England temporarily suspends student visa applications from North India
UK is scrambling to control a flood of student visa applications from north India. With a large increase in the number of student visa-seekers, Britain has suspended accepting such applications in north India.
The UK Border Agency, the immigration and customs regulations body, announced the temporary suspension of Tier 4 student visa applications in North India: Read the rest of this entry »
Yes, it happened; it was bound to happen. I ran out of ideas.
I ran out of ideas to write about.
Not that my previous ideas were too special or too brilliant. Even the brilliant idea from last night – writing about a new-comer’s experiences – was very ordinary.
She is new student I recently ran into. From her experiences in America, I was hoping to get some new material for my blog.
“So how do you like in America?” I asked eagerly, hoping for a long story.
“Ah, it’s not all that bad, just about the same as I expected,” Dismissively, she said in a monotone.
“So, what is it that you don’t like it here, or dislike the most,” I rephrased the question, hoping to get something more.
“It is not much different; about the same as I expected,”
She was not helping out.
I paused. It cannot be; it is a new country, a new place all across the ocean.
“How about the language?” I pressed on.
“No, I speak English at home in Bangalore. I can speak many languages, but English is what we use the most.”
“Wow”, more disappointed than surprised, I did not know what else to say.
I was getting nothing’ no ideas, no new observations from the eyes of a new immigrant to USA.
“I liked the chicken burger”, she said with a light touch of satisfaction in her voice.
“What chicken burger?”
“The one from McDonalds, we just had, with French fries”
“Oh yeah, you like that kind of fast food?”
“I don’t like it, I love it!” she likes to say it.
“So, you don’t get it back home?” I have not been back to India for many years.
“We do; you don’t know? We have everything there, McDonalds too?” Read the rest of this entry »
Jan 26
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA Preamble:
WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HERE BY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION. Read the rest of this entry »
Kifds' Lemonade Stand
They say – if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I say, start a lemonade stand; or start a business that runs like a lemonade stand.
Why? What is there to learn from a bunch of kids sitting on a street corner or in front of their house, selling lemonade to the passers-by on a hot sunny day?
Well, quite a lot. The lemonade stand has some of the most commonsense at display, when it comes to operating a business.
See it for yourself, some of the common characteristics of a kids’ lemonade stand:
1.Simple and straight-forward: Nothing complicated or flashy – one table or desk, disposable glasses, a piggy-bank or a container for cash and lemonade making supplies- that’s all. That is all the kids need to run their business. Simple but yet so complete, as if nothing is missing.
2. No tricks, no guises: Everything is on the table; there are no tricks and no hidden agenda. Everyone passing by knows what to expect from a kids’ lemonade stand. Read the rest of this entry »
Dedicated to all the workaholics, high-achievers and fast paced life style of today
Yes, you have done a lot; accomplished so many goals, conquered many peaks. With you, it is all about achievements, it is all about the end-results, it is all about keep marching. The success is ‘a must’ to stroke your ego; basking in the glory of victories has become a habit of yours.
Yes, you are scared of failures, just like a fox scared of its own shadow. You may have seen some major ups and scary downs, but up is all you desire. Everything has to be your way. You are scared of uncertainties – the unwanted side-effected of your grand endeavors.
You have survived a lot around you, you probably have seen more than you can process. The fear of failures and the greed of success keep you going nonstop – day and night.
Yes, you have accomplished a lot; but, what for?
Have you taken a break lately and looked back? All those successes and all those milestones constantly keep moving to the next big thing. Where does it end? When do you call it the final destination and say, “That’s it, I am done!”
Regardless of your past with all your achievements, you always have something to do, something more to conquer – the next goal.
No matter how much you do, how big your goal is, how fast you go – there will always be something waiting. Yes, go save the planet, there will be something waiting after that – to be saved, to be rescued.
It is about time you rescue yourself, it is about time you slow down and admire the journey; let go of the destination for once. Take a break, smell a flower along the way, or even better – exhale! It is good for you; really, try it!!
There will always be something to do, something to prove. It is a monster you have created for yourself.
Don’t consume yourself in the journey of life; enjoy it rather.
At this pace, at this restless speed, the illusion of success or the next big thing will perish you one day; one day much sooner that your family and friends would like you to go.
So, slow down genius, take a break. The life is a journey, not a destination. Read the rest of this entry »
The highlights of Asian women in work force in USA
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a division of U.S. Department of Labor has published some very interesting facts on women in work force in USA. In a report titled ‘Women in the Labor Force’ (2009 Edition) a wide range of employment statistics are highlighted. This particular write-up, to match the interests of the main readers/visitors of the site, is focused on the statistics related to Asian women in USA.
Note that there are no separate official statistics available for only Indian-American women with this much detailed survey based very large data samples/range. So, Asian women’s category is the closest gauge in this case.
