Romesh Amin and Minoti Amin

00:03 My name is minotti. I mean and I'm 42 years old today is April 9th 2015. We are at the San Francisco Public Library and I'm here with my uncle My Name is Earl make sure I mean, I'm Saturday 6 today's April.

00:22 9th and location is San Francisco.

00:31 Can you play Public Library?

00:39 Okay, thank you very much for doing this and I thought we could start with your Charizard and see if you have it would like what what is your what is your earliest memory of your childhood?

00:54 Marilee is my where is my number one? I was born and raised in India after the age of 20 and the earliest memories. I have fond memories I have is my favorites are taking a train from my home town to a big city near us and that's the time India had just got the freedom and strength are nothing else but talking about freedom and now we are free we can do anything.

01:31 Did you remember who was on the train with you sister? Just meet us. How old do you think you were six or seven you say where the people who influenced you the most in your early childhood?

02:03 Early Childhood, what do my parents and my family my brothers my sisters?

02:10 Handa

02:14 We are ready made family. So everything was getting the family and we never have to look outside for any help. I've been like that all the time contain family and you have any funny stories or funny remembrances that you remember?

02:31 Turn off my stories, but

02:35 Can't can't remember. I'll find anything that I could get into a lot of trouble or you guys mysterious. Where are you? I think that's what I can.

02:51 That is it real stories.

03:02 And we are a funny very upsetting over differences.

03:08 Instead of

03:11 Healing Hands running away mattresses on the floor without whoever wins is is Cartwright.

03:24 One one of the things I can tell you about it. I can dream about an incident that my brother would have done that to me or vice versa.

03:49 Okay, I see and grab the last laugh. I would be and spending time with him as if nothing happened. He can do anything to me after that.

04:08 Now did I know we hear a lot of stories in the family about your dad about the other day but not very many stories about your mom what she did she spoil you guys since you guys were the youngest

04:23 I think she was fair to everybody if anybody was the dad at the same time.

04:38 Modify comfort zone. Anything else

04:46 Not only has but anybody she was such a person.

04:52 Didn't have any problem with my dad used to tell us the story of how he learn swimming which was he said he used to hold the tail of the buffalo in the pond and we never knew whether it was real or fake. So can you confirm that? Is that how you guys learn swimming?

05:16 When you're ready and they started a gallon can of oil can and seal the blade and tight and after we go so you don't know it but then cut down to size and half a gallon so you think you are and one day after about a month or so. I pick you up and throw you in the pool.

05:49 High school now, what are you a rebellious?

05:58 I don't want to go that far with popular because you were fraternal twins. Were you very different than personalities growing up in high school in the test. They would give you

06:16 Photo file charges and 80% of the time will be the same subject. We went to college together. Okay, and then and then

06:38 Mechanical engineer I wanted to Corona medicine and so we went to a different College different town can be ready. I went too far for my pre-med.

06:58 Pick the United States to after your college was done.

07:03 Strippers by I didn't go to medical school. I didn't make it to medical school because I was

07:08 2 points chart of the minimum requirement

07:16 And then

07:18 Started master's program in organic chemistry

07:24 Make my dad, I'd mention it. That's the time in India had discovered some oil in income. But okay, so my dad always mentioned that if you want to go anywhere in the world for chemical acronym engineering.

07:41 Stop watching it. I met a friend of mine who are applied to the same school.

07:46 Apply to a school and got the admission.

07:49 Didn't fit in a month. So I did the same and history I came here for.

08:00 And he's had to do Masters in chemical engineering engineering. Okay.

08:14 At the age of Ray page off

08:18 Brenneman's in 11 months or was it the kind of apprehension living in there?

08:35 Not apprehension Mostly Ghostly

08:40 Good feeling, you know, once I got here and everything, okay at the first 6 months or a year almost all the time being all alone.

08:58 And in a small town

09:02 And very few.

09:05 Indian students measured

09:12 Not that much.

09:17 Get around.

09:19 Did you and my dad leave in there around the same time?

09:26 And I think I can imagine 60.

09:30 And he went to Germany.

09:32 Firefighter education in 1963 when you came over here and you were you were in Kansas. Is that right person visa for masters in Kansas?

