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(यो लेखको आसय कुनैपनी तरिकाले पंकज जोशीको जय जय गाउनु होइन। न त उनिप्रती सहानुभुती दर्साउनु नै हो। निस्चयपनि उनिले जे गरे  त्यो निन्दनिय थियो। कुनैपनी विवेकसील प्राणिले त्यस्तो गर्नुलाई म पनि भत्सर्ना गर्छु)।  

 

ड्यालसदेखी फोर्त वर्थ सम्मको थियो यात्रा तय गर्नुपर्ने। त्यो कुनै सामान्य एकपटकको यात्रा थिएन । यो दैनिक तय गर्नुपर्ने ४६ माइलको कष्टकर  यात्रा थियो। ट्राफिक सुचारु भए त केही थिएन,तर जाम भएको बेला यो ४५ मिनेटको यात्रा २ घण्टासम्म लाग्नसक्थ्यो । सिमित आयमा आस्रित  ममा यो यात्राले मानसिक र आर्थिक दुबै हिसाबले मर्का पारीरहेको थियो । दैनिक त्यही रुट पार गर्नुपर्ने तथ्यले मलाई यो सडकको कुन कुन  खन्डमा मामा  (प्रहरीदाइहरु) तैनाथ हुन्छन भन्ने थाहा थियो। एक त दैनिक ९२ माइलको यात्राले मेरो खल्तीको घाउ चर्किने क्रम जारी नै थियो, अर्को कदचित ति मामाले मलाई ६० को बादलामा ७० या ७५ गरेको मौका पारेर टिकाट दिँदाखेरीको पिडापनि आफ्नै ठाउँमा थियो। अनी धन्य मेरो  टोयोटा कोरोला अहिलेसम्म बलियै छ। 
साझाका हितैषिहरुलाई क्याप्लनको बारेमा त थाहा नै होला। आफ्नो स्नातक सक्केर, काम नपाएका कारणले मैले क्याप्लन जोइन गरेको थिए। तर  क्याप्लनको एउटा पिडाचाँही क्लास सुरुगरेपछी पाठ्यक्रम अनुसार विद्यार्थिले हप्ताको २२ घण्टा क्याप्लन सेन्टरमा बिताउनुपर्छ। दैनिक काम गरेर  गुजारा चलाऊनु पर्ने मलाई यो त्यती मन परेको थिएन। त्यसैले मैले चिनेको एकजना भाईलाई मलाई पार्ट टाइम सघाउनको लागि बोलाएँ। हाम्रो  सिस्टमसँग त्यती अपरिचित त्यस भाईलाई रेजिस्टरमा अली अली समस्या भईरहेकोथियो। यही कारणले साहुबा चाहन्थे कि मेरो पढाई सक्किने बित्तिकै काम आइहालोस। तर मैले अघिन नै बिन्ती गरिसकेँ जाम भएको खन्डमा मलाई त्यही बाटो २ घण्टा जस्तो लाग्छ। निर्धारित समयभन्दा १ घण्टासम्म पनि काम नपुग्दा मेरा साहुबा साह्रै मुर्मुरेरहेकथिए। अग्सर कहिल्यै नरिसाउने उनी त्यसरी मलाई बचन लगाइ रिसाएको देखेर जिन्दगीमा पहिलो पटक मेरो मन भित्रभित्रै भक्कानियो। २२ घण्टा आवोर पुर्याउ त साहुबाले बसिटिक्न नदिने, नपुर्याउ त अमेरिकि सरकारले बसिखान नदिने  कस्तो समस्या। अर्को दिन निर्धारित समयमानै काम आए, जसै म काम पुगे फोनको घन्टी बज्यो। साहुबा आफुसँगै भएकाले मैले फोन उठाइँन पछी भोइस म्यासेज सुनेको त एकजना एम्बर भन्ने युवतिले मेरो साखपत्रमा लागेको ॠणलाई इंगित गर्दै भन्दै थिए, call me up to see how you could get your interest rate down to 1.8%। भोलिपल्ट मलाई क्याप्लनका अधिकारीले बोलाई गएको हप्ता मैले २२ घण्टा नपुर्याएकाले ममाथी रोष प्रकट गर्दै खबर्दारी गर्दै थिइ। 
 म अमेरिका आएको अबको अगस्ट्ले 7 वर्ष पुग्छ। शायद 7 वर्षको अवधी अमेरिकामा कुनै उल्लेख्निय उपलब्धिको लागि यथेष्ट समय नहोला तर 7 वर्षमा केही न केही त हुनुपर्छ नि? 7 वर्षमा मैले अमेरिका आएर के पाएँ त सिवाय डार,त्रास,ॠण, अनी दु:ख। मलाई अहिले पनि याद छ म +२ सक्किनेबितेकै American Language center,kamaladi मा १५००० तिरेर toefl क्लास पढेको, अनी याद छ १५००० जतिनै तिरेर toefl को जाँच दिएको। कती सपनाहरु सँगलिएका थिए यि आँखाहरुमा जब म २५० डलर तिरेर एक फाइल कागजत बोकी अमेरिकन दुतावासको  अगाडि लामवध्द भएर आफ्नो पालो कुरेर बसेको थिएँ। मेरा बुढा बाले पनि धेरै सपना देखेका थिएहोलान जब उनले स्वतस्फुर्त ढंगले आफ्नो जिन्दगीभरिको कमाइ मेरो खुशी र भविष्यका लागि बन्धकी हालेका थिए। अहोरातको दु:खले 3.7 ल्याएर स्नातक गरेँ तर मैले के पाएँ त।

