After a long and first hectic day at school, usually I would be ready for a hot meal followed by bed but today was distinct and different for people around the world. I was glued to TV and still is. But a thought crossed my mind and sat to write this to share with nepalese friends here.

Today, January the 20th of 2009, world witnessed the transformation of a change. And that change is the 44th president of United States of America - the most powerful nation on earth. The change will go down in the history of young America and in golden letters. Two years ago, when I first heard the name Obama - what kind of name is that? As the election drew nearer and my friends started talking about him more and more. Then one day, I had a chance to hear him deliver a speech that left me speechless. He is a beautiful and eloquent speaker - that's for sure. And a Harvard graduate and a lawyer and a devoted family man. I was easily drawn to this guy like millions did. Never I had seen a leader with such qualities. He insipred people of different ages and groups not here only but worldwide. The world reacted joyously when he was elected and today he is the first African American president of the greatest nation. This is a dream that Late Dr.MLK and millions others saw during the era of Jim Crow segregation and KKK lynching mobs. Today, they feel like they are truely part of America and they stand as one. Today, people of all faiths and religions, race feels united like never before. A true leadship quality.

It is useless to compare US and our country in any front but we can learn one thing from this historic event - if change can come amidst raging storms and turmoils, change can definitely come to Nepal if we stand together and work shoulder to shoulder. Nepal's future rest in our hands, in our commitment and our devotion.

S_R

S_R, very well said.

To look from another perspective, US changed today because whatever happened, her people stayed put. With the exception of the local ethnic inhabitants, everyone who lives in US today is a child of an immigrant. Having migrated to that country, they made the bold decision to stay put, generation after generation, nurturing their blood dreams till it has finally manifested on Jan 20. Do you think that the first African slave who was chained and dragged to American soil, would have even had the smallest fragment of thought that hundred of years to come his descendent will take over the hottest seat in the country?  

Now, how do you envision Nepal in the future when the cream of the crop migrates to greener pastures? When their talk is more effective than their actions? Do you think your descendant will one day change Nepal to become as great as US? How can they when you embrace another citizenship? How can we stand together and work shoulder to shoulder when all we think about is how to get the Green Card?

Love for one's own country will only fruitify when one digs his heel deep into the mud and refuses to be pulled out by the lure of a better life in a foreign country.   

'Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and work together to rebuild'

Heartbeat,

While I agree with everything but....remember these were immigrants and why people migrate - for better quality of life that inlcudes food, shelter and survival. Redskins or red Indians are the indigenous people of America and today as you said, by staying put and workign together, today, we have a son of immigrant become the most powerful person of the world. While the redskins are confined in reservation pocekts scattered in the south. While the whites nearly exterminated them and rose to power, colored people were brought here as secondary citizens. However, today, history has been created. 

Now, I am afraid if Nepal will have to face similar situation 30-40 yrs down the road. Today, we have 3-4 million indian origin immigrants they have already got fair share of the government. You think we will have a bihari for PM in the next decade or so? I cannot even imagine.

Also, I tottaly agree with your cream pastures. Yes, Nepal has massive brain drain. And we always complain, whine, bitch about our corrupted govt. etc? One man make a difference. A single soul can inspire change and the rest will follow.

As for offsprings, I cannot say or predict. They are the master of their own life. However, we as individuals can at least play our part. We are small group of friends who grew up and went to school together are graually working to make a small difference. I would urge every nepali to do so.

S_R

What is this guys? Some kinda of essay compitition or what. Bla bla bla bla. I shouldn't compare bhaneko cha and then you go about doing the same mistake comparing between two extremes. I have met some somalians and ethopians and they looked upon Nepal as we do to them. I realized, its just hangovers and headaches. remembering nepal.

One writer goes about saying Brain Drain...........I wish he is writing that from Nepal. Probably problem lies in your luck.......You been lucky came to US and then started comparing US and Nepal. While you were in Nepal you probably didn't realize cos you were so busy earning bread and butter or eating it out without realizing.

But i think. Nepal is good even now. It is going on its own pace whatever is happening is because of our long way of life, tradition and system. You want to change (which you cannot) is a different story.
I find it weird that people become sentimental about Nepal and all the do is blame the establishment and then do some extent write an essay that makes no sense.

But keep it flowing and coming...........I enjoy it sometimes when i have nothing else to do.

Hey by the way what u gonna do? Buddha is born in India bhanyyo arey CC2C bhanne film ma. Isn't your blood boiling.

Wotever it is essay or debate very nice discussion.title of this thread "Dream" invited me and its worth it.

S_R, points noted.

People do migrate for a better quality of life etc. But quality of life can be very subjective. Generally speaking, most people are lured by a better lifestyle based on the dollars and cents and we can't blame them for it. But I think you did not quite get my picture.

If the best Nepalese continue to choose to migrate because all they want is a better quality of life, then I can boldly say that they actually love themselves more than they love their country of birth. The reason why countries like Nepal are sliding down the poverty scale, is because those who can make a difference are being selfish. They only think of their personal development, not their country's development. And the people who are left behind have to "beg" for foreign aid and depend on scrupulous politicians. Has anybody carried out a survey on the percentage of Nepalese migrating overseas?

On the contrary, how many people consider migrating to Nepal? Perhaps just an insignificant handful. So, how can a son of an immigrant take over the PM’s hot seat, 50 years from now? Even I cannot imagine that. And if you say that your off-springs are masters of their life, that shows the present generation does not emphasize patriotism. The younger generation watches us as we make choices, decision and actions. Because nothing speaks louder than that. They will think, if you choose to migrate, why can’t we?

Like Desert_Rain said, Nepal is good even now. So, my question is WHY LEAVE? You cannot solve a problem by running away from it.

 

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Although Obama sounds better than Bush, he is not a messiah.

And let us not forget that 95% of black voted for Barack Obama. Whoever says that his win was not based on race is either not aware of just in plain denial. Or else how can you explain the fact that almost every black voter voted for him.

And one other thing, do you guys think he would have won had Bush not messed up so badly? If it had been during a normal time and a normal election (no illegal wars, no financial crisis, no evangelics running politics), forget about Barack, he would not have won. His victory against McCain was not by a very large margin, given the fact that Bush has messed up and americans were fed up of republicans.

"Change" is not in the skin color of the president. Or I guess that what they meant, the americans.