America Ah Kha Nih Sunga Ka Muhte
Written by Dr Pum Khan Pau
(Hih thu pen American gam a pai nailote ading ngimna tawh kigelh hipha deuh hi)

America leitang ka sik masakna penpen John F Kennedy International Airport, New York ah hi. October 7, 2014 nitakin Kolkata panin Air India tawh lengin Delhi ah tawlkhat ka khawl khit ciangin October 8, 2014 zingsang nai 1:30 AM in Air India mah tawh ka leng kik a, nai 14 sung khawllo-in ka len khit ciangin tuani mah zingsang nai 7:30 AM (ET) in New York ka tung hi. Arizona state a om Arizona State University (ASU) ah kum khat sung Post-Doctoral research bawl dinga UGC Raman Post Doctoral Fellowship tawh a pai ka hi hi. Vanleng pan ka tuak khit ciangin immigration ah hong paipih pah uh a, tua mun ah verification tawmvei bawl khit ciangin a paam ah immigration zum ah ong sawl uh hi. Tua zum a nasemte pen uniform puan-ak kang leh bombi dup tawh kizemin a kawngah van nam tuamtuam datmei akipan pistol dongin puapah linlian kawmin computer tawh na sem uh hi. Amau zum nasemte lakah mivom om, mikang om, sen melpua lah om in mangpau vive tawh ong kiho zatzat mawk uh ka zak ciang, eh! kei America a tung takpi himawk veng ee, cih ngaihsunin ka hi hiaihuai keei hi. Movie khawngah mivomte mangpau nahnahte mah bang lianin tua mivomte pau takpi mawka, American English vive ka bil in za ka zak tak ciang bel America leitang a tung ka hih lam ka haih nawn kei hi. Immigration office ah bangmah ong dot loh uh hangin nai khat val deuh ka ngak hi. Vai a man ciangin ka lai saipa in ong sam a, hun sawt la pian kisa hi ding hiven na theisiam in, nong zin kik ciangin bangmah buaihuai nawnlo ding hi, ciin thunuamtakin ong paisak hi. Tua zum sungah ka om sungin mi pawlkhat keimah banga a ngak a kap keei bang om mawk hi. Tuate pen a ciah kik dingte hihtuak hi. Cihna ah America visa ngah khin, I gam panin amau gam zong tung khin phial ta leng Port Entry kici i lutna ding vanleng/tembaw tual panin I vai a lem kei leh ong ciahsak kik thei mawk lai uh ahi hi. Visa pen len theihna bek na hilel a, lut theihna taktak pen immigration ah phalna I ngah ding kisam hi. Tua ni sunkhua’n airport ah om in vanleng peuh ka enen a (gol thei peuhmah aih ciang maw), tua ka etetna lamah Air India leh Jet Airways a lengkhia ka muh ciangin ka lung ong leng dek pian pah malam mawk hi. America leitang ah Air India vanleng I muh zong nuamtuam zen ei guai! Nitakin lengkhia kik in nai 4 val deuh ka lenkhit ciang Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix ka tung hi. Zomi innkuan makai thum: Hau Mung, Pau Kok leh Neng Kim in ong dawn a, tawldam takin Pa Hau Mung inn ka tung hi.

America pen a gam tung khinsa khempeuh in nuamsa hileh kilawm zah dongin a kilim gen mahmah hi. A pai khinsate leh a pai nailote nangawn in i thugenna ah “Americate khantohna, pilna”cihmah I lim gen mahmah uh hi. America tung Zomite pawlkhat bang in vangam malep hihang kici liang uh hi. Leitung gam khangto pen leh gam hat pen ahih manin ahi ding mahin kei zong ka ngaihsun hi. Ahih hangin kei mahmah ka va tun teh mite gen zahin nopsakna luatna gen ding ka mu pak kei hi. Ka kipatna India gam tawh a system mahmah kikhai lua ahih manin nuamsa thei pak lo hikha dingin ka kimuangmawh hi. Hih anuai-ah kha nih ka om sunga khantohna ka muh sunsunte kong gelh hi. Ka muh khantohnate hangin nuamsa mahmah dinga kilawm ka hih hangin kei nopsaknate namtuam deuhin a nuainung lamah kong gelh hi.