 तर विडम्बना नै मान्नुपर्छ कोही चाहिँ यो देशमा पौडी खेलेरै आएको भरमा सुखको जिन्दगी बिताउन पाइरहेकाछन। कुनैपनी देशको कानुनभन्दा  सर्वोपरी अरुकुनै चिज होला जस्तो लाग्दैन मलाई—विशेषगरी अमेरिका जस्तो देशमा। तर हालसाल नै केही बोलिदिने अनगिन्ती मुखको भरमा र शक्ती प्रदर्शनीकै भरमा देशको नियम कानुन बग्याउने प्रयास भईरहेको छ। प्रसँग हो एरिजोनाको नयाँ कानुन। सर्सर्ती हेर्दा यदी तिमी यो देशमा कानुनसम्मत हिसाबले आएकाछौ भने कानुनसंगत हिसाबले बस्नपाउछौ तर पौडी खेलेर आएकाछौ भने पौडी खेलेरै फेर्कनुपर्ने हुनसक्छ। तर यहाँ त भावना र दवाबको खेल भईरहेछ। मेरा केही मेक्सिकन साथीहरुले भावनात्मक भएर भने, "एरिजोना, क्यालिफोर्निया,टेक्सस पहिले मेक्सिकोको थियो तेही भएर हामीलाई यो देशमा बस्ने पूर्ण हक छ”। तर भावना र यथार्थ दुई छुटाछुटै चिज हुन। यसरीनै मेक्सिकोका राष्ट्रपतिले पनि आफ्नो अमेरिकि भ्रमणमा भन्न भ्याएछन,“यो नयाँ कानुन मेरा जनताविरुध्द विभेद्पूर्ण भयो”। सम्बोधनकै क्रममा राष्ट्रपती ओबामाले नि भन्न भ्याए,“तर के गर्नु नयाँ कानुन पारीत गर्न मसँग ६० भोट नै छैन”। यसरी यता राष्ट्रपतिहरु सम्बोधनमा व्यस्त थिए भने सोही बेला प्रथम लेडिहरुचाँही डिसि एरियाका   स्कुले छात्राहरु भेट्न गएकारहेछन। सोही मौका छोपी एक छात्राले सोधिछिन,"मेरी आमाको कागजात छैन अब के ओबामाले उनिलाई मेक्सिको पठाउछन हो?”। पक्कैपनी ति वालिकाको त्यो करुणाले श्रीमती ओबामालाई सोच्न वाध्य तुल्यायोहोला। शायद उनिलाई त्यो रात निन्द्रापनी  परेनहोला ।  तर हामी त यो देशमा कानुनसम्मत हिसाबले आएका हौ,वर्षको हजारौ डलर तिर्छौ तर खोइ त हाम्रो सुनिस्चित भविस्यको ग्यारेन्टी यो देशमा। गत साता म मेरा एक साथीसँग कुरा गर्दैथिएँ उनी भन्दै थिए,"विन्नी अब म अष्ट्रेलिया जान्छुहोला, यहाँ बसेर त केही होला ज स्तो छैन यार"। मैले भने, "तर अमेरिका भनेको त अमेरिका नै हो नि"। "के गर्नु अमेरिकाले दु:खबाहेक केहीपनी दिएन",उनिले भनिन। उनको कुराले मलाई भावुक तुल्यायो,यसो बिचार  गरेँ कुरा ठीकै हो। उनिसँग जसै कुरा गर्न भ्याइरहेको थिएँ गणेशदाइले फोन गरे । अमेरिका आएर स्नातक र दुइवटा मास्टर्स डिग्री भ्याइन्जेलपनी काम नपाएकाले यि दाई अली हतोत्साही थिए। प्रथम सन्तानलाभले मख्ख यि दाई भन्दैथिए, "अब अमेरिकामा अरु केही त गर्न सकिएन, एउटा छोरी बनाइयो अब अर्को एउटा छोरो बनाइन्छ"। "आफ्नो जिन्दगी सुखमय नभएनी सन्तानले चाहिँ दु:ख नपाओस", उनी भन्दैथिए। उनको कुराले मलाई सोच्न वाध्य तुल्यायो, "के हाम्रालागी केही गरिदिने, बोलिदिने कोही छैन यो देशमा?"    
