My America Tour -18 (Last Part)

My America Tour -18 (Last Part)

Telugu Original : Avula Gopala Krishna Murty (AGK)

English Translation: Komala Venigalla

Few more salient features

I have put down many of my observations about America. I must say that there are many while I have not covered. I have not touched industries and arts. Some I just mentioned in a sweeping way. I have not seen much. Not that I did not want to but I did not have much time at my disposal. I can not even present all that I have seen.
Before I conclude this book I like to mention a few more of my simple observations.
While touring in America I came across certain words which sound strange. When I was in Washington D.C. I heard the word ` downtown`. I thought that this city is full of ups and downs and the low level area is called downtown. But that was not so in fact. Downtown means business area . There is no connection between this word and its meaning. I expressed my doubt to some people but I could not get proper answer.
Americans are different from us in the use of language and pronunciation. In English we do not pronounce every letter we write in a word. That kind of confusion we don`t have in Telugu and Italian too. The influence of German and French in English language led to this confusion. Americans adopted some easy spellings to avoid confusion. We follow the British traditions. So initially we feel American way a bit new.

          In pronunciation too there are certain differences. For example: The word schedue-British people say `shedule` but the Americans say` schedule`. Americans seem to use spoken language where in the British stick to bookish language. They stick to their tradition.

          Americans walk fast. When I was studying in Andhra Christian college ( Guntur-India) we observed Dr Roy Strack walk speedily. Our running was equal to this walk. We used to wonder about his speed. Here one day I went to see Settlement of children and old people. Rooth Tiffer Taylor was the manager there. She was showing me the different centers in that complex. She was walking very fast-almost like running . She mentioned that the Indian s walk slowly. I said: -what is the hurry? She laughed. Even I increased my speed and walked faster than her. For them it is natural, for us it is an effort.

          They speak firmly but slowly. During my speeches some audience felt that I spoke very fast.

          They walk fast, drive fast but speak slowly. That is the American way.
In most of the families both wife and husband work. They all have breakfast at home, have their lunch in their place of work. Children eat in their schools. The whole family sits together for their breakfast and dinner.

          Some families go to restaurants for dinner. Of late their number is increasing. This eating at restaurants did not appeal to me. Most of my hosts took me out for dinner. I used this opportunity to discuss many things and know their views and social life.

          There is dating -tradition in the American society. Young girls become close friends with young boys. The boy who likes a girl will approach her parents and request them to allow their daughter to go out with him. Parents consider the matter and allow their daughter to go out with that boy- for parties, for movies and to watch sports events etc. Later those young people`s friendship leads to their marriage. this Americans tradition looks strange to us. But do we have any good traditions as such?
Even before the marriage only the boy starts living on his own, leaving his parents house. The girl and the boy sometimes live together even before marriage. After marriage the young people do not live with their parents at all.

          They visit the parents like guests and parents visit them like guests only.
All have cars . At the end of the week almost all families take a break, drive to some places or beach. They work only 5 days a week. By Friday evening they will be busy with their weekend plans.

          The whole family will sit in the car and rush to some place or the other. Some stay in hotels, spend time swimming, eating and enjoying. By Sunday evening they are exhausted and return home. They are crazy about their weekend enjoyment.
I asked them why they donot rest at home and be ready for the next week`s work. Some agreed with me . Some said that they loved to enjoy the weekend . The British believe in taking rest at the weekend. The Americans find rest in rushing to new places.

          There are hotels and motels in America. Near the motels they get gas for their cars, get them cleaned for onward journey. Repairs are done if needed. They can stay in the motel rooms. Food arrangements are there. Motels are like brothers to Hotels, where the tourists relax during their journey.

          Many people travel in their own cars and there are bus and car services available. They have green cabs, yellow cabs and red cab services all over the country.
If you go to the airport in a cab and if you need cab service at hour destination this cab service will arrange for a cab to pick you up when you get off the flight. All these are private services. But they function throughout the country. Their transport services are much better than the nationalized transport systems of the welfare countries.

          Even the bus services are available nationwide. The bus companies reduce the rates in competition with each other. You can get your ticket transferred from one service to other. They only make all arrangements for you if you show your ticket to them.

