A couple of weeks ago, I had a chance to go out with some friends and colleagues and got to meet some people for the first time. The group was multicultural and there were quite a few Indians in it as well. There was one thing that I noticed during that meeting, something that I have been thinking about for a while now.
To write about it let me introduce 4 fictional character names whom I will use on this blog.
Andrew and Kate are an Aussie couple Ashish and Pooja are an Indian couple.
Now to the topic.
Andrew : Hey guys, meet Kate, my wife!
a while later,
Ashish : Hey guys, meet my wife, Pooja.
Both these introductions are very similar in the sense that they have the name of the person and also the relationship that you have with them, but the two statements are strikingly different in the order in which the 2 pieces of information are mentioned.
Ashish seems to have lay emphasis on the "wife" bit while Andrew seems to have lay emphasis on Kates name. To put it simply, I like the the way Andrew introduced kate, better than I liked the way Ashish introduced Pooja. Andrews introduction seems to give importance to Kate as an individual, ahead of the relationship that he shares with her.
For me it is something positive learnt and I will endeavour to introduce my partner, when I have one, by her name!
The equation changes when the person being introduced is not a peer or a sibling or a partner. For eg. parents, teachers and elders. In this case I will stick to providing the name last for it just seems to make more sense that way, and brings about a sense of respect.
Another thing I have noticed in Aussies is that they never refer to their partner as 'partner', 'girl friend', 'wife' etc. They always use their partners name. Another thing that I have grown to appreciate.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Chak De India!
Friday evening and no plans in mind. My friend calls and asks "Chak De India dekhne chalen kya?". I replied "Arey chal dekhte hain, kuch aur plan tha bhi nahin".
I am glad I watched the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and having been part of sports teams for my school, I could relate to a lot of stuff that was depicted in the movie. The movie had no melodrama, no unnecessary songs, nothing too dramatic and no love story / comedy running in parallel. It was focussed on the subject at hand and that was - Hockey. To me, this movie is proof of Bollywood maturing and coming up with good movies and not mere box office trash!!!!!
Without providing spoilers, the movie had a very realistic reflection of how sport is administered in India, the societal stereotypes that sports persons (women especially) have to go through and also the politics that run down to the lowest levels possible. The movie also had a strong message for those people who think Cricket is the be all and end all of sport.
The acting in the movie was quite good, though SRK clearly shows that he does not know how to play hockey. The team members were very cleverly cast and the manner in which they played their parts was good. Watch out for the goal keeper and the star striker - they were the cute ones :D:D A few friends who hadnt watched the movie were surprised when I told them that there were very few songs and no heroine in the movie - an SRK movie!!!!.
I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and the fact that the story was inspired from a real life experience helped in keeping the story very real. The latter parts of the movie were shot in Melbourne and I could go - Thats MSAC, hey thats the Bolte bridge, hey thats the Grand Hyatt.............
The one area where a little more effort could have been put in is the technicalities in directing the game. A little more research would have helped. The commentary on the matches, in particular, was bad and had some glaring errors in them. But then, in all, it was a wonderful movie. The movie featured the trailer of another movie titled Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal!!!! which is about a soccer team of Indians in the UK. Cant wait for that!!!!!
I am glad I watched the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and having been part of sports teams for my school, I could relate to a lot of stuff that was depicted in the movie. The movie had no melodrama, no unnecessary songs, nothing too dramatic and no love story / comedy running in parallel. It was focussed on the subject at hand and that was - Hockey. To me, this movie is proof of Bollywood maturing and coming up with good movies and not mere box office trash!!!!!
Without providing spoilers, the movie had a very realistic reflection of how sport is administered in India, the societal stereotypes that sports persons (women especially) have to go through and also the politics that run down to the lowest levels possible. The movie also had a strong message for those people who think Cricket is the be all and end all of sport.
