Ottawa Ordeal

As of mid '07:     

     I've heard stories about visa officers at American Consulates getting really nasty with interviewees like rejecting a visa petition based on what type of watch the interviewee wears. But this is my first time going through a similar experience. I'd like to share it with you all.
   
     I wait in cold outside the US Embassy on Sussex for two hours. I am told the computers are down and I understand the delay but can't they do something about the people standing outside in the cold? I really don't know what happens when it would start to snow and I don't want to know either. Like any other immigrant; I want be done with paperwork and therefore, I don't complain. I guess they never anticipated a rush of interviewees at consulates.
   
     Now the ordeal starts. My name is called and I approach the interview window. My interviewer starts explaining other employee what to check in a work visa. I've completed a master's degree and I was there to get a work visa. The gentleman starts: "He is a stereotypical applicant, sorry sir, but you are stereotypical IT guy: he has came to study and now he wants to work in this country". I nod my head in approval; he is right, I am not alone in this race, but then its a little bit disturbing for me to be stereotyped so bluntly. "He can be replaced by 100,000 others and probably the company makes him work like a slave". I nod my head from side to side in disapproval and the co-worker says he is disapproving. The interviewer repeats his sentence again and carries on. He tells his co-worker about prevailing wages and other stuff. I don't have one document because it was not mentioned in the application package. Neither did my lawyer told me to keep it with me. I am told in a harsh tone that I was expected to go to my country for the stamping purpose but then I planned of spending a weekend in Canada and then, I was standing at his window. How dare I spend my money as I like it! I am asked to get the missing document by fax and come the next day or whenever I felt like it but not that day because he didn't want to deal with me anymore. My interview is suspended and to be continued some other day.

     I got my visa the next day but that 12 hours were the worst of my life. I was awake making plans to go to my former home in case I don't get a visa. All the time I've missed my family and friends would be useless. The loans, hardships undergone as a graduate student etc. would be fruitless. There will be a new turn in life and which didn't seem very bright. I was just lying there lamenting on the past and dreading the future; really angry for being picked on.

     Yet, I am happy that all my papers are checked for consistency, i.e. I don't get underpaid and I have equal rights and enjoy similar privileges as my colleagues but again, do you have to mock my American dream like that?
Being in the US for 3 years and not experiencing any first hand racism, this interview was a real shocker for me.
   
     But the incident was an eye-opener too. There are many things which define me and I am proud of like a good job, a decent new car, good friends etc. could be gone just like that! I don't deny the fact that slave-driver companies do exist. But they don't exist for me. Luckily, I've managed to stay away from such companies and I do have an awesome job!
   
     I do understand even that you don't want me being treated unequally and I do appreciate your concern but do you have to put in such harsh terms? It would be great if you tell me in your normal talking tone and not shout it out and sort-of-spell-all-the-words to me.

     I see America as my Karma-bhoomi but now I have doubts about my choice of pursuing an American dream.

As of Dec., '12:

     In five years of hind-sight; Ottawa Ordeal seems a non-issue. It is just feels that I was a receiver of frustration caused by other factors outside my control and the dude had to let it out of his system. As of today, I am living my dream :)

Saving for a house

     We have enjoyed our house for a year now. I am grateful to my family to have acceded in the "struggle" to save up for it and I am specially grateful for all the celestial stars to line up to the day we bought our first house. It was definitely not a piece of cake but a determined, disciplined slow march that ended up with more responsibility on our shoulders than we started with. But now, instead of throwing money away as rent; we pay towards building an equity. I know that a house in the US is not much of an equity but think of all the 30 years of rent you'd pay otherwise. Rent money in such a long time totally equals or beats the price of a home.

     Let me say that operating capital of a home is more than any rental place because now you not only have the monthly expenses but also have charges that recur on a quarter, semi-annual and annual basis. A home will also need TLC to keep it in a running condition structurally and aesthetically. The trick is to anticipate these in advance. Let's get started on how to start owning a home first.
   

