21 Jan - Know "Sanwin25" here...

[X-press]

http://thumb-2a.image.altavista.com/image/124761053

Dear Sanwin25, (http://www.englishsabla.com/forum/member.php?s=&action=getinfo&userid=1180)

You have registered on May 13th, 2002 and your 495+ posts, were not gone unoticed especially in the religion sabla. Today, we want to know more about the member behind your nick.

You are free to answers or ignore the questions posted below. Feel free to answer them per section if you wish. Good luck!


Age:

Gender:

Nationality:

Status:

Profession:

Religion:

Personal Questions:

1) Name few of your favourite sites beside Englishsabla.com?

2) Do you have any goals or dream for the future?

3) Do you have any special hobbies?

4) Describe your positive self in 4 words.

5) Describe your negative self in 4 words.

6) Which countries have you visited until now?

7) Complete: Happiness is....


English Sabla related questions:

1) How did you hear about English Sabla?

2) What does "Sanwin25" stands for?

3) Which Sabla within this forum do you visit the most?

4) What did the sabla thought you about yourself?

5) Did you make any close friendship with a particular member since joining?

6) Name a thread which really striked you more than the others and tell us why.

7) What change you would like to see in this forum?


Members, it is your turn now to ask Sanwin25 more questions and as usual I expect a lots of posts here…;)

[IceTea]

where are u sanwin I've alot of questions to ask you :) I think his interview will trun to a fight and will be locked in minimum time :p

[Seham]

I think it is going to be a very interesting interview!:cool:

[sanwin25]

Right Ho ! Lets get started.

Age: 42

Gender: Male

Nationality: Indian / Canadian

Status: Married, 2 Kids

Profession: IT Management

Religion: Catholic.

--

1) Name few of your favourite sites beside Englishsabla.com?

Google News, The Onion, Drudge Report, Little Green Footballs, Satwire, Islamic Forums.

2) Do you have any goals or dream for the future?

Too many to list here ! Pay off my mortgage, give my kids the best **** education posssible, travel the world....

3) Do you have any special hobbies?

Music, Computers, Movies, Surfing the net

4) Describe your positive self in 4 words.

Compassionate, Kind, Witty, Hard Working.

5) Describe your negative self in 4 words.

???

6) Which countries have you visited until now?

In order of length of stay ....

India
Oman
Canada
US
New Zealand
UK
UAE
Yugoslavia

7) Complete: Happiness is....

They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world. Someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for

--

1) How did you hear about English Sabla?

From that 'other' Oman discussion forum ?

2) What does "Sanwin25" stands for?

Nothing ! Just a nick I created years ago.

3) Which Sabla within this forum do you visit the most?

Religion, Politics.

4) What did the sabla thought you about yourself?

Not sure I understand the question.

5) Did you make any close friendship with a particular member since joining?

Not really.

6) Name a thread which really striked you more than the others and tell us why.

Most of the threads in Religion

7) What change you would like to see in this forum?

A Spell Checker ?


OK Now <del>cold coffee</del> Ice Tea, why would you want to do that ? :mad:

[mimosa]

Sandwich,

Would you consider yourself an "angry" man?

[MoonChild]

4) What did the sabla thought you about yourself?

Not sure I understand the question.

I think she meant "taught"...

any particular tribal heritage? do you live in Canada now?

[sanwin25]

Mimosa.

Angry Man ? What for ? Not in the least !

Moon Child,

Tribal Heritage ? Well Indian by birth, currently living in Canada, probably a Canadian citizen in the next couple of years.

[Wanderer]

LOL, MoonChild, how about Indian - as in southern Asia vs. Native American - as in anyone in North or South America before 1492.

Hey Sanwin25, seems you've traveled quite a bit. What was the reason for visiting all of those places - family moves, school, career, business, etc. ?

Any particular IS/IT discipline - development, network, project mgmt, security, etc. ?

[sanwin25]

If you want to talk about moving, I moved through half a dozen cities within India itself because of the nature of my dads job !

I was born in India and lived there for the first couple of decades. Next decade and a half were spent in the wonderful Sultanate of Oman.

I finally moved to Canada where I currently am.

The UAE is 4 hours drive away from Oman which people visit frequently when you want to shop or find some exciting night life.
All other places were just on holiday.

As far as IT is concerned, I have moved through the ranks. Started life as a programmer and my last position was as head of the IT department for a pretty large group. So basically software orientated with skills in Cobol (gasp) and Oracle. Trying to get some Web related disciplines under my belt right now.

[MoonChild]

oops, sorry :duh:

low blood sugar... shouldn't post before lunch :D

[Bimzoori]

Originally posted by sanwin25

I was born in India and lived there for the first couple of decades. Next decade and a half were spent in the wonderful Sultanate of Oman.

almost 15 years in Oman?! :)

what are your thoughts about Oman, and the Omani people?!

