You are a bong if....

You are a bong (bengali) if:

• You think that Bengali culture is the only cultured culture in the entire world (courtesy Proleta Datta); that all other cultures bow down to Bengali culture
• You think that to win a Nobel Prize you have to be associated to Bengalis somehow or the other; either be a Bengali, or live in Calcutta(Kolkata), or go to a college which is also in Calcutta(courtesy: in unison by Proleta Datta and Shreyasee Das)
  
• You think that without having touched the writing part of the literature world, you have lessened your existence- you have to know every single book that has ever been written and have had read it too!
  
• You think that your kids have to learn all the possible cultural activities, especially debatin!
  
• You have mastered the art of eating atleast 4 rasagollas at once and even then you can go on eating
  
• Adda maara (as in talking nonsense) is the favorite past time- no questions asked! (courtesy: Proleta Datta and Shreyasee Das in the 2001 Corolla- damn that Corolla sparks ideas)
• While addaing- you have atleast 6 cups of chaa(tea) in 40 mins. Damn bengalis have a little too much chaa paisa(money)
• You go home and if there isn't any moosuri dal, you are pissed- and if there isn't any tomato chutney you are going nuts.
  
• You hate to admit that West Bengal is going down the drain because of-- aah forget it!

Ok there are a lot more, but since I am a Bengali (a hyderabadi one) and my parents fit the definition above, I am going to stop, plus my defining skills are running out

~Shreya

CLUELESS!!!

If there is one thing Americans today are clueless about, it definitely is, hands down, Immigration. We don't know what to do with this issue. At the heart of this debate is illegal immigration. All of us agree that illegal immigration is hurting the nation, both politically and economically, but various approaches to solve this problem has created far worse of a problem- a dead end. We really are Clueless about this.

When I started writing this piece, they were talking about legalizing illegal immigrants, and I don't know about the rest of you, but I definitely was enraged. Immigration hits close to me. I was born in the US, but my parents are immigrants, well they aren't - they would go back if it weren't for me for the moment. But you get the point. They went to the US with the right visa and all that fun stuff. And today if we say that illegal immigrants can be legalized after paying a certain amount of penalty and given the same facilities that legal immigrants are furnished with, then I am sorry to say that DOUBLE STANDARDS rule! Policy making cannot have double standards. I think I can claim that I know a little about visa rules and the insides and outsides of it. Trust me none of us are ever going to see anything as complicated as this ever in our lives.
The number of loopholes doesn't even keep the whole immigration policy transparent.

What's worse is people who do things the right way are the ones who have to pay the price. For example, my dad was denied visa when he wanted to come for my graduation on grounds that he was going to immigrate here sometime soon. This to a person who has come to the US 'n' number of times and has returned. I can guarantee you that my dad has no desire to live in the US- he is better off in India. By an error of destiny I guess, his daughter was graduating from an American University. Other friends who have graduated from here, their parents weren't denied visa to do the exact same thing. The perks of being an American citizen, I say.

On the other hand, parents of 35 year olds who themselves have families and are well-established in the US, are being given visa. Reality check, they have more incentive to stay back because they are atleast 65-70 year olds. Why am I pissed you may ask? Here is what happens. They bring their parents to the US, and somehow or the other put their name in their greencard application, and if and when it is approved, the parents have a greencard and can start working too! Now where is this coming from???!!!! Illegal immigrants are getting the welfare benefits while deserving Americans aren't because apparently they have enough. Who decides who has enough?

America, today, cannot afford to do amnesty work of this sort, especially domestically. We need a tighter economy to sustain the decline. The dollar value is going down the drain, not just against the British Pound Sterling or the Euro, but against other currencies too- the Indian rupee being one of them. We really step up things right now. No one knows what is going to happen in the next few months. Gas prices are soaring through the roof, minimum wages haven't changed. Average working-class Americans are going to have hard time day by day. So at this point of time, if taxes aren't being paid properly and welfare benefits are going to undeserving people- a.k.a. people who are here illegally, have somehow managed a social security number, that surprisingly cannot be traced when IRS is in town.- then I am sure we are looking at far worse of a situation than it already is. Politically, we have to look beyond getting the Hispanic votes, yes votes are important but not at the cost of worthy citizens.

