Today (16 May 2014) is the day that would have been my 30th Anniversary with Wells Fargo, a company that I worked for slightly more than 24 years. Looking back on my life, I have always had good employers, and I have never had the stereotypical job at McDonald's. If I had, then I might still have been content with it but I think that I have had more meaningful jobs. I now work with employers at Freelancer.com. (Hence the paucity of blog posts in recent times, and I shall elaborate upon this in a future blog post.) The company is giving me constant problems but the employers who give me assignments have all been wonderful so far. In this regard, I think that I am blessed.
I did start out by having a stereotypical newspaper route, back when there was still such a thing as print newspapers. Here in India, people have not yet migrated from print newspapers to online news (although both Times of India and the Telegraph have online versions of their daily newspapers). Here in Kolkata, I am aware of three (possibly more) English-language newspapers, and I believe equal amounts of Hindi and of Bengali-language newspapers. I have even seen a newspaper in Oriya, and there most likely is a newspaper in Bihari here (as there are many immigrants from that state, primarily as taxi-drivers and other labourers). Unlike the boys on bicycles in my youth, the people who deliver the daily (although I delivered a weekly) newspaper are grown men, some of whom are my age or older. However, they also deliver newspapers from their bicycles.
I then worked for Novato Boys' and Girls' Club and then for the prestigious Columbia Park Boys' Club. Because the person who ran the Club was "old school", it stayed as being only a social service agency for boys, and including girls only recently.
The Program Director there knew a high muck-a-muck at Wells Fargo Bank, and when I felt that I had accomplished everything that I wanted to accomplish at CPBC, I asked for an interview with her. A few interviews later, I was placed in a department. I made a few transfers within Wells Fargo, and I think that the position at which I was happiest was when I became a Personal Banker (or New Accounts Officer). For me, it was always on-the-job training and I think that I pestered my colleagues with so many questions, often repeated, that I am sure that I exasperated them. After six months, however, I had acquired so much knowledge that they started to ask me questions.
Eventually, though, I had to leave. While working at Wells Fargo, I was led to the woman who would become my wife. After getting married, she encountered numerous, horrific experiences with the vermin (I apologize, I meant to write "well-meaning public servants") at the Passport Office in Kolkata and at the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai. After many years, she did arrive in San Francisco, only to dislike the cold. It was then decided that I should try to come to India. I discovered W.G. Hill and I soon had the opportunity, so I decided to retire early.
I then worked for Novato Boys' and Girls' Club and then for the prestigious Columbia Park Boys' Club. Because the person who ran the Club was "old school", it stayed as being only a social service agency for boys, and including girls only recently.
The Program Director there knew a high muck-a-muck at Wells Fargo Bank, and when I felt that I had accomplished everything that I wanted to accomplish at CPBC, I asked for an interview with her. A few interviews later, I was placed in a department. I made a few transfers within Wells Fargo, and I think that the position at which I was happiest was when I became a Personal Banker (or New Accounts Officer). For me, it was always on-the-job training and I think that I pestered my colleagues with so many questions, often repeated, that I am sure that I exasperated them. After six months, however, I had acquired so much knowledge that they started to ask me questions.
Eventually, though, I had to leave. While working at Wells Fargo, I was led to the woman who would become my wife. After getting married, she encountered numerous, horrific experiences with the vermin (I apologize, I meant to write "well-meaning public servants") at the Passport Office in Kolkata and at the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai. After many years, she did arrive in San Francisco, only to dislike the cold. It was then decided that I should try to come to India. I discovered W.G. Hill and I soon had the opportunity, so I decided to retire early.
Eventually, though, everybody retires. When you retire--either early or after reaching a certain age--and if you decide then to become an expat/PT then I have some advice for you.
Advice is usually bad. Even when it is good, it is bad. Smokers with lung cancer and people who commit drink-driving/drunk-driving/driving under the influence often go on to advocate against those activities. However, if they never listened to others then why should they think that others will listen to them? I have made many mistakes, some within and some outside of my control. I have made mistakes regarding my visa (more on this in an upcoming blog post) and financial matters. Yet, I am asking you to listen to me.
Sometimes, though, it is better to listen to the message rather than the messenger. If Adolf Hitler said, "Love thy neighbour!" and if Mother Theresa said, "Rape all Indian women!" then I would be more apt to listen to Hitler in this regard. Stefan Molyneux, in several of his videos, says that you should be consistent and to practice what you preach. That is perhaps the ideal advice, but I hope that you can learn from these things, most of which I learned the hard way.
Two significant pieces of advice can be found in Part 2, but first and foremost is:
Remember Murphy's Law. I am often successful in things within my control; not so much in things out of my control. I do not know why both my wife and I encountered Dante Aligheri's Ninth Ring of Hell in our endevours to get proper visas. As someone recently pointed out to me, many Indians get visas to attend school and to work abroad, each and every year. Here in India--and especially as a blogger--I have become aware of many expats here, and I have read little, if anything, about them encountering difficulties in staying here. I suppose that Murphy's Law is selective in people and in occasions. A good friend of mine always says, "Hope for the best and prepare for the worst." It seems to be the best way to counter-attack or ameliorate the effects of Murphy.
Be aware of climate conditions In the U.S., I worked for a bank and wore long-sleeved shirts. In India, I gave virtually all of them away and now rely on short-sleeved shirts.