Ka Muhcil Khantohnate
India gam bangin van zuakna dawr/sai lam geiah kidawh ziaizuai lo-a, van kizuakna mun tuam om in tuate bek panin I deih kilei thei hi. Inn khanga dawr ah ci va lei pak ning cihte pawl kingah lo hi. Mall ahih kei vet leh dawr omna mun deuh om hi. Tua munte ah I pai nop leh mawtaw kisam hi. Dawrte pen inn kong kihong phengphang cih bang hilo hi. Lampi panin huataka ka deih om ei ci a kawk ziau ding dante pawl hilo hi. A sungah I lut ma-in van kizuak lam nangawn kitheilo hi. Eima deihteng khawmkhawmin I zawh ciang sum piakna ah a lom a piak ding hilel a, ngetnget kullo, ei deih bangbang teel theihna hi.

Lampi ah mawtaw hawlte leh mi khempeuh in traffic dan zui uh a, a zuilote maan na kila ziau in a nung ciangin liau sum zah ding laikhak inn ah tung hi. Lampi lian thei mahmah ahih manin side langkhat bek zong lane 2/3 bang om hi. Lane khat sung bekah mawtaw hawl ding hi-a, lane dang khatah kisuan nuam leng side light piak hamtang kul hi. Tua dingin langnih tuakah side glass kisam hi. Lampi pialna ding a om leh a gal panin lane tuam zuihpah ding hi-a, I pial nopna tun ciangin hek kawi ziau cihte kingah lo hi.

Lam lianpite ah traffic light om khin ahih manin tua I lamlahna banga mawtawte tai in khawl uh hi. Tuabang traffic light om lohna veng sung lampite ah zong veng lampi pana lam lianpi a lut ding peuhmah in midangte ngak phot hi. Lampi ah mawtaw a tai kimlai veng lampi panin mawtaw dang khat in na lutkhum suk gawpgawp cih bang om lo hi; kingak phot uh hi. Banghang hiam cih leh lampi a mawtaw taite hat thei hi. Tua mah bangin veng lampi panin mawtaw lampi ah a lut sawm ciangin khe tawh pai a om leh lam kansak masa se uh hi. Mawtaw neite in mawtaw neilo khe tawh lampaite zahtak hi.

Lampi ah camera kikoih ahih manin mawtaw hawldan man kei pian leh camera in maan na la ziau hi. Traffic rule zuilo mawtaw hawlte zong tuamah bangin camera tawh maan kila hi. A nung ciangin a liau zah ding laikhat a inn ah tung lian mawk hi. Tua liau sum piak loh cih bang a om theilo hi, a pialote kiman ding hi. Camera in mawtaw nambat, mawtaw hawlpa leh a hawldan, a sunga mi tuang zah cih dongin kician takin ciamteh hi.

Highway lampite lian mahmah a, highway ah khawl hithiat cih bang om theilo hi. Mawtaw zong hat tai thei mahmah hi. Khuapi sungah highway zui lehang gamlapi pai ding zong kitung pah hi. Highway panin veng lampialna na om tek hi.

A mawtawte uh auto-gear vive hi. Gear khek khek kul selo hi. India gama Activa scooter tawh kibang kasa hi. Accelerator leh break sikna bek om ziau lel hi. Tua ahih manin mawtaw hawl bel hamsat tuaklo hi. Traffic rule zuih dan thei peuh leng mawtaw hawl noptuak hi.

Hoihtaka ngimna tawh a kibawl city ahih manin lampi pen kizik tang mahmah hi; veng tampi a om hangin a lampi bawl dan uh panin a zonkhiat haksa ding om vet lo hi. Thei ngei hetlohna mun zong GPS tawh ol takin kitung thei hi.
Gam kicing mahmah lel ahih manin shopping mall te zong a khan/sawng hise lo-in kiphah zihziah lel hi. India gama Mall-te bangin a tung a nuai om liapluap lo-a, a nuai-ah kiphah zihziah hi. Tangzai thei mahmah hi. Mall khat pen Lanva khuasung cia pha ngel ding hi.

Nin kici peuhmah utna peuhah mawkpaih cih bang om lo hi. Nin koihna ding om a, tua sung bekah kipai hi. Ninbawm nih om khawm lianlian se hi; khat pen zatkik theih nawnloh dingte paihna hi-a, khat pen na kibawl kik thei namte koihna hi. Khuasung, zum, sanginn, zatote ah ninbawm kicing mahmah hi. Tua mah bangin tui dawn ding leh zunbuk ekbuk kicingtakin om kawikawi hi. Inn nangawn ah ninbawm sung bekah nin kipai-in tua pen nin khonte in puakhia zel hi. Ninbawm pua mawtawte in ninbung lianpipite a puakna dingin set van mah tawh kithuah pah lian hi.

