I boarded a plane on June 27th 2008 for the first time. It was a long journey. Eight hours to Paris and another two hours to get to Dublin. My first travel to a foreign nation was for work. An Indian consultancy firm that employed me, sent me on to work at the client site. Innocent was the beginnings. The Initial few days were tough on me and the thought of going back home within week two crossed my mind more than once.
Few friendly colleagues helped me cope with my jet lag and feed me well. Work got interesting and time began to fly. Two and a half years went by that way. Every step of the way I earned more friends ,visited more places. Ireland and this beautiful city of Dublin started growing on me. Not a day did I had to experience anything that felt bitter. Everyone I bumped into were nice. The were all helpful. My name gradually took a turn in pronunciation. Actually spelt as Ba-tha-ri, was more frequently being used as Bad-ri. It almost sounded like "battery". I got so used to that, I sometimes have heard myself talking to a call-center agent and pronouncing my own name as Bad-ri.
When the economy took a downturn in 2010, work situation did not look great in Dublin. I looked else where. Applied for a UK work visa for myself and once that was sorted moved to Belfast. Spent a good bit of seven months there. Gathered more friends along the way. Looked further and moved to another company in Reading. Work there kept me on the move and a good old school mate of mine gave me shelter. Interesting few months there. That is when I got engaged to my now Wife.
In all this twelve months never once did i loose touch with any of my good mates in Dublin. Some of the quite close to me. The work situation in the bank that was working in gradually improved. My good friends looked out for me. An opportunity came up and my buddy Maurice made sure that I got into the seat. Work continued. Work got interesting by the day, I got married and I was no longer single. My wife came over and I eased into family life. Every single day cherish able.
Attending weddings of my buddies here and hanging out with them for after work drinks. Trying different restaurants every week with my wife. Innumerable movies at the cinema all kept the clock ticking quickly.
Fast forward to 2014 and I have no track as to where the one thousand four hundred and sixty days went by. The law of the land here states that if anyone who has lived here for the past three consecutive years in a stretch plus additional two years in the past nine years are eligible to be naturalized here. I had all the credentials for that. This decision was not for me alone to make. It was a decision that impacts my family. After much careful thought, consideration and consultation with my wife decided to make the jump. Papers were all submitted. Laborious task was that to get it all arranged and verified, signed and stamped by solicitor.
Meanwhile I changed job and months passed to finally get a letter from the department of Justice saying that my application has been accepted and I will be given the citizenship of the Republic.
I was joyed, this was indeed a great honour to me. The thought that this also means that I had to give up the citizen ship of my motherland gradually sunk into me. It felt like the big lump in my throat that I could not gulp easily.
At the same time, It did not mean the end of the world. I could apply for an OCI card from the Indian embassy and that would allow me to travel to my mother country any time, any number of time as long as I live. I will be restricted from casting a vote and in purchase of any agricultural land. That's all.
I received a letter from the DOJ to attend the ceremony at the convention hall on April the tenth. A grand day for me. My Mrs and I went got there at ten to twelve . Hundreds were there with their family and close ones. All cheerful and happy. The certificate and the oath taking letter was handed over. Citizenship candidates were asked to sit closer to the stage and family in the rows far above.
The Republic's finest band played some fine music for the entertainment. Each number better than the next. I was fortunate to get a seat in the very first row to witness this event up and close.
The minister of Justice and retired chief justice of High court entered the stage. The tricolor flag of Ireland was brought on to the stage with all dignity and respect. A flag bearer and two military escorts marching up with the flag and the band playing made the hair on the back of my neck stand. Everyone stood up with utmost respect.
The minister and the Justice made their speech. Some words were etched in my mind. They spoke for twenty minutes. They said, "we welcome you all to this tiny island and we want you all to bring the rich culture and tradition from your home country and share it with the Irish" . We were asked not to forget our roots and teach our children the way we were brought up and what we learnt. We had to be the law abiding citizen of this great nation and enjoy the freedom which is exactly the same as every other Irish here. We were asked to support the teams from our mother country, but if they were not playing the default country to root for should be the Irish. Every single word and statement that they made, made me feel more comfortable, made me feel at home.
At the end of this I did not feel , that the Indian-ness in me has been taken away, but in fact I acquired something more. I now have the sense of being an Indian and an Irish at the same time. What more privilege can I ask for! . God bless my Mother nation, god bless my Home country.
Few friendly colleagues helped me cope with my jet lag and feed me well. Work got interesting and time began to fly. Two and a half years went by that way. Every step of the way I earned more friends ,visited more places. Ireland and this beautiful city of Dublin started growing on me. Not a day did I had to experience anything that felt bitter. Everyone I bumped into were nice. The were all helpful. My name gradually took a turn in pronunciation. Actually spelt as Ba-tha-ri, was more frequently being used as Bad-ri. It almost sounded like "battery". I got so used to that, I sometimes have heard myself talking to a call-center agent and pronouncing my own name as Bad-ri.
When the economy took a downturn in 2010, work situation did not look great in Dublin. I looked else where. Applied for a UK work visa for myself and once that was sorted moved to Belfast. Spent a good bit of seven months there. Gathered more friends along the way. Looked further and moved to another company in Reading. Work there kept me on the move and a good old school mate of mine gave me shelter. Interesting few months there. That is when I got engaged to my now Wife.
In all this twelve months never once did i loose touch with any of my good mates in Dublin. Some of the quite close to me. The work situation in the bank that was working in gradually improved. My good friends looked out for me. An opportunity came up and my buddy Maurice made sure that I got into the seat. Work continued. Work got interesting by the day, I got married and I was no longer single. My wife came over and I eased into family life. Every single day cherish able.
Attending weddings of my buddies here and hanging out with them for after work drinks. Trying different restaurants every week with my wife. Innumerable movies at the cinema all kept the clock ticking quickly.
Fast forward to 2014 and I have no track as to where the one thousand four hundred and sixty days went by. The law of the land here states that if anyone who has lived here for the past three consecutive years in a stretch plus additional two years in the past nine years are eligible to be naturalized here. I had all the credentials for that. This decision was not for me alone to make. It was a decision that impacts my family. After much careful thought, consideration and consultation with my wife decided to make the jump. Papers were all submitted. Laborious task was that to get it all arranged and verified, signed and stamped by solicitor.
I was joyed, this was indeed a great honour to me. The thought that this also means that I had to give up the citizen ship of my motherland gradually sunk into me. It felt like the big lump in my throat that I could not gulp easily.
At the same time, It did not mean the end of the world. I could apply for an OCI card from the Indian embassy and that would allow me to travel to my mother country any time, any number of time as long as I live. I will be restricted from casting a vote and in purchase of any agricultural land. That's all.
I received a letter from the DOJ to attend the ceremony at the convention hall on April the tenth. A grand day for me. My Mrs and I went got there at ten to twelve . Hundreds were there with their family and close ones. All cheerful and happy. The certificate and the oath taking letter was handed over. Citizenship candidates were asked to sit closer to the stage and family in the rows far above.
The Republic's finest band played some fine music for the entertainment. Each number better than the next. I was fortunate to get a seat in the very first row to witness this event up and close.
The minister of Justice and retired chief justice of High court entered the stage. The tricolor flag of Ireland was brought on to the stage with all dignity and respect. A flag bearer and two military escorts marching up with the flag and the band playing made the hair on the back of my neck stand. Everyone stood up with utmost respect.
At the end of this I did not feel , that the Indian-ness in me has been taken away, but in fact I acquired something more. I now have the sense of being an Indian and an Irish at the same time. What more privilege can I ask for! . God bless my Mother nation, god bless my Home country.