झल्यास्स मलाई साझाको होमपेजको याद आयो अनी याद आयो अनगिन्ती संघसंस्थाको नामावली। के का लागि लायक छन त हाम्रा यि संस्थाहरु। ANA को सभा गत धेरै वर्षदेखी भाईरहेको छ, गत वर्ष भयो, यो वर्षपनी हुन्छ, र अर्को वर्ष पनि । तर ति सभामा सहभागी चाहिँ जहिल्यैपनी उही हरियो पत्ता भएका, अफिसमा काम गरेर weekend अफ पाउनेहरु। कहिले होला त यस्ता सभामा विद्यार्थीहरुको उल्लेख्य सहभागीता। यसवर्षको ANA सभाको motto रहेकोछ-" तिन दिनसम्म मोज गरौ सबै कुरा बिर्सिएर"(शायद यस्तै केही)। हद्द भएसम्म दुई-तीन जनाको पाँच-छ वटा दाँत झर्छ होला र दुई-तिन जनाले दुइ-तिन रात चिसो छिडिमा रात बिताउनुपर्ला। तर विद्यार्थीजनले यि सबबाट कसरी फाईदा उठाउने ? के हाम्रा संस्थाहरु अकर्मण्यताका परिसुचक हुन त ? एक विद्यार्थी थला पर्छन अनी खुल्छ एउटा paypal अकाउन्ट र सुरुहुन्छ चन्दा संकलन। कसैको लास नेपाल पुर्याउनपर्‍यो भने कोषको अभावले मरेको लासमाथी सास्ती हुन्छ। के अमेरिकामा रहेका यि सब संस्था मिलेर नेपाली विद्यार्थीको लागि सुलभ तरिकाले स्वास्थ्य बिमा उपलब्ध गराउनसक्ने उपाय र स्रोत छैन? के मेधावी विद्यार्थिलाई राम्रा राम्रा विद्यालयमा scholarship उपलब्ध गराइदिने कुनै संयन्त्र छैन ? यदी बोलेको र शक्तीकै भरमा देशको कानुन परिवर्तन हुनसक्छ भने हामी त यस देशका वुध्दिजिवी वर्गमा गनिन्छौ । हामीले दवाब देखाउन अरु संयन्त्र अपनाउन सक्छौ। फेस्बूकको नाम त सबैले सुन्नुभएको नै होला। फेसबूकमा एउटा पेज "अन्तरराष्ट्रिय विद्यार्थिकालागी नागरिकता" खोल्न सक्छौ र एक-दुइ लाख फ्यान बटुलेर कुनै संघसंस्था मार्फत सम्बन्धित निकायमा यो गुनासो पोख्न सक्छौ। पौडी खेलेर आउनेहरुले नागरिकता पाउछन भने हामीले चैँ किन नपाउने? यदी immigration Reform Law पास भयो भने हामी पनि हाम्रा senators र congressmen लाई चिट्ठी लेखौ र भनौ यो त साह्रै अन्याय भयो पौडी खेलेर आउनेले चैँ नागरिकता पाउने तर हामी जस्ता रात-दिन एक गरेर पढेने र हजारौ खर्च गर्ने चैँ सधैं त्यहिको त्यही। तर हामीलाई यसमा नेपाली संस्थाहरुको हातेमालोको जुरुरत छ । उही पुरानो संस्था होइन तर नयाँ जोश र जाँगरले भरिएको ।                       
लौ त साथी हो केही गरौ नत्र जीवन त लङकट र फाइनकट भन्दै बित्नेभो। बेलामै केही गरौ नत्र कत्ती सपना पलाउन नपाउदै निमोठेलान। के थाहा र कुन दिन कुन चैँ कालेले नशाको सुरमा मलाई टप्काइदेलान र मेरा बुढा बा आमाको अमेरिका घुम्ने सपना पनि पुरा गर्न नसकुँला म ।                                     
                                    सबलाई चेतना भया
                                              