Zum, Mall leh mun pawlkhat ah kong khak pen automatic kizang hi. A kong mai tung leng na kihong pah dandan hi. Tua mah bangin kongpi (gate) zong automatic kizang zaw hi. Mun poimawh deuhte ah mawtaw hawlte in card/ticket a thunna ding om a, a thun ciangin gate kihong pan se hi.
Mawtaw tung pan kum se lo-a hih theih tampi om hi. ATM ah sum thoh nuam leng mawtaw tawh a gei ah khawl in mawtaw sung panin khut tawh bat dingin ATM om hi. McDonald, KFC cih te pawl sai ah van I lei nop ciangin mawtaw tawh I pai leh kum khia lo-a leitheih dingin kongvang khat panin leitheih dingin kibawl hi.

Datsi/meitui thunna ah mawtaw tui thun pen ei leh ei in hih ding hiziau hi. Sum piakna ATM card tawh kipia hi. Tua mah bangin gas thunna zong ol mahmah hi. Kigual deudau cih bang om vetlo hi.
Metro train leh bus ticket kibang hi. Ticket nam tuamtuam om a, kum 60 tunglamte adingin man niam deuh om hi. All day pass I lei leh a train leh bus nikhat pumpi kituang thei hi. Tua lo kalkhat, khakhak, kumkhak cih bangin a lomin kilei thei hi. Ticket pen ATM card dan pian lai tawh kibawl hi-a, i leikhit hangin zang naikei peuh leng koihkoih thei hi. Cihna ah I zat ding ciangin activate kul hi. Meileng ngakna (station) ah machine om a, tua panin ticket kilei thei in tua mun ah activate kici mun vang khat ah ticket thun lehang ticket pen a tungah date print sa in ong pusuak kik hi. Tua khit teh zat theih hi. Tua a date a kigelh ni bek kizang thei (valid) cihna hi. Meileng ticket sitte (India ah TTE kicite) pen uniform leh a van nam kim tawh kithuap litlet hi. Ticket check na machine neu khat tawi uh a, ticket pen tua machine ah a zut (swipe) uh ciangin a chek khin hipah hi. Amau ticket a chek khit ciangin thank you ong ci lai hi. Ticket neilo a meileng tuangte a khawlna masapen ah kumsak hi. Khasi gamah taxi tuan ciangin talo pipi a tutna ah kihen teitei cih dante pawl om vetlo hi. Minih tutna ah khat a tut khit a, van a gei ah a koih leh kuamah tutsawm hamtang lo lel uh hi.

Americante pen ann/nektheih nam tuamtuam lah nene thei uh, zong hai mahmah uh, coffee leh dawn theih nam lah hai diak uh hi. A khut vuah haipi tawi kawmsa a vak/lampai tam mahmah hi. Khualum hun diakin tuivot namte lim bawl mahmah uh hi.

Zomite lakah zong kikhopna khatpeuh om leh cold drink kihawm zihziah, lengla om leh tua mah tawh na zindo. Arizona ah tui dawn ding mineral water kilim zat hi. Tui dawn ding kilei tangtang hi. Tui bel tam man hetlo bilbel hi. Zomite in Kawlgam danin Sanpiuh cihte pawl kin ngaihsut uh hi.

Mawtaw cih pen India ah neih ding hamsa kisa mahmah I cih leh kisam lua lawmlawm lo ahih man na hi zaw leh kilawm sa ing. Ka nasepna Santiniketan ah University Professor takpi in cycle zang hiathiat lel hi. Kilawm lah si ka cih nop hangin tua mun ah cycle tawh nuamtaka tun theihna ah car cih khawng kisam hetlo na hi zaw gige hi. Neih mana lei ding ahih kei buang leh a kisap manin car lei kul vetlo hi. America bel na tuaci vetlo hi. Ka tun ciangin khe tawh mi vak muh ding lah om mello, khe tawh lam gei khawngah a mawk vakvakte pen inn neilo mizawngte (homeless) banga kituat pian mawk hihtuak hi. Bus lah tamlo, auto rickshaw, rickshaw cih te pawl muh ding lah om deksuai lo. Taxi pen kisikha muh zeuhzeuh thei in aih hanga Shillong/Aizawl khawng banga kizui dandan in lamgei khat peuh pan tuang ziau cih bang kingah lo hi. Kivak thei keeilo hi. Tua ahih manin mi khempeuh in amau mawtaw ding kisam hi.
 