Buy home early (see Murphy's Law) If you wait to "save more money" then you may end up losing money. Even if your savings is not wiped out in a future Great Depression III, then your money will be spent on rent, and if your money is not earning enough to keep up with local increases in real estate rates then postponing buying a home will also cost you money.
I have found that I need just a) roof over my head b) running water. & hot water in Winter c) western toilets d) distractions (tv, newspapers, internet). If you have similar simple needs then you ought to buy such a home when you arrive.
Throw everything away Well, maybe not everything. Read my posts My Life in Boxes, My Life in a Suitcase and my guest post Nothing Lacking, the World is Yours at subhorup.blogspot.in
Find a source of activity/income. I recently came across a news article about the educational organization edx.org, and now I think that I may enroll in a class in the foreseeable future. If you want or need income then you may want to look at freelancer.com. They have very many projects each day in very many fields such as writing and research (my favourites), website and IT-related jobs, translation needs, graphic design, etc.
Do not care what people think. After all, you will probably never see them again. When we shifted to a new area, I found a chai-stand that also offered biscuits, with a small shop nearby that offered buttered bread. Caroline disliked people seeing her sitting by the footpath, but I enjoyed the cheapness and uniqueness and of watching the activity going on.
"Which country?" Which country is which? and "Which country are you from?" are asked by people whose comprehension of English is extremely low. I usually answer "India" or "Here"; after all, if you live in a place then you are from that place. However, they almost always misunderstand and think that I said that I am from France or Russia or even Japan! I let them think what they want to think, and because of their inability to communicate in English, there is never any follow-up questions.
Do care what people think. I have found that my former circle of friends and colleagues greatly diminished. As a result of that, I joined a few social networking sites: first Classmates.com, then Orkut (still popular in India and Brazil) and now Google+.
Another good suggestion is to interact in person, perhaps by joining a club, association or organization. If you enjoy playing chess then do join a chess club.
Advice is usually bad. Even when it is good, it is bad. Smokers with lung cancer and people who commit drink-driving/drunk-driving/driving under the influence often go on to advocate against those activities. However, if they never listened to others then why should they think that others will listen to them? I have made many mistakes, some within and some outside of my control. I have made mistakes regarding my visa (more on this in an upcoming blog post) and financial matters. Yet, I am asking you to listen to me.
Sometimes, though, it is better to listen to the message rather than the messenger. If Adolf Hitler said, "Love thy neighbour!" and if Mother Theresa said, "Rape all Indian women!" then I would be more apt to listen to Hitler in this regard. Stefan Molyneux, in several of his videos, says that you should be consistent and to practice what you preach. That is perhaps the ideal advice, but I hope that you can learn from these things, most of which I learned the hard way.
Two significant pieces of advice can be found in Part 2, but first and foremost is:
Remember Murphy's Law. I am often successful in things within my control; not so much in things out of my control. I do not know why both my wife and I encountered Dante Aligheri's Ninth Ring of Hell in our endevours to get proper visas. As someone recently pointed out to me, many Indians get visas to attend school and to work abroad, each and every year. Here in India--and especially as a blogger--I have become aware of many expats here, and I have read little, if anything, about them encountering difficulties in staying here. I suppose that Murphy's Law is selective in people and in occasions. A good friend of mine always says, "Hope for the best and prepare for the worst." It seems to be the best way to counter-attack or ameliorate the effects of Murphy.
Be aware of climate conditions In the U.S., I worked for a bank and wore long-sleeved shirts. In India, I gave virtually all of them away and now rely on short-sleeved shirts.
Buy home early (see Murphy's Law) If you wait to "save more money" then you may end up losing money. Even if your savings is not wiped out in a future Great Depression III, then your money will be spent on rent, and if your money is not earning enough to keep up with local increases in real estate rates then postponing buying a home will also cost you money.
I have found that I need just a) roof over my head b) running water. & hot water in Winter c) western toilets d) distractions (tv, newspapers, internet). If you have similar simple needs then you ought to buy such a home when you arrive.
Throw everything away Well, maybe not everything. Read my posts My Life in Boxes, My Life in a Suitcase and my guest post Nothing Lacking, the World is Yours at subhorup.blogspot.in
Find a source of activity/income. I recently came across a news article about the educational organization edx.org, and now I think that I may enroll in a class in the foreseeable future. If you want or need income then you may want to look at freelancer.com. They have very many projects each day in very many fields such as writing and research (my favourites), website and IT-related jobs, translation needs, graphic design, etc.
Do not care what people think. After all, you will probably never see them again. When we shifted to a new area, I found a chai-stand that also offered biscuits, with a small shop nearby that offered buttered bread. Caroline disliked people seeing her sitting by the footpath, but I enjoyed the cheapness and uniqueness and of watching the activity going on.
"Which country?" Which country is which? and "Which country are you from?" are asked by people whose comprehension of English is extremely low. I usually answer "India" or "Here"; after all, if you live in a place then you are from that place. However, they almost always misunderstand and think that I said that I am from France or Russia or even Japan! I let them think what they want to think, and because of their inability to communicate in English, there is never any follow-up questions.
Do care what people think. I have found that my former circle of friends and colleagues greatly diminished. As a result of that, I joined a few social networking sites: first Classmates.com, then Orkut (still popular in India and Brazil) and now Google+.
Another good suggestion is to interact in person, perhaps by joining a club, association or organization. If you enjoy playing chess then do join a chess club.