Baitu Coffee- An immigrant's musing

I wanted to have some coffee this afternoon at work. For the last few months, I have reduced my caffeine intake to one cup per day or on some days even lesser. I wasn't feeling like having a cup on my own, so I thought I will call my pal next door to have a baitu coffee. Arghh... whoa.. it took a little less than a second to realise I wasn't home! I was found lost yet again...

For those who are wondering, Baitu coffee is basically kannada-ised word for by-two or (1/2) cup coffee. Whether it used to be evenings after playing cricket, or during long walks or bike rides, be it a moment of mutual contemplation or of pure joy, sharing a cup of coffee with a friend was blissful.

As each day passes, I only have started sympathizing first generation immigrants^^. Baitu coffee is only minuscule of what people miss being away from home. I often wonder if it is really worth being away from your dear ones and miss all the little pleasures and happy moments you once had, all of it which can only be a nostalgia. This is especially relavent when the skill-opportunity curve isn't any better here. Immigration from my country is no longer of low skilled workers aka cab drivers or coolis, which used to be decades ago when people had to migrate for better income. Now, these are educated, high-skilled "laborers" who migrate by "choice".

Ya, I know of corruption, and I also know about the increasing traffic in cities. The friends I miss may no longer live around the place. Even I do love travelling and exploring new places and culture, but it is a different issue altogether to settle elsewhere as an alien.

Though I do not advocate Parochialism or even Nationality as that can only breed violence, there is a bond between a place and a person whether you like it or not. As Javed Akhtar puts it beautifully, "Ye woh bandhan hai, jo kabhi toot nahin sakta.."

Come to think of it, the social and cultural life of an immigrant is barren. I am receptive to change, but if you are a teetotaller like me, there is a very bleak chance for new social acquaintances. Yes, there are get-togethers within your own community, but ironically, I see that it is easier to get along with a localite than to mingle with fellow brethren from same country. Town houses, cars, greencards and citizenship should be a topic of your liking if you want to spend an evening with them.

Neither does it make an economic sense to me. After all, how many Laxmi Mittals or Vinod Khoslas do we have. If at all there is a scope for progress and development as a society and a scope for both lateral and vertical career growth as an individual, My dear friends, it has to be in the East. The "wild west" of the past is only a mirage. I can only see around me hoards and hoards of people living on monthly incomes defining and redefining mediocrity, forget if generating wealth was ever an incentive. People seem to find solace under the pretention of being "achievers" while actually losing out on a lot of things.

Every immigrant has to do this introspection at some point of time. I have been seriously thinking over my existence here.

For now though, I will have to mull it over a full cup of coffee.

^^DISCLAIMER: This blog by no means represents my view on the immigrant community as a whole or it's success. Please ignore any such generalization that might come across. This is a personal post to get clarity on my thought process and this commentary looks at only a very narrow group of immigrants when the word "immigrants" is used.

Current Music:

Seene mein jalan aankhon mein tufaan saa kyon hain ?
is shehar mein har shaks pareshaan saa kyon hain ?
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Dil hain to, dhadakne kaa bahaanaa koi dhoondhe
patthar ki tarah beheesa-o-bejaan saa kyon hain ?
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(Lyricist: Shaharyar
Singer: Suresh Wadkar
Album: Gaman, Year: 1979)