Quality Post! very well thought out and to the point...couldn't agree more to what you have to say.

Nice post. Just like my story. 

अहिले चै जाठो घुडाबाट पसिना छुट्यो के यो पडेर, दामी लेखेको हो यार।

कुरा त ठिकै हो तर केही खुल्केला जस्तो चै लाग्दैन होउ। यो ए एन ए को त झन कुरा नगर, त्यस्का पदाधिकारीहरुत ए एन ए को ३ दिन मा एउटी नेपाली केटी चै तिरेरै भये पनि पड्काउनै पर्ने छ भन्दै हिन्छन, तिन्ले के खुल्क्याउलान र साथी। अब एउटा साचिकै बुद्दीजिबी हरुको संगठन को आवश्यकता छ नेपाली साथीहरुको यो आवाजलाई शाही ठाउमा पुर्याउन।

Bir Krishna,

Like your article. This is the story of the most of the aspiring students from Nepal who breed the same desire of making a good future for oneself in this so called land of opportunties, whatever but then go through some inexplicable scenarios. People are so naive and innocent before coming to this confounded place and then as the different situations start emerging, all those emotions like you said, "dar, rin, traas, dukha, pir" become the norms of the life. If we think back about our lives in Nepal, we find out that we were much fearless, 'debtless' (may be some had debts but not like the cerdit card mess or laon mess that takes forever to end), threatless, here we feel threats one after the other about anything be it immigration law, or be it status threats, or be it work threats, blackmailings, (mostly by jerks called Indians), sorry for Indian devotees people.

Life just becomes the cesspool of screwed up shits! Excuse my language there. But this is exaclty how people feel after going through all the never imagined situations. And to talk about the present so called 'recession' scene, everything looks pretty gloom and dreary. May be another thread can be devoted on that topic one day. As for ANA, it surely has not achieved the purpose to the level you have dared to showcase in this piece.The convention is not to forget and sleep over the tedious hours one meet in some Indian stores or gas stations, but may be it can serve a different platform, I second to some of your ideas. Kudos!

Life is cool, if you have that coveted green card in your sanctuary I guess, Rest of the people, just follow the confounded law in this country and hope the miracle will happen one day for every one of these restless souls. But hey, even the so called green card holders do not net a big fish either. Let us believe there are exceptions everywhere.

My conclusion about this country: Once you are in, you get stuck in the shits around. Neither can you run away, nor can you quit on your own, even if you want to. Screw this mess!

good post !

Nice read...in your whole article you have not written about you returning back to Nepal. Have you not thought about going back to Nepal? Rather than hitting the register in the U.S...your american education will be highly valued in Nepal... give it a thought..

this is an example of  typical nepali mentality looking for rights in foreign country rather than own home country. Get real nobody force you to be here if you fight in nepal outcome might be something positive, it reminds me that dv lottery pidit arguments in nepal LOL

BuBu man.....US is a country forged by blood and sweat of immigrants like you, me and millions of settlers who came from other countries...i don't see why looking for rights in US has to do anything with "nepali mentality"

put your blood and sweat in your own country why be jealous from geographically benefited people? flying, claiming similar rights from 2000 miles who simply don't wanna do anything in their own country is somehow gay. jerk off  minded see them as bubu i don't blame you, all meant was just sparkling eyes.

