Monday, October 6, 2008
Dashain aayo!!!
Dashain, the most awaiting occasion for every Nepali people,has brought much excitement and happiness in everyone's face.For some, it might be 'dasha' but for others, it is the festival to throw all the tensions at one side and enjoy as much as they can. Everyone has packed their bags and has headed towards their destination,their home place. People are excited to fly into linge ping and get lost in playing cards.However, no matter how we celebrate it, we should always be in certain limits.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
The Nepali American Dreamers
The term “American Dream” was first used by James Truslow Adams in his book ‘The Epic of America’ which was written in 1931. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are certain unalienable rights. These sentiments can be considered as the foundation of the American dream.
In his essay ‘the American dream’ which was published back in the October 1973 issue of The Freemen, John E. Nestler reflects “American dream was once equated with certain principles of freedom, it is now equated with things. The American dream has undergone a metamorphosis from principles to materialism… When people are concerned more with attainment of things than with the maintenance of principles, it is a sign of moral decay. And it is through such decay that loss of freedom occurs.”
The American Dream can be described as a belief in freedom that allows all citizens and non residents of the United States of America to achieve their goals in life through hard work. Today, in America it generally refers to the idea that one's prosperity depends upon one's own abilities and hard work, not on a rigid class structure, though the meaning of the phrase has changed over America's history. For some, it is the opportunity to achieve more prosperity than they could in their countries of origin; for others, it is the opportunity for their children to grow up with an education and career opportunities; for others, it is the opportunity to be an individual without the constraints imposed by class, caste, race, or ethnicity. While the term "American Dream" today is often associated with immigrants, native-born Americans can also be described as "pursuing the American Dream", "living the American Dream" or "living the Dream."
The American Dream is the fulfillment of America's promise of equal freedoms, equal opportunities and equal protections.
Different people have different perception on American dream throughout the world. Some say that American dream has become the pursuit of material prosperity yet others look towards a new American dream with less focus on financial gain and more emphasis on living a simple fulfilling life.
Even people in Nepal have their own little American Dream where they aim to go to America someday for a better education and a better life. America to Nepalese is synonymous to opportunity, success and wealth. We view America as the land of opportunities and wouldn’t hesitate to go there at any chance we get.
More and more youth are going to the United States for education and many more go there for better job prospects. Every year when the forms of Direct Visa (DV) are distributed, thousands of Nepalese fill the form with the hope that they will get to go to America-the land of opportunity.
Currently a huge number of Nepali youths are abroad studying and the number is increasing day by day. The flow of Nepali students abroad has surged in recent years, making Nepal one of the major countries of origin for foreign students in western and Australian universities.
The United States tops the list of most preferred destination countries for Nepali students. In the academic year 2004/05 alone, 4,861 Nepali students went to US universities, up by 11 percent compared to the previous year. The figure is growing so fast that Nepal is now amongst the top 25 countries (ranking 23rd) that send students to the US, and the fastest growing country of origin, according to a survey by US-based Institute of International Education (IIE). In other words, no other country matched Nepal's growth rate in 2005 for sending students to the US. The United States Education Foundation (USEF), citing worldwide policy, refused to provide information about how many Nepalese actually applied for US student visas. But it did say that the foundation had 47,000 visitors in 2004.
We can go to any country around the world to make a fresh start but most Nepalese prefer to go to America. Though there are many other countries which can fulfill their dreams, America is always the first choice. The Nepalese that go to America have their own perception of the American dream. For most, it is a degree from a nice university, a car and a well paying job but still the different individuals view the dream differently.
Sujata is a shy, 20 yr old, freshmen at Slippery Rock University, Pennsylvania who hopes to graduate with good grades and find a good job. She wishes to come back to Nepal someday. Her first priority is education followed by family and career. She thinks it is much more difficult for Nepalese to achieve the American dream than it is for the Americans.
Rabin, 27 yrs old, went to the US after he got DV lottery 5 yrs back. He considers that he has achieved a better life for himself and his family after getting to America. He lives there alone and sends money to his family living back in Nepal. He plans to come to Nepal for his retirement.
Binita, 21 yrs old, works 50 hrs per week to support herself. She never have thought it would be so difficult. According to her, when staying in America, the things you will have to struggle constantly with are-adjustment, money and food. But she believes that her problems will get easier once she graduates.