[IceTea]

ok here some questions for you Mr. Sanwin:

1. Do you visit Islamic Forums for the purpose of learning Islam or to find holes to attack Islam ?

2. What do you like in your religion and what you don't like ?

3. Did you learn something new about Islam since you join this sabla and what if yes ?

4. What you have been doing in Oman ?

[sanwin25]

Bimmy,

I think Oman and Omani's are both wonderful. I truly enjoyed my stay in Oman and it was quite a wrench when I had to leave.

That said, living the life of an expatriate in Oman (and most of the Gulf for that matter) is actually bad for you. I do not mean that any negative way. Let me explain.

You come to Oman. You get a handsome salary. The company provides you good quality furnished accomodation. The company pays all your utility bills. You get a company car with gas paid for. There are no taxes. Your medical expenses are covered. You get tickes for you and your family back home every year. This is all excellent while it lasts ! But this is not the real world ! Someday you got to pay your own rent, pay for your car lease and pay for gas. Pax income taxes ,etc, etc. And when that day comes, it is hard.

Muscat is a beautiful city. However, I truly belive they need to quit trying to beautify the city. Towards the end there was a tendancy to overdo the decorating bit. One thing I clearly remember was them removing those beautiful natural palm trees in the corniche and replacing them with huge ugly white planters.

Oman need to start looking beyond oil. The government needs to quit pretending it is solving the unemployment problem by sending home all bus drivers and gas delivery vehicle drivers. It should be more ambitious. Don't allow young Omani's to hop jobs so that they can finally land up in the government. Teach English properly in schools. Don't wait till they want a job and then have them learn English.

Lots more but those a just few things off the top of my head.

[Wanderer]

Originally posted by sanwin25
You come to Oman. You get a handsome salary. The company provides you good quality furnished accomodation. The company pays all your utility bills. You get a company car with gas paid for. There are no taxes. Your medical expenses are covered. You get tickes for you and your family back home every year.

Doh ! Where do I sign up ?

Sounds like you're still a "hands on" IS/IT guy, not retired to management - or is there a bit of "just in case" involved in acquiring some web skills ?

How has your family handled your moving to the other side of the world from India ?

How's Canada ? You going to get Canadian citizenship, or do you have other long-term family move plans ?

[sanwin25]

You don't know half of it ! What I told you was for Asian Expats. Western Expats (read white skin) get even better deals - salary at least 60% higher, much better housing (generally a villa), better cars. school fees paid for the top schools in Oman (can range upto 350$ per month), club memberships, etc. etc.

Well it was hardly a move from India since we had been out for so long. Returning to India was never an option since India was as much a foreign country to us as is Canada.

There is not much of a difference really. Life is pretty much the same, except here you are much freer. Oman (particularly the capital Muscat) is as well developed in terms of infrastructure as say London or Chicago.

It takes 3 years to get citizenzship so thats what we plan to do.

[Wanderer]

Originally posted by sanwin25
Western Expats (read white skin) get even better deals -

Shameful. Still see that here too. But that's one reason I finally decided to grow up white - though I'm still Asian-American inside ;)



Originally posted by sanwin25

There is not much of a difference really. Life is pretty much the same, except here you are much freer.


Freedom is so attractive to some.

OK, this got me in trouble with a grad school mate, Rahul - was your marriage arranged ?

[sanwin25]

Rahul ?

Arranged marrriage ? In a manner of speaking, yes.

[Wanderer]

Sorry, his name was Rahul - I suspect your name isn't.

A bunch of us were all taking about marriage. Arranged marriages came up and before we could check some of our very "western" opinions, we had poor Rahul looking pretty glum.

Just wondering if that's how you went about it, and if so, is that how you intend to handle things wiith your kids - helping them find a suitable partner ?

[sanwin25]

I have a buddy called Rahul here and was just confused how you knew him !

[Wanderer]

We both served on the Madras plaid standards board.

I should tell you that I suspect Rahul was no stranger to beetle nut chewing.

[IceTea]

sanwin where is the answers to my questions, or you found them difficult for you ?