WTF is this Nepali Mentality thing? Can you please explain? Don't you think by judging others one could say you also have a "Typical Nepali Mentality"? Everyone has their own life and their own stories, so stop demeaning other people's problem.

Brother,
Very good post. I understand your feling since I also went through the same path for 10 years. I graduated in 2001 and sept 11 happened and problem started. After 2003 market started picking up and got a job and finally got my GC. I request  you to prepare what you know the best. if you can take certification on your particular field will help. Keep looking for job and even work for free couple hours a week if you find on  your own field. Mostly look @Dhoti company they may give you job for less pay. The good part is that you don't get more money there but you will be keep going with the life. Request them to file your GC and ask them to keep all money and pay you for living .. like say 50K or something... based on your experience and the location you live it may be up and down...

Find a way brother, you will see a bright horizon soon... Hope for the best. Post your e-mail so that someone will guide you to the best .............

tried putting blood and sweat in Nepal and it did not return any result. Jealous?? ur absolutely ridiculous, it's not about jealousy, it's about having a better life and better opportunity and the pursuit of happyness. in order to help your country you need to help yourself and get in a position to do so. People just do not flee their homeland to settle elsewhere just cause they want to. How far can an average nepali progress living in Nepal vs living elsewhere? you are in no position to judge people and tell them to go back to Nepal. talk is cheap BUBU Man, what have you done for Nepal lately ?

BirKrishna,

As you already have stated that you don’t promote the Pankaj Joshi culture, but in one or the other way you are justifying his deed, and the excuse is really weak compared to the sinful crime he committed. He took an easy way out here, but it should not be forgotten that he crushed the hope of the guy who used to buy lottery for like 8-10 yrs hoping that his sufferings would end, and it was like a lifetime investment for him. Imagine if you were the guy that was supposed to win the lottery, and would you still advocate this?  I don’t think that’s what Nepalese are known for, at least not in my blood.

 

Your story can’t be much different than many students from Nepal here, and so is mine, except the few lucky ones whose parents can afford to pay tuition in dollars.  The root cause is every one comes here with high expectations, and since they have heard that US is land of opportunity, they expect the opportunity to come to their door just like that. Wish it was so simple and life would change just being here. With every person in the world eyeing the life in US, you should be well aware of the level of competitiveness and the talent that you should possess to grab those opportunities.  And few people can think of going back to Nepal, rest have to find some way to stick here, in every means they can think of and that’s where all the difficulties and the complaints arise.

 

Technically the US government cannot be blamed, because we all knew as a student you are allowed to work 20 hrs a week, and while applying for a student visa, you have to have proof that your family income is sufficient for the expenses incurred while you are in F1 visa.  What if they had a rule that as a F1 student you cannot even work?  Even though they have defined the guidelines for every visa types (F1, H1B), immigrants have managed to squeeze around some loopholes and that’s what is leading to the stricter and harsh rules.

 

Let’s for example, if you are travelling the same road every day and there is a stop sign at the intersection, and no matter what is your hurry you have to stop and let’s say, one day you did not stop and got cited. You cannot get an excuse that you used to stop there every other day, but today you did not. So in this case you will think that you were not being rewarded for being a good driver all these days. But wait until the citation is forwarded to your insurance and experience the premium going up.  So I think your hard work is or will be rewarded eventually. Life was not easy for most of us, and it’s not going to be easy so soon, but that doesn’t mean that we should give up or should take an easy way out which leads to few moments of rise and then downfall for rest of your life.

 

 I wonder why people don’t idolize Indra B Tamang, he is a Nepali as well, and a perfect example that hard work and dedication pays off.  May be because lot of us don’t have the patience and the perseverance; we want to be rich and successful in a jiffy. It’s up to an individual for the route to choose, but I am sure I won’t choose the path of stealing and tricking others to be rich, as it would be a disgrace to my hard work and the dedication this far. If my life was only concerned about making money , may be I would have done drug dealing or some other quick ways to make money at an early age and if my parents would have been happy with that, they would have encouraged me to do so, rather than investing that amount of money and time for my education.

