:
Dear Meet,
As promised, here is a comment:-)
It is indeed interesting that we have become such heavy spenders of late. It shocks me when I go to malls (that event happens quite rarely) & I see people easily spending Rs 2000 or so on a shirt or trousers. I am like, dude, that is costly! That is almost $40, which is really high! I dont ever remember buying any shirt/trouser for more than $15-20 when I lived in the US.
But more importantly the point, from an economic perspective is this - Americans are known to be the most spendthrift generation, and Asians the most saving-kind. In fact, I believe a large part of the global economy is regulated by the fact that Americans spend a lot.
As for racism, you are right both ways. that we are also racists, and there is a good chance most of us might encounter racism in one way or another. Personally though, perhaps I was lucky that I never felt targetted, either when i was studying or working. Again, I think there is a lot for us to learn from other countries, societies. We usually just become encumbered by restricted belief systems, roads of thought and identify most things Indian today by narrow sectarian beliefs.
In anycase, potato, potahto...whatever! Keep the blog coming dude. I promise I will comment:-)
Rajeev
The potato is a south american veggie brought to Europe and asia by European sailors.(As were mirchis and tomatoes.) The Aloo was introduced to UP and Punjab as late as 1850 ( Your great-great grandfather's time)by a Briisher, Major Young....it means we ate Puris with Petha(pumpkin) sabzi and not the yummy aloo for 5000 years of Indian civilization preceding that. Indians really didn't have fun then eating only Mooli parnathas....
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