09:49 Is I mean in America's history 60s is a pretty charged. Of time just in terms of race in the whole hippie culture and everything. What culture, Missouri in Midwest?

10:05 We were 20 years behind in photos face in front of New York near West Coast and as far as the traditional tension.

10:26 Segregation has no

10:32 Anything like that, you know in Missouri college town.

10:42 Population of the count Rolla Missouri 12000mah especially the student body was supporting the town.

10:59 They said there's a different Dynamics all together a few in other Indian students with were there a lot of other students International Italian primarily Indians were listed in the majority as for insurance. Do you have to have a favorite time that you remember? I know you mentioned it was a very lonely time initially. But but after after after sometime really you got used to it and after that.

11:42 Any any hesitation and drawbacks?

11:48 When when I saw or when I see some of my father's pictures are nice time in Germany. It look like he was having a great time. So do you have for not having been keeping in mind that I came here to go to study out? Your dad went to Germany to go to school, but then he got up. He got a good job there same field house looking for any progress there. So he was making money when I was leaving on on Pennies from for good government of India.

12:28 Died at a Reserve Bank of India to take control of any foreign exchange people ask me, How come you change your major three times?

12:51 Years ago, I can't remember who but maybe my father or maybe it's about 4 or somebody mentioned that you when you were in college. You used to your first job was dishwashing. Is that true? So when did you meet the Masters?

13:24 In midterm because of my cases problems are not having enough money to get it typed in all that are left in March and April instead of at the end of semester in Chicago. So I came and stayed with him and his apartment building and was made and her friends were on the third floor. So there are two possible.

13:54 So that's how they make plus my friend my my buddy. He was already dating one of the girls upstairs so they were roommates. So that's how he can I see you again.

14:12 Did they win when you decided to get married and you broke the news to your family in India? Was that a big deal that will open heartedly?

14:39 I did what do you mean? I was already married to a very happy to know that I laugh.

14:54 Before I got married, I at least let them know that I'm getting married.

15:01 And then after you got married in Chicago you and Rose and I stayed in Chicago for a while or what about 18 months and that's where your children were born. I was born in Chicago and Pittsburgh and how is it in the so you were married in the mid-sixties right in Chicago and Pittsburgh in the urban environment? What was the

15:34 Experience by cultural couple and children who are where you're at. What are you thinking of yourself as an American? Were you thinking of yourself as an Indian?

15:58 My heart is in Shelley belong to India and my break my mind.

16:04 Play Round Here.

16:05 But the decision making was really based on our marriage cuz when we got married are both of us as being from Philippines.

16:21 Made a lot of sense to stay here. And not to go to India of the Philippines because we are registered life here and one of the other offers to make the necessary changes or indirectly, of course, you know, but not directly but then once we got married

16:59 Independent, you know after you moved to Pennsylvania to to Philadelphia area and you were in Warminster and GFR almost five years and then came to

17:16 Philadelphia again, that was a very small town by Glenn Wright House in population small and yet it's not that different from that point of view in terms of raising the children. Where are you the only Indian or Asian family in Warminster because the school for the kids was going to have on a busy street just back roads.

18:00 And it's full of the word for okay with four of them. It makes a lot of sense.

18:12 Rosemary taxi cab driver all the time in the morning is great, but there was a big help.

18:20 Panda

18:25 As far as

18:27 They only Indian couple of very few Indian couple.

18:35 And when you were as the kids were growing up and they are growing up in the more American culture. Did you feel any conflict or tension with what you thought as an ended what you're bringing was versus theirs in some respects. Not not my pulse accomplish anything like that devalues wise Beyond his control and everything else value both mine and rosemary is where

19:13 So things like dating or prom wear those are coming today.

19:18 Rule number one dating a 16 when you are legally adult then you can do anything you want but not at the age of 18.

19:40 Okay, but those are the kind of fruits and I was like

19:45 What you what you what you were brought up with what your values are.

19:51 So when when your children started?

19:56 Experiencing different things in school that you might have not experienced when you were growing up. Was that hard or was that okay?

20:08 Arrow Lumber 310, Louisville Road

20:18 Soap

20:22 But what we were talking about dating in prom when that's over 16.

