I was travelling back home by tram this evening when I overheard a really sweet conversation between a small girl (age 3 or 4) and her mom. It took place in German, so I'm translating it here:Girl: "Mommy, Who drives this tram?"
Mom: "Its driven by a nice man called the tram-driver ('Bahnfahrer' in German)"
Girl: "Mommy, can I also become a tram-driver?"
Mom: "Oh yes, sweetheart, you certainly can."
Girl: "What do I need to do for that?"
Mom: "You have to go to the office of KVB ('KoelnVerkehrsBetrieb', the local transport authority for Cologne) and tell them that you are interested. They will give you a form to fill up. After that, they will conduct some tests that you will have to pass. Then comes training, and finally you will become a tram-driver. You will also earn money at the end."
Girl: "Mommy, can we get that form today?"
Mom: "No darling, you have to first grow up and then we can do that."
Girl: "Oh ok. Then I will grow up soon and become a tram-driver. But, I am a girl. Can I do the job of that nice man?"
Mom: "Oh yes, nowadays girls do a lot of jobs that men do. They drive trams, work with machines, build houses, and do a lot of other things. So you can do the same as well."
(....Tram stop arrives.)
Mom: (Kisses her child) .."Come my little treasure, lets get down."
Wasn't that a sweet conversation?
I imagined how the same conversation would be if it was an Indian kid and mom. Just the thought of it tickled my ribs.
(Indian version)
Girl: "Mom, Who drives this tram?"
Mom: "One poor man, who has no better job!"
Girl: "Mommy, I want to become a tram-driver when I grow up."
Mom: (Slaps girl on cheek) "...Shut your mouth and sit quietly. Think about becoming a doctor or an engineer, not a stupid tram-driver."
14 comments:
Very Funny! I couldnt control my laughter. Its true! I will do the same to my kid after marriage,when I become an Indian mom.Flavin I love the way you write the article.
Keep writing. URS Karthika
Very very sweet!!
Thanks Anu. Special thanks to Karthika, those comments really encourage me to write more. Happy to share my experience with you.
das war suss. Danke!
aber die Ende des Artikels stimmt nicht gut. das Leben wird nicht so schlimm in Indien. Frauen macht alles was mensch macht.
Falls moechtest du eine Deutscheslebensgesischte schreiben, dann schreib mal. Warum muss du die Indischelebens bekritteln?
Vielen Dank Sri, aber dass muss man mit einer witziger bedeutung verstehen!
Nice post here, bro.. Especially the ending... A bitter but true reality in India... Too many prospective engineers and doctors here!!
oh and btw, your "vindaloo" title's got me all craving for some nice goan pork now! :)
Mmmmm yummmmmmy! Dhukra maas ani sanna mujhen favourite!
(Just said that Pork and toddy idlis are my favourite)
ahhh... maka sanaas zai!
I love the way the Mom reacted here. She is my ideal.
My brother wanted to be 'Lorry Driver' when he was that young '3 or 4' and my parents promptly bought him some dump trucks & other such toys. He is an Engineer today & so am I :-)
(An Indian Mom to a toddler)
wow! so sweet.....and so true also.:)
Grwoing up my little cousin wanted to become driver of an elephant. His parents thought it was sweet and took him to meet couple of elephants.
PS: Now he is studying to be a lawyer.
Hey Flavin,
Touching post. Maka Dukhrmaas ani Sorro zai :-D !!
Very True... That is probably what the Indian Mom would say. :)
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