Outsiders who became Insiders

They are two tall, pink Irish guys with golden hair, stuck in between the traffic, with bicycles and cars and trucks surrounding them, honking their way out, in middle of Mumbai traffic, bewildering them on a hot sultry afternoon. No, they are not just another pair of European travellers searching for India in Snake charmers and along the beaches of Goa. What do they do here?
Paul and Alan are here to work for a renowned software firm just like the thousands of Indian Outsourcing professionals. I spoke to find out about their time in India and to get a glimpse of their country and culture.

Could you tell me about yourselves?

Paul : I am from the county of Limrick in Ireland. I have done my Bachelor of Sciences in Computer Systems form the University of Limrick. My hobbies include Movies and music.

Alan: I am from Dublin, the capital city of Ireland. I have a B.S in Software Engineering. I am interested in travel, theatre and golf.


Before you came to India, what did you think it would be like?

Alan : I hadn’t thought that India would be so developed in terms of Infrastructure and Services.

Paul: Yes, from the documentaries we had seen on TV, I was imagining a not so developed country.

What was your first impression of this place?

Alan : Shock! I still remember that day when we came out of the airport and were surrounded by swarms of beggars. It was shocking!

Paul: I had a tough time getting adjusted to the heat and the jetlag. We had our training in Trivandrum. I noticed that there were coconut trees everywhere.

Alan: Yeah, There was this distinct sweet smell of coconuts in the air everywhere.

Are there no beggars in Ireland?

Alan: There are…but no so many and the poorest of the poor in Ireland are not so poor.
They get their social welfare payments and housing in welfare houses. So it came as a shock.

How did you land up in an Indian software consultancy?

Alan: We received an email from our employment agency informing us of the recruitment. I was enticed by the prospect of working in another country. So I applied for the job, cleared the interview and tests and here I am.
Paul : The same is the case with me as well!

How did you find the tests and the interview?

Paul : We found them difficult, especially the quantitative section.
Alan: Yes. We found the interview tough as well as we were asked all sorts of questions regarding our computer skills.

How do you find the people of India?

Alan: Everybody is very friendly and obliging, except for the Rickshaw drivers.
Paul: Indians work very hard.

What is it that you don’t like about India?

Paul: The heat! It gets on to me. The pollution, the smells and the open drains!

Alan: I can see women involved in Manual labour. I don’t approve of that.
I don’t want to offend anyone. But I feel the poor people are simply ignored. And there is this discrimination; I don’t know if it’s the casteism, where I find the rich just totally ignore the people below their standards.

If there is something you would take home from the Indian culture, what would that be?

Alan: Their friendliness!

Paul: Yes! The way one person takes the tickets for everybody when going as a group. I was really surprised.

If there is something Indians could learn from the Irish, what would that be?

Alan: Indians work too hard! I was shocked to find people working from 9 A.M until 11- 12 in the night. People in Ireland work hard between 9 and 5, at other times, you can find them relaxing. And there is no concept of fun at work. Work is work and Fun is fun. Indians could learn to unwind from the Irish.

If you could take something with you back home, what would that be?

Alan: An Elephant.

Have you taken a ride on an elephant?

Paul: Yes, when we were in Trivandrum

How was it?

Alan: Extremely painful! But was a wonderful experience!


How does it feel when you are stared at?

Alan: I feel like I am a beautiful woman!

Tell me something about the educational system in Ireland.

Paul: We have 8 years of primary education, 5 years of secondary education after which some people attend college. Education is free in Ireland.
Alan: it is compulsory. If parents didn’t send their kids to school, they would be in serious trouble.


Did you work anywhere before other than your internships?

Alan: Yes! I used to work part time in a super market and in a bookstore for sometime when I was in school and college.

Paul: I used to work in a warehouse and a petrol station.

How did those jobs help you?

Alan: It gave us some extra bucks for pocket money.
Paul: It taught us the value of hard earned money and helped us learn discipline and timekeeping.

How do you find Indian cuisine.

Alan: Indian cuisine is not new to us. We have been to Indian restaurants in Ireland.

Paul: We have chicken kurma, chicken masala, Rice and a variety of other Indian foods.

Are there many Indians in Ireland?

Paul: There a many Indian Doctors as there is a shortage of doctors in Ireland.
And then, there are Indian students studying in Ireland.

Tell me something about your festivals and Religion.

Paul: About 90% of Irish are Roman Catholics. 7-8% are protestants and the rest are all sorts of people.
Other than the usual Christian festivals, St. Patrick’s Day is very special to the Irish. We have parades. My mother makes green and orange jelly. We wear Shamrocks on our shirts.
Alan: It’s a very important celebration when we meet up with friends and family at Pubs and parties. We eat, drink and make merry.

You go to Pubs as a family?

Alan: Yes. But the Pubs in Ireland are unlike the ones we find here. It’s more of a friendly place with no entertainment other than spontaneous sing – songs, Where we go in as a family and meet up with friends.

Paul: But these days, the traditional pubs are giving way to more modernized ( Americanized) ones with loud music and dancers. These are frequented only by the younger generation.

What are the primary occupations in Ireland?

Paul: Agriculture is the primary occupation.
Ireland is the second largest country doing outsourcing next to India. American companies outsource to Ireland as they have comparatively lower taxes than in rest of the European countries.


When is the best time of the year to visit Ireland?

Summer is the best time to visit Ireland. Summers are short and last for only two- three months: May, June and July.

What are the tourist attractions in Ireland?

There are a lot of historical monuments and castles; The Ring Fort is a must see.
The country- side is green and beautiful and just right for long rides.

What are your future- plans?

Alan: I plan to travel, earn enough to see me to a comfortable living and help me travel
On a long term, I plan to buy an apartment in Berlin and another in Italy.

Paul: I plan to travel as well. I plan to pursue my studies after year or so. We have the Mature student’s education programme where people get back to college to continue to their studies after working for a while.Thank you. Wish you all the best!