Nasep paina, zum kahna, sangkahna, kikhopna, bazaar hawhna…vakna khempeuh mite amau car tawh kikhawh ziahziah lel hi. Car nei kei leng khe neilo mah akibang himai hi. A nasep thupi kei leh zong a nasepna ding mun a tunna ding kisam ahih manin car a neih loh phamawh cih dan hi. Second hand mawtaw lei ding tam mahmah hi. Hoih thei mahmah lah tam man lualo cih bang tam ahih manin mawtaw neih ding hamsa lualo hi. India ah car gol lakh 7/8 mante pawl US ah Zomite in hawl ziahziah lel hi. Zomi kikhopna ah mi tam khol kei taleh mawtaw pen mi pha zahzah om pah ahih manin nasia phengphang veve hi.

Nuam Kasakna Hang

1. Kizahtakna lungsim nei uh hi: Sai, Zum, Library, Bank leh mun khat peuh ah I pai ciangin ei mai ah midang khat a om leh ama zawh kingaka, aman ciang bek in eima vai kisai pan hi. Kituhlo in kingak cihna hi. India gam a diakin Bengalite lak tawh kilehbulh hi. Bengali lakah bel sai ah van lei ding I pai ciangin I mai a omte ngak leng I nunga ong paite in a nunglampan ama deih pen otsan ziau in a ngah masa zaw suak thei hi. Kingak cih bang sangin a pau zo zaw, maingal zawte man baih cihna hi. Zum khatpeuh ah bill piak ding aihih keh ngah ding ngaka kigualte nangawn omna mun kituh ding lau-in khualum nuaiah kineh tentan in kiding tazen hi. Mun awng omsak leng kituh takpi mah hi hang. Mite sangin ka ngah baih zawkna ahih peuh leh phamawhsak neilo lungsim kipaai hi. Tuabang lungsim a om lohna; tua sangin midangte kideihsakna,, kingakzawhna, thuakzawhna a omna America nuam kasa hi.

2. A theilote lamlak nuam uh hi: I theihloh na khat peuhpeuh mi I dot ciangin I tel dongin ong hilh nuam uh hi. A kisap leh a mun mahmah ah hong kha uh hi. Arizona State University ka pai masak penpen ni-in ka paina ding zum pen mu pah lo hing. Ka zonzon khit ciangin mun khat ah lut pongin ka kan leh hih tak hikei, hua lam hi, ciin mi khat in a mun mah hong lak pah lian mawk hi. Tua lam ah pai inla, kawi phei in tangpaikik lecin cihte pawl omlo hi. Ka theihna ding ciangtan ah ong kha hi. Tua hangin Zomi tampitak Mangpau thei het kei tase le uh Mikangte’n a theih theih dong uh lamlak mawk ahih manin nasepna ah buai lo hi. A theilote simmawh bawllo-in a theihna dinguh deihsak uh hi. India gam mite leh Zomite in a theilote kineu et nuam pah hi; kisim mawh bawl pian mawk hi.  Khem theih dingin ki ngaihsun zawlai hi. Hawhna khat peuh nei in sai khat peuhah pai leng ong kihopihna masakna pen: Hi/Hello Good morning/afternoon…How can I help you? ciin maitai takin hong kimuak zen hi. Tua pen en zong amau thusiam banga dawn kik ding ahi hi. Ka tun cilin lawmte tawh ka vak ciang amau zong tuabangin maitai-in mite hopihna dawng kik thei uh ahih manin lamdang kasa liang hi. Ei gam paizia hilo lua ahih manin kizang thei pak lo liang hi. I zat sawm sunsun ciangin zong I koitak hiamah ong dong keei khat a om tawh kibangin ei leh ei peuh kisuang mawkmawk hihang.

