There are two ways to experience this beautiful country - One as a mesmerized tourist, where you explore the best of what it has to offer and the second by becoming a part of the system as you move here for good. I've had my experience as a tourist during my last visit a couple years back and i have to say it was just as perfect as we all see it on the idiot box. From the calm and peaceful Outer Banks in North Carolina to the magical streets of the Big Apple, this country showcases a great fusion of serenity and flamboyance to the dreamers. But for this one i am gonna be focusing on the latter kind of experience.
Here's an insight for appetizers - Average household income of general population in USA is around $50,000 per year where as that of Indians in USA is $90,000 to $100,000, which makes us the richest ethnic group in the land of opportunities*yeehaw*. The struggle for a Tata Nano in our country transforms into a confusion to choose between BMW and Mercedes Benz here, pride of owning a 1 bedroom apartment in Bandra is replaced by the boredom of sitting in a 7 bedroom single family home (bungalow in my language). Before moving here, i use to wonder as to what is it that drives Indian's towards success in USA, and when i did, i realized it was pretty simple - Technology. Just the way back in India we are connected by multiple languages like Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati, Marathi, etc, here the languages that matter are Java, Big Data, SQL, ETL, etc. I do not remember how many times have i been asked one question by almost every Indian professional that i have met so far in this country - "Which Technology?". The pressure of being able to fit among the rest that represent your ethnicity is so high that extending your introduction becomes inevitable, when you meet another Indian. "Hello, i am Venkateshwaram Chinnaswamy Vedguru, Database Analyst/ETL Developer/Sharepoint Administrator from Hyderabad". Now , notice how his skill sets matched the number of words in his complete name and the mention of his hometown is almost overshadowed by the "impressive" array of technologies that he is familiar with, and the best part about the introduction would most likely be a request of being called 'Venky' or 'VC instead of his real name.
The self-proclaimed doctor Munnabhai, in his movie exclaimed that in India only doctors are respected and not anyone else, similarly here in Uncle Sam's country only IT professionals are respected and as for the rest, they aren't even counted. Life-cycle of an IT professional in USA is very easy to explain - It starts of with probably the most searched term on google across southern India - H1B. You arrive here on an H1B visa while working on a IT project and during the timeframe of that first project, you are mesmerized by what this country has to offer (higher pay, better lifestyle and of course an overflow of eye-candies, especially if you have fulfilled your Indian dream of visiting an American beach). Having made up your mind, not to go back to your own country, you try to find a company that will sponsor you for the next few years and there are 99 percent chances that you will find a small consulting company that promises to help. Now begins your climb to Mount Everest- An endless road to a Green Card (Yes, the same green card that cements thousands of matrimonial arrangements in India. After all LADKA GREEN CARD HOLDER HAI ). It's strange how having a American green card is celebrated more than getting citizenship of the country for us Indians.
The time (ages) you spend here with the stamp of H1B on your forehead, will probably be the most stressful and yet memorable of your life. From the pressure of being able to find a project that will keep you alive in the game to the comfort of those big dreams that keep you going, you will have great stories to share with your next generation. I have seen deserving and qualified people breakdown under the pressure of surviving this journey towards permanent residency at every step, but when i look at the daily struggle of illegal immigrants who risk their lives just to be able to breathe in The New World, it all looks too easy. With my experience so far in the United States, i have realized one thing- When the whole world is seeking to be a part of something, it sure would be worth every effort you put in to reach there.
Its hard to sum up the experience of being an 'Alien' in this great country in just few words and i guess i would never be able to understand my own emotions towards it. While i do miss my boss-like life in the good-old Mumbai, i always believe that there's something better stored ahead. Therefore, i have learnt to adjust, which is the best way to survive here - Adjust and keep moving forward. And for those who are still working on the beginning of their American Dream all i would say is - Make sure that you get your TECHNOLOGY game right and the rest will all be history.
- Fahad Sikander
I get the context of your blog.
ReplyDeleteI visited the US first time, this year. My only takeaway from the short 15 day visit was that "There will always be an opportunity" and one can certainly take a successful shot at it.