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https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-i-trained-to-be-an-engineer-now-i-am-a-pickle-seller-what-does-migration-do-to-a-wife-203546>
But you know what’s funny? All my life, I have been trained to be an
engineer. Look at me now, I am a pickle seller!
"She laughed with teary eyes. I did not laugh. I felt like crying and giving
her a tight hug. Yet I did not move. I kept listening. I am a researcher. I am
supposed to just collect data. I am not supposed to respond emotionally.
By the way, how does one collect data when the “subjects” are human? When the
information one is looking for has turned into personal stories? Like this
story of Selina (a pseudonym), born in a riverside town near Dhaka – the
capital of Bangladesh. Selina’s husband was already planning to apply for an
Australian offshore visa when they married and in 2010, when she was 27, the
couple migrated to Sydney.
On the occasion of her birth, Selina’s grandmother had held her closely to her
chest, telling her mother,
Beti (dear daughter), in our family, girls are strong. Make her strong. I
may not live long to see her grow, but promise me, you’ll make her strong.
Her mother kept the promise. She made Selina an engineer."
Via Muse, who wrote "Any sort of immigrant wife will understand this."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
