Nepal Diary: Arriving Kathmandu – 3
Posted: January 11, 2008 Filed under: My bandwagon 13 Comments »The gentleman beside me was a Scottish, to be precise, and specialized as a tour guide for elderly Brits. He (and his group) flew from Heathrow to Bahrain, on their way to Kathmandu. Our initial conversation was on how Scotland has different government but uses the same British passport and has same monarch too. I sensed that Scots too have pain of being generalized as English like I do when people generalize me as an Indian. Second part of our conversation, before he dozed off, was about what, where, how, and when of me. I was too excited to sleep; I was content with watching the Ocean until the airhostess requested everyone to pull down the blinds, nap time I guess. But I couldn’t go back to sleep; even after eating a big lunch/dinner/breakfast (god knows what that was considering the different time zones I already passed). It was already night time when our flight started to descend on Kathmandu Valley; I don’t know if it was load shedding or simply less intensity of lights, there was minimal view of city lights. Or perhaps my eyes used to seeing city lights in big cities didn’t find city lights in Kathmandu any special.
As you all must know, you can only open your seat belts after the plane lands and come to complete stop in front of the terminal. However, as soon as the plane touched the ground our Nepalese Heroes from Gulf were already jumping into the overhead cabinets to grab their hand pieces like Tarzan. There was message on the PA in English asking them to remain seated until the plane comes to complete rest, and then a message again in Hindi (perhaps one of the airhostess was an Indian). But these people were already lining to get out. Then came a big Arabic steward shouting at their faces to sit down, then only they got back to their seats. But as soon as the plane stopped they were off again, pushing and shoving to be the first one to get out. I have just been abroad for few years but still I am used to lining up according to where my seat is and allowing the person in the seat before me to leave first (I believe that is the normal convention). Just imagine what kind of impression of Nepal and Nepalese the tourist got even before they got out of the plane. I saw the faces of the tourists especially the elderly ones, it was a complete dismay. I was hugely embarrassed, even to look up in the eyes of the Scottish beside me.
I guess he sensed my anguish and began comforting me instead. He compared me and others from the Gulf both as people going abroad to better our life; however me with my education, type of job, and country of residence not only earned my living but learnt some civic sense too. I could excel from being a student to a professional in reputed institution. But these people entered there as labors and are exiting there as labors (though they have enough money to be number one Nepalese source of foreign currency). Like one of the comments in my previous post, he also sighted lack of education and exposures as the reason for their behavior. Though his logic was reasonable, I still didn’t think it gives these people the right to act this way, they were not only acting as ignorant but also very aggressive and rude, that’s not typical of Nepalese. The Scottish was a veteran tour guide (professional) to Nepal so he can understand these behaviors, but what about the first timers?I sat there trying to figure out the reasons for their behavior, while the crowd was eagerly waiting for the door to open. Are they worried that the airport authorities will steal their luggage if they don’t get out in time? I could not think of any other answers, and finally I disembarked from the plane. It took me return flight back to Bahrain (on my way to USA) to understand the main reason for their rude, ignorant, and aggressive behaviors. On my return flight they seem to be awfully calm, cultured, and obedient (there were not only newbie’s but the ones who were returning back, judging by the conversation I overheard).
The way these people are treated in Gulf countries (second class citizens, blue collar workers, confined always together with other labors, strict immigration rules, harsh employers etc), they are bound to explode when they return back to their country. Something that people who never left Nepal (India doesn’t count) might never understand. People in Nepal take being Nepali as granted, they might never know or understand how difficult it is to adjust within the immigration rules (which is discriminatory even in USA), completely different culture and language, etc on top of the regular problems (what average Nepali face in Nepal). So once these people leave for Nepal they overreact, they are going to their motherland where they will be treated fairly among others, they can express themselves freely, they know all what’s/where’s. They are no more labeled blue collar workers who have to subdue their feelings and rights. I deduced their actions were resultant of overreaction to freedom coupled with excitement of getting back home and ignorance.
After getting off the plane, now I need to go through immigration, then claim my luggage and go through the customs. I know that my parent’s will be outside to pick me up, I can’t wait to see them: it’s really been a while.