          You can go round the country using any one bus service. They take you to the places you like to visit, make arrangements for your rest and food etc.
Because of good transport people travel a lot.

          Traveling is comfortable because of their good roads allow speed travel. Less than sixty miles an hour speed is considered unsafe. Accidents occur because of much speed or too slow speed.

          They have toll gate system on the state and country roads. You have to pay tax while travelling. They say you use the roads, and pay for the repairs, and they pay. They have 4 lane system for their cars. In first lane the cars move fast, second lane they move a bit slow, 3 rd lane still slow in speed and 4th lane the cars really move very slowly. To cross the roads they should be very careful following the rules.

          Car parking is a problem. If you park your car in a place for more than specified time you will get a ticket, the police will stick the ticket to your car , you have to pay the penalty specified in the ticket , within the specified date. Otherwise the police seize your car.

          The car drivers are really scared of the police in America. In the cabs and buses they have `receiver sets`. Before your journey starts you have to tell them how many of you are travelling together , from which place and what is your destination. In case of emergency the police will send messages to the vehicles and they must be followed. This is one way of controlling accidents.

          I went to Madison college . The vice chancellor of Wisconsin University complained that the students from Andhra were neglecting their studies. I was really surprised. Why students who came all the way to study were neglecting their studies. I told him that I would enquire the matter.

          I was told that Andhra Pradesh government sent some students here for refresher course so that they could be employed in the rural universities which the government was planning to start in our state. Those who already put in 20 years service in the state government were sent for refresher courses. They could not concentrate on their studies here. They just enjoy their facilities here simply waiting for the completion of their course.

          The vice chancellor came across such students but all the students were blamed as unfit or negligent. I wondered how the vice-chancellor came to know that those students were from Andhra.

          Telugu was taught in that university . they knew how many Andhras were there. But they could not differentiate between the regular students and the government employees as refresher course students.

          I conveyed the message to the Vice Chancellor that night on phone. He thanked me for the interest I took in the matter. But I thanked him for his interest in Andhra students.

          Our government sent students not suitable to be sent there and brought bad name to all our students.

          Our government should employ people who are already qualified in those courses.Instead they waste money on people who are least interested in learning anything.The government is answerable for such wasteful efforts.

          In America they are teaching some Indian languages. They are making arrangements to teach Telugu in Chicago University. They got the library ready and they were getting news papers like Andhra Patrika.

          I don`t know who advised them to buy those books for their library as most of them are useless. I wrote a letter to the Vice Chancellor that he should buy books to the Telugu library consulting the registrar of Andhra University or the chairman of the Andhra Sahitya academy.

          Hindi, Urdu, Tamil and Telugu are being taught in some places there. The teachers who are teaching those languages are Indians.

          Some Americans are really proud of their language and literature. A famous novelist there with whom I interacted told me that there is a lot of qualitative literature in America and they don`t need to borrow it from England.Perhaps the English people have to borrow it from America.

          I remarked that it is not good to draw national boundaries in literature.
He said that the British are scared of `Big India`.

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CONCLUSION

          I am able to put down here some of my experiences in America during my sixty days tour. It is not possible to expound everything. Every good thing should finally come to an end. Hence I stop here.

          We cannot see everything in such a big country in such a short time. I cannot pretend that I have seen everything and I know every thing about this country. A close observation of every thing is not possible in such a hurried trip.

          My main purpose is to put down the things true to my observation and understanding. I looked at things keeping democratic values as basis for my opinions.

          If the readers understand that I have not seen much of America they will not expect more details from me.

          I cannot say that everything in America is good. Every country has its shortcomings. But I wanted to present the good side of America that I have seen. That may be some help to us. It is not my aim either to criticize America or praise it. I don`t get into such politics or controversies.

          I wanted to tell my people about the good side I have seen there. I have seen their democratic way of functioning . They are my social attitudes too.

          If anybody differs from any opinions they can express them giving their reasons rationally. I don`t have any conflict with such persons.

          Good things cannot be confined to certain places. They will not have any national barriers. They can be found anywhere.

          I assumed impartial attitude to what I saw and what I wrote. I tried to coordinate certain ideas that we and the Americans particularly have. Some may not like my way. Truth is always bitter. You can find my search for truth and love of freedom in my book. That was my aim in my tour and in my observations.

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(The End)