[silver_ring]

IceTea....even me ..am waitng him to answer your questions bcuz i have also only one question to ask.. and i guess he knows my question.. right sanwin25 ;)

[Seham]

Originally posted by sanwin25
What I told you was for Asian Expats. Western Expats (read white skin) get even better deals
A 'popular rumour'! However, a FALSE perception and a MISCONCEPTION !!!!!!!!!!!!!:mad:

If you are talking about the private sector, then here is what happens and I won't use the word 'white skin' ... but I’ll take it indirectly u mean American or British! For a simple reason
white = Romanians, Russians, Hungarians, Checqz Republic and of course British or American, Australian whatever even in some instances it could include sometimes Lebanon ...!!! You can obtain a working force from Romania who would accept any low paid job in Oman … u know why because there currency is very very low. Hence they would accept working for a low financial proposal. What happens for a British or American person is the following:

In the case of the private sector:
A company owner for example wants an expert knowledge in a certain field which would help him bring forward his company …. He will look up economy sites and discover that the UK and America for example have the world’s BEST economies. So he says to himself I won’t bring a guy from Romania (person A) although he might not request for a high salary demands but he might NOT have the expert economical knowledge or experience I am looking for a simple reason Romania is drowning economically! Whereas a Guy from the UK might have that expert knowledge the company owner is looking for! So the company owner puts a ‘financial deal 1’ to recruit this person from the UK (Person B). However, due to the high economy in the UK in comparison to Oman for example, Person B would never accept the ‘financial proposal 1’ if it doesn’t meet the actual standard he gets in his home country until a proposal is made that meets his home country standards! On the other hand, Person A accepts ‘proposal 1’ without further negotiations because ‘proposal 1’ is way above the standards he has in his home country! Because Person B continues to negotiate up to ‘proposal 2’. Then u get a rumour like the one u said!!

I think the United Kingdom and America do a similar practice. Because the living standards are so expensive they use other countries to improve their economies and to be fair improve the other countries economy by for example, a company owner for example a clothes shop like Monsoon in the UK. A simple top can cost around £60. Although produced in China and it didn’t cost more than £6. By this activity they reduced unemployment in China by operating the factory in China using a much lower budget to operate the factory than if it was open in the UK. Do u understand my point of view?

If u are talking about the public sector e.g. Ministry of Health Hospital:
Whether u r an American Doctor or an Egyptian Doctor or an Afghanistan doctor.. the Ministry of Health proposals are the same and mainly based on experience, certificates obtained or even ur ambition to make a difference!!!

I do apologize for clarifying this misconception using ur interview but I am sorry being an Omani …it is hard for me to see misconceptions about my country and not clarify it!!!!:)

[sanwin25]

I am talking only about the private sector, but sorry I disagree with you.

Many companies recruit 'Western Expats' somply because they want a 'white' face representing the company. It has nothing to do with looking for American or English experience. In terms of management experience, an MBA out of one of the top management schools in Asia is as good as any that comes out of the west.

Personally I believe that the best western talent goes to the UAE. Those that don't really make it there trickle down to Muscat. So what Oman gets is basically the second class (in terms of quality) western expat. I have seen western expats. tatooted from head to toe, wearing a sleevless vest, with a pencil behind the ear. strutting around the office with the designation of 'Factory Manager'. Basically a machine operator back home, his 'ethnic' background qualified him to be a Factory Manager in Oman.

Of course there are a few exceptions but by and large what I have written is true.

[sanwin25]

Dont worry my favourite beverage, I am getting to you shortly !

[MoonChild]

Originally posted by sanwin25
Many companies recruit 'Western Expats' somply because they want a 'white' face representing the company. It has nothing to do with looking for American or English experience.

Then a black man with an MBA from Harvard wouldn't stand a chance, eh? Why do you think that is?

We have laws against that in the US.

[sanwin25]

I'm not really sure. However I don't remember seeing to many blacks in management positions there. There was one notable exception however, there was a black guy who headed one of the major banks out there, but he was from Jamaica.

These different salary structures are not 'unofficial' and are mostly coded into the various company operational manuals.


I know, it would be illegal to do so in the US.

[Seham]

Originally posted by sanwin25
Personally I believe that the best western talent goes to the UAE. Those that don't really make it there trickle down to Muscat. So what Oman gets is basically the second class (in terms of quality) western expat.

Another FALSE PERCEPTION and since it is YOUR PERSONAL view I won't trouble myself arguing a 'false personal view'... as u seem to jump from one PERSONAL VIEW into another...

have fun in Canada!

[sanwin25]

Of course it is my personal view just as your opinion is your personal view ! In fact everyone who participates in this forum has their own personal view.

However, the example about the sleevless vest, pencil behind the ear, tattoed marvel who was a Factory Manager is not my personal view or opinion since I had the good fortune of meeting with and interacting with the gentleman in an official capacity on several different occassions. It was during these meetings that I formed my PERSONAL OPINION that I would not offer this gentleman the position of carpenter let alone Factory Manager.

Do you/ Did you work in the private sector ?

Do you agree that most companies have official policy manuals which specify the salary based on the ethnicity of the person ?

Let me add one more thing. Now the trend (at least when I left) is to import white management staff from South Africa. Same colour yet comes at a cheaper price !

[X-press]

Originally posted by MoonChild
I think she meant "taught"...

Thanks Moony and I did indeed...so it is:
"What did the sabla taught you about yourself?"

Sanwin, tell us more about where you originally come from. In which city were you brought up and how was your childhood there?