"Where do you draw the line?" Republicans are stalling the immigration bill. Democrats are yelling and shouting. Independents are stepping back and looking. Look beyond. Immigration is not just getting the votes, its a tough call to make right now. Just plain political bickering is not going to help.

~Shreya

The Joy Killer

It was, what I like to call, the Perfect day. Gorgeous 58 F weather, I was listening to James Blunt on my MP3 player and finding my way to work through the trees. It was such a beautiful weather, that I actually turned off my player and was listening to the birds chirp. For those of you who don't know, University of Houston is home to a lot of squirrels, they run around the campus as if their own and actually are cute until they try and attack you (which by the way is rare in occasion). The fountains are beyond awesome on a day like this- the maintenance had cleaned the fountain, people were sitting on the grass by it and reading or taking a little nap. After all the sun wasn't that strong or that light; you lay on the green,freshly mowed grass, put your backpack under your head (since that is their primary purpose ;) ). I actually sat down and started to read my copy of The Virtue of Selfishness (arguably a bad choice of book on a day like this); until I realized that I was running late to work. And just when I was a minute away from work- there she was, my joy killer, this lady who was smoking, corrupted my air- the air I was enjoying. In a second, it was all gone. The sensation that I wanted to last for the entire day was gone in a matter of seconds. This is where I do not know what to say anything anymore. It should have been a sin, but then again she is entitled to smoke anywhere she wants to. But not right in my way...smoke away from me, not at me :-(

~shreya

Oh the PRESSURE!

Results for ICSE came out a couple of days back and it brought back bad memories of my own results. I hadn't done that well as everyone had expected me to do, but now that I look back I wonder why were we even that persistent to make it to the top. I know one way I convince myself is saying that India is a developing country with not too many opportunities like the US and so we have to push our through the assiduous hurdles on our path to the top. I made an 89% in ICSE and I know I was in shock; but in my own defense, I knew I had done well, I just didn't know how I'd failed myself and my family. My parents were definitely disappointed because I hadn't hit the 90% mark, (I was too, no kidding) but what could I have done after that. Anyways, looking back definitely brings back unwanted memories.

And then, I talked with a couple of people from this years' ICSE batch and the same thing repeated. One of them made a really really good grade, but failed to satisfy the parents. This is where I say "Enough". Kids these days have lost all motivation to study for the sake of learning. They study to please their parents. It falls under my definition of "sin". Yes setting standards is definitely good, that's good parenting, its a good motivation for the children too; but if your children have reached it or rather are close to it, be content. Where your children stand compared to others' is not important, what they do in that position is what is important. Someone who is first their entire life can be a complete failure and someone who has been struggling their entire life is probably planting seeds towards making a difference. Yes parents will be parents, but all the time demeaning your kids(their version is motivating) is not worth it- it will only drive them towards self-inducted pain. I am not saying that parents should completely let go of their kids' lives but a little understanding would help. Its bad enough with the pressure education has become, and to add on that pressure from parents. Talking really helps, figuring out where each party is coming from is important. All the shouting, disappointments, frustration leads to nothing but the same list of household disobedience. All of us need to be content and happy with what we have. In the long run, these marks aren't even going to matter- like I said, it will be what we do that is important.

~Shreya

Whims of a blogger

Its been crazy how a lot of us have gotten into the blogospehere (as we call it these days). Some of us do it because we love to write, some of us do it because its the trend. But whatever be the reason, I think all of us do it cause we love to write. And then on days like these, when I come up with wierd titles, it basically means I haven't had the right kind of inspiration to write about something. So how does a writer get that motivation to write about something? I know I am very politically/life oriented when I write. I do not necessarily thing its bad, but sometimes I think I lack creativity; which is when I turn to other blogs I read and I am in awe when I read their innovative stuff? Why do I lack it?
1. I think way too much
2. I try to be better than the others
3. I feel bad when people write things that I could have easily written about
4. I go off on tangents because I have so much to say
5. I can never match up to the skills other writers have!
6. So then, why even try?
Because its fun to sometimes whine I guess
I have never written such a random post in my life.
Ok back to reading
~Shreya

Seriously!

