Interview between Gurshaan Maan and his Mother

00:01 All right. Hello, this is Gurshaan Maan I am 16, and I'm here with Kavneet Dhillon And today we'll be doing the great Thanksgiving listening project. How are you today?

00:14 I'm doing good.

00:16 All right, so I'll just be asking you a lot of questions today. You ready?

00:20 Yes.

00:21 All right, so my first question for you is, what was your first job?

00:26 My first job was in 1996 at Kroger's.

00:33 How do you like that?

00:35 It was good. It was just a. Like, I started working as a beggar, and after that I went to cashier, and that's it. It was nice experience getting. Meeting a lot of people.

00:47 When do you start. What age did you start working?

00:51 I was 17.

00:52 Oh, young. What is one really nice story from that job that you are comfortable sharing, like, one major memory that you remember from that job?

01:10 The major memory? I think there was one competition, like, going on then, and I win that competition. There was like, it was a really big deal, but a lot of people were jealous of it because I won because I don't know why.

01:27 What was the competition about?

01:29 You have to sell certain product to win that thing. Like, it was $3,000 first price. They still have my picture hanging in that Kroger's.

01:43 Oh, that's nice. Where. So where else did you work when younger?

01:52 I worked at AT&T. Now ATT was then the Bell South Mobility.

01:58 Mm. And how'd you like that one?

02:00 Oh, I love it. I love that job.

02:03 What, what you do, just sell products or.

02:07 No, I was a programmer there. Oh, yes.

02:11 So that's nice. How would you compare those jobs compared to whichever one? Where do you work right now?

02:22 Gsnca.

02:25 What's that?

02:26 Girl Scouts of North Central Alabama.

02:29 And what do you do there at this moment?

02:34 I am a volunteer advocate.

02:37 Okay, so how would you compare your early career to your current job? And what would you prefer? Would you prefer working at your job right now or would you prefer working at one of your earlier jobs?

02:53 I prefer this job now because it's current job. Earlier job. It was nice. I still talk to my old managers, all colleagues there. It's back in 99. When I started there. I worked there for like six or seven years.

03:13 Yeah.

03:13 Yes. I still talk to them and. But this job is nice. I get to meet a lot of people doing. Get a lot of different things, different adventures every single day. Do.

03:29 Yeah.

03:31 Yes.

03:33 All right. About your career still, would you. If you had the opportunities, would you pursue a different career or do you like your career that you are in.

03:44 Right now, I would love to pursue. I always wanted to be a doctor, but when we first moved to States, I was. I just finished my, like, two years college there, and after that over here, everything was different in 96. Like, it was study VI and everything. So I didn't get to go to, like, school and colleges over here. So that's why, if I still get a chance, I would love to be a doctor.

04:17 Why do you want to be a doctor?

04:19 I just. I love wearing shrubs, and I love, like, helping people and taking care of them. I just love that.

04:30 All right, moving from the career or topic. When you first moved from India, what was. Where were the. Some of the major changes that you first noticed?

04:42 Different country, different culture. Everything was different. Every single thing. Language?

04:51 Yeah.

04:52 Yes.

04:52 Did you know how to speak English when you first, like, probably moved? Like, did you not as, like, speak as well as you do now?

05:02 Oh, no. It was really broken. Really? I always. I was like, if somebody asked me questions or anything, I was like, yes.

05:12 No.

05:13 Yes. Yeah. But like, yeah, it was totally different. Totally different. Yes.

05:20 How did you feel when you moved from Indio? Did you or from. Yeah. Did you feel nervous, excited?

05:26 I was really excited.

05:29 Why? Just because it's a new place or.

05:31 Yes, it was. New place. Everything new. Yes, it was.

05:36 What, like, what were you hoping to do when you first came to America? Just pursue education or just.

05:46 I wanted to pursue education, but, like, when we first move. When we move, we didn't have, like, much. We were staying with my aunt for. We stayed with her for six months. We didn't have. All we brought was, like, 600. No, $500 with five people with that. So we start, like, stop working. And since then, it didn't have, like, much opportunity to go to college.

06:16 Mm. If you had that opportunity, would you go to college at this moment or would you just stay with your career right now?

06:30 I would love to go to college.

06:33 Okay. You said you didn't have much when you moved. Like, you, like, had to. Due to that, did you have to have to study a lot more or work a lot more compared to studying or.

06:52 Yes. To work a lot, a lot more.

06:56 How much would you say you worked around that time? Like.

07:03 We were, like, working 40 plus hours every week.

07:07 Plus studying.

07:09 No studying. I didn't go to college over here.

07:12 Oh, I thought you said you did. Okay, so were there any times where you had any, like, extremely high amounts of financial struggle?

07:23 Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Oh, it was back in 2007, 2008. It was really bad Then, yes, we had to sell everything, whatever we had. Yes. And I moved back to India then in 2009. Yes.

07:44 So was that because of the 2008 economic crisis or was there like any other reasons as well?