Niti, 23yrs old, just got her degree in engineering and she plans to go to the U.S. for her masters. She had tried to go to the U.S. even for her undergrad but she didn’t get the visa. This time, she is determined to land there. She believes that she can explore her potentials in the U.S. and that she will get better opportunities and will earn more in America. Most of all, she wants to live away from her family and make it as an independent woman.
Sheetal, 31 yrs old, a doctor, went to US 2 yrs back to work as a doctor and she has got a license for working as doctor but hasn’t got job yet. So she works as a temp in a lot of places. She could have earned a lot here in Nepal but she wishes to pursue her dream in the U.S.
Causes of Nepalese going to the U.S.
1. Education system
The education system isn’t so good in Nepal. In Nepal, courses are based more on theories and student feel the lack of pratical knowledge. So, people go to the US with the dream of getting quality education. People consider that if you are a graduate from an American University, it is always an advantage. Even in the job market, a graduate from America is given more priority than a graduate from a Nepali University irrespective of the grades and the university they are from. Due to continuous strikes, a course of 1 year can even take an extra six months to complete. Students sometimes have to wait for an entire year for their results. If the education process was much smoother, people might have stayed here.
2. Economic system
Nepal is a third world country. Nepal is rich in natural resources though it has not been able to utilize its resources in a sustainable way. It has affected the economic system of Nepal resulting into unemployment. Since people can’t find proper work in their country, they tend to search for prospects elsewhere. People get degrees but they cannot find a job they like. They feel they cannot find a job that suits their qualification. Even if they do, they get paid much less than their expectations. The prices of every goods are raising day by day. People are getting frustrated because of the sky high living expenses. There is shortage of everything. There is lack of petrol, water, electricity, facilities, etc. People spend a lot on their education but they dont feel they get much in return. People think investing in Nepal is useless. So instead of investing their money in their country, they invest it in other countries hoping they will get a good response.
3. Political System
For a long time, Nepal has been facing political instability and so the development areas have been in a virtual standstill. Noone knows what is going to happen next. There are always strikes because of political reasons. Even the education and the economic sector have suffered a lot. Due to the lack of stability and security, people prefer to go outside where they think a better future is a guarantee. People believe that their talent and their struggle will never be valued in Nepal so they look for places where their effort will be recognized.
4. Preconceived notion
People believe that in the US, everything will be Ok. They think they’ll get a good job, better lifestyle. They believe they can achieve everything after they step to US. What they do not realize is they will have to work hard to earn it.
5. Bandwagon
So many youngsters are going abroad. Any one member from each family is going to America. So people follow the same rule. When all your friends are leaving one by one, it only seems logical that you follow them too.
Mass media has also played an important role in this. We hear about so many rags to riches stories of Americans and we are hopeful that we will be one of them. In today's world of globalization, American culture dominates the popular culture all around the world. The American way of life has been made popular by movies, music and so on. Hence the youngsters have the rage to go to the US and live the American dream.
6. Social aspects
We all have our own social values and assumptions. We are bound with cultural beliefs. Nowadays, most youngsters prefer to live their life in their own way. For them, these cultures seem to be obstacles for their happiness. So they prefer to go abroad and live their life in the way they wish to. Besides, the families whose member has gone to US are considered more important. They are treated with special deference.
Advantages of studying in US
• America is considered the center for Academic excellence.
• More options career wise and course wise.
• Well recognized degree all over the world.
• Opportunity to be independent and learn life skills.
When asked, “Why do you want to go to the US?”, Chahana,19, who is trying for her US visa, answered, “Because I am not satisfied with the course I am doing here.”
“Leaving your country for further study does not mean that you don’t love your country and not leaving it does not necessarily prove that you love it. Sometimes it is good to make decision which might seem ‘non-patriotic’ at first but in the long run it will prove to be more effective.”
She also says, “I want to go the US because I want to learn and explore the world and as of today there is no better place than us for studying as well as learning “Life Skills.” I have plans to return. As a more experienced person who can give much to the development of Nepal. And yea it is after all the Land of opportunities.”
Conclusion
The American dream has a universal appeal. It talks about values of equality, hard work, equal opportunity. At a time, when we are talking about Naya Nepal and about inclusion , the American dream seems very appropriate, we can adopt the American dream and work together as equals to achieve the dream of Naya Nepal.