Ok so off-late people have been questioning my Indian-ness! Seriously, get off my back! I have lived in India for thirteen years, so I don't think I am a confused desi- rather I am a CONFIDENT desi- so new definition of ABCD- American Born CONFIDENT Desi- now if you can't deal with the fact that I am more Indian that some of you fobs around here, then stop being jealous and try not to americanize yourself that much. Don't tell me that I am not sure of what Indian culture means and stuff like that. I do not care much for your opinion and I will leave no stone unturned to verbalize the fact that I have taken offence to your comments. So do keep in mind about these things when you are talking with me. Just because I was born here does not mean that I am not sure where I originated from. If you are insecure do not put the onus on me. Find out why you feel that way and rectify it.
Seriously!!! Get off my back and watch your own before something goes wrong!

Shame on us

This has taken a long time for me to complete, partly because I was ashamed to even think about this. The 14th Dalai Lama was at Rice University on May 1st and delivered two speeches. The one that interested me the most, without question, was the one on religious tolerance. It amazed me how forcefully, yet simply, he conveyed the message that there was nothing wrong in accepting people of different religions, including the atheists. We could all live in harmony if only we tried. The urge to learn what other religions are about, and embrace should be our motivation, not to use it against them. Like the Dalai Lama said, the theists all derive their inspiration, their faith from the same source- GOD, while the atheists derive their inspiration from their concept of "GOD". So everyone draws their inspiration from different "sources". So where is the question of hating one another coming from?

The Dalai Lama then continued to tell the Rice Owls that the world should follow the example of India- a Secular Nation- guaranteed by the Constitution also. We are a nation of different religions; rather almost all religions in the world . To be openly glorified as a nation with so much tolerance is no small feat after all. But stop for a moment and think- are we that tolerant after all? The recent insurge of Hindutva and their "insecurity" of the declining Hinduism, has given a different dimension to our country- after "trying" to live in harmony all these years with different religions; especially with Muslims- how on earth are we threatened? We call ourselves a developing country trying to be one of the superpowers by 20whatever, but how are we going to be able to progress if we are this closed minded? We condemn Islamic fundamentalism, but gleefully condone Hindu fundamentalism. Any sane mind would agree with me that this contradiction has no grounds. Any orthodox/fundamentalist religious group is full of cynicism and is wrong. What's even worse these days is young Indian minds support this kind of fundamentalism. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT WHO WERE/ARE!!!! We are a diverse nation; that has nurtured and respected this diversity- we might as well start mandating people to speak only Hindi and no other languages; such is the case.

I hang out with the Baptist Student Ministry a lot- and whenever people hear this, they proceed to ask me the infamous questions; "Baptist!!! Why on earth do you go there? We would have never guessed you were Baptist?!" I am not. I love that bunch of people. No one has ever asked me what religion I am, whether I believe in theism or not, they have always embraced my presence with open arms. I have never had a complain with them. They are the most down to earth people I have ever seen in my life. And this coming from people who could have frowned upon me any day. Because of a couple of fundamentalists, we make the wrong judgement call of STEREOTYPING and GENERALIZING- I am of the opinion that it is sinful to stereotype.

Due to upsurge of religious fundamentalists in India these days, we are a earning a bad reputation; they have better advertising tactics and they definitely win. It is a sad trend, just like friend of mine put it. We should be ashamed of ourselves. How many of us have friends who are from different religions? Just because we are Hindustan, does not mean that we did not have non- Hindus before!

I realize I am spinning in circles with this topic- its because I am really ashamed of where India has reached with religion in the backdrop. It is shameful. Unless we youngsters do something soon- we will have a religious war that will spread doom not only to us but neighboring countries too.


http://webcast.rice.edu/index.php?action=details&event=967
( This is the link to the Dalai Lama's speech, in case some of you want to listen to it)

Shreya

Conversation Specials

Things to look out for during online im's( most of them with friends back home in India)

1. Wassup?
2. Are you at work or college? ( this is to check what the hell I am doing in life)
   
3. So wassup (yes two sentences later)
   
4. Ntn much (a.k.a nothing much)
5. Wow, you do so many things together (yea then I eff them up too)
6. So what are you doing these days (same as usual)
   
7. Why/ How come you are always busy ( now that is just way too much)
8. How come you always have exams (thats how the American educational system makes sure we are on our toes, a.k.a not sleeping for more than 6 hrs a nite at the max)
9. So what else (clear boredom indications)
   
10. When are you coming to India?

If these weren't part of the conversations, then something terribly went wrong...
~Shreya