To be continued…..
The only other reason I can think of is, I guess some of these folks travel so regularly that flying to them is no different than getting on a local bus.
There was a similar situation when i landed at KTM airport in i guess 2004. anyways, I m eagerly waiting to read what next. Ha ha. Do not procrastinate hai, lekhihala..
P.S: As always, i forgot my username and pswd.
Prat
NNepali,
I doubt they fly that regularly, but that’s a very creative logic though
Prat,
It’s not procastination, you see I am more busy now days
First,
I have been a reader of your blog since its inception. Generally, I do not have a comment unless I strongly disagree with someone’s argument(s); and this time, I have two in a row for your posts. If I quote anything, assume it’s only to those arguments that I strongly disagree, not to the whole of your ideas and thoughts. And please, I request you not to address me as a “dude” in reply because a response of someone with your level of education, type of job you hold, country of your residence, which not only earns your living but makes you learn some civic sense in addition, and one who excelled from being a student to a professional in reputed institution is always better when written formally than with a slang word, especially when unknown to the person being addressed.
“Nepalese Heroes from Gulf…” Right at the beginning when you picked them, you had sarcasm and towards them; and that’s why I feel your judgments are overly value-laden than being objective. If not, you would have started without any sarcasm and would have expressed it at the end after completing your analysis. In my opinion, it’s better to deduce a hypothesis than to retroduce it. Though you state at the end that you “deduced their actions were resultant of overreaction to freedom coupled with excitement of getting back home and ignorance,” the way you started didn’t convince me that you didn’t retroduce before deducing.
“Then came a big Arabic steward shouting at their faces to sit down, then only they got back to their seats… Though his logic was reasonable, I still didn’t think it gives these people the right to act this way, they were not only acting as ignorant but also very aggressive and rude, that’s not typical of Nepalese… So once these people leave for Nepal they overreact, they are going to their motherland where they will be treated fairly among others, they can express themselves freely, they know all what’s/where’s. They are no more labeled blue collar workers who have to subdue their feelings and rights.” If they believed it was their right to act the way you described, pushing and shoving to get off the plane first; they wouldn’t have stopped despite the shout of the big Arabic steward. And if they got back to their seats after the big Arabic steward shouted to them, they did subdue their feelings. I feel your arguments contradict here. And let me put a question, did all of the “Nepalese Heroes” expressed the behavior you explained? Or were they 10/20/30/40/50 percentage of the total population inside the plane? Can we generalize the behavior of 10/20/30/40/50 percentage of the sample to the whole population? I don’t think we can. Grossly assuming their level of education, analysis, exposure, experience etc., how would you analyze the act of a person who actually didn’t have any intention of pushing and shoving but pushed and shoved once s/he saw handful of other people starting to push and shove to get off the plane? Would you put them in the same category despite being directly or indirectly influenced by others?
“There was message on the PA in English asking them to remain seated until the plane comes to complete rest, and then a message again in Hindi (perhaps one of the airhostess was an Indian). But these people were already lining to get out.” How many of the Nepali people who go to the Gulf countries for earning their livelihoods understand English? And how many of them understand Hindi? Could we try once with Nepali announcement and see if there is a difference in the behavior expressed by them? I believe, there would be, at least to some degree.
“I have just been abroad for few years but still I am used to lining up according to where my seat is and allowing the person in the seat before me to leave first (I believe that is the normal convention).” I agree that is the normal convention, but could you compare how many times you have boarded and disembarked a plane from domestic flights within Nepal and during your stay abroad for a few years with them? I assume the number would vary significantly, but I also assume you didn’t even try to beat the normal convention the first time you disembarked a plane (no matter in a domestic flight in Nepal). So I feel the argument you used here to support your logic is irrelevant, and the major reason for them being deviated from the normal convention is different than the length of the stay abroad.
