As I went to drop my son to Board examination centre today morning, I was among the many parents following part of what seemed like a procession of vehicles. I saw a mother feeding her daughter while she did her last minute revision, another group of three friends who were being clicked by their mother and then still another set of parents hugging their son with smiles that are only reserved for very special occasions.

I have always wondered about this Indian tradition of board examination and the parents leaving and picking up their children from examination centres. Well, today being a parent of one, it suddenly hit me that a child appearing for board examination is kind of coming of age for the child and the family. A seasoned traveller by habit, I suddenly felt the desire to be around my son while he is preparing for his exam. I decided not to travel till such time the exams are over. I do not remember the last time I had done it. My wife, a teacher and one who does not like to take a break from work for even a single day, applied for five days leave (examination days), a month in advance so that she could drop and pick up her son! Proper arti (prayer) is done on the examination morning with sweet dahi (yogurt) offered as if the dear son is parading off for a war! And the one appearing in examination gets phone calls from all his near and dear ones wishing him luck for his examinations. If all this is not coming of age, then I am not sure what else can it be?

This coming of age is beyond the physical growth and changes in a child. It is about the child getting an opportunity - for the first time in his life to be out of the comfort zones of family and school. Till now, the child had been appearing for all examinations in a known school with known teachers sitting with known classmates and answering questions that are prepared by their subject teachers. With board examination, he goes to a different school that is the designated examination centre, has invigilators whom he does not know, gives test for which the questions have been set by an independent body.

He knew that this is the first set of examinations that will see him stepping into the competitive world. The child knows that he has to now compete with kids outside his peer group to excel. Earlier, he used to take pride in being amongst top three in the class. But now, things require him to compete with kids from across India and world.

And your heartbeats are on the way up till the time the child is out of exam centre. You ask how he did and his answer without a beat and with a smile is that he has done well. And he did it alone. He has indeed come of age. It is a reminder to parents like me that the bird has now grown up and is now getting ready to fly. It is time to celebrate!

Well, when you think of New Zealand, what are the things that strike you mind at the first place? The country’s natural, spectacular and breathtaking scenery must be the first thing that comes to your mind! Since the country has always been popularized by the global media as one of the most beautiful places on the earth, we all very easily tend to think it as a place to visit to enjoy its beauty. But, New Zealand has much more to offer, apart from its natural beauty!

With its hospitable and welcoming inhabitants, New Zealand makes a suitable place to be in for seasonal visitors, as well as migrants. A large number of overseas immigrant flocks to this beautiful country for study and work purposes. It has been increasingly appreciated as an amazing study destination, with endless opportunities. International students find the country a favorable destination for a number of reasons. Apart from the quality of education, it’s the country’s people that play an important role in attracting overseas visitors. New Zealanders show a great deal of interest in people and that is why visitors feel more than welcome, no matter for what purpose they travel the country!

New Zealand offers a great environment for students, which is evident from the number of overseas studying in its universities. Every year, these institutions welcome large number of overseas students, especially from the UK, Australia, the US, and South Africa.

New Zealand is a well-known education provider as far as the quality is concerned. It has an excellent education system that offers the most advanced facilities. The country’s universities and other institutions provide endless numbers of courses on different fields of education.

If you are one of the aspiring students who is intending to pursue some course in New Zealand, contact an Immigration and Visa consultant to help you through the whole process of immigration!

Up in the Air is the one of the Oscar buzzes this year…so we thought why not make it a buzz at Abhinav! As an Oscar nominated movie with lead nominations, it is but obvious that there are a lot of expectations from the audience as well.

So let’s analyse! George Clooney is a Senior Executive whose job is to fire people, but with a sense of compassion. So, his job includes traveling all the time gaining mileage points with the Airlines. With a non – committed approach towards life, some might feel that the protagonist has lost touch with one of the most important essence of life which is known as “family”.

The movie goes through the normal roller coaster of demonstrating doomed personal relationships, family reunions and a predictable ending where the protagonist is stranded with a feeling of getting what he deserves. However, the viewer is left wondering whether his perspective is responsible for the unhappy situation that he finds himself in?

There are predictable scenes when it comes to the importance of family and the need for companionship. However, it is still not clear as to why families, friends and society at large pity those who do not wish to be emotionally committed? Is it that a man (or women) must get married, have children and grow old with a companion to earn his share of stripes from the society? And those who do not fall into this bracket are doomed to be unhappy souls destined for a lonely death?

There is no doubt that it is human nature to seek companionship and experience the pleasure of having a family. However, it is an individual’s choice to be committed or not? And if he/she prefers to be committed, there is no question of failing the responsibility, faith and trust that comes with it.

Based on the choices that an individual makes, the society at large might develop various opinions about the individual. Some might term him as being selfish and irresponsible. Others might call him as being scared of commitment because it might pose certain restrictions for the individual.

