1976 - Another incredible dream that came true
In the period I had my admission and the time I left for Sydney in July 1976 I had this incredible dream.
There was a raging storm and there was a ship wreck and I was at the port going up and down in rescue boats in a very turbulent ocean. I have vivid memory of an English Town like Yarmouth with its dingy Pubs and tudor style buildings and mostly anglo saxon people. One man stood out and he became my good friend and he was a black man, an African. Had no idea what this dream was about.
Landed in Sydney on 22nd July. It was a thursday and my friend who picked me up Dr Terry Linsell told me take another day off and go to University on Monday. I phoned on Monday and was asked to join the Registrar for afternoon tea and attend my classes at 6.00pm I was told all classes were to be held from 6.00 to 9.30pm as majority of PG students were full time engineers and architects.
The registrar made me a cuppa of tea the way I wanted it made. To me Tea was made and every one drank it in India. Not so in OZ. You had many choices of tea with milk without milk, with or without sugar... There was also a plate of biscuits and can never forget my first TimTam Loved it and asked him what it was and he said that is Australias Favourite Chocolate Biscuit. Became my favourite too.
He then said "I have a piece of advice for you". You are new to the country and you might take some time to settle in and you will realise some Australian men can be pretty abrasive and rude and call you names etc. They are quick to give everyone a Nickname Robert was Robo, David was Davo. Your name can be a problem. Ram Chander will be broken up and made Ram Chander. I suggest you skip the Chander and call yourself just Ram. I asked any reason ? Since you ask I have to tell you, in an Australian Pub CHUNDER means chuck under or Vomit and Chander will become Chunder in your case. I thanked him and from that day I became Ram Just Plain Ram pronounced by most Aussies as RAM like the goat.
I was in my three piece suit and went to my classroom early by 5.30 for a 6.00pm start.
The Classroom was empty, except right in the first row was the man in my dream Architect Chris Acheampong from Ghana who already had a masters and was doing a second masters in Sydney. We became best buddies and studies worked and partied together from 1976 to 2006 and then the friendship broke.
In April 1977 I ran into this lovely Bengali girl Arundhuti Gupta whom I would marry in 1980 and have a Son Anand.
Yes 2019 and I am still in Sydney lock Stock barrel having enjoyed a fabulous career as a Noise Control Engineer from 1980 to 2000. 20 long years.
Year 2000 to 2020 my life turned topsy turvy something K-Uncle never told me. This is in an entirely Different blog.
My Younger sister Dr.Urmila became a Gold medallist at MMC, did MD Gastroenterologist at MMC and then went to UK and became an Anaesthetist meaning she was a Double MD.
Manjula went on and became a surgeon although all she wanted to be was a Journalist and my Youngest sister Sheela became an Architect and she too topped her class at School of Architecture Madras. Moved to Bahrain for 17 years and designed the Gulf Air Building in Bahrain. In 1998 she migrated with her family to Sydney
In the period I had my admission and the time I left for Sydney in July 1976 I had this incredible dream.
There was a raging storm and there was a ship wreck and I was at the port going up and down in rescue boats in a very turbulent ocean. I have vivid memory of an English Town like Yarmouth with its dingy Pubs and tudor style buildings and mostly anglo saxon people. One man stood out and he became my good friend and he was a black man, an African. Had no idea what this dream was about.
Landed in Sydney on 22nd July. It was a thursday and my friend who picked me up Dr Terry Linsell told me take another day off and go to University on Monday. I phoned on Monday and was asked to join the Registrar for afternoon tea and attend my classes at 6.00pm I was told all classes were to be held from 6.00 to 9.30pm as majority of PG students were full time engineers and architects.
The registrar made me a cuppa of tea the way I wanted it made. To me Tea was made and every one drank it in India. Not so in OZ. You had many choices of tea with milk without milk, with or without sugar... There was also a plate of biscuits and can never forget my first TimTam Loved it and asked him what it was and he said that is Australias Favourite Chocolate Biscuit. Became my favourite too.
He then said "I have a piece of advice for you". You are new to the country and you might take some time to settle in and you will realise some Australian men can be pretty abrasive and rude and call you names etc. They are quick to give everyone a Nickname Robert was Robo, David was Davo. Your name can be a problem. Ram Chander will be broken up and made Ram Chander. I suggest you skip the Chander and call yourself just Ram. I asked any reason ? Since you ask I have to tell you, in an Australian Pub CHUNDER means chuck under or Vomit and Chander will become Chunder in your case. I thanked him and from that day I became Ram Just Plain Ram pronounced by most Aussies as RAM like the goat.
I was in my three piece suit and went to my classroom early by 5.30 for a 6.00pm start.
The Classroom was empty, except right in the first row was the man in my dream Architect Chris Acheampong from Ghana who already had a masters and was doing a second masters in Sydney. We became best buddies and studies worked and partied together from 1976 to 2006 and then the friendship broke.
In April 1977 I ran into this lovely Bengali girl Arundhuti Gupta whom I would marry in 1980 and have a Son Anand.
Yes 2019 and I am still in Sydney lock Stock barrel having enjoyed a fabulous career as a Noise Control Engineer from 1980 to 2000. 20 long years.
Year 2000 to 2020 my life turned topsy turvy something K-Uncle never told me. This is in an entirely Different blog.
My Younger sister Dr.Urmila became a Gold medallist at MMC, did MD Gastroenterologist at MMC and then went to UK and became an Anaesthetist meaning she was a Double MD.
Manjula went on and became a surgeon although all she wanted to be was a Journalist and my Youngest sister Sheela became an Architect and she too topped her class at School of Architecture Madras. Moved to Bahrain for 17 years and designed the Gulf Air Building in Bahrain. In 1998 she migrated with her family to Sydney
