[Goanet] : Goans abroad: From dreams to nightmares -
--- http://www.GOANET.org --- Goanet joins Noel Rebello to raise money for Daddy's Home (Margao, Goa) Sponsor Noel as he climbs Mt. Kilimanjaro (5,882m or 19,298 ft) Make a donation at www.Goanet.org, click on MAKE A DONATION, state Daddy's Home in the Donation comments For more information see: http://bit.ly/SupportDaddysHome --- Maybe Mitra the writer of this article is right. We Goans should look at ourselves in retrospect and see our failures of post 61 era and correct these shortcomings especially in the field of education. If we have a criminal in front of education what is the future of our children! Lies have been churned out for 48 years that post 61 is better than pre 61. Figures are posted in mass media in this regard. Is it really the truth? Maybe Mitra has given us an answer! BC
[Goanet] Goans abroad: From dreams to nightmares
I am appalled absolutely appalled at this article which appeared on Asian Age. http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/ I don't know why these writers write with such a bias against Goans. For instance this paragraph: There are thousands of Goans like Tony, who live and work abroad, often illegally and more often than not they possess a Portuguese passport. How did the writer, Priyak Mithra, find out that there are thousands of Goans working illegally more often than not with a Portuguese passport. If she/he had done even an elementary bit of homework, she would known that those with a Portuguese passport are Portuguese nationals and as such they are allowed to work perfectly legally in EU countries, as is their right. There is absolutely no connection between illegality and Portuguese passport. There are a small number of Goans who jump ship and work illegally in the US. This number too is dwindling because as these sailors have found out, their ships black-list them and once they return from the US they are virtually jobless, which means an early retirement. She then goes on to quote someone saying Most Goans are not well-educated and lack conversation skills, so once they go abroad, many are left with no option but to take low paid menial jobs at construction sites, oil rigs or in kitchens Oh really, most Goans are not well-educated? I must be dreaming then when I come across perfectly educated Goans who work as doctors, accountants, salesmen, managers, nurses and teachers, abroad. I'm surprised Priyak, didn't tell us that Goans are all ayahs, butlers and cooks. The article ends with this: The accounts of Goans roughing it out are endless. From Savio, who was a steak chef in a Kuwait hotel when Saddam Hussain attacked to Justin, who left for Portugal 30 years back and is one of the top lawyers in that country today. Like Justin, some stories have happy endings while others end in a lot of sweat and heartbreak, but Goans continue to apply for Portuguese passports. Oh really?? I'm sure the writer has heard of endless accounts of Goans roughing it out during her interviewing phase. Unfortunately, the writer doesn't seem to have met any Goans who also lead decent, middle-class lives abroad and the writer certainly hasn't met any Goans who've made it to the top, abroad. But the clincher comes when he/she finishes with but Goans continue to apply for Portuguese passports. As if this is a cautionary tale. Apply for a Portuguese passport and live a life of hell. I wonder if 50 years of liberation and being part of the Indian Union has allowed Goans to lead a life of absolute bliss in India? Best, selma
Re: [Goanet] Goans abroad: From dreams to nightmares
Dear Selma, You have made some good points. Personally, I have come to accept that most non-Goan writers will write about Goa and Goans with minimal amount of knowledge and research. They then speak to one or two Goans and add it to their pre-conceived idea of Goa and Goans. I am not sure why Mitra chose to pick on the small number of Goans who work in the restaurants in the US. Has she been to the US and visited the Indian restaurants in the US? Even though the Asian Age article makes no mention of the EU, you are quite right to make that point. One thing which I found interesting about Portuguese nationality is what I read in the Mitra article i.e. Since the state was governed by the Portuguese till 1961, any Goan whose parents were married in Goa before 1961 can apply for a Portuguese passport. I'd add that such half-baked articles will continue to appear in Indian newspapers. What else can one expect from those who publish without knowing or researching adequately? Here is something you might enjoy from another 'Goa-expert' What sets the 102 km coastline of Goa apart from other beach paradises is the laid-back, don't-care-be-happy of the punch-drunk Goans, who when they are not snoring off sarpotel lunches, are ready to break into song and dance at any hour of the day. http://www.rediff.com/travel/1996/goa.htm good wishes jc lett...@asianage.com On 13 September 2010 02:42, Carvalho elisabeth_...@yahoo.com wrote: I am appalled absolutely appalled at this article which appeared on Asian Age. I don't know why these writers write with such a bias against Goans. For instance this paragraph: There are thousands of Goans like Tony, who live and work abroad, often illegally and more often than not they possess a Portuguese passport. How did the writer, Priyak Mithra, find out that there are thousands of Goans working illegally more often than not with a Portuguese passport. If she/he had done even an elementary bit of homework, she would known that those with a Portuguese passport are Portuguese nationals and as such they are allowed to work perfectly legally in EU countries, as is their right. There is absolutely no connection between illegality and Portuguese passport. There are a small number of Goans who jump ship and work illegally in the US. This number too is dwindling because as these sailors have found out, their ships black-list them and once they return from the US they are virtually jobless, which means an early retirement. She then goes on to quote someone saying Most Goans are not well-educated and lack conversation skills, so once they go abroad, many are left with no option but to take low paid menial jobs at construction sites, oil rigs or in kitchens Oh really, most Goans are not well-educated?
