About living in United Kingdom.

Some guys who are planning on moving to UK ask me if UK is a good place to move to. I had a fear of racism when coming to UK. I had a fear that I would not be able to be myself in this country. My mind was filled with fears of how 'white people' would be racist. I thought I would have to live through a different kind of discrimination if I came to UK to work and study. so, am gonna spk abt racism first.

1. Racism:

I should explain some things to give u perspective. I am from a backward caste in India. A country where inter religion and inter caste marriages are looked down upon by most people. Its not good to be a hybrid child with cross genetic talent. It is a country where people marry into the same caste and religion over many generations. At some point it might become incest if u go around marrying your distant cousins but it is a risk people are willing to take to keep caste and blood lines pure. Its a preponderance parents have passed to children [Nolan's 'Inception' style] over generations and its not gonna go away easily.
 So, most guys have a caste and there are many that calibrate another's position on a social scale depending on said religion and caste and.. people are nuts about it. This system is comparable to apartheid. Apartheid may have ended. Caste system in India is still in play and its so bad that if Luke Sky-walker were from a backward caste or a tribe.. He wouldn't get a crack at the Death star n even if he did.. he wouldn't get the same commendation. And if DarthVader were from higher caste.. People would join the Empire.
A friend of mine George said 'that Hitler is a pussy in comparison to Indians when it comes to racism'. He's frikkin true.
So in comparison to the racism in India, racism in UK is like a T-Rex compared to a labrador puppy.

Expectation: I would not get respect. Would not be given an equal chance to learn or operate. People would look down on me because of my color. I might get mugged. Victim of white terrorism. I would not get the proper kind of food and would be forced to eat red meat, bread and potatoes.

Reality: A lot has been said about political correctness, cultural appropriation, racial discrimination and condescension. People are the same everywhere. When it comes to money.. Rich and poor everywhere but, the difference is, children are brought up with such good morality and thinking, they have good manners and respect for everyone. They say hello and good morning to strangers they walk across. They open doors for you and if you held a door open for them, they would reach the door and hold it open for the next guy and so on. They say sorry if they might have offended you even slightly. They don't feign respect as English has no words to imply respect as in Indian languages. Sir and Ma'am are not used at all. [Unless I am speaking to an old gentleman or lady in the clinic]. So respect becomes real. [We call each other by names most of the time]. They care about your comfort so don't push you out of it. your holidays are yours to enjoy. No one calls you on days you don't work and on annual leaves.
My head of the Dept sends me Email and texts but never calls me. I get paid for any overtime work.

Most important thing.. There were a lot of assholes and idiots [Both at school and at college] who were working as ''teachers'' where I studied in India, who were supposed to be my teachers and trainers, who stopped me from reaching my full potential. My speed was my liability. My training and learning was stopped from progressing at many levels. That doesn't happen in UK. System and seniors can make you work like dogs in PG in India. Not in UK. There is a validation and feedback system here. You have to do a minimum number of surgeries to finish your training and your teacher has to let you do that many. You have to get feedback from colleagues, seniors juniors, nurses and health care workers here in UK in the NHS. So, if u r an asshole who irritates your colleagues, u will stick out. No one cares about your religion or caste here. All they care about, is if you are a good guy or not. Whether u r good to work with or not. If you spk well, respect everyone, do ur job properly, train urself and ur juniors well, acknowledge and wish people, you will be regarded as one among the people here.

On the other hand, if you act condescending with nurses and juniors, don't have good manners or are not willing to develop em.. This beautiful country is not for you.

I have been here for 10 months now.. I feel if you have people skills or are able to develop em and like to spk to everyone as ur equal.. then this country is for you.

2. Climate: Its frikkin cold. People will see sunlight as people see rain in India. In Yzag, friends call me at 11:45pm and tell me to come to RK beach for a friend's cake cutting and I run out in my flip flops and jump on my scooter and head to the beach in ten min and have a party. Police come and have a piece of cake. U take selfies and go home at 1:00AM. In UK, you cant go out by 2 wheelers most days of the year. You might die in an accident or due to cold. Cold has more chance of killing you. Everyone drives a car. U have to dress and plan and go out. U will also have to search for parking n pay 400rs for 2 hrs. Ur speed and productivity decrease due to the cold. Its like living 24x7 in manali.

3. Food: I live in Ashton under Lyne in Manchester. There are many Pakistanis and Indians here. Pakistanis are our friends here once u come out of India :) Its funny but true. As such. there are many stores that sell desi food and vegetables and supplies. Costs 10 to 100 times as much here but still.. you will get almost the same food. That being said.. I eat meat and can suffice with finding a KFC at some corner whereas my wife found very loss options in India and has the same problem here.

4. Travel and Holidays: Spending 20000 can take you to kerala backwaters or munnar or chennai or manali, sikkim, darjeeling and back. Same money can take you to Amsterdam, Paris, Spain, Scotland and back. This ios because Europe is the size of India and same time and money can help you travel more. [Schengen Visa Zazoori hai]

5. Affordability and economy: People don't save much here. They get one house and suffice. They spend on travel and living. Inheritance has a tax am told. People buy cars on lease and give the car back after 3 years and take another car and continue the lease. So for a perpetual direct debit from bank, u have a new car every 2 or 3 years. Phones r bought under contracts so ppl buy high end phones. Even they can be traded in for new phone on d same contract when a new model comes in. 35000rs salary and 7500 house rent may sound okay. but with the remaining money, u cnat buy much. 3500 pound salary and 750 pound rent is proportionate but u can buy enough stuff with remaining money like a TV or microwave oven or a bed due to the power of currency and exchange rate. [The GBP exchange ahs been bleak lately due to Brexit though].

6. Entertainment: People dont go out to enjoy on weekdays like we do in India. Its weekends. People go pub hopping Friday evening 8pm to 4am. This continues on saturdays and relax on sundays. The opinion on mondays is the same worldwide :p I have been to pubs and malls with friends. Its good time pass once a while. Travelling seems to be more relaxing for me. UK is small and very accessible by roads. U can drive 500km in 5 hrs and not get tired. So u can go the the south coast for weekend or lake district or Wales without sweating it.

7. Safety: Security cameras everywhere. Petrol pumps, supermarkets, traffic lights, roads, hospitals, malls, pubs, movie theatres, apartment hallways, lifts everywhr. It feels secure definitely. Isolated incidents do occur. There r ppl stabbed or mugged or something.. but its lower than in most places maybe.

Will add more here as I go on. I hope u guys read this with an open mind and broader perspective. See ya.

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