:::Tongue and cheek on migration & working abroad:::
Susegad style Bar & Restaurant at Manora-Raia, Margao - Goa.
Ch. V : Before you kick the buck'et
"If you have a receiver and decoder from one of the Direct TV operators in India, you can view all Indian channels by paying in INR. Petrol is cheaper than water. Petrol at 60 fils per litre is cheaper than water at 100 fils. Probably explains the next point."
I halted to have another look at the 'fry' while everyone waited with baited breath.
"What's the next point?"asked Roque impatiently.
"Cars running with the AC on to cool them when they are still in parking. It gets unbearably hot with temperatures shooting over 50 degrees and therefore this is done to cool the car before the owner gets on during the scorching summer months."
"Anything else unique?" asked Mr. Medeira, "Or more funny.. ha ha?"
"Funny?" asked Anthony while I answered, "Not just funny.. sometimes, it is embarassing to go watch a Hindi movie in cinemas, specially of Shahrukh, Aishwarya or Salman.. You hardly find any Indians there, most audiences are Kuwaitis, and they laugh louder than you.. Other strange things.. hmm let me think... hm.. seeing a car overturned on a platform minutes after having walked past that spot.. accidents are a common phenomenon and you see at least one every day.. On another note, I won't be offending if I speak the truth .. .. but I have never seen a clear blue sky in Kuwait.. and the air.. it's so dusty all the year.. Gulf Air, have you heard of that?"
Nobody wanted to know.
"Baghdad and Iran are always in the news ..threatening everyone on heaven and earth. Any danger to Kuwait?" questioned Arvind.
"Thanks to the gulf war, most people are aware of the Middle-East. Kuwait is sandwiched between the Indian ocean on one side, and Iraq and Saudi Arabia on the other. It's strange how this country came into existence."
"How?" Little Lawrence showed some interest.
"Kuwait's ruling family is Al-Sabah," Anthony was quick with the answer, "they landed on this small stretch of land and claimed it as their own in the 16th century. They were surrounded by much larger neighbors in Saudi and Iraq, yet no one thought of annexing it."
I halted to have another look at the 'fry' while everyone waited with baited breath.
"What's the next point?"asked Roque impatiently.
"Cars running with the AC on to cool them when they are still in parking. It gets unbearably hot with temperatures shooting over 50 degrees and therefore this is done to cool the car before the owner gets on during the scorching summer months."
"Anything else unique?" asked Mr. Medeira, "Or more funny.. ha ha?"
"Funny?" asked Anthony while I answered, "Not just funny.. sometimes, it is embarassing to go watch a Hindi movie in cinemas, specially of Shahrukh, Aishwarya or Salman.. You hardly find any Indians there, most audiences are Kuwaitis, and they laugh louder than you.. Other strange things.. hmm let me think... hm.. seeing a car overturned on a platform minutes after having walked past that spot.. accidents are a common phenomenon and you see at least one every day.. On another note, I won't be offending if I speak the truth .. .. but I have never seen a clear blue sky in Kuwait.. and the air.. it's so dusty all the year.. Gulf Air, have you heard of that?"
Nobody wanted to know.
"Baghdad and Iran are always in the news ..threatening everyone on heaven and earth. Any danger to Kuwait?" questioned Arvind.
"Thanks to the gulf war, most people are aware of the Middle-East. Kuwait is sandwiched between the Indian ocean on one side, and Iraq and Saudi Arabia on the other. It's strange how this country came into existence."
"How?" Little Lawrence showed some interest.
"Kuwait's ruling family is Al-Sabah," Anthony was quick with the answer, "they landed on this small stretch of land and claimed it as their own in the 16th century. They were surrounded by much larger neighbors in Saudi and Iraq, yet no one thought of annexing it."
"The British who have a knack of exploiting everything on earth ruled them till 1961," I completed. "After independence Kuwait changed their currency from Indian rupee to the Kuwaiti dinar."
"What about the Kuwaitis?" asked Christopher.
"What about them!" Mr. Medeira was much inquisitive.
"Kuwait has the 5th largest oil reserves after Saudi, Canada, Iran and Iraq." I said, " Kuwait has a total population of 3 million people, of which 2 million are expatriates. Of the 2 million, a lot of them are Indians and among Indians a lot of them are 'mal'lus' - Keralites. They say that you shouldn't be in the gulf if you don't speak Arabic or Malayalam. I don't speak both and a logical derivation is that I shouldn't be there. But I am there!"