 

But I know what you are going through and wish you good luck.   Personally for me, it’s always inspiring to hear some Nepali landing a better job or something creative and it always hurts to hear about a Nepali in a crime page, as it certainly hurts our reputation abroad. 

 

So there is no excuse for a crime, as there is no justification for terrorism.

 

 

what is typical nepali mentality? - justifying unlawful act in the name of suffering. one of many but the dangerous one.
his title purely suggest this although he says he is not (then why would you come up with such title then?)
these people watch too much hindi movies hence the consequence both in mind and action. This plot can gain some support if done in their respective naturalized country but coming 2000 miles away justifying law breaking act can be found in some typical majority nepali minds.

"what have you done for country"? - lets not go round and round this argument. infact nothing but i'm not the complainer telling foreign country how they should run  when merely entered on temp. visa for specific purpose. you tell me the point " pursuit of happiness"  hahaha what a hypocrite are you. you  certainly read american  constitution before you knew ka kha ga. mexicans have swimed will continue to do,so all you can do is bang your head and curse god for giving such proximity advantage while you could have complained to to India why it is not developed like America so that you would have opportunity to swim across ganga just to justify another complain??. That's why I say you are just shitting bullcrap...

Everyone says Pankaj is thief. Anyone has seen the video where the african American gentleman who claims to be the winner bought the ticket? anyone was able to see the ticket on the video camera with the numbers on it? On what basis, he is a thief, cuz he decided to go back home with his money? And why is the black guy winner cuz he claims to be and the Indian store owner thinks so too? I don't get it. I am just trying to be educated on this matter.On what basis you're writing a term paper in sajha calming he is a criminal and blah blah blah.. are you sure he is a criminal and not a victim?so if i claim the Brooklyn bridge is mine and an Indian backs it up, it becomes mine? just curious...do not forget, panjak rightfully claimed the prize, he went to the lottery people and got the money. What makes you think he did not win that lotto? 

here comes another moron with argument that has been used in nepal and most likely he can getaway there.

IF HE IS INNOCENT WHY IS HE HIDING???? 


oh sorry I forgot he is capable of coming up with another excuse "the typical one" hahahaha no point wasting time here. ciao

and here come an arsehole who can't even up come up with a name on sajha.. what u got there ur mom's tities instead of your name. he was a student working in a gas station which is illegal in the usa. maybe thats the reson he was running off. he was accused even with out a trial. also, i don't claim to know well enough about this, that was why i was asking. it was a curiosity , i was not defending him.. son of a viacthhhh

hidiing becos worked illegally  hahaha I told you typical excuse answer coming up thanks dude. What is the max.punishment  working illegally - deportation and he is already in nepal so what he has lost? nothing. When you hide that means trial can not be proceed hence guilty presumption, read laws in any country except nepal where you can getaway with these lame excuses and lame politcs. if he is innocent he can earn huge large sum suing lottery company,city, police etc after acquitted what a nice opportunity!! ok i'm done with, this was old news get over , just beware of newly wanna be pankaj here.
btw you can't spell name either and last time I saw your mumys nipples it was  on/below center. looks like you are fking transvestites these days confuse to figure out boobies or something else LOOOL. never bring parent in middle you stupid ass..!!

 if someone's suffering from typical mentality , then it's you arsehole. go suck on your momma's shaggy tities some more cuz you're obviously not mature enough to think critically, even worse you can't even see someone thinking critically.All i did was i asked for some questions which anyone would ask on a case like this  and you punk tried to shut me up. you matherfawker acting like maoists of Nepal.  there can be several reasons why he left the country like that. all i can say is maybe this or that cuz i don't know, and i never claimed to know either. i'm not claiming him to be innocent either, nor am i saying he's guilty. I was just raising some questions to find out why he is considered guilty and on what basis the black guy is the winner of the lotto. just cuz someone claims to be the winner becomes the winner ? anyone is free to go back to his country. as far as hiding part goes he might be freaked out of all these searches. often poor people after winning million of dollars lose their mind, maybe he got nervous, who knows. Law is often biased and one-sided. if you ever get a change from obsessing about your momma's titties go look up for boxer Ruben Carter on google and read [Disallowed String for - Bad word 'fuk']er how his life was ruined by some mistakes.