07:55 It was the crisis. And yes, I think it was that because we had to sell everything, there was nothing. So we went back to India for five years.

08:11 So other than that, was it. How. How did you feel moving back to India?

08:22 Oh, it was. It was different. Everything was changed. Since 2000? No, 1996-2010, everything was changed. It was different. More Western, more advanced? Everything. Yeah.

08:40 Would you prefer that 2010 India, that 1996 India, or maybe what it is now?

08:53 I think it's def. I can't. When you go there, you adjust to everything. It's not like you like that. I liked it. 1996 India. Then at 2010, I like it too. And now if I go back, I would probably like it readjusted, do everything.

09:12 So you said that you were excited when you moved here. Do you still have that same kind of excitement or would you want to go back to India anytime soon?

09:26 It's the same excitement. But when. When I come back? Yes. When I go to India, it's the same excitement. When I come back, it's the same excitement. This is our home now. I've been here from like almost 28 years.

09:42 What were some things that you preferred from each of like the 1996 India and 2010? Like what did you like? Like that it had become more Western or did you like like the old kind of.

09:57 I like the old kind of India.

10:00 All So. So moving from India, I know that you lived a lot in Atlanta. I mean, since I lived there too for a while. But would you prefer living in Atlanta or Birmingham?

10:23 Living wise Birmingham is better. But like other thing. The places. The things to do in Atlanta is more. But like living wise Birmingham is better.

10:37 Yeah, but like sometimes there's nothing to do here, you know, like, I mean there is some stuff that we haven't done, but like, you know, there's always.

10:47 But that. There's a lot to do in Atlanta.

10:49 Yeah. Everywhere you go, there's so many cars.

10:52 Yeah, stuff.

10:53 But do you prefer like the calmness here or do you prefer like the. Not the traffic but like having a lot more people around you?

11:08 Oh no, I don't like it.

11:10 But what is it? We know that although there's a lot more people there, there's also a lot of our family that lives there too. If you had the opportunity, would you want to go back to that. That Atlanta just, like, just to visit or, like, would you want to, like, live there, like, close to family?

11:32 Oh, no, I would love to stay in Birmingham.

11:35 So you only like to go just to visit?

11:37 Just to visit?

11:38 Yeah.

11:39 Yes.

11:41 What are like, some major, like, parts of Birmingham that you like? Just. It's calm and. Or do. Do you, like. Is there any other, like, major, like, differences that you prefer?

11:58 Everything is, like, close by over here. That's all. And, like, if I need something, I have, like, probably more family in Birmingham than Atlanta now. Yeah. So every. Everything.

12:12 And also we have a lot more family friends here as well, so.

12:15 Yeah.

12:16 Yeah. Okay. So I did ask you about the 2008 crisis, but I also wanted to have your opinion about the 911 crisis. I. I know it's a very big and memorable event in many people's. What is it Minds. And what was your. I would. I wanted to ask, like, reaction to it. Like, I know it was a very traumatic experience for many people. What would you say your reaction was.

12:50 When you first heard about it on that day? I was at work at AT&T now, and we. Our community had to go through a lot because of 9 11. They were thinking, because our dressing sense.

13:13 And I just want to make sure. Our community. Are you saying, like, the sick community or just Sikh community?

13:19 Yes.

13:19 All right. Yes.

13:20 Because we dress up, like, close. I don't want to say it, but.

13:25 Like, as the same as the people involved.

13:31 Yes. Yes. So we had to go through a lot. So that time it was.

13:37 So did you face any, like, major threats?

13:41 No.

13:42 Or. Or was it just, like, being kind of fearful of the potential uncle dead face?

13:51 He was like, he faced a lot of threats, but, like, because he was in a real estate, he had to go. Different people see different people every day. But, like. But otherwise, like, our. Where we used to live, my work and everything, they were really nice and helpful people, friendly people. They understood, like, they knew the difference between Sikhism and other religions, so. But otherwise, dog on top. Like, our community went through a lot that time. Yes.

14:30 Yeah. And I know that you said you were working at AT&T during that time. Yeah. Along with your reaction, how do you have any, like, memorable, like, memories about, like, how other people reacted or just, like, whenever that happened, like, everybody was shocked. Yeah, everyone was shocked.

14:51 Yes.

14:53 And I have just one more question for you. If you have any advice that you would give to your younger self, what would that be? Like? Like. Like, just like, when you were coming from India, 1996, like, what were. What are some major, like, tips you would give to your younger self?

15:12 Basically, don't listen to anyone. Just press study. That's all.

15:17 Like, pursue your, like, education.

15:19 Yes. Yeah, yeah. Don't listen to anyone because they were like, okay, we will do it, like, next time. Next time. Okay? Let's save this much money, and you can after that. No, don't. Don't listen. Just study. That's all.

15:35 All right. Thank you so much. I. That was really nice. Good questions and I appreciate you giving your answers and hope you have a good day.

15:49 You too.

15:50 All right, goodbye.