Land of opportunities: Myth or reality?


DAMAKANT JAYSHI

- They leave their homes in the hope of making it big, financially at least, in the Land of Opportunities but soon the reality bites them and then sets in the disillusionment.
This is especially true of those who go to the United States under Diversity Visa (DV) programme. Getting selected under DV in itself is a matter of luck and people who get selected are elated and look forward to visiting their destination in US with dreamy eyes.


But the initial euphoria dies down as soon as they reach their destination. First thing they realise is that they will have to look for a job. Yes, some Nepalese erroneously believe that DV guarantees a job. Of course, not everyone nurses this wrong belief. But I met a couple of Nepali DV winners in New York during my stay there recently who were still reeling under the weight of this realisation that DV package does not include job.


There are others who knew they won?t get job once they step out of the airport. But they are also disillusioned. The reason is that they were fed with wrong information about the way of life in the ?Dreamland? while they were in Nepal.


Many Nepalis who work in restaurants (one of the most common jobs for them) told me that they had been taken in by stories of ?unusual success? of the Nepalis who return to Nepal occasionally.


The accounts of their life and work these temporary returnees tell are not entirely true. They are either ?floor managers? or ?chef? in a restaurant or ?managerial assistant? (if its a store) and so on. The wages earned are hourly which is true and since Nepalis are very hardworking, some of them make $ 10 an hour, making anything between 100-120 USD. Impressive earnings by any account.


Had they not been a little economical with truth while describing their exact nature of their job, some newcomers told me, those going there would know what to expect.


The good thing is sooner or later everyone finds some kind of job, irrespective of their immigration status. As long as no crime is committed, they are safe. New York City Mayor Michael R Bloomberg recently signed a law that bars police officers from asking the immigrant status of anyone they arrest or hold for interrogation. ?Don?t ask, don?t give? is the instruction about immigration status.


Also, no work is looked down upon as is the case here in Nepal. So waiting in restaurants or distributing letters or parcels of a courier company or driving a cab is not considered a ?low? as in home.


Moreover, like their brethren in India, Nepalis in the United States do not have to face discrimination of their employer (barring a few exceptional cases) or police harassment.


So the label of Land of Opportunities holds true.


But so far as fairy-tale lives that were conceived before leaving their homes are concerned, it is non-existent.


Earning a livelihood anywhere is not an easy task, especially if one is not skilled. This is not to imply that skilled ones have a hunky-dory lifestyle.


It is back-breaking job all the way, with hardly any relaxation. This is what those filling out the DV forms (from this year through Internet) should keep in mind.


Besides the disillusioned newcomers, there are some others who are not living that happy a life. The reason is their spouse is back in Nepal. And I am not speaking about illegal immigrants. These are Nepalis who have valid work permit.


But after the September 11 terrorist strikes in the United States, going back into the country despite the work permit has become risky.


Anand Bista, President of the Nepalese Democratic Youth Council in USA says Nepalese want to visit their families but are unable to do so for fear of not being able to resume their life and work in US.


Most work in the United States but have their wife back in Nepal. Some of them want the US government through their embassies to grant visa to their spouses. Not everyone wants that though.


But those who do want a little generosity and kindness on the part of the US officials that would go a long way in making their lives happier.


Perhaps the US Embassy in Kathmandu could give it a thought.