3. Amau tawh kisai lo peuhmah awlmawh lo uh hi: Zomite pen ei tawh kisai kha kilkellote dongin kisai kikum nuama, ki-encik, kigensia zawlai hi hang. Ahih hangin America ah mite amau tawh kisai ahih kei buang leh midangte vai ah amau buai lo lel hi. Tangtat (individualist) lungsim pua uh hi. Lamgei aih kei leh mawtaw/meileng sung khawngah mite kikawi-in kitawptawp ta leh kuaman enen selo, gensia selo lel hi. Cihnopna ah amau tawh kisai ahih loh manin phamawh sa lo uh hi. Tangtat lungsim pen angsung khualna tawh a kithuah leh bel hoihlo zel hi. Zomi society tawh zong kituak lo-in zat huailo hi. Midangte haza-a eima ading bekbek angsung khualna leh eima meetna ding ahih peuh leh midangte supna ahizongin phamawhsak lohna pen hoihlo-a, ahih hangin khantoh ding utna lungsim tawh mimal hanciamna, a kisamlopi-a midangte tawh kisai lohna pen khantohna lampi hi. Mimal khantohna om masa lopi-in taangpi khantohna lawhcing theilo hi. Americate in tua lungsim nei in nasep hahkat uh hi. America Zomite zong nasep hahkat mahmah, mimal in hanciam mahmah tek uh hi; ahih hangin a kisamlopi-a midangte etcikna leh sai nopnate pawl kinusia zo nailo hi. Midangte tawh I kisaina pen kihuhna, kithapiakna,, kilamlahna hi leh khantoh vai bek hi.

4. Lampi tangzai mahmah hi: Khantohna dinga kisam mahmah khat pen kikawmna lampi hi. America ah gam kicing ahih man zong hikha in teh lampi zai in hoih thei kasa hi. Kei omna Phoenix pen kum za khat deuh khawng paisa a kipan a kilam hi-a, ngimna/plan hoihtak tawh kibawl ahih manin lampi leh khuapi sung git tang zitzet bang hi. Inn om nailohna khuapi nawl lampek nangawn ah lampi hoihtakin kikhung khin zen a, traffic light zong om khin hi. Kikawmna hoihsak mahmah uh ahih manin tua hangin khantohna manlang hi. Zomite pawlkhat I nasepna bang km 80 khawng gamla hi. Ahih hang lampi hoih ahih manin mawtaw tawh nai khat sung bek pai uh hi.

Zomite zong I tenna leitang khantohna dingin lampi hoih kisam hi. Mualdawna om khua zong lampi hoih tawh kizom peuh leh khangto lah lo ding hi. Tua ahih manin tulaitaka Chin state ah ZRDP nasepna bang thapiaka, huh huan dingin hoih mahmah hi. Nidang lampi hoih loh manin Kawlpi leh Tamu kikal nikhat paina hi a, lamkal ah giah kul thei lai hi. Ahizongin tu in lampi hoih manin Lamka leh Kawlpi ni khat in kitung hi. Kawlpi leh Behiang mawtaw tawh sun lang paina ding bek a gamla hi. Tua mah bangin Aizawl leh Tedim nikhatin tun lahna ding hilo hi. Lampi kisam hihang.

5. Thukan (researcher) mite adingin nuamlua hi: Research bawl thukan laisim mite adingin laibu saal (library) ah laibu I deih peuh kimu phiala, inter-library loan tawh mun dang library a om laibute nangawn kikawm thei sawnsawn ahih manin tua mahmah nuam kasa hi. India panin a laibu min I theih hangin I ngah zawh loh, a ngahna ding zong I theihlohte US library panin I ngah ciangin suangmanpha mu mah kibang hi (ka muh ngeiloh hang). Library ah a om nailo laibu thak khatpeuh I deih leh librarian te kiangah a lei dingun kingen thei lai hi. Library ah laibu zon ol mahmah hi. A nambat thei peuh leng a mun ah na om lianlian hi. Ei lam library te tawh kikhai lua hi. Tua banah laibu deih zahzah kikawm thei hi.

Thukhupna: Khatvei ASU a ka sianu in nitak ann ne dingin a inn ah ong sam hi. ASU a South and Southeast Asian scholars-te zong mi 6/7 khawng sam hi. Kei pen guest of honour dan a keima mina ann nekhawm ka hi zen uh hi. Tua nitak ann ka nekkhoppihte tawh lawm bangin ka kithuah uh hangin a nung ciangin amau I profile ka kan ciangin amau field of research tek ah min nei mahmah vive, laibu tampipi a bawl khin khawng vive na hi mawk uh a, tua ka theih ciangin ka mai lah zum ei, hampha lah kisa ing ei. Hih tuipi gal khat pekah kei leltak Pasian in mipil misiamte tawh annkuang ong umkhawm sak hitah maw, cih ka ngaihsut ciangin Topa hong itna mahmah thupi-in lamdang kasa hi. Topa vai pen a ngakzote adingin ngak thaman om kasa hi. A tunga kigelh thute keimah hong tonpih Pasian’ khutma a kilatna hi henla, a sim mimal kim adingin thupha hong hita hen.