Unhappy in America - Sepia Mutiny

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August 23, 2004

Unhappy in America

(via Madhoo) Interesting feature article in Little India magazine about 1st gen'ers unhappy w/ life in America -

Most wounding to her was the loss of her independence: Her H4 visa robbed her of her identity - she was not allowed to work, and did not have a bank balance or credit card - and to even take a trip back home, she was dependent on her husband. She had been driving for years in India, but here she failed the crucial road test because she was used to driving on the left. She recalls the utter hopelessness she felt then: When I come out of the car, I sit and cry and cry. I dont believe this. Ive been driving for years and now they tell me I cant drive? Im crying like a baby. I dont want to live in this country. I mean, every day youre struggling.

As Madhoo points out, it's sorta hard to feel pity for someone trying to drive on the Left....

News

POSTED BY vinod @ 9:52 AM

5 comments

1 · Anirvan on August 23, 2004 12:21 PM · Direct link

Good grief.

Vinod, have you actually read the article in question? (online at http://www.littleindia.com/august2004/UnhappyinAmerica.htm)

Aparna (quoted above) seems to have given up her teaching job, car, driver's license, financial independence, access to family, and urban Delhi lifestyle -- to live in the suburbs of a distant foreign country taking care of a four-year old.

I think it's reasonable for her to feel homesick and unhappy. Stick me in a Midwestern suburb with a four year old and no way to get out of the house, and I'd probably whine about it too.

2 · MD on August 23, 2004 2:22 PM · Direct link

I think the key line in the story is that "Aparna never wanted to come to America." I think that might have something to do with it.

Anirvan, as someone who grew up in Iowa and lived in the suburbs of Chicago, let me tell you, the Midwest has a lot to offer :) !

(In fact, I'm still trying to get a hang of this East coast thing.... :) ).

3 · prakruti on August 23, 2004 3:08 PM · Direct link

I dont know I find this a very silly article. She had a hubby to feed and support her emotionally and physically, she could take the drivers license test second time and pass, she could find a job and convert H4 visa to H1B visa.
There are some of us who are also first generation indians with nonimmigrant visa's who came here to US all by ourselves, did not have family here or knew no one in US, did not have a money or any support to feed us, never drove cars in india and never used even computers in india, got almost mugged the first day I came to US, struggled through visa's all these years, could not even go home to india the first three years in US,had no emotional support and yet would say life was not all that bad at all in US. life is so hard in india with one day meals,no power supply half the time, no oppurtunities,no water,too much corruption.. atleast here in US if u work hard u can make a life for urself..
yes life is a lil harder and u achieve a lil less if u are a first generation indian as compared to second generation indians who have families here and dont go through all the struggles and visa issues and can concentrate a lot better and have more oppurtunities than some of us..but still not all that bad at all, u still can learn a lot, achieve, have lot of fun and enjoy life in US despite all ur problems...
I guess its all relative...pain nourishes courage..and where there is a will there is a way..

4 · vinod on August 23, 2004 3:57 PM · Direct link

Anirvan -

1) yes I read the article

2) "driving on the left" is still a friggin' funny excuse to use.

5 · Sluggo on August 24, 2004 7:55 AM · Direct link

Ok, this is nitpick, but if your an adult that goes to another country aren't you considered an immigrant and not first generation?

Good thing you're not following Vinod's blog comment rules:
"acidic comments only preach to the already converted" + "fruitful dialog will be much better served by directly addressing the points raised" ;P

Comments closed.