Far from home

Far from home, friends and folks, a very long tiring flight journey …for a first timer like me it took some time to believe I was in the US of A. It was the same country which I saw in the movies and appreciated for there, the sky was bluer and the grass greener.

For an immigrant, first time stepping out of India and landing in the USA, one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, was like a dream come true. More and more as a young Fulbrighter it is one of the biggest achievements in my life, a pinnacle of glory and hope.

While driving around in the US from the dry desert Arizona to a concrete jungle Atlanta, I always had a feeling, I have seen this place before and keep wondering where, only to find out that it was duet song location in an Indian movie, my desktop wall paper or in an internet postcard. I wasn’t able to believe that I was there.

Day to day routine after all this load of surprises…. the first month in the US, I felt like I was in an alien land. I saw polite, cool, amiable, healthy, fun loving, hard-working, respectful, intelligent, law-abiding people. I saw people who said “please”, “excuse me”, “thank you” and “sorry” every now and then. I had to move around with a lot of caution from crossing roads to fixing up an appointment with my mentor. I had to be careful, when I opened a door or closed it. Everything was systematic. Many things that I took for granted in India, were not the same there. I had to be careful while using words, my habits and mannerisms. I had to groom myself overnight, to fit in and adjust myself to the other side of the globe.

Cookies replaced Dosa’s and burgers replaced Idlis. Cheese replaced desi ghee and diet coke substituted water. Wall Mart and Fry’s were my grocery and vegetable store. Counting calories became a part of my everyday life. Salwar & kameez became an ethnic wear and faded jean and T-shirts a regular wear. Shorts and torn jeans that mom wouldn’t allow me to wear in Chennai were all useful in the US.

Weekend started on Friday afternoon with a group of friends. It was a get-together with a cup of beer or a sip of wine. Saturdays were always full of activity. Hiking on a nearby trail or it would be driving to explore the neighborhood cities. Sunday, I wouldn’t miss church. The church was just not about worship, it was about community programs, bringing about change, and making a better tomorrow.

I felt good with the fresh new sense of freedom. My senses opened up to this totally new world. This is the world on the other side of the rainbow, where I was able to experiment thoughts and ideas unknown and unheard! I started to love myself, the new ME, I discovered in the US


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I will love you again...

found this on the net and couldn't stop myself from posting it

Sometimes....

Sometimes, I am lost in the human jungle
among those dreaded faces

Sometimes, I feel lonely walking in those shores
where people are like sand

Sometimes, I feel a void
and the hard thing choking my heart

Sometimes, I am struggling every minute
against everything and nothing

Sometimes, I live and die
every day, every moment

Sometimes, I feel dead
and floating in spirit

Sometimes, I feel calmness
peace after the storm

“Rapunzel Rapunzel

I had a good laugh recently reading this...

“Rapunzel! Rapunzel! You’ve cut off your hair!
Your billowing tresses are no longer there.
That mohawk you’re sporting is spiky and pink.
I’m really not certain just what I should think.

“I came here expecting to clamber a braid,
ascending your tower to come to your aid.
Instead I have suffered the greatest of shocks
to find that you’ve cut off your lovely blonde locks.”

“Prince Charming, Prince Charming,” Rapunzel replied,
“I have no intention of being your bride.
We will not get married.
We will not elope.
I’ve cut off my hair and I’ve braided a rope.

“You came here to visit me once every day,
and promised that soon you would take me away,
but you were too clueless to even concieve
of cutting my hair off so we could just leave.

“I cannot believe you were such a big dope.
I come and I go as I please with my rope.
And so, I’m afraid I can’t give you my hand.
In spite of the fabulous wedding you planned.”

From then on Rapunzel was known through the land.
She toured the world in a rock and roll band.
And silly Prince Charming, with rocks in his head,
rode off and got married to Snow White instead.

by Kenn Nesbitt from the Book: My Hippo has the Hiccups

My US Diary: Chennai to Tempe

Did I ever imagine in my life that I would travel to the other side of the globe...no But I m here on the other side of the globe. I am yet to believe this and it's already gonna be a month I do remember all the funny things I did during my travel from Chennai to Tempe. Some times it was not really funny though Chennai to Mumbai on 29th August 2011.