The acting in the movie was quite good, though SRK clearly shows that he does not know how to play hockey. The team members were very cleverly cast and the manner in which they played their parts was good. Watch out for the goal keeper and the star striker - they were the cute ones :D:D A few friends who hadnt watched the movie were surprised when I told them that there were very few songs and no heroine in the movie - an SRK movie!!!!.
I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and the fact that the story was inspired from a real life experience helped in keeping the story very real. The latter parts of the movie were shot in Melbourne and I could go - Thats MSAC, hey thats the Bolte bridge, hey thats the Grand Hyatt.............
The one area where a little more effort could have been put in is the technicalities in directing the game. A little more research would have helped. The commentary on the matches, in particular, was bad and had some glaring errors in them. But then, in all, it was a wonderful movie. The movie featured the trailer of another movie titled Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal!!!! which is about a soccer team of Indians in the UK. Cant wait for that!!!!!
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Teachers - the not so good ones!!
I have been lucky to have had good teachers all through my schooling and college and my Masters in Melbourne. But this post is about the few teachers who did things that were grossly unfair, most of whom I dealt with in the best possible manner at the given time.
Why this post now?? Well i have been hearing some stories of juvenile treatment to students both young and adult and I just think its the EGO of the teachers in question and also a feeling of POWER and INVINCIBILITY, misusing the helplessness of students.
In “Nursery“ (otherwise called Pre-KG) I was caned by the headmistress for having forgotten my Cardigan/Sweater at school the previous day. man I was all of 3.5 yrs and I stilkl remember that caning and that teacher!!!! No excuses for her!!!!
It was in 6th std that I was in Trivandrum - the only year i was there. The education system there was good enough to exempt me from learning Malayalam as second language. I instead had Additional English - a more specific branch of English that was a substitute. We were 3 such students in a class of about 50. Our Hindi teacher was a bit of a character. he used to single us out in class and make fun of us coz we did not know Malayalam. He even used to teach a lot of Hindi in Malayalam!!!! As 6th std students it was frustrating to be singled out and mocked at in class. We approached the teacher in question and told him about it and nothing changed. Our Additional English teacher was also eth principal of the school and we were his pets. We told him about this and then things changed - immediately.
I was in 7th std when i first moved to Chennai. It was a new school and as part of the PT routine I had to choose a sport to take up and play during the PT periods. Being a cricket crazy fan, cricket was an automatic choice, until a couple of weeks later when I enrolled for Athletics coaching. The cricket coaching and athletics coaching clashed and I had to make a choice. I chose Athletics. Since I was not going to get coached in Cricket, I decided to take up a new sport at PT so I could learn another sport. I chose Volleyball. One day, as was coming up the stairs at school in the morning I was slapped by the PT (cricket) teacher. This he claimed was coz i changed from cricket to volleyball. I reported the matter to my parents and they to the Principal of the school. Apparently there were quite a few complaints against him and he was suspended for a few weeks.
At college in Pune, it was frustrating. Every announcement, every key note address, every chief guest address, principals address used to be in Marathi, lecturers explained concepts in Marathi. I studied at an English Medium college. I approached the Vice Principal of the college and told him about these things. He expressed his sympathies but said that there was not much he could do about it. It was ridiculous. I resorted to self studying and slept through college functions when marathi speeches were made!!!!!
Just to clarify, the Marathi I speak at home is different to the Swaccha Puneri Marathi!!!!!! Also, I picked up the Puneri marathi after coming to Melbourne :):)
Teachers often are not accountable for such acts and thats when impressionable students can be affected most. Institutions of Higher education, especially the privitasied ones, bestow too much power in the hands of a few and the whole system suffers. Something needs to happen about such things!!!!
Why this post now?? Well i have been hearing some stories of juvenile treatment to students both young and adult and I just think its the EGO of the teachers in question and also a feeling of POWER and INVINCIBILITY, misusing the helplessness of students.
In “Nursery“ (otherwise called Pre-KG) I was caned by the headmistress for having forgotten my Cardigan/Sweater at school the previous day. man I was all of 3.5 yrs and I stilkl remember that caning and that teacher!!!! No excuses for her!!!!