On the other hand, there are some who would simply say that it is the business of the concerned individual. So, no other individual except for the one that the concerned individual has designated has the right to comment. After all, we come alone in this world and so, we leave the world as loners.

But let’s not forget that any movie always portrays something that the viewer could take back home. Also, the unusual always sells…and so the movie being the story about a loner surely sells to such an extent that it has created quite a buzz! And more so, the fact that this article has came up clearly shows the talking tongues. Thus, mission accomplished!

Martin Ferguson, Australian Tourism Minister, in his recent interview with IANS, said that Indian economy is applauded as the tenth biggest economy of the world. In addition, the nation is facing tremendous growth period, an aspect that would surely generate opportunities for masses who are interested in the “tourism” aspect!

Despite the recent spate of the racial attacks, Oz is intending to have more Indian tourists, captivating on the 11.9 percent jump in the inflow of visitors last year. The minister said that despite the recession, Australia got a good inflow of visitors last year. According to the statistics, 120,500 Indian tourists came to Australia last year. The stats point out an increase of 11.9% as compared to 2007-08.

The Minister said that Aussie as a country is gradually becoming as an applauded and prospective travel destination as compared to other places like Britain and North America. The main reason as to why Aussie is emerging as a major attraction is because it offers a wide range of adventure activities, he further added

Ferguson said that people of all genres come to Australia. Some spend a fortnight here, stay in luxury hotels, visit some destinations like Sydney and look for adventurous activities! Also, in attempt to lure other Indian tourists, Australia would be coming out with various attractive campaigns with airlines companies, in order to provide competitive travel packages.

Also, keeping in mind the popularity of Internet, the Tourism Australia website is getting all ready to serve its global target audience in the best way possible, the Minister later said.

As the racial attacks in Australia on Indian students is not seeming to stop, the Victoria Police chief came up with an interesting, rather ridiculous advise for the Indian students. The police chief, Simon Overland said in a recent international students’ safety forum, that the Indians studying in Australia should maintain a ‘low profile’ in order to avoid racial attacks on them!

In the safety forum, which was attended by near about 150 people the police chief asked Indian students not to flaunt their gadgets, valuable accessories and jewelry. They were asked to look as poor as possible. He also urged foreign students to take other safety measures like not to travel at late night in crime prone areas. According to him, students should be careful and take necessary measures themselves as much as they can. Avoiding high-risk areas like Melbourne is one of the measures foreign students could take in order to help themselves!

Simon Overland’s advise however fumed the secretary of Federation of Indian Students of Australia, Gautam Gupta. The police chief’s advise for Indian students to avoid being assaulted aroused him to acclaim, ‘do the Indian students have no right to be rich?’ According to him, Indian students do not require to look poor to feel safe in Australia!

But, the forum’s organizer defends Simon Overland by saying that the latter did not hurt the Indian community intentionally, but he just tried to describe possible ways through which students can avoid undesirable incidents!

Whatever may be the statement or intention, it is true in any case that Indian students should be careful and save themselves from becoming victim of racial attacks!

She is just 14 years old… She is an Indian by origin… And the girl is already in big news all over the media for big reasons!

Uma Jha, has been awarded with the title of Aussie’s Brainiest Student after winning the Battle Of Neuroscience Knowledge.

The studious girl from Perth’s Shenton College outperformed almost four thousand competitors from all over the Kangaroo land to win the title. Students are tested on various ranges of topics in the Australian Brain Bee Challenge. This smart Indian personality will now travel to California to take part in the International Brain Bee Challenge.

News.com.au quoted her saying that the competition was draped with really tight situations and ended up with a nerve-wrecking finish. She went on to say that she has never in her life won a science competition and it feels amazing to be applauded as Aussie’s Brainiest Student.

News like this proves that Australia holds the potential to provide quality education to students from all over the world. Also, Indian people, where ever they go, mark their presence in a positive way and make their country proud! The achievements of expatriate Indians prove that Immigration serves as a cherry on the cake as far as their accomplishments are concerned and provide them with better opportunities to prove themselves in a better way.

This article would acquaint the readers various ways on how to go about emigrating to the land of Kangaroos. Have a look:

First of all, check your eligibility for the Australian Immigration. Take assistance from an Immigration consultant and know in what ways you, as an applicant is legally accepted in Australia. Skilled people are in high demand in Australia and General Skilled Migrant Program is a perfect option for them!

Secondly, the applicant may apply for “Australia Working Holiday Visa.”  This is a good option for all those intending to get employed in Australia for up to 12 months. It is mandatory that your age should fall between the age group of 18 to 30 years. Know more at: http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-holiday/417/

Another option to emigrate to Australia is to opt for a Family Visa. If you have a spouse or a family member residing permanently in Aussie country, it is the best time to apply for a Family Visa. Anyone of the residing permanent person may sponsor you, provided you manage to fulfill the eligibility criteria.