Alipio stretched his arms, Chris cracked his neck while Oster yawned like a lazy cat.
"What about you, patrao?" I asked the owner Mr. Medeira, "You never thought of chasing the green, or settling abroad..?"
"Me?.. I have traveled all over India, ...my 'loving' India.. No.. not to Europe or the West but I've been to Singapore, the Petronas Towers, Malaysia; and the 124th floor observation deck of Burj Khalifa in the 'United States of Emirates' - the U.A.E .. ..But.. what I love doing on my off days is 'picnicking' to the 'incognito' virgin spots of my 'grande' Goa.."
The barman paused for a moment looking at the distant hills.
"Well, Goa is gentle, 'xitoll',..and I am in love with its idiosyncrasies.. I'll tell you what," he continued, "the real beauty of Goa is in it's interiors..., the best way to explore it is to hire a motorbike and set off... The 'bumpy' roads bordered by swaying grass, friendly locals and the hole-in-the-wall taverns.. You can choose your Goa. It will delight you, charm you, keep you entertained for life.. what else you want, ixtta?.. Ummm..there's so much more still .. Well, there is just one thing at the back of my mind though, ..always.."
"What would that be.." a bunch of us pounced with our doubt.
"With the entire world trying to come and settle down in our beautiful little, majestic Goa, am gonna save money and set up an agency for the Portuguese and foreigners' immigration to 'amchem' Goa.. I am sure its gonna be a lucrative business, and good for us too.. The chosen ones can spend some 'susegad', heavenly moments and treasure it for life..."
"Not a bad idea.. .." I blabbled.
"Not bad?.. The idea is as lethargic and lackadaisical and 'susegad' as...." someone in the row wanted to speak.
"Hey.. wait a minute," cut the barman. "Susegad doesn't mean laid back or lazy.. it simply means contentment, relaxation and in control of yourself. After all, this is what any 'art of good living' teaches you, isn't it?.. Relax, take your time, enjoy life, be happy. That's the meaning of Susegad.. That's our Goa....the best place on earth.."
There was silence. A couple of us toyed with the glasses, in deep thought; the others hardly moved. Celebrated Goan singer Remo Fernandes sang his popular dulpod over the stereo somewhere in the surround.
"Ya, ya maya ya, ya ya maya ya...!" sang the barman along with Remo, leisurely walking across the bar, "Catch the next wave, folks,..catch the next wave!.. or else jump in a lake.. No matter how well the world is interlinked, my feeling is that.. it could be too late later.. .. Anyway, não se pre-ocupar.. ..for sure the agency will prefer Goans wishing to migrate back...!"
"What about the Kuwaitis?" asked Christopher.
"What about them!" Mr. Medeira was much inquisitive.
"Kuwait has the 5th largest oil reserves after Saudi, Canada, Iran and Iraq." I said, " Kuwait has a total population of 3 million people, of which 2 million are expatriates. Of the 2 million, a lot of them are Indians and among Indians a lot of them are 'mal'lus' - Keralites. They say that you shouldn't be in the gulf if you don't speak Arabic or Malayalam. I don't speak both and a logical derivation is that I shouldn't be there. But I am there!"
Alipio stretched his arms, Chris cracked his neck while Oster yawned like a lazy cat.
"What about you, patrao?" I asked the owner Mr. Medeira, "You never thought of chasing the green, or settling abroad..?"
"Me?.. I have traveled all over India, ...my 'loving' India.. No.. not to Europe or the West but I've been to Singapore, the Petronas Towers, Malaysia; and the 124th floor observation deck of Burj Khalifa in the 'United States of Emirates' - the U.A.E .. ..But.. what I love doing on my off days is 'picnicking' to the 'incognito' virgin spots of my 'grande' Goa.."
The barman paused for a moment looking at the distant hills.
"Well, Goa is gentle, 'xitoll',..and I am in love with its idiosyncrasies.. I'll tell you what," he continued, "the real beauty of Goa is in it's interiors..., the best way to explore it is to hire a motorbike and set off... The 'bumpy' roads bordered by swaying grass, friendly locals and the hole-in-the-wall taverns.. You can choose your Goa. It will delight you, charm you, keep you entertained for life.. what else you want, ixtta?.. Ummm..there's so much more still .. Well, there is just one thing at the back of my mind though, ..always.."