“Are they worried that the airport authorities will steal their luggage if they don’t get out in time?” Maybe, time and again they have heard immigration and customs employees and officials harassing and trying to bribe people. It won’t make a difference to you and me because we are confident we have capacity to argue with the customs and immigration officials at a different level if they tried to harass and bribe us, and we know how to report or tackle issues like baggage loss, delays etc. without much of a problem, which they may not have. Just the thought of such issues might have prompted them to get off quick and try to collect their luggage at the earliest. But if they are convinced of, and repeatedly hear from others that the immigration employees and officials are very friendly and helpful, non-corrupt and fair when it comes to the issue of bribe, I believe their behavior of shoving and pushing will be entirely different.
“So once these people leave for Nepal they overreact, they are going to their motherland where they will be treated fairly among others… They are no more labeled blue collar workers who have to subdue their feelings and rights.” I disagree. The discrimination starts right before they see the Nepalese sky once they enter the TIA terminal. I have used Gulf Air flights couple of times now to reach Kathmandu when going home. Standing on the line to submit the arrival information slip, I have closely observed how the immigration officials on duty behave with those Nepalese workers coming back to the motherland from the Gulf countries, and how I get treated once the officials glare at me for a moment, and ask from where was I arriving.
Well, I would have completed my homework by now if I had started working on it rather than posting this long comment here
.
Amen keshab
Keshab,
First of all, my sincere apologies for calling you “Dude”. Honestly, I mistook you for Keshav (a fellow blogger) with whom I share more intimate relationship. I would like to clarify that the lines that were used to describe me were not my wordings; I was merely quoting the Scottish, I was not boasting myself. Secondly, I would like to thank you for being a reader of my blog since its inception. Also, it was mistake on my part to not understand that you were disagreeing to a certain lines rather than the whole segment. Anyways, one of the main objectives of my blog is to provoke the readers for a healthy discussion, in some way I feel satisfied after reading your comment. However, since you brought certain things up, it’s my obligation to state those too.
I was surprised, as you were the reader of my blog since its inception, that you failed to understand my writings is associated with humor (may not apply to all blogs). “Nepalese Heroes from Gulf” was mere replacement of “Nepalese labors from Gulf”, which infers that I don’t find any difference between Heroes or labors (don’t forget the humor part). Yes, there was sarcasm, I was implying to your previous comment where you didn’t like them being labeled as labors. I believe name doesn’t matter, it’s the deeds that you do. Its not that I am boasting myself against them, I have done many menial jobs before I became what I am right now, and might have to some more if things don’t go well, after all foreign country is always foreign. To survive people have to take many unwilling and desperate measures. One good thing that I learnt in USA is any job is a job. These people were in Gulf as Nepalese labors (According to Nepalese Department of labor they are addressed as: बैदशिक रोजगारमा जाने नेपाली कामदार), so that’s how I addressed them in my post. I don’t see anything wrong with that. I am sorry if that offended you.
Gulf is a male dominated society; these people are used to seeing males giving them commands. Even in flights, they harassed the airhostess, but were like numbs to the male. Let’s not be more sensitive here, I was just describing the scenes from the flight. And how can you expect me to quantify in terms of percentage??? Yes, there were majority of them. There is always an exception, which is the law of nature, if there were some I won’t be surprised either.
I agree they might not have understood English, but I can’t agree majority didn’t understood Hindi. I found that was the (un)official language of them in their work place. I however agree with you on using Nepali language on PA for this flight, perhaps that might have influenced them more, not because they would have understood it but because of them respecting to a fellow lingual.
My length of stay abroad and number flights I took is irrelevant to what you were trying to say. I was just suggesting how the tourist must have taken all these action, when I, who had been abroad for just a few years, found that less plausible. Tourists are not used to seeing people getting out of plane like they do in mass transits like subway and metro.
I agree with you on the airport authorities stealing their luggage. My idea on that was same like yours (although I hadn’t elaborated on that).
I completely agree with last portion of your comment, which was going to be my next post: the airport experience. After all mistreatments in Gulf, these people are treated no differently when they have to pass through the immigration and custom. But one thing is ensured, once they get out (except the airport Taxi saga), they will be back with their loved once.
Finally, let me reiterate my stand: I see no problem coining them as “Nepalese labors from Gulf”, I don’t feel any superior because I myself have done many menial works to survive, any work is work when it sustains your livelihood (I don’t mean work that hurt others), this flight gives very bad first impression to the on board tourist about Nepal, the manpower agency should have to assume some responsibility (will write about it on upcoming post), and so on…. ….