20:33 No.

20:35 And if it was okay with number two, and number three is relaxed because we didn't see any ill effects anything like that. So you lose in your group.

20:48 Are children ever rubella gay?

20:50 I'm a new ear Western, but did you have to make

21:05 I rather actually do you see your children making certain decisions with their children? So now your grandchildren are they that you sometimes?

21:18 Wonder about or you want to give them advice or no also.

21:26 Videos of children with a baby water too and think about all rights to raise their children between the two of them.

21:36 Are we just enjoy the grandchildren that I would give it to them? You know what I'm saying? As long as they meet that requirement.

21:59 Fine with me if you were talking to your grandchildren and by extension your brother's grandchildren and everybody else in that generation. What would you say are the

22:16 Are they important lessons that you have derived from your life and your experiences more than anything? Really?

22:26 Vegucation

22:31 Is something that nobody steal from you occasionally is number one and as long as

22:40 You should go as far as you can go with education. I'm not saying that they drop out of course credits of all, that's how far I could go. Okay, but what I'm saying, is anything you want to do.

22:52 You should let them go do some guidelines. Okay, but not pushing them at the same time.

23:05 What instance when our kids were growing up, never say?

23:10 If you go to college when you go to college

23:19 And with all the

23:22 Because I know that some of your grandchildren are involved in competitive Spirit things like that. Do you feel that? There's like a different kind of pressure on the children that are growing up today versus your children when they were growing up.

23:40 Academically or outside

23:47 A kindergarten guest getting homework missing now. I never saw a fourth grader loaded in such a homework at night.

23:58 And still not complete their homework.

24:04 Leslie change

24:07 Which icon has sometimes One Direction are we putting too much pressure on them? But the breaking point is sometimes I wonder about that.

24:24 But so far, there's no evidence of everything else. They're doing extracurricular activities.

24:36 Any regrets no regrets

24:42 No ragrets

24:45 Happy life and enjoying my

24:49 Related full retirement

24:53 Traveling as much as we can.

24:55 Dodge Durango romantic and enjoy the grandchildren and and the family and children

25:05 One thing I wanted to ask you was also.

25:11 When we were talking about you being a twin.

25:14 And and then you know you coming to the United States my dad in India and then going to Germany and then you lived in different continents for many years. And in those days phone calls internet all that was not existed.

25:31 Did you win when Dad finally moved here did you feel like was there awkwardness like this is a different person and I don't know keep in mind that we used to come to India not that often but few times and I do guys growing up and everything and penguins from the childhood, even though I don't examples have stayed with one of my friends and I met him after 40 years everything first five minutes plus 40 years disappeared comes back right away.

26:18 So I didn't like other childhood memories that

26:23 Come to mind when you see like when you see your grandchildren, does that bring to mind certain memories or?

26:31 Turn on cheerleader has a different lifestyle all together.

26:39 Adria can I watch acordes no comparison what we used to play in India games. Has anybody ever been here?

26:52 Hello games where?

26:55 But no money involved. Nobody could afford anything in those days. So against my plain and simple more physical than what we play football with a childhood game that you played like. What was your favorite childhood game that you played with you to play cricket? Okay, but that was only

27:16 Few few few few times a year

27:23 What you call more like stickball?

27:29 Can you describe it?

27:31 Okay, you got to you got a piece of small piece of wood and we are sticking your hand. You can hit this one and try to hit and then I feel there's there and catch it and if there's somebody catches reroute as always you keep on going.

27:51 Heather game was like there two times.

27:55 And you can read the other team's football against teachers not invading and the other team player who died to bring you down, but you have to hold your breath.

28:17 Okay to say like like a rhyming thing or they catch you while you're out so that's kind of a very simple games.

28:32 And what were you like as a child? How would you have just how would you describe yourself?

28:38 Happy

28:41 Happy end.

28:44 Not a care in the world.

28:49 Because we were Twins and we're the youngest in the family. Okay special place.

28:57 I don't have brothers and sisters and parents.

29:08 Entrance

29:10 Okay, so that there's a special today.

29:23 Not really because I think it must be something that maybe

29:28 That comes later in your life, but not bothering you.

29:39 Getting that happened when you were in college.