Re: [Goanet] Goans abroad, from dreams to nightmares
Almost every Goan I knew in my years in the USA, did well for himself and his family. As immigrants, we worked hard and despite being foreigners and having to compete with the locals, worked our way up the ladder and our children did well in school and did well in their careers. I am sure there are exceptions to the rule. I remember meeting a Goan waiter at at Indian restaurant in Maryland, USA. He told me that he worked long hours, slept in shifts with others in a dingy apartment room. From his story, even though he did not reveal this to me, I guessed that he must have been an illegal immigrant. He even showed me his Identity card as a Panch from Bambolim. I left the Maryland area soon after our encounter, or else I would have checked on him. I believe that Indian restaurants in the USA take advantage and exploit such illegals paying them under the table below legal hourly rates. This is another twist to the sweat shops of yore. Very sad. Some youth work on Cruise ships as cabin boys, others work as chefs and food and beverage workers or bartenders. I am sure that those with the appropriate training as chefs, and other catering trades must do quite well. But cabin boys who are at the low end, work at back breaking jobs with barely any time off or rest. If one is injured or gets sick, they are fired promptly. Some hide their injury out of fear and continue to work. I met one such youngster on a cruise, and all he dreamt of doing was jumping ship in the USA and remaining there. I felt sorry for him. Seeing people returning to Goa from abroad, flaunting their wealth, it is no wonder that every Goan youth dreams about going abroad. I have counselled many who have come to me for advice. Some had only a 7th or 8th Standard education. Their only question to me was, what is the air fare to get there. Their expectation probably was that somehow there are riches out there for the plucking. I have encouraged those with the education or skills to get ahead and had to discourage those dreamers who had nothing to offer. India has progressed a great deal over the last decade. I feel certain that our youngsters have a lot more opportunities here in India than our parents did in the old days. To emigrate or not ? It depends on what you have to offer to a prospective employer. With the Industrialized West currently in such an economic comundrum, I would think deeply before taking the plunge.
Re: [Goanet] Goans abroad, from dreams to nightmares
Vivian: Seeing people returning? to Goa from abroad, flaunting their wealth, it is no wonder that every Goan youth dreams about going abroad.??I have counselled many who have come to me for advice.? Some had only a 7th or 8th Standard education.? Hi Viv, These guys ought to read Dick Whitington if the poor guys can read at all. Sounds cynical, no? The sooner these guys wake up to reality and either improve their education or get a job in Goa itself, else with the Goan scenario being what it is they will be lured to the next most lucrative things: drug peddling, or crime or touting or gambling. These guys need counseling and help. -- Tony de Sa. tonydesa at gmail dot com M : +91 9975 162 897 Ph. : +91 832 2470 148 ^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v
Re: [Goanet] Goans abroad: From dreams to nightmares
If I may add ... Mithra talks about people who go abroad to make money, as if US and EU are other Gulfie places which they are not - doesn't talk much about people who have actually migrated to the US, EU, AUS and CAN to give themselves and their progeny a new, different, start in life. . - Original Message From: J. Colaco jc cola...@gmail.com To: Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994! goanet@lists.goanet.org Sent: Mon, 13 September, 2010 10:15:32 PM Subject: Re: [Goanet] Goans abroad: From dreams to nightmares Dear Selma, You have made some good points. Personally, I have come to accept that most non-Goan writers will write about Goa and Goans with minimal amount of knowledge and research. They then speak to one or two Goans and add it to their pre-conceived idea of Goa and Goans.
