DES - The Dollar Effect Syndrome

As I walked across the arrival stretch of the Melbourne airport, I was surprised by that name board held high by a man whose head was almost unseen amidst of his heavy body. It signed a name so pleasant and I approached him recognizing myself to be received. So were the other aspirants of the same University. Holding my breath with the unbearable cold wind blowing my nostrils, I must have thought, I was left safe in a fairly decent inn that can provide me with all the basic necessities at a nominal cost. Having in mind those quotations that my consultant had given about the living cost of this alien land, I bid a graceful bye to the guy and checked in. The check-in form had all those promising facilities that the inn provided. The receptionist could see a charming smile on my face which soon had absconded with the notice of the final figure that appeared most unkind to the eyes of an Indian who had only dreamt that to be her first day salary at work someday in future – 77 $ per day with only a breakfast and drinking water from the tap. I knew that the travelers cheque of 3000$ that I had proudly carried trans-continent, is soon in danger.

Every dinner at the cheapest possible outlet penalized me with at least 1000 in Indian currency. By then I had stopped drinking coffee to save 100 Rs a day on it. A spiral wheel of nostalgia would then start running between my eyebrows with that old Indian melancholy music at the background - It was a sleepy Sunday morning; So difficult was it to brush my teeth and ask for a coffee; It did come with a great aroma on my table with her morning wishes but all that I returned were complaints- “Mama! How many times should I tell you not to give me one like what you have? I am not a diabetic like you”. Now give me a coffee with no sugar or glass full of sugar I can sip it. It’s heavenly if it comes for 50 cents. What a drastic change in life! A course of 7 days in a different land taught me that I would starve and die one day if I even unconsciously finger a dollar to rupees and I better train my eyes to look at dollars as normal as rupees. Factually, one from a country of lower economics on living abroad in a higher economical background can never overcome his abacus multiplications on relating currencies of these two different countries. DES – The Dollar Effect Syndrome. This would make an Indian feel like a fish out of pond in countries like Australia, USA and the UK, the luxury of which is inviting but consequentially, suppressing. When their sons and daughters break theirs heads to compromise with this pathetic situation there, one stays envying them on hearing talks of their great life styles spoken proudly by their parents in India. What a funny world!

Landing in australia

It was the first alien land that I landed on, to pursue a Master’s degree in Engineering offered by the University of Melbourne and therefore to live there for two years from then. One can never guess how different it is for an international student to enter this country with her luggage weighing 48 kgs. With an idea of living an Indian life there in Australia, assuming that the rules would be the same like other countries, I walked towards the exit gate, prior to which was the secondary immigration check. Two Australian security officials checking my suitcases completely in and out stirring all that they have been stuffed with, asking too many questions on the home packed ready made food mixes, hair oil, pickles bottle (trust me it’s not that easy convincing them like in the Tamil movie “ Nala Dhamayandhi”) . The packs looked unauthenticated for them unless they have been packed by a food company in our home country with all the ingredients, batch code, manufacturing and expiry dates on them. The minute I arrived out of the exit, I had a great relief of at least having saved a little of items from their throws. That was when I understood why there were too many list of questions in the form for immigration check during the transit.

I heard a co-traveler saying “They are too cautious in saving the quality of their living”. But what has it to do with what I have brought from my country for my use? It seems there were cases dealt in the history on adulterated products from other countries being sold in Australia and they consider this as a serious threat to the quality of their lives (Just compare it with the concerned Department in India). But this is only applicable for the first entry of a person and the subsequent ones are trusted 100 percent. So if a first entrant into the country wants to save a lot of money by taking everything from India at the rate of Rupees, he would any way land in losing the difference what he would have to pay in terms of Dollars for the same. From hair oil to boot polish, pickles to sweets nothing is permitted. But spotting out the place you wanted to be dropped is easy as you have information centers brilliantly located on almost all the places near all kinds of public transport facility outlets.

To be continued………………………………………a country a fortnight.