We can achieve the American Dream anywhere we are, provided that we are willing to work hard and willing to face any obstruction in the way of success.
The trend of going to the US is still on the rise. People have so many dreams when they go to the US, some people are successful but others are not.
So many Nepalese regret going to America but most of them do not return because of the investment they had put in. But despite of all these failures, Nepalese have not stopped dreaming the American dream.
In his essay ‘the American dream’ which was published back in the October 1973 issue of The Freemen, John E. Nestler reflects “American dream was once equated with certain principles of freedom, it is now equated with things. The American dream has undergone a metamorphosis from principles to materialism… When people are concerned more with attainment of things than with the maintenance of principles, it is a sign of moral decay. And it is through such decay that loss of freedom occurs.”
The American Dream can be described as a belief in freedom that allows all citizens and non residents of the United States of America to achieve their goals in life through hard work. Today, in America it generally refers to the idea that one's prosperity depends upon one's own abilities and hard work, not on a rigid class structure, though the meaning of the phrase has changed over America's history. For some, it is the opportunity to achieve more prosperity than they could in their countries of origin; for others, it is the opportunity for their children to grow up with an education and career opportunities; for others, it is the opportunity to be an individual without the constraints imposed by class, caste, race, or ethnicity. While the term "American Dream" today is often associated with immigrants, native-born Americans can also be described as "pursuing the American Dream", "living the American Dream" or "living the Dream."
The American Dream is the fulfillment of America's promise of equal freedoms, equal opportunities and equal protections.
Different people have different perception on American dream throughout the world. Some say that American dream has become the pursuit of material prosperity yet others look towards a new American dream with less focus on financial gain and more emphasis on living a simple fulfilling life.
Even people in Nepal have their own little American Dream where they aim to go to America someday for a better education and a better life. America to Nepalese is synonymous to opportunity, success and wealth. We view America as the land of opportunities and wouldn’t hesitate to go there at any chance we get.
More and more youth are going to the United States for education and many more go there for better job prospects. Every year when the forms of Direct Visa (DV) are distributed, thousands of Nepalese fill the form with the hope that they will get to go to America-the land of opportunity.
Currently a huge number of Nepali youths are abroad studying and the number is increasing day by day. The flow of Nepali students abroad has surged in recent years, making Nepal one of the major countries of origin for foreign students in western and Australian universities.
The United States tops the list of most preferred destination countries for Nepali students. In the academic year 2004/05 alone, 4,861 Nepali students went to US universities, up by 11 percent compared to the previous year. The figure is growing so fast that Nepal is now amongst the top 25 countries (ranking 23rd) that send students to the US, and the fastest growing country of origin, according to a survey by US-based Institute of International Education (IIE). In other words, no other country matched Nepal's growth rate in 2005 for sending students to the US. The United States Education Foundation (USEF), citing worldwide policy, refused to provide information about how many Nepalese actually applied for US student visas. But it did say that the foundation had 47,000 visitors in 2004.
We can go to any country around the world to make a fresh start but most Nepalese prefer to go to America. Though there are many other countries which can fulfill their dreams, America is always the first choice. The Nepalese that go to America have their own perception of the American dream. For most, it is a degree from a nice university, a car and a well paying job but still the different individuals view the dream differently.
Sujata is a shy, 20 yr old, freshmen at Slippery Rock University, Pennsylvania who hopes to graduate with good grades and find a good job. She wishes to come back to Nepal someday. Her first priority is education followed by family and career. She thinks it is much more difficult for Nepalese to achieve the American dream than it is for the Americans.
Rabin, 27 yrs old, went to the US after he got DV lottery 5 yrs back. He considers that he has achieved a better life for himself and his family after getting to America. He lives there alone and sends money to his family living back in Nepal. He plans to come to Nepal for his retirement.
Binita, 21 yrs old, works 50 hrs per week to support herself. She never have thought it would be so difficult. According to her, when staying in America, the things you will have to struggle constantly with are-adjustment, money and food. But she believes that her problems will get easier once she graduates.
Niti, 23yrs old, just got her degree in engineering and she plans to go to the U.S. for her masters. She had tried to go to the U.S. even for her undergrad but she didn’t get the visa. This time, she is determined to land there. She believes that she can explore her potentials in the U.S. and that she will get better opportunities and will earn more in America. Most of all, she wants to live away from her family and make it as an independent woman.