Re: [Goanet] Goans abroad, from dreams to nightmares
That is true of any Indian arrival in Melbourne. I have met a Sikh taxi-driver who worked during the night whilst studying during the day, others who were half-asleep during TAFE (Technical and Further Education) classes as they worked night-shifts in their uncle's restaurant, etc. In the case of the Sikh taxi-driver, he told me that he was in Melbourne to make money - I couldn't but feel pity for him, as he was probably unaware that this was not a place for such ventures ... - Original Message From: Vivian A. DSouza socorro...@yahoo.com To: goanet@lists.goanet.org Sent: Tue, 14 September, 2010 12:28:11 AM Subject: Re: [Goanet] Goans abroad, from dreams to nightmares I remember meeting a Goan waiter at at Indian restaurant in Maryland, USA. He told me that he worked long hours, slept in shifts with others in a dingy apartment room.
[Goanet] Goans abroad: From dreams to nightmares
--- http://www.GOANET.org --- Goanet mourns the passing of Cornel da Costa in London, England - Sep 10/10 --- With dreams of making pots of money Tony Fernandes left Goa four years back to seek his fortunes abroad. He left behind two ageing parents, his wife and two children aged 10 and eight. Today his children are 14 and 12 and he hasn’t seen them since taking the train to Mumbai from where he flew to the Gulf. At present, Tony is an illegal alien in the United States. He works in the kitchen of a hotel in Detroit and the only time he ventures out is to buy a calling card for his phone. There are thousands of Goans like Tony, who live and work abroad, often illegally and more often than not they possess a Portuguese passport. For many Goans, a Portuguese passport is their ticket to freedom, or so they think till their dreams turn to dust. Since the state was governed by the Portuguese till 1961, any Goan whose parents were married in Goa before 1961 can apply for a Portuguese passport. “They think that with a Portuguese passport it will be easier for them to earn money. The only thing that it is good for is to migrate abroad. But once there, you are on your own. Most Goans are not well-educated and lack conversation skills, so once they go abroad, many are left with no option but to take low paid menial jobs at construction sites, oil rigs or in kitchens,” said Laurenco Mendonca. Mendonca’s father is past 80 and for 30 long years he had worked in Saudi Arabia. “In those days, it was not so bad. Most Catholics who were land owners were well-educated and fluent in English and Portuguese. So my father had a middle-level job in a company and made much more money than what one could have earned in Goa or in India at that time,” adds Mendonca. The current situation, however, has drastically changed. Most Goans who want to go abroad for work or to migrate are not fit for managerial posts. Joe Manuel had lived in an oil rig off the coast of America for the last seven years. Recently he could not take the life any longer and gave himself up to the nearest Indian embassy which deported him back. “There were around 15 Goans on the off shore rig and all of us were illegal aliens. The company did not mind as they paid us below-minimum wages with no leaves. It’s not that the people who go abroad to work are not aware of the conditions, there is no fraud involved by any placement agency. We all knew what we were in for, but the money was very good.” Joe has come back with roughly Rs 24 lakh that he saved after periodically sending money back home. He has bought a small flat and started a provision store with the leftover money. “At least I am settled and my children won’t grow up in poverty,” he says adding, “But after going through the ordeal, I think that being a beggar here in your own country is much, much better than earning a lakh a month abroad.” Unfortunately only veterans agree with Joe. For those Goans who have no chance of earning more than a couple of thousand bucks a month thanks to their lack of qualifications, going abroad is still a good option. Thus Nelson D’Souza left his wife and two pre-teen girls at their small Baga home last month and left for Miami. He has got a five-year job contract in a hotel kitchen and when he comes back, he knows he will have at least Rs 20 lakh saved up; enough to set him up for life. “I don’t mind him going for such a long duration. I teach in a kindergarten and my day goes looking after my daughters. If things get difficult while he is away, I can always go to my parents’ place,” says Anna, Nelson’s wife. The accounts of Goans roughing it out are endless. From Savio, who was a steak chef in a Kuwait hotel when Saddam Hussain attacked to Justin, who left for Portugal 30 years back and is one of the top lawyers in that country today. Like Justin, some stories have happy endings while others end in a lot of sweat and heartbreak, but Goans continue to apply for Portuguese passports. In 2008, 312 Goans got Portuguese passports, in 2009, 432 and this year, already 433 Goans have got their ticket to a better life, or so they think.