Reached Mumbai at around 8 pm. I hear from Poonam (my best friend) that there was a mail from Prathap (a Post doc from ASU) asking if he should pick me from the airport. Oh my God, I had just told Kiruthik (another friend of mine) that he need not come to pick me at Tempe because someone would come from the department to pick me. More n more I had asked him not to find an accommodation as the dept would find that for me. uffffff.... Had to call Kiruthik and asked him to come to Tempe Airport. Housing was like....???????

With all this running in my mind I boarded the transit bus to the Mumbai international airport, then was this immigration and my luggage I was told that I will have to identify them. I was like grrr poof waiting waiting...finally I didnt do anything like that. Then was the Mumbai to Paris flight (2.15 am 30 August 2011 in India) It was approximately a 9 hour flight, I ate and slept, didnt know how time went. No I didnt drink wine. I dont like the smell of wine :( Yeah I was odd man out. Most of them had almost all of them. The flight landed in Paris. I think the date was 30 August, 2011 I dont know.

The most eeire things happened in Paris My mobile battery was down exactly the same moment my lappy gooffed up and the worst thing was I didnt adjust my watch.... I had to move from 2c terminal to 2e ... all that I knew was I had one hour to do this I looked and the display found my way, got into the transit bus. Well 2e had some 74 terminals grrrr..head spinning...yeah mine was 34.

I had dropped my papers file already twice. I had a back pack and lappy flap with me in hand security check everywhere.....and scanning..removing the shoes, putting it back ...eeeek I just found terminal 34 in 2e terminal Paris.... as I move in everyone was looking at me as though it was me who delayed the flight did I? I dont know

Someone beside me asked the attendant, we are starting late, would we reach late too? The attendant, replied "ohh the Pilot is smart he will make up the time with speed " ohhh who is bothered, I fell asleep again....now this was Paris to Atlanta ... some 10 hour flight, I dont know the date, day or time... :( I just slept.

All that I know is, there is immigration at Atlanta, I have to pull out my luggage and resubmit it, and for all this I have 3 hours now now...landing in Atlanta, I just knew that I have to rush to the Immigration counter before its late and the Q becomes big. Like a programmed doll I was fast. There were many counters, and mine was foreign visitors. My hands were already aching like hell carrying the laptop flap, and the back pack was giving me a neck n back ache. I was done with my immigration and security check.

My watch shows Indian Time, and I knew I had 4 hours, now I had find out what is US time....crrrrazzzy me I asked a girl in a counter and she told me. I adjusted my watch to US time. Now I knew I had solid 2 hours for the flight. I was already in near the departure terminal. I wanted to talk to mom. My mobile woudnt work. I lappy was dead. I had money but I coundt find any international calling counter. I was feeling helpless.

I went to a cop and asked him "I wanna talk to my mom, she is in India, my mobile woudnt connect, my lappy is dead, I have money can you please help me find a counter where I can pay n call?" The cop was a tall dark handsome guy ;) He immediatly gave his i-phone and said you can call your mom from this mobile. I was like &^^%^, I nodded my head in refusal and said "just show me a counter where I can pay n call" He repeated "call from my phone, you can dial international numbers from my phone, its free for me" I was very much hesitant...he was giving his phone to me. I then said "Oh I dont know how to dial from your phone" then I had to tell mom's number, he dialed and I spoke to momma for about 3 mins and handed over the phone to him and said "thank you" and for me what he did was more worthy than a "thank you"

Atlanta to Tempe 4 hours flight, I didnt know if Kiruthik was already there?? If Prathap would come?? I knew I didnt have a place to stay when I reach :( Should I go to the department as soon I reach or ..... With all this uncertainties I boarded the Atlanta to Tempe flight. The flight was just so dakan. It was horrible. I coundt put my knees strait grrrr...and couldnt push my seat behind...eek the flight landed in Tempe Airport in the evening at around 5.30 US (Tempe) time. I was walking out to pick my luggage. Someone waved, called my name Oh my Angel Kiruthik was there. Now I know he will take care of everything.

We called the Department and made sure that I would be reporting the next day morning. Kiruthik to me to a restaurant and got me a chicken burger, pepsi and french fries. I coudnt eat but I was drained and needed energy. He said "eat this, we will see things later" where would I stay? was the next question........ more to come...........