A permanent temporary stay

Just to make it simple, let me give you the purpose of this post. It is twofold - 1) To re-start my writing, 2) To recollect what happened in July 2003. I took my first international flight on 17/07/03 from India and reached US on 07/18/03.

It was year 2003, months of July, June and May. Things were happening quickly. I was applying for MS programs all over US, with some idea about their strengths and weaknesses. Honestly, I did not know where most of the schools were located. I was not smart enough to google (now used as a verb) and look for individual universities, their locations, their proximity to big cities, their statistics about the ultimate goal (aka job prospects) which any US-bound youth holds close to his/ her heart. I got a list of probable/ likely schools-to-go-to from someone. I ambitiously added few more schools that I thought would be good additions. In the end, I applied to several good/ average/ bad schools - got a few admits - and decided to choose to Clemson for a degree in Bioengineering. I also got a US visa after the visa officer said that my answer to his only question was 'lousy'. I enjoyed the process and the hectic schedule prior to my departure to US. I met a few guys/girls from Pune to were also going to Clemson. In the same vein, I met a guy, who seemed quite smart/ active. His name was Nikhil. And we started to begin shopping for the tough life in USA. It brings a smile, when I think our endeavors in those days. I was working in Mumbai and he was working in Pune. I came to Pune, where my parents lived then, every weekend. Instead of spending time with my parents before I left for US, I spent time doing things I had never done, like buying clothes in bulk, going to wholesale market to buy pressure cooker, buying everything in dozens including undergarments and socks. We had heard that in US, the washer/dryer system had to be used every 2 weeks, so one was supposed to have atleast a dozen of everything. We did not really confront anyone's theories then. We just acted without resistance. Someone said that we need to check with a dentist, physician, and an ear specialist and we did that. Someone said that a IDP, also called as Intl. Drivers' Permit, was a thing that is a must. We got that. Someone told me that domicile certificate was a must. I got that. All the different documents and more, had been collected.

Anything that was told to be important, I got it. Luckily, I was able to get everything that everyone (Everyone included people who had been to US 10 years before or who had never stepped outside India or who had never boarded a flight) had told me to get or would randomly ask if I took it. Yes, I had everything. It feels funny, but I don't see anything wrong with it. It felt necessary then. I had left the job of buying the ticket to Nikhil as he/ his family had some contact with a ticketing agent. The ticket was bought and I was told that 2 checkin bags were allowed. I said OK. Nikhil immediately called me the next day - with a better deal. I accepted the new deal. The new deal meant, we would fly cheaper and would have 3 checkin bags instead because of student discount. Nothing seemed wrong in saving money and taking an extra bag (Even today, nothing seems wrong with getting something extra and saving money at the same time. It does not happen anymore). Both, Nikhil and me, bid goodbye to our families, on the airport. I believe, more than 20 people had come to bid me good bye, including my aai baba, kaka kaku and friends.

We reached USA, and reached a 'tiny' Greenville-Spartanburg airport from where were driven to Clemson, by a group of seniors (as Indians like to call people who have come to the university an year or two earlier). I may not remember each and every detail of the day, but I do remember the day itself. In the drive from the airport to Clemson, we were given a lot of information. The information seemed quite important then, and it probably was. We quickly notified our families about safe trip. We got settled in a new country, without much of a fuss. Thinking back, it seems difficult. But, it was not that tough. We found an apartment to live. We went to the school, located departments and found a certain nice University campus. The 'nice' term was missing from my academic experience till then. The nicest thing was the Cooper library and the books, the building - I liked everything about it and it probably was the main reason I started reading books.
We began shopping and discovered Walmart, Bi-Lo, and ways to buy more things for lesser prices. We quickly invented new ways to shop. This meant juggling lab hours, classes and catching the correct public buses to Anderson, where Walmart was located. I also learnt not to buy too much stuff by experience. Once, we bought a ton of things, understood that 'necessity was the only mother of invention', and took all the stuff to our apartment, by putting the long handle broom (acted like a bamboo) on our right shoulders and sewing the plastic carry bags on the broom pole. Laborers often carry stuff over their shoulder on a bamboo and a bride is carried to her wedding by a "shoulder carriage". We were neither laborers nor we did belong to the marriage party, but I do remember many people looking at us while we were in that mode. When I say 'people', I mean girls. We were only concerned because girls were looking at us and that meant lost reputation. But, at the end, reputation means nothing in comparison to the dollars spent on buying those things. These incidents and other funny things made my stay memorable. I got a very good thesis advisor and I did fine in the courses. I also learnt to cook quite well. That only happened after eating hashbrown patties, maggie noodles (top ramen really - as they were cheaper) for many days/ weeks. Sometimes, it is necessary to know nothing about something to become really good at it.

