--- On Wed, 8/20/08, Herman Carneiro <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>  
> I had a friend who told me once that Goans as a community
> as a whole never look out for their own.  He then went on to
> give me an example of how Keralites take care of their own. 
> One Keralite working in a company will bring in another
> Keralite and together they’ll bring in more.  They are
> happy to see other Keralites succeed.  That’s such a good
> example of a community being supportive and everyone trying
> to help one another.  
----------------------------------------------
Dear Herman,

While I agree with the gist of your message, anyone who has worked in the Gulf 
will assure you that there is none who plays more dirty politics than a 
Keralite. He may not claw members of his own community down, to this end I have 
no opinion, but he will assure that every other Indian, in the company he works 
for, gets an unfair shake. 

That said, I really think this whole "Goan carb xec-xec" story is a figment of 
our imagination. We are no more crab-like than any other community. We are 
human beings given to all the vulnerabilities it entails, including hurt 
sensibilities. To be a community, we have to be blessed with short memories. 
It's time to move on. Put the convention and the past where it belongs. As a 
frame of reference for the next one.

In my many travels, and I've had a few, I have never come across a Goan who 
hasn't invited me over to his home, broken bread with me and befriended me. 
Goans are warm, gracious, have a wonderful joi d'vivre and believe in enjoying 
life to the fullest. I'm proud to be a Goan. I can never be anything other than 
a Goan. Viva re viva, viva re viva (she says after having consumed too many 
Baileys) :-)

selma



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