It is heartbreaking to leave the house you grew up in
under the protection of your parents and mischievous bunch of siblings.
However, it is even more unnerving when you know you are not reaching your
maximum potential and making enough money to live a comfortable life. Young
Goan girls are getting more conscious about being independent and managing
their finances on their own instead of depending on their parents.
Unfortunately, the dearth of well-paying job options in Goa compels
career-oriented young women to move beyond the boundaries of the state.
Karine Dias from Panjim had a job with provided creative
freedom but lacked encouragement or a reasonable salary. “I wasn’t very
satisfied with the opportunities available to me in Goa and the pay scale was
bad. Also, I always wanted to get the experience of working outside Goa. I
didn’t want to end up with a big ‘what if?’ at the back of my mind,” says
Karine who is currently working for a magazine in Chennai. She further adds, “I
miss Goa. There’s something about Goa that draws you back, no matter where you
are. I miss my family and friends; it is difficult having no one to fuss over
you especially when you are ill.”
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Omeda D’Silva from Vasco has been working for around a
year and half in Kerala. She wanted to be a teacher and the location of the job
didn’t bother her as long as she was appreciated for what she was doing. “I
found an advertisement on the newspaper for an English teacher and applied for
it. Most of the girls go outside the state in search of jobs only after they
have tried finding work in Goa, to no avail. One thing I noticed outside Goa is
that more than your qualifications, it’s your skills, abilities and performance
that are given more importance and you are paid more too.”
Speaking about the challenges of changing base, Omeda
says, “Language is a huge problem with the locals. Accommodation is also very
costly and food is always a problem. I miss the food and my family, though we
keep in touch. I’ve also noticed that some elders and teenagers over here have
a negative image of Goa and sometime question and criticise our culture.”
While Goa offers mouth watering dishes, it is difficult
to replicate the same taste in other parts of the country. Prinssy Chandra, a
foodie from Vasco, became a food adventurist as she had to go out of her way to
search for good food joints in Mumbai. “The biggest issue I faced over here was
food. Food is my greatest love and I am a hardcore fish and beef eater, so I
was completely taken aback by the predominantly vegetarian diet. I had to do
with rice and dal for a stretch of days that led me to become a food
adventurist; I started discovering food joints that served non vegetarian food
that did not hurt the pocket.”
However, the hike in her career is something she cannot
compare to Goa. “There has been an exponential growth curve with every firm I
have worked with till date, only adding quality to the work I undertake. The
four years I have been in the media industry in Mumbai has provided me with
world class experience as this is the hub of the said industry.”
On a concluding note, Prinssy advices young women
venturing out of Goa to find out about the locality and the quality of people
in the area as well as access to the work place.
