From: Cecil Pinto <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet]Migration: Opportunities for children or wanderlust
Date: Sat, 18 Jun 2005 13:51:58 +0530
In a related vein, are we emphasising too much on the education of our
children? Almost all parents I know in my age group (35-50), whether in
India or abroad, are hell bent on giving their children the best possible
education money (and loans) can buy. Sometimes it is because they
themselves did not have that opportunity. In other cases it is a flock
mentality.
Nasci: This sort of pressure on parents is not that much in the developed
countries; as the children of migrants have a lot of opportunity and scope
to prove themselves and then get into a viable and related job or
profession; unlike in India where it is a Big and Bigger Rat Race! And if
these children fail their parents and in their own goals, then they are not
totally lost; but can survive, doing lesser jobs! besides, in these
countries, manual jobs and unskilled jobs are respected and paid not too
badly. the so called lesser jobs in India, are here paid within a minumum
wage; and this at the moment amounts to A$488/ per 38 hour week (+-) in
Australia for say a job like working at 'Tables in a Restaurant or Bar'.
Those who do more physically demanding jobs and in open areas are earning
even much more; Then there are those with other (non graduate) skills but
worthy technical and trade skills are doing very well! Delvery truck drivers
earn around 60,000 to 70,000/ per year! The long distance trailer truck
drivers make anything between 80,000 to 120,000 dollars per year! At that
level they pay around 47% income tax! That means they are also 'high income
earners' in Aussie society. You do not have to be a Graduate! But you have
to be 'smart'.
Cecil:
My basic argument is that we lay much too much emphasis on over-educating
our children as compared to other aspects of living. Almost all of us are
involved in careers that make little or no use of the education our parents
made possible for us by denying themselves some basic luxuries.
Nasci:
This sort of emphasis shifts, once the parents with children migrate to
developed countries; for reasons that the parents need not necessarily worry
and make sacrifices for their children; only good advice and good guidance
is required; the children's educational aspirations and career is shaped by
the child's/ students own abilities and ambitions, in conjunction with the
numerous opportunities available and made known thru various forums.
Cecil:
Would I go abroad for a better lifestyle? Yes. For a chance to make a lot
of money? Yes. For my own career advancement. Yes? For my children to have
better education opportunities, which may or may not translate into a
successful career? I doubt it.
Cecil
======
Nasci: You don't have to doubt it!
Unlike migrating adults specially persons over 40 years, skilled or not, who
may have trouble getting into work of their familiarity or desire, in a
foreign land; their children specially if studying and skilling in these
foreign lands, should have no problems in working their skills, partly
because and more importantly for the fact that their outlook on work and
society has been shaped and is modern. You see, they will have no 'class or
caste consiousness' not even 'gauncaree and morador'. Shed all these
prejudices and u will be OK. Ofcourse not to be race conscious too! Neither'
inferiority nor superiority'! These good attitudes will help a lot.
When I migrated, I celebrated my 50th b'day here, within the first month; I
knew it was going to be tough; I persevered and even studied for hi tech
skills and managed to get thru, inspite of my age! My old skills and newly
acquired skills made me feel superior and helped me get whatever I wanted. I
never ever felt an 'inferiority complex'; but this feeling has and is
helped, with the fact that my earlier skills were backed up in theory,
practice and experience, in multiple fields!
Cheers,
Nasci Caldeira
Melbourne.
Just have a go at any of the Australian Universities, and see the choice
for yourself. And mind you, you do not need a grand distinction to gain
entry, and mind you, these are very good centers of learning, far better
than what is on offer in Goa.
click here for more details:
http://www.unimelb.edu.au/
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/
http://www.rmit.edu.au/
http://www.swin.edu.au/
http://www.monash.edu.au/
http://www.deakin.edu.au/
Now these are only a few universities in a small place like Melbourne. Go
through the sites and see what is there on offer. Besides university
degrees, there are also options of courses like TAFE etc., and like I said
earlier, our children do have a better advantage as far as choice of
careers go. If we were in Goa, we only had Goa University, and I do not
have to say more. By the way, Goa is also bigger than Melbourne. So the
question of choice is far bigger than you can imagine.
I do not want to let our beloved Goa down, but sometimes we do need to make
hard decisions for the sake of our loved ones. We were doing well in Goa,
and were very comfortable, but had to leave it all behind for the sake of
our children. Mind you, it did hurt a lot making that decision, but we
just had to do it, and today we know we did not make a mistake.
I agree that education here is very costly as compared to Goa, but there
are Government subsidies to enable the young ones to afford whatever they
need by way of education, and payback is slow on low interest terms, mainly
deducted off your income, based on your income earned, when you earn it.
In Goa, we have to rely on the banks, and I need not go into those details
now.
Incidentally, there are scores of Indian students including Goans ones
studying independantly in Universities over here. Many opt to stay on
after completion of their courses, but still many do opt to return to
India, and I am not surprised with their decision in that regard. If my
children decide to return to India, they will have my support too, in that
decision.
Your friend may have had different reasons for his migration, but then we
all have our own very reasons too. For some it may be wanderlust, but not
for all.
By the way, I still love my Goa, and care a lot about what is going on
there. Nothing can change or diminish the Goa that is in my heart.