The highlights of women in work force in USA:With main focus on Asian women, here are some of the highlights.
US rolls out new online American visa application for Indians
USA has just introduced a new online non-immigrant application for Indian nationals. This is to meet the increased demand for American Visas in India. The same online process is being rolled out in others countries as well, but with different launch dates.
The American Embassy released a statement on January 7 outlining the initiative. As one can expect, the main purpose is to improve and speed-up the process as number of visa applications being filed continues to grow.
Starting January 19, the American Embassy and its consulates in India will introduce a new DS-160 form, which will be available online. Starting February 1, for all non-immigrant visa appointments, applicants will need to fill out the online DS-160 form. The DS-160 Online, Non-immigrant Visa Electronic Application, replaces current non-immigrant application form DS-156, and certain other related forms. Read the rest of this entry »
Jan 15
Main R2I (Return-to-India) reasons for NRIs abroad
Over the years, a reverse trend is starting to take shape. More and more overseas NRIs are returning home, and others are considering the option. The reasons for R2I – return to India – vary from personal to business to emotional; some of the main ones are:
More job opportunities in a booming Indian economy: As Indian economy keeps on growing, year after year; there are more opportunities available in India compared to old days. The IT field continues to expand, creating demand for international professionals. The economic revolution that started in 1991 has reformed India into one of the major players on the world stage.
Slow down in America and other developed countries: The global markets are going through some of the worse economic recessions of all times. The unemployment in USA is at its highest in many decades. The bleak outlook in job markets and uncertain future abroad is one of the reasons for many immigrants to consider returning home.
Going back ‘Home’:The sense of belonging makes a big difference when deciding on the future path. It feels good to be back and going back to the roots - being a part of our own culture, our own society is a major psychological boost. Read the rest of this entry »
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh continues to remind NRIs abroad that they are always welcome back home in India, perhaps more than ever before!
During his visit to USA in November, Prime Minister used the term “brain gain” instead of “reverse brain drain”. Thanking the Indian-American community for their contribution in building bridges between India and the United States, he invited the Indian diaspora worldwide to return home.
“Let me take this opportunity to extend an invitation to all Indian Americans and non-resident Indians who wish to return home to India in one capacity or another,” said Manmohan Singh. The Prime Minister said that Indian-Americans no longer had to make a choice about whether to work in India or America, “Modern technology and our flexible policies have opened possibilities of working in both places.” Read the rest of this entry »
India Abroad: Indian misconceptions or perceptions of the overseas culture
The Indian misconceptions or perceptions of the the cultures abroad are closely related to our way of thinking. It is human nature, we always try to understand everything in terms of our own culture. Everything we see, everything we observe, we see it through the lenses of our own culture. When we look at the American or the European culture, most of the time, we are just comparing it with our Indian culture, our own beliefs. As mentioned in a previous article, our beliefs play a major role in how we see rest of the world.
Many of you may consider this as a redundant piece of information – nothing new. Yes, you are right. It is nothing new, but it is something – we still have these misunderstandings or notions that we should remind ourselves of; it is something that may help us with self awareness and as a result, may reduce our stereotype about foreign cultures.
So take this with a grain of salt. Some of these misconceptions may sound absurd, or may sound very true – depending on your personal outlook, depending on what you believe.
Here are some of the beliefs and notions that Indians have about the Western – American or European or Australian – culture.
Not Very Religious: It is very hard to compare one religion to another. For example, in some religions you are expected to pray multiple times a day while in some others a daily prayer might do. The fact is every religion dictates its own rituals, it own guidelines. The religion is a very predominant part of the western society. the younger generation may be a bit less religious and more spititual. If you pass by any Church in America on a Sunday morning, they are jam-packed; you won’t find a place to park.
Drug Use and Similar Vices:Where do we start, may be with some Bollywood movies depicting or comparing western culture with desi culture. 
! We may be exaggerating a bit when we say that smoking and drug use is much more common in the Western countries. If you walk down the street of any major US city, you won’t find many smokers in public, just as an example. People are more health conscious now-a-days. The drug use is probably comparable to India. You are not going to find ganja smoking hippies (as shown in some Indian movies) on a corner of every American or European city streets. That was 70s, and the movie was ‘Purab or Paschim’! Read the rest of this entry »
We’re never gonna win the world
We’re never gonna stop the war
We’re never gonna beat this
If belief is what we’re fighting for
~ From John Mayer’s ‘Belief’
It is human nature, we think in terms of what we are exposed to or what are familiar with in our surroundings. Our thinking and the way we behave is greatly influenced by how we grew up – how we were raised as a kid.
The childhood is when most of our beliefs are formed, when we watch others and try to figure out what is the accepted norm – what is right and what is wrong. As we watch the world around us day after day, our beliefs firm up over time. We start to make our own mind and our own opinion about everything around us.
“Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen.” said Albert Einstein. By the time we enter our adulthood, we already have our own beliefs about the world around us.
Just think about it:
The Bollywood Quiz 5 is based on the recent Bollywood news and movies, as of January 10, 2010.
The previous 4 Bollywood quizzes, if you want to try, can be found as linked below:
Bollywood Quiz I: Know your Bollywood?:A Bollywood quiz about old movies of yesteryears!
Bollywood Quiz II – Bollywood News and hit movies :A quiz on hits from earlier part of 2009 or from 2008
Bollywood Quiz III-Related to Bollywood movies or stories from August 2009
The Bollywood Quiz IVis based on the movies or related Bollywood stories as of November 2009.
Here is the latest – Bollywood Quiz 5; Good luck:
Opening a can of worms here.
This may seem like a very personal question and you most likely won’t get an honest response if asking someone point blank. After all, no one wants to be stereotyped. However, it is a fair question that is seldom asked and often ignored:
Are the white women less attracted to the guys from India or those of Indian origin? And if so, Why?
Myth or truth:
Is it really true or is it just is a myth?
Based on all kinds of on-line discussions, observations from different corners of the world and feedback from many, it is most likely a true observation. However, it may have more to do with the social or cultural tradition of a certain race (or almost every race) to stay within their own kinds – within their own race or social group. The question or observation may not be different from ‘Do white women find Hispanic men less attractive?’ or any other combination of ethnic mix. So, don’t take it too personal, this may not be your fault. It is very common for an ethnic group to stay with its own kind.
Under ideal circumstance, a relation should not be based on the color of the skin, but it is not a perfect world we live in. Without any sugarcoating, here are some of the common logics or reasoning behind this behavior:
1. Peers and parental influence: The family and social aspect always comes into play in our personal lives. After all, racial biases and racial issues are still very much alive in every society. Yes, these biases are not as bad as in old day, but it is not a color-blind world by any measure. Many of our daily decisions are influenced by the peer pressure and the racial biases that are rooted deep in the society, choosing a partner is one of them. The birds of a feather flock together.
2. Unconscious bias: It is human nature, we have our own biases and prejudice, and sometimes we don’t even realize it. If a white person has always seen her friends and families – since she was a kid – sticking with their own kind, her first preference is likely going to be someone of her own kind, even without her realizing it. We are a creation of our environment; our surroundings always influence our actions. So, once again, not your fault or her fault, blame it on the hidden cleverness and treacheries of our brain – the unconscious bias.
3. Not enough in common:A friendship or a relation is often built on a common bond. Coming from a different background and raised very differently, an Indian guy may not have much in common with the white women. For example, if your favorite topics of discussion relate to Bollywood, the game of cricket, desi music…., you probably won’t make very good company for a white person who knows little about all this. Understanding the other side and making a connection based on personal likes and dislikes makes a big difference.
4. Good hygiene Rumor:Some have said this (anonymously) and others have heard this through some friend-of-friend, that their experiences have not been very ‘pleasant’ when it comes to personal hygiene. Not sure how true this is, it could be some isolated incident. May be the smell of Indian spices from desi food lingers on us much longer than it should, or some other issues…., Or, may be white women are attracted to certain male odor that we – most Indians – lack. In any case, use your own judgment at personal level, and if in doubt, make a trip to the supermarket and buy some new colognes; and buy it from a white sales clerk, just to be sure. Read the rest of this entry »
Today is the first day, first day of back-to-work after the New-Year break.
However, there is nothing new.
Nothing has changed.
The same office, the same routine and the same old everything….
We put so much stock in the New Year – waiting for it, looking forward to another milestone.
The anticipation and the significance of midnight turning into a dawn of next calendar year;
Celebrating it like there is no tomorrow.
In this case, because there is a tomorrow – the New Year! Read the rest of this entry »
In a rush?
Don’t have time to get Tourist Visa for India?
Well, there is a good chance that they might let you in, if you come from one of these five countries below.
The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi issued a press release yesterday – on January 01, 2010, and introduced new measures to allow ‘Tourist Visa-on-Arrival’ in India. This is a welcome step toward facilitating foreign tourism and to encourage tourists who plan their trips on a short notice.
“Government of India has decided to introduce “Tourist Visa-on-Arrival” for a period of one year for citizens of five countries viz. Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore on an experimental basis…” The Press Release says.
This is effective immediately, that is starting January 1, 2010. Tourists from these countries can also procure their visas from the Missions / Posts in the normal course, just as in the past.
The statement read, “The said “Tourist Visa-on-Arrival” with a maximum validity of 30 days with single entry facility shall be granted by the Immigration Officers at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata airports to start with.” Read the rest of this entry »
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