Governments lie, newspapers lie, but in a democracy they are different lies
On Sep 27 I received a surprising email from a Computerworld editor. He expressed his interest in my opinion on the controversial topic of increasing the H-1B cap and this visa program in general. It turned out that he came across this blog and found it to be a curious view from the other side.
A couple of days later the editor called me in order to discuss the issue on the phone. I reckon I overwhelmed him a little bit with my habitual enthusiasm for the US but still it was unique experience. I figure fumbled a lot talking about the visa program because the sheer complexity of the intricate web of entangled issues. From the discrimination of real American engineers and rampant outsourcing to the venerable tradition of immigration of the best people to the US - all those topics are exceedingly inflammable and highly charged. In a sense, thinking about American developers against whose interests I would be positioned if I worked in the US makes me uneasy. I want to become a real American, not to trespass on my potential fellow citizens.
No sooner had three months passed and that encounter faded away than a colleague forwarded to me a link on the article I missed back when it was published. Well, I doubt I am presented there as a paragon of virtue but the experience of seeing an article starting with my name is one of a kind. I would not be surprised to find out people laughing at me (here) and having strong negative emotions towards me (there) – the beauty of not being completely associated with either side.
Coincidentally, my opinion was once published on the same site. In hindsight, the posting seems to be slightly reckless. My personal situation is not that gloomy as our start-up days are more or less behind. On the other hand, I still cannot say I see a lot of American companies in the vicinity, not to mention the dismal international image of this place in general.
The good news of the week is that my former colleague residing nowadays in the Bay Area assured me that jobs were sufficiently plentiful, qualified people were in demand and she was as happy as she had never been before. Surprise, surprise :) Moreover, her new friend owns a company which could potentially apply for a visa on my behalf on conditions not surpassed by a bodyshop. Apart from the apparent discrepancy between the views of people on the ground and the dire state of affairs described in the media - which confuses my square mind of an engineer - I consider the news good or even auspicious.
A couple of days later the editor called me in order to discuss the issue on the phone. I reckon I overwhelmed him a little bit with my habitual enthusiasm for the US but still it was unique experience. I figure fumbled a lot talking about the visa program because the sheer complexity of the intricate web of entangled issues. From the discrimination of real American engineers and rampant outsourcing to the venerable tradition of immigration of the best people to the US - all those topics are exceedingly inflammable and highly charged. In a sense, thinking about American developers against whose interests I would be positioned if I worked in the US makes me uneasy. I want to become a real American, not to trespass on my potential fellow citizens.
No sooner had three months passed and that encounter faded away than a colleague forwarded to me a link on the article I missed back when it was published. Well, I doubt I am presented there as a paragon of virtue but the experience of seeing an article starting with my name is one of a kind. I would not be surprised to find out people laughing at me (here) and having strong negative emotions towards me (there) – the beauty of not being completely associated with either side.
Coincidentally, my opinion was once published on the same site. In hindsight, the posting seems to be slightly reckless. My personal situation is not that gloomy as our start-up days are more or less behind. On the other hand, I still cannot say I see a lot of American companies in the vicinity, not to mention the dismal international image of this place in general.
The good news of the week is that my former colleague residing nowadays in the Bay Area assured me that jobs were sufficiently plentiful, qualified people were in demand and she was as happy as she had never been before. Surprise, surprise :) Moreover, her new friend owns a company which could potentially apply for a visa on my behalf on conditions not surpassed by a bodyshop. Apart from the apparent discrepancy between the views of people on the ground and the dire state of affairs described in the media - which confuses my square mind of an engineer - I consider the news good or even auspicious.
posted by Nick at 8:47 AM
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