Sheetal, 31 yrs old, a doctor, went to US 2 yrs back to work as a doctor and she has got a license for working as doctor but hasn’t got job yet. So she works as a temp in a lot of places. She could have earned a lot here in Nepal but she wishes to pursue her dream in the U.S.
Causes of Nepalese going to the U.S.
1. Education system
The education system isn’t so good in Nepal. In Nepal, courses are based more on theories and student feel the lack of pratical knowledge. So, people go to the US with the dream of getting quality education. People consider that if you are a graduate from an American University, it is always an advantage. Even in the job market, a graduate from America is given more priority than a graduate from a Nepali University irrespective of the grades and the university they are from. Due to continuous strikes, a course of 1 year can even take an extra six months to complete. Students sometimes have to wait for an entire year for their results. If the education process was much smoother, people might have stayed here.
2. Economic system
Nepal is a third world country. Nepal is rich in natural resources though it has not been able to utilize its resources in a sustainable way. It has affected the economic system of Nepal resulting into unemployment. Since people can’t find proper work in their country, they tend to search for prospects elsewhere. People get degrees but they cannot find a job they like. They feel they cannot find a job that suits their qualification. Even if they do, they get paid much less than their expectations. The prices of every goods are raising day by day. People are getting frustrated because of the sky high living expenses. There is shortage of everything. There is lack of petrol, water, electricity, facilities, etc. People spend a lot on their education but they dont feel they get much in return. People think investing in Nepal is useless. So instead of investing their money in their country, they invest it in other countries hoping they will get a good response.
3. Political System
For a long time, Nepal has been facing political instability and so the development areas have been in a virtual standstill. Noone knows what is going to happen next. There are always strikes because of political reasons. Even the education and the economic sector have suffered a lot. Due to the lack of stability and security, people prefer to go outside where they think a better future is a guarantee. People believe that their talent and their struggle will never be valued in Nepal so they look for places where their effort will be recognized.
4. Preconceived notion
People believe that in the US, everything will be Ok. They think they’ll get a good job, better lifestyle. They believe they can achieve everything after they step to US. What they do not realize is they will have to work hard to earn it.
5. Bandwagon
So many youngsters are going abroad. Any one member from each family is going to America. So people follow the same rule. When all your friends are leaving one by one, it only seems logical that you follow them too.
Mass media has also played an important role in this. We hear about so many rags to riches stories of Americans and we are hopeful that we will be one of them. In today's world of globalization, American culture dominates the popular culture all around the world. The American way of life has been made popular by movies, music and so on. Hence the youngsters have the rage to go to the US and live the American dream.
6. Social aspects
We all have our own social values and assumptions. We are bound with cultural beliefs. Nowadays, most youngsters prefer to live their life in their own way. For them, these cultures seem to be obstacles for their happiness. So they prefer to go abroad and live their life in the way they wish to. Besides, the families whose member has gone to US are considered more important. They are treated with special deference.
Advantages of studying in US
• America is considered the center for Academic excellence.
• More options career wise and course wise.
• Well recognized degree all over the world.
• Opportunity to be independent and learn life skills.
When asked, “Why do you want to go to the US?”, Chahana,19, who is trying for her US visa, answered, “Because I am not satisfied with the course I am doing here.”
“Leaving your country for further study does not mean that you don’t love your country and not leaving it does not necessarily prove that you love it. Sometimes it is good to make decision which might seem ‘non-patriotic’ at first but in the long run it will prove to be more effective.”
She also says, “I want to go the US because I want to learn and explore the world and as of today there is no better place than us for studying as well as learning “Life Skills.” I have plans to return. As a more experienced person who can give much to the development of Nepal. And yea it is after all the Land of opportunities.”
Conclusion
The American dream has a universal appeal. It talks about values of equality, hard work, equal opportunity. At a time, when we are talking about Naya Nepal and about inclusion , the American dream seems very appropriate, we can adopt the American dream and work together as equals to achieve the dream of Naya Nepal.
We can achieve the American Dream anywhere we are, provided that we are willing to work hard and willing to face any obstruction in the way of success.
The trend of going to the US is still on the rise. People have so many dreams when they go to the US, some people are successful but others are not.
So many Nepalese regret going to America but most of them do not return because of the investment they had put in. But despite of all these failures, Nepalese have not stopped dreaming the American dream.
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