29:43 Wait up special rain come to final come Sunday. Prepared for it.

29:49 Having something like that can happen but it was when I was taking my orders for the Masters and I got to pass the time and that's the way.

30:04 It was very so do you feel like

30:10 How how do you how would you say your life has been different from what you might have imagined? Let's say you were 17 and leaving Indian coming to the u.s. 17.

30:22 I was a very idealistic person. The whole plan was to come here get my education. Go back to India and do something for India like imaginary.

30:36 But that very quickly changed.

30:39 Not because of anything else but no circumstance anything like that when I was graduating class bring my BS are all government of India. Okay, I wrote the letter.

30:57 Island gas Commission of India simply asking the questions you listen to the Masters

31:04 Spectrum engineering and her pick a subject for my research. Could you recommend recommend a subject?

31:15 TDI

31:18 Are in 1/2 avocado dealer?

31:22 By then RN by then already made up my mind not to change my major.

31:30 I got a reply from the day before I graduate in my with my BS. Okay. I got a reply from government of India National Commission.

31:41 Your letter was sent to the wrong Department. That was the

31:46 Then I realized I'm glad I made the decision engineering.

31:57 If I go back to India does the bureaucracy I'll be working for okay?

32:09 When you first got to

32:11 Years after your your heart was still in India, but you're mine. This is a private college.

32:19 Here

32:22 I think it's logical like it feel like a split personality of part of your body with me mister family. You miss your culture, but I'm enjoying my life here. I'm already said I would like to settle down here.

32:40 Beckon for failing idealistically you still think of your country because I was a refugee. I came here to go to school and go back so that ideology and that idealistic thinking there's no wrong way with you and then you make a decision.

33:02 You still?

33:04 Kind of thinking about that.

33:10 After I got married

33:14 And at that before you got married.

33:19 Look at it support for today scores for both of us stay here with my wife is from the Philippines. So if you go to India, if I go to Philippines, I adore just stay here.

33:37 We already we already adjusted plus language.

33:41 In English would work a Air India problem.

33:50 I bet this one after that we can visit.

33:55 And my my dad also accepted that one scene news in here trying to convince him to come back.

34:08 What would what would you say you are most proud of in your in your entire life? What are your hopes for their Futures? And we are the grandchildren future.

34:21 Date weather today Penn State

34:35 Excellent

34:37 Do you feel like

34:41 You know when you came it did was there was no answer and it like you you have seen.

34:48 An exponential growth in technology and communication and $5 an hour.

35:13 Here to scream novel and Stella cannot carry on a conversation Philippines India, please.

35:28 A penny a minute

35:38 To do it do feel like that's going to be

35:42 That's going to change how families interact in how family is already. Seeing how many people talk to each other.

35:53 Everybody's busy with the times and he go anywhere in outside at the airport. Same thing. We consider is the bun as far as socializing wise.

36:14 It's not a blessing.

36:17 It's a hindrance accurate.

36:20 This is still one way communication.

36:30 I see that.

36:32 When my grandchildren are three of them are old enough to have their own phones.

36:38 Safe

36:42 And sit down and talk.

36:45 Excellent. My dad is right now where they listen to you. Okay. Hopefully, they will have lots of conversations.

37:01 But they will.

37:04 So that's the whole thing is not really.

37:10 The D-Day technology is bad. It's just too heavy.

37:19 Hatred

37:23 Did you think there's going to be more fun stuff ahead?

37:27 All pillow traveling

37:38 Excellent Adventure going to be unfortunate not unfortunately. We are going to India in June.

37:46 And come back and we're thinking about how I'm looking for the trip that will cover most of today urgent Argentina and Brazil in one trip. Haven't found one if I found one probably too expensive. I don't know what I'm saying. If I don't reply back and forth to go to different color. I like to do all of them are most of them in one shot.

38:16 Best for next year or the year after that maybe or did I find a good trip?

38:26 Excellent

38:30 How was the conversation for you was this at?

38:40 She anytime your ex Temple that makes it difficult.

38:47 Yeah, I know but I think it has been a good conversation or you learn more about me back holding onto a Buffalo still.

39:03 Oh, that's right. Thank you. Thank you very much.