"What would that be.." a bunch of us pounced with our doubt.
"With the entire world trying to come and settle down in our beautiful little, majestic Goa, am gonna save money and set up an agency for the Portuguese and foreigners' immigration to 'amchem' Goa.. I am sure its gonna be a lucrative business, and good for us too.. The chosen ones can spend some 'susegad', heavenly moments and treasure it for life..."
"Not a bad idea.. .." I blabbled.
"Not bad?.. The idea is as lethargic and lackadaisical and 'susegad' as...." someone in the row wanted to speak.
"Hey.. wait a minute," cut the barman. "Susegad doesn't mean laid back or lazy.. it simply means contentment, relaxation and in control of yourself. After all, this is what any 'art of good living' teaches you, isn't it?.. Relax, take your time, enjoy life, be happy. That's the meaning of Susegad.. That's our Goa....the best place on earth.."
There was silence. A couple of us toyed with the glasses, in deep thought; the others hardly moved. Celebrated Goan singer Remo Fernandes sang his popular dulpod over the stereo somewhere in the surround.
"Ya, ya maya ya, ya ya maya ya...!" sang the barman along with Remo, leisurely walking across the bar, "Catch the next wave, folks,..catch the next wave!.. or else jump in a lake.. No matter how well the world is interlinked, my feeling is that.. it could be too late later.. .. Anyway, não se pre-ocupar.. ..for sure the agency will prefer Goans wishing to migrate back...!"
:::The End:::
DISCLAIMER:
:::All stories are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist, except in the mind of the author. Any similarities to names in the story are purely fictitious:::
:::DEDICATION:::
The story is dedicated to the 'Class of 90s' champions of Fr. Agnel Engg College, Verna - Goa. Some of these great 'champions' (mostly teetotalers) scattered around the world are ever so active and in touch, with inspiring debates, shared ideas and sage counsel.
The story is dedicated to the 'Class of 90s' champions of Fr. Agnel Engg College, Verna - Goa. Some of these great 'champions' (mostly teetotalers) scattered around the world are ever so active and in touch, with inspiring debates, shared ideas and sage counsel.
The champions normally meet once every year in Goa. The next 'convention' is supposedly proposed in December next at Manora-Raia's exotic 'Susegad' Restaurant owned by Mr. Agnelo Medeira (brother-in-law of the writer).
The characters most dear are:
Name | Hometown | Working | |
Anthony D'Souza | Betim | Kuwait | |
Arvind Menezes | Loutolim / Porvorim | Angola (Africa) | |
Blaise Britto | Loutolim | Goa | |
Christopher Rodrigues | Shiroda | U.A.E | |
Damodar Kale | Vasco | Goa | |
Datta Prasad Naik | Panjim | Panjim | |
Gasper Crasto | Navelim | Kuwait | |
Glen Rebello | Porvorim | Goa | |
Ishwar Prabhudesai | Navelim | Goa | ishwar.prabhudesai@betts-india.com |
Jickson Rodrigues | Vasco | rjickson@yahoo.com | |
Jose Alipio Noronha | Ucassaim | Australia | |
Joseph R.L. Vaz | Navelim | Goa | |
Kevin Alvares | Aldona | Mumbai | |
Lawrence Viegas | Sadashivgad | U.A.E | viegaslawrence@yahoo.com |
Levinson J. Martins (GCS) | Assolna | Dy Collector & Sub Div Magisterate - Vasco Da Gama | levinsonjmartins@rediffmail.com |
Manoj Kakode | Cuncolim | Goa | |
Marcos D'Cruz | Pirna, Revora | U.A.E | |
Mohandas Phadte | Bardez | Goa | |
Oster Carvalho | Porvorim | U.A.E | |
Ramsey Antao | Margao | Oman, Muscat | |
Rock Fernandes | Siolim | Goa | |
Roque Martins | Porvorim | Brazil | |
Rui Colaco | Assolna | Mumbai | |
Sandeep Kamat | Panjim | Goa | |
Sanjiv D'Costa | Margao | U.A.E | |
Sidharth Karapurkar | Margao | Goa | |
Sushant Bhandari | Margao | Goa | |
Vinayak Sankoli | Ponda | Goa |
Goan 'pilots' at a 'stand' in Mapusa