Step 1: Set up a goal     

     Research the areas in your city. Get a good feel of what the houses are priced for. The range of these houses can be scattered across the spectrum. In that case, go look around and get a good feel of what type of houses you'd enjoy both in terms of living in one and paying for it. I personally recommend you try to keep these around 30% of your monthly income to be comfortable. If the sum of recurring charges given below is greater then one of your bi-monthly paychecks; you will be penny-pinching pretty soon.

Recurring (monthly) charges = energy bills + mortgage + gas money for commute

     Now calculate the amount of money you need to cough up just to start living there.

Goal money = down payment (7%-20%) + closing costs (3.5%) + move-in costs (moving + necessary fixtures and appliances)

     You have a goal in mind. Congratulations!

Step 2: De-clutter and access your spendings 

     Calculate where your mullah comes from and where it goes. Categorize all your spendings. Get a Mint.com account or any other budgetary tool where you can monitor your expenses at all times. You are not done till each dollar is accounted for.

     Once you've successfully de-cluttered your monetary inputs and outputs, start listing down all frivolous charges and spendings. Magically, you now know where to stop spending.

Step 3: Action

     This is an ongoing and slow process involving rigorous determination, re-assessment and sometimes, change in plans.

     You'll find all sorts of information on the inter-webs on how to save money. Here's a couple of tricks under my sleeve:

• Prepare your meals at home. Minimize stored food in the pantry and the fridge in order to minimize amount of stale food that you have to throw away every now and then.
• Never buy drinks: alcohol/coffee/soda at retail price. Either buy them in wholesale and/or make them at home. Explore the art of making cocktails.
• Don't chase coupons. It is an utter waste of time considering you may buy things because they are cheap and not because you need them. You may be doing something more useful or enjoyable.
• Always get things you DEFINITELY NEED and not because you MAY need them.
• Create a budget for anything and everything you WANT. Ignoring your "wants" is not recommended either. Your goal is not to be a miser but to consciously manage your expenses.
• Always use a credit card to take advantage of rewards program(s) but undo the damage on a daily basis. Essentially; don't spend more than what you have in your checking account. 
• Perform a weekly audit and revisit step 2 so that nothing takes you by surprise.

     Your overarching goal should be to maximise your savings. Talking of which; you should have at least 2 accounts based on amount of money you want to save:

1. Minor: For short-term expenses like a trip or fancy boots or electronics or special occasions like birthdays and/or anniversaries. This account can also double up as your emergency fund.   
2. Major: To fulfill your goal set up in Step 1. You'll need a budget for this account too.

    Whenever you get paid, here's the order of emptying out your pay-check:

1. Major savings account
2. Minor savings account
3. Bills and loans
4. Living costs

Step 4: Profit

     In fact, whatever you manage to save IS your profit on whatever services you offer to make a living.

 

Congrats Bloomberg!

First of all; my prayers and thoughts are with all the victims of Sandy.
I don't know why it took so long to retaliate against bad press about the marathon. I guess the planning leading upto this point and the popularity of the event kept Bloomberg from making a decision. Also; he's got a city to recuperate. I can give all benefits of doubt to the guy.

This picture basically explains my stance on this year's NYC Marathon:

I congratulate Mike Bloomberg on making another right decision today. What a great leader!

India's got gold!

I've been keeping an eye on a tally of country-wise Olympic medals.

There's dead heat between USA and China. Being Indian by origin, I wondered why Indians don't seem to bother with winning (medals). I found my answer today: 

 

 

Gold is one of the main sources of investment for Indians. 

Disclaimer: I don't!

Marklogic: Load filesystem directory to database

(: Load all documents with .xml extension from data directory under modules-root to Marklogic database  :)

for $document in xdmp:filesystem-directory(fn:concat(xdmp:modules-root(), "data"))/node()/dir:pathname[matches(., '\.xml$')]
return
    xdmp:document-load (
        $document,
       
             {fn:concat("", fn:tokenize($document/text(), "/")[last()])}
             none
             {xdmp:default-permissions()}
             xml
       
    )