Thanks again for leaving such a long and well thought comment (I guess it’s the longest I ever got), and being my regular reader. I’m sorry that you had to miss out on your homework
Vne,
Agree with you, he did put lot of thought and effort.
Some of my own observations:
-I had a good rest in Bahrain minus all the pain at the airport of getting in line for everything including hotel (due to flight delay), immigration etc. It seemed like a duel due to so many Gulf workers stranded at the airport. I was happy to get some rest at the hotel before heading to Kathmandu. Since my flight was in the afternoon, I even got to walk around Bahrain a little and witness some of the new construction and developments in Bahrain.
-I got acquainted with a group of Nepalese in transit and that made the whole experience better: going to hotel, dinner, breakfast and fianlly leaving the airport.
-Boarding the plane was chaotic because the time for departure was first delayed and then moved an hour early at a different gate. I saw lines of people waiting to board and felt that they will not all fit in the plane. It made me worried but I found a way to get in with my friend who had a little kid.
-The plane ride was interesting. A Nepali girl I got acquainted with who was next to me was asking me about what the annoying beeping sound was, turns out people were pressing the call button for steward(ess) repeatedly, goes without saying the toilets are always a mess. Also heard that some people were smoking in the toilets.
-I was also shocked at how eager people were to get off their seats at landing and jumped to get their luggage. I wished they waited but some things are just the way they are.
-In the end I was happy to be in Kathmandu
ARArayal Bro,
Thanks for the comment. I don’t know if it’s growing old or what, I was never tired like I was when I got to Kathmandu, despite the over night hotel rest in Bahrain.
But I was more tired, mentally this time, when I came back. May be it has to do with the thought of going back to work the next day
But despite all travel fuss, like you said, it was great to be back in Kathmandu.
Prajwol Dude,
Don’t listen to (and apologize to) every Tom, Dick and Harry’s comment!!! It’s your blog, you can write whatever you want to whomever you want – that’s freedom of speech baby!!!
If you avoid sarcasm and write politically correct statements, that’s like reading a furcking newspaper!!! And if I wanted to do that, I wouldn’t be reading blogs.
It’s the blogosphere Keshav beaach!!! If you are looking for respect go talk to you wife -if you have one; or if she still does respect you – which I highly doubt!!
That’s what blogs are for – to be brutally honest!! Keep doing what you do!! Furk them!!
Wes
Point noted Wes
People are fast in making judgements and more interestingly validating it with reasoning based on their foreign education and experience. Most Nepalese like yourself have had to act like that while in Nepal because that is the norm, that’s the only way you get your way in Nepal for the most part. Don’t tell me you have always act civily while in Nepal.
After all those people are pakhes, kathyes and what have you, that’s why they are called that and we despise them for what they are. Funny thing is what’s there to be ashamed of. Are you also ashamed of your parents when they act like pakhes here because they don’t know the way of life here. They are only being themselves. Leave them alone please.
Saran Ji,
welcome to my blog, and thanks for your comment.
You are spot on; when something is a norm then people feel that’s the way it is, and that’s the way it always should be. I was/am no different. But, being blessed with exposures to different cultures and settings, I slowly learnt to think outside the box. I strongly disagree to leave thing as it is, even if that’s the norm, but is absolutely wrong. The beauty of mankind is that there is always a room to improve ourselves, and we should strive towards it.
Thank you Prajwol, the reality is that the norm might change in several hundred years. There will always be a sub class of society who will act like that, even in the most developed countries. In a country as developed as US, do you think the khate blacks or white trash, will ever change their ways? Some things are just meant to be. It exists to create a balance, after all we do not live in a perfect world. Even education and foreign experience are not the solution to such problems even though it might appear to be. You know better how wise and educated people create mess in other areas of peoples lives. We can continue to strive for change but change will never come. However, I will agree that we should still try since there’s room for improvement. The bottom line of my argument is that such imperfections will always exist in society. We shouldn’t make judgments and let them be because over time, it will slowly correct itself. But we can still curse at them and yell at them for causing inconvenience and embarrassment. Do you agree?