I learnt many many things about people, about a new country and about living independently. Many things have happened, and some will come to my mind as I am done writing, and some will keep coming to my head in the next few days. I will curse myself for not writing that one important thing, but I need to pause somewhere.

It has been 10 years in the land of innovation, United States of America. And I love the freedom and opportunity it has to offer. It started with being a temporary stay. It has been a permanent temporary stay. It has been fun.

Agent

Situation: We (our family minus me) has recently moved to Hyderabad and my parents don't browse web much. So, we don't have internet connection at home. I have arrived here a couple of days back and wanted to get internet connection. Below is the chronology of things that happened in this effort to get it started.

--Scenario: We make a phone call--
Before I arrive in India

We: We want internet connection after a few days. What are the rates? etc..

Internet company person (Agent): Sir, we have x, y, z kind of rates. When can I come to install?

We: Wait, we need to decide. We will give you a call.

Agent (Day 2): Sir, hello, when can I come to take payment and install?

We: Wait, we will call you.

Agent (Day 3): Sir, hello, when can I come to take payment and install?

We: Wait, we will call you.

Agent (Day 4): Sir, hello, when can I come to take payment and install?

Agent (Day 5): Sir, hello, when can I come to take payment and install?

.

.

everyday for 2-3 weeks..

.

.

Agent (2nd week): Sir, hello, when can I come to take payment and install?

Agent (3rd week): Sir, hello, when can I come to take payment and install?

We: Wait, we will call you.

--

After I arrive in India
We (after 3 weeks): Hi. Can you come today and install?

Agent: Yes, sure Sir.

Agent comes to our house; takes payment [in full]

We: When will you get the cable/ modem? (meaning, When we can start using the thing which we paid for?)

Agent: Immediately (means tomorrow). Sir, the person will come in the morning and the connection will start by evening.

We feel happy.

Next day morning: We are happily waiting. Then we are just waiting. Then we wait, with some frustration till the evening. Nobody comes. This is a vacation time for me and I don't want to sit at home doing nothing but waiting. Well, we made a phone call to the "agent".

Agent's wife: O, he is performing pooja.

We feel "no feelings".

We wait for him to return our phone call. Wait goes in vain.

The next morning, we again make a phone call.

Agent: Hello.

We: We called you yesterday.

Agent: O really? (astonishment?)

We: When can we get the thing which we paid for (in cash)? You told us, it would happen yesterday.

Agent: Sir, they (people who do the installation) will call you soon.

We: Ok.

We get a call after some time (not immediately).

Agent's installation friend: Sir, is this really you? I mean, ... (asks some trivial details about name, address, etc). Sir, this is a confirmation call (really?)

We: We want this thing installed tomorrow morning.

Agent Installation friend: Sir, we will be there, for sure, by 2.00 pm.

We feel Ok.

At 3.30 pm, We: Hello, when is the installation happening?

Agent's installation friend: Soon (We were not sure what it meant).

Very soon..

There is a thinnest possible person at the door.

At the door , the slim boy says, Sir you live on the 5th floor. I don't need this long wire I have with me. I need a shorter one.

Slim boy vanishes and comes back with a shorter wire. He comes inside our house, asks a few questions about location of our laptop. He has no clips to stitch wire in place or hooks to hang it on the wall. Basically, he has the shorter wire and that is all he has. I am dumbfounded. In my memory and some common sense, the person doing the installation should have some basic tools. Anyway..

Slim boy: Sir, the wire is long enough. It should be sufficient.

Me: Ok. So, is everything ready?

Slim boy: No Sir. The person with a modem will come in less than an hour.

Me: Astonished! (I had forgotten that a modem is required) Ok.

Modem guy appears.

Modem guy: Hello Sir. I am from xyz internet company.

Me: Ok. Come in.

Modem guy starts the connection.

Modem guy: Sir, are you going out?

Me: (Confused) Ummmmm... No.

Modem guy: Your father had called and said that you have to go out and so I came running.

Me: Yes, we might go out (Also thinking that if dad had not called, this guy would not have come)

I feel happy and relieved that I am connected!

Lesson learnt: If someone says, that, "We will come soon or tomorrow", means, "We will come when we have time and when we have nothing else to do. We already have your money."