It was in 6th std that I was in Trivandrum - the only year i was there. The education system there was good enough to exempt me from learning Malayalam as second language. I instead had Additional English - a more specific branch of English that was a substitute. We were 3 such students in a class of about 50. Our Hindi teacher was a bit of a character. he used to single us out in class and make fun of us coz we did not know Malayalam. He even used to teach a lot of Hindi in Malayalam!!!! As 6th std students it was frustrating to be singled out and mocked at in class. We approached the teacher in question and told him about it and nothing changed. Our Additional English teacher was also eth principal of the school and we were his pets. We told him about this and then things changed - immediately.
I was in 7th std when i first moved to Chennai. It was a new school and as part of the PT routine I had to choose a sport to take up and play during the PT periods. Being a cricket crazy fan, cricket was an automatic choice, until a couple of weeks later when I enrolled for Athletics coaching. The cricket coaching and athletics coaching clashed and I had to make a choice. I chose Athletics. Since I was not going to get coached in Cricket, I decided to take up a new sport at PT so I could learn another sport. I chose Volleyball. One day, as was coming up the stairs at school in the morning I was slapped by the PT (cricket) teacher. This he claimed was coz i changed from cricket to volleyball. I reported the matter to my parents and they to the Principal of the school. Apparently there were quite a few complaints against him and he was suspended for a few weeks.
At college in Pune, it was frustrating. Every announcement, every key note address, every chief guest address, principals address used to be in Marathi, lecturers explained concepts in Marathi. I studied at an English Medium college. I approached the Vice Principal of the college and told him about these things. He expressed his sympathies but said that there was not much he could do about it. It was ridiculous. I resorted to self studying and slept through college functions when marathi speeches were made!!!!!
Just to clarify, the Marathi I speak at home is different to the Swaccha Puneri Marathi!!!!!! Also, I picked up the Puneri marathi after coming to Melbourne :):)
Teachers often are not accountable for such acts and thats when impressionable students can be affected most. Institutions of Higher education, especially the privitasied ones, bestow too much power in the hands of a few and the whole system suffers. Something needs to happen about such things!!!!
Its that day again - my birthday
Originally posted on 2nd August on my other blog
A couple of weeks ago, it was my brothers birthday and I asked him "Are you mourning growing older or celebrating becoming wiser" and pat came the answer "ofcourse I am celebrating growing wiser".
Today, I ask myself this very question and the answer I get is no different to what my brother said. The last year has been another great learning experience and I am sure I have only gotten wiser from all those experiences. With ups and downs, constant change, redefined relationships, new friends - the journey has been wonderful and lessonful (am i inventing a word here).
The day in Melbourne has been nice and pleasant and being governed by "Cake rules" that apply to everyone in my Team at work, I had to take in a cake to work for all my team mates. I did get a few stares on the train coz i was having a huge box in a plastic bag - a package that people would have thought of as 'suspicious'.
The rest of the day at work is going to be busy with some work and a couple of meetings and then I will be meeting a few friends for dinner tonight before I get to chat with my family :)
A couple of weeks ago, it was my brothers birthday and I asked him "Are you mourning growing older or celebrating becoming wiser" and pat came the answer "ofcourse I am celebrating growing wiser".
Today, I ask myself this very question and the answer I get is no different to what my brother said. The last year has been another great learning experience and I am sure I have only gotten wiser from all those experiences. With ups and downs, constant change, redefined relationships, new friends - the journey has been wonderful and lessonful (am i inventing a word here).
The day in Melbourne has been nice and pleasant and being governed by "Cake rules" that apply to everyone in my Team at work, I had to take in a cake to work for all my team mates. I did get a few stares on the train coz i was having a huge box in a plastic bag - a package that people would have thought of as 'suspicious'.
The rest of the day at work is going to be busy with some work and a couple of meetings and then I will be meeting a few friends for dinner tonight before I get to chat with my family :)
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