You can also opt for Tourist Visa or an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) which would allow you to travel in Australia for a particular span of time. The travel could be for the purpose of leisure or a short business trip.

For those who are intending of doing business or investing in the Australian economy, what better option than Business and Investment Visas! The qualifying criteria are crafted around certain factors like age, income, financial background, business plan, state sponsorship, health and character requirements, to name a few.

To know more about other options and a detailed info on the ones mentioned above, it is advised to hire services from an Immigration expert and know about your CHOICES…

Nature lovers and sports enthusiasts can find perfect comfort and harmony in Wellington, New Zealand! In short, an amalgamation of both extrovert and introvert activities at one spot! What else can one ask for! The culture, the famous tourist destinations, the diversity in cuisines, and the fascinating ambiance, everything is just perfect in Wellington and play a crucial role in applauding it as one of the hottest tourist destinations!

Some of the must-try options in Wellington are:

• Museum located on Queens Wharf: The monument symbolizes the various facets linked with the New Zealand history. For those who are eager to dive in the pool of NZ history, can take part in the Te Papa history event that happens on an annual basis.
• The Botanic Gardens in Wellington hold various events every year. For instance, a one hour tour that happens on the last Friday on May holds an altogether different charm. The event happens at other instances also. Another even hosted by the Botanic Garden is the Sensation walk that happens on May 26 every year.
• Cuban Carousel Celebration happens at the Opera House in April and is draped with various activities like singing and dancing.
• Relax minded people can head on towards Waterfront Walkway and watch the fisherman commencing their regular day-to-day activities in their beautiful yachts. Trust me, no better view would provide you with a better feeling than this!
• Waterfront lovers can straight away head towards Lyall Bay. The beautiful beach is perfect for you and your beau to spend some quality time together and capture those moments forever in your heart! Fun loving people have the freedom to indulge in outdoor activities like surfing on those beautiful waves.
• If you are with your kids, take them to Wellington Zoo! Kiwi, of course is a must-watch option here!

No matter where you drive in Wellington, your eyes would be treated with the fantastic views of the harbor and the city; no doubt it is regarded as the most picturesque city!

In order to maintain the status of “PR” in a particular country, the applicants are required to keep certain aspects in mind. Let us consider those aspects for a country like US:

First of all, you must intent to live on a permanent basis in the US. For instance if you choose to move/reside to another country permanently, the decision may affect your chances of getting citizenship in the US. Extended Stay in another country might also hamper the case. So make your decisions wisely.

This does not mean that you cannot travel outside the US premises! Of course, you can… For this, you would be requiring a passport, travel documents and your green card, along with other mandatory documents. There is a particular time span defined as to how long the permanent residents can remain outside the country. Here are some of facets:

US Citizens hold the right to stay outside the US indefinitely, but the Permanent Residents require special documents to leave and re-enter the premises. For instance, if the PR leaves the country and re-enters within one year, he or she is just required to show a green card, where ever asked.

If the trip lasts somewhere between one and two years, the permanent resident is required to get a re-entry permit. On the other hand, a Returning Resident Visa is required, if the visit lasts for more than two years outside the US premises. Failing to fulfill the condition, you may be abandoned from your PR Status.

The life is here…

The enchanting beaches, beautiful volcanic cones and stupendous hills, Auckland has all of what it takes to be an alluring holiday destination! The addition of museums, fun parks and other amenities add cherry on the cake, every time you visit this amazing place!

Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, which means that more amenities and tourist destinations are offered to the tourists as compared to other cities. The streets are wide and offer some of the cleanest ambiance for the visitors. It is also a business hub and is arrayed with plenty of offices, companies and firms, to provide a quick glimpse of the business culture of New Zealand. In addition, it is a perfect hot-spot to enjoy various delicacies at one place. The involvement of bars, clubs and night pubs offer an escape from the monotonous lifestyle and add that much needed spice in your life, which you craved for, since ages. Auckland has something to offer to everyone! Amid the happening culture and night life, geeks can find some respite in the applauded libraries of Auckland, with a majority of them offering open spaces to skim through your favorite novel with a cup of hassle-nut cappuccino.

Now let us talk something about the marine life of Auckland! It is called “City of Sails,” courtesy its wonderful docks and sea side views! Visitors can enjoy various enthralling water sports like sailing, fishing, surfing with their loved ones, like never before. Sports lovers can find some solace in outdoor activities like sky diving, kit boarding, cave, bungee jumping, to name a few.

Auckland is also famous for its beautiful gardens. You can also visit the Puha Conjon Park or go to the famous zoo with your sweet kids. Even adults would enjoy the experience! Other not-to-miss-options are Broadway Street - applauded as a perfect shopping destination; Pernell Risa and Road - famous for its historical homes and architecture and last but definitely not the least, Otara Market – known for budget shopping options!

Still Thinking? Auckland is waiting for you! Just go for it!