A settler in the Land of opportunities

I remember the 1960s when almost every other Indian graduate was keen to seek admission in a US University, primarily to get a job, obtain a Green Card and eventually become a citizen.

Millions of them have made it big as scientists, engineers, doctors, lawyers, accountants and top executives in mega corps.

“This is a land of our dream, a land that accords everyone an opportunity to grow,” they say.

Yet, those who go to airports to see the youngsters off almost always tried to talk them out of getting on to the plane.

“The American society is decadent and hence not suitable for our culture,” is a common comment, made more out of jealously than concern.

But young Indo-Fijians dreaming of a better life in the US were more justified, for seldom have they found their country of birth embracing and possessive.

Young Sachin Anand Balram, a native of Ba had a mission, as he launched his legal career after completing his higher education in New Zealand. It was the ‘American Dream,’ which in the words of the great writer James Adams “promised a life that is better, richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.”

Rethink Syndrome

However, as the Pan Am flight took off from Nadi (December 19, 1979), seated next to his wife Kamini with their ten-month old daughter Suhani on her lap, the words spoken by his relatives and friends at Nadi Airport kindled the ‘rethink syndrome.’ “Am I doing the right thing? Should I have stayed back in Fiji? How can I be assured of success in a strange land?” were among the questions that he asked himself.

What happened over the next 32 years has been well documented in his book, America: A Country of Expectations scheduled for release at the Mehran Restaurant in Newark, California on May 21.

If you are a voracious reader, you would finish reading all the 172 pages divided into 20 chapters in a day. I found it unputdownable.

The simple but elegant cover equally impressed me. The Eagle (representing strength, courage and freedom) carrying the National Flag (Stars & Stripes symbolising perseverance, vigilance, Valour and Justice) and the silhouette of a couple with a child (featuring the author and his family in 1979) compliment the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, hailed as the one of the Wonders of the Modern World.

A guide to all

There were moments when, reading the book, you wonder if all those trials and tribulations would be worth the candle. But true to the saying that success never eludes those who dare to dream and strive hard to make that dream come true, Sachin makes it in life, career, community and society.

In his case, a few years after he landed in America, he had arrived. Following his success as a lawyer, he is today a Claims Consultant at a large insurance firm. He is also an ordained Anglo-Hindu Pundit that qualifies him to officiate at Hindu religious ceremonies, weddings and funerals.

America: A Country of Expectations could well be a guide to new migrants, as Sachin explains almost everything that one should do after disembarking in the Land of Dreams. From writing a resume and seeking the right job through the right method to the American politics, culture, psyche and the society, there is a wealth of knowledge.

“Life in the US can be very challenging, grueling and disappointing at times,” he says, referring to a number of instances in his own family and career.

An endearing aspect of the Book is Sachin’s ability and willingness to describe the American system through his personal experience. For instance, he explains the ‘Down Syndrome’ with which his second daughter Cahani was born and how she has been able to progress in life (Page 64).

There are suggestions, advice, hints and even warnings for everything that one may want to do in the world’s richest democracy.