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Posted
on 16-Jan-02 04:32 PM
We talked about stereotype questions regarding Nepal from American and other foreign nationals. Was great to see all the feedback. Hoping for more. But when you think of it, its not just them who have those strange images and perhaps weird preconceived notions regarding our country. We also had many false assumptions or impresions or myths about the US and other countries, influenced mainly by what we saw potrayed in the media.
This is a true incident, I swear. Though I sometimes feel that many of my friends think I am lying or exaggerating, courtesy my ( "gopal bahadur ghale" - ish ) image back in school, when i tell them this. Happened on the very first day of my landing in the States. Well, after arriving in JFK, departed with Nepalese planemates, pushkar dai, rupe, raxak, sonam, and I and Niraj bhai headed for Port authority terminal in NYC. Tugging at the heavy baggage, we scrambled to reach the bus boarding section in time. But while trying to comprehend the seemingly inexplorable maze of the bus terminal, we reached the boarding section five minutes late. And yeah, the bus was gone. And had to wait for another bus, which would come after four hours. Do I have to make myself seem stupid by confessing that i wasted another of my precious hundred bucks (7000 rupees, would have been enough for me for a road trip all over Nepal) on another bus ticket from NYC to my college. Only a couple of weeks later did I realize that i could have used the same ticket, and yeah i did use it later. So, i ain that stupid. :0)
Back to my main point. While waiting for the bus, I went outside the terminal upto the streets and bought a pack of cigaratte. Damn. Four dollars for a pack. 280 rupees, I did a quick calculation. There's no way i can afford to continue smoking now, I thought and promised myself i would quit smoking. Never mind the fact that i havent done so till now. After finishing half the cig, I tossed it to the smoking stand. And guess what, as soon as I had done that, a black guy carrying a polythene bag hurried by and picked up the butt and quickly sneaked it into his great collection of great butts. I was stunned. And then it hit me. The US is not all that I had imagined it to be. In US also, there are some people who cant afford to buy their daily necessities. And yeah, some of them even collect cigaratte stubs.
And yeah, I had also thought that the US was mainly all big cities. There are some countrysides, I knew. But never ever in my wildest dreams had I imagind the US to be a desolate, ice clad north country bunghole I have landed myself in. And there are many more stereotype images I had about this country, which have changed now. At least, I hope so.
Not just that, after coming here, I have done things I would have never done back in Nepal. I admit, I have mopped a restroom too. Two weeks after landing a job in the college cafteria, I realized that we had to sweep and mop restrooms too. Hey, isnt that a job for chyaames? I thought. My pride forced me to quit that job as soon as I found another job, a little more decent one as perceived by me. But after coming here, I have realized that job is a job and no job is to be frowned upon. It has many good sides too. I could only make tea and waiwai back in nepal. But now, you name it, I can guarantee that I can make at least fifty percent of those dishes, especially Nepali ones. Folks back home are sure up for one surprise, at least. After coming here, Nepalese students do become much more independent and learn a lot. Although I still think that many of us will crouch back to our couch and pretend they we not know anything or have forgotten it once we go back to their country.
Well, sorry for my incessant and in some places, irrelevant ramblings. To cut it short..
What stereotype images did you have when you initially came here? And how they have changed, if they have.
And, what are the kind of jobs and tasks you have done after coming here, which you would never have done in Nepal?
Overally, how have you changed as an individual? Is it for the better or worse, when and if you ever go back home?
Feedback on any of these topics will be grrrrrrrreaaaat !!
Thanks.
Moderator,
Nepal United States Educational Network,
http://nepal-usa.cjb.net
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