Arunesh Choubey’s The Migrant is timely. There are many who would like to hear this story and, after reading The Migrant, there could more who may want to tell this story – in their own way
Here’s a warning. It will be strange reading this book because a migrant rarely narrates his own story. It is fascinating to read the initial observations, fears and attitudes of someone new to Australia – something we all have been irrespective to how long ago or recent that was.
The Migrant traces the journey, escapades and adventures of a young Indian student who comes to Australia to find a new life.
The fascinating thing about Choubey’s book is that he writes without adornment. For example, speaking to a Dutch guy at an airport on his way to Australia for the first time, the un-named protagonist observes how “there would be a lot of white people without a good hold on the English language” and this gives him confidence. The migrant is aware that there is going to be a struggle but he is unaware about the extent and the nature of the struggle that we, as the readers, know.
It is also a window to the lives of the Indian students. How they struggle to pay the fees, bills, study and meet deadlines while working 20 hours a week. Those that work over 20 hours to make ends meet do so at the risk of deportation and he eloquently describes in one chapter.
The Migrant is comforting in that it touches all the familiar themes. There is the student/taxi-driver, there is the abusive passenger, the young student who gets cheated by an Indian restaurant owner, night outs and stories of relationships with white Australians. Choubey also explores themes of the restless Indo-Pakistani relationship and how it pans out in Australia.
Through his narration, Choubey manages to remove the victim tag from the migrant. By showing them as people who take charge of their lives, who make the best of very bad circumstances, Choubey empowers the migrant. This is another reason why it is so relevant coming as this does in the wake of the successful strike by taxi-drivers demanding better working conditions.
It is important for this story and stories like this too be written. This is our history. This is what four generations down, our children will want to know about when they try to discover their roots and their family trees.
The Migrant traces the journey, escapades and adventures of a young Indian student who comes to Australia to find a new life.
The fascinating thing about Choubey’s book is that he writes without adornment. For example, speaking to a Dutch guy at an airport on his way to Australia for the first time, the un-named protagonist observes how “there would be a lot of white people without a good hold on the English language” and this gives him confidence. The migrant is aware that there is going to be a struggle but he is unaware about the extent and the nature of the struggle that we, as the readers, know.
It is also a window to the lives of the Indian students. How they struggle to pay the fees, bills, study and meet deadlines while working 20 hours a week. Those that work over 20 hours to make ends meet do so at the risk of deportation and he eloquently describes in one chapter.
The Migrant is comforting in that it touches all the familiar themes. There is the student/taxi-driver, there is the abusive passenger, the young student who gets cheated by an Indian restaurant owner, night outs and stories of relationships with white Australians. Choubey also explores themes of the restless Indo-Pakistani relationship and how it pans out in Australia.
Through his narration, Choubey manages to remove the victim tag from the migrant. By showing them as people who take charge of their lives, who make the best of very bad circumstances, Choubey empowers the migrant. This is another reason why it is so relevant coming as this does in the wake of the successful strike by taxi-drivers demanding better working conditions.
It is important for this story and stories like this too be written. This is our history. This is what four generations down, our children will want to know about when they try to discover their roots and their family trees.
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