Oral History

Derrick Reed
09- 17- 2008
Oral History Project


The person I choose to interview on this oral history project is my friend Saad. Saad is a really smart person who has a lot to say about everything. I choose Saad because I felt that he will cover the issues that was related to our IMY. I asked him several questions that I felt would raise a certain issue, and then I took what I wanted to keep and took out what things I felt were too board or unnecessary.

Saad can you start by stating your nationality and where you were was born please?

I am Indian, and I was born here in America.

Describe to me the lifestyle of an Indian person living in India vs. an American?

Well, India is completely different from America. I feel that Americans are spoiled compared to everyone else in the world. In India, which is over populated people really suffer. Over here people may struggle, but they can get by in life. There are people in India who are happy if they get two meals a day. There are people in India who are literally living off a $1. One Indian dollar is like forty-three rupees . Just to give you an idea a can of pop maybe like 25 rupees.

What are some other differences?

There is no welfare or health care assistance. People don’t get anything free. You know how in America take a trade and become like a construction worker.?

Yeah

Well in India a construction worker don’t make shit. At the most a construction worker brings in $3.75 a day. People in India, are either real rich or real poor. there is no middle class. Another difference is we don’t really separate the rich from the poor when it comes to the poor. The poor works for the rich, so therefore they must live near the rich.

How are some of these people rich?

Their rich because of their parents or they work hard. India is a third world country, but the people aren’t dumb. We value education to extreme. In fact most people in India who have some type of wealth deals with technology, telemarketing, and medical. Families push their kids to achieve.

Now because India is a 3rd world country obliviously there are poor people. Do you feel these people have to be poor. Can they obtain riches?

Yeah, they can, but it’s almost impossible. A struggling person from in India works for cheap labor. The pay is only enough to survive off of. there is no luxuries in this salary. My boss give me small shelter and pays me little. How can I afford the finer things in life.

And the main reason why poor people can’t see riches is because of education. Education is what really trap these people. Education is what sets the rich from the poor. Education in India is not free. It’s cost a lot of money. These kids are not easily accepted into colleges and on top of it, it’s really expensive. These college before even one is paying tuition must donate money to the college. The schools are private schools and these kids students don’t know anything about a scholarship or financial aid. As, result of college being so high, these kids are forced into a role that don’t want to play. They must face reality and accept that they will work for cheap labor for the rest of their lives. This is why in India we have the most Juvenile workers in the world. Now this show you how these people are Trapped!