Saturday, August 16, 2008

Land of dreams

Disclaimer: It is totally fictitious. This is an attempt to write something different. The story will be continued in the next few posts.

Some of us land in US with umpteen number of dreams. Umpteen number of visions! Most of us do succeed in achieving what we set out for. But there are a few who just struggle. No matter what, bad luck is something that would have caught them at the wrong moment. People who are nothing short of whiz kids in India face the music here! This is not a post about how good USA is and what can be achieved in this land of dreams. Instead this is a post of how ****** up life can get here if one goes astray. A la five point someone! What I-Hari Prasad aka HARRY- did not envisage when I landed in USA, was that things can go from great to weird to bad to worse in just a period of 2 months. I still remember my ride from the airport to Press Avenue on August 1, 2005. Though this was what I had wanted all along right from my early teens, there was this strange empty feeling within me. A feeling that would build upon on its own and later go on to be called as Home Sickness. Immediately as soon as I reach Rakesh's place, I realize that to make a single call to my parents I would have to shell out a dollar or two! Yet the first night that I was here, I had a sumptuous dinner-courtesy Rakesh and slept peacefully. The next morning (it being a Saturday) I woke up to the sound of some music and chitter chatter. I come out and I am introduced to Prashanth by Rakesh. Of course after freshening up I join in their idle conversation and I am introduced to the daily routine followed by these guys (something that even I will be following from now on I guess!). The first priority I realize is to find a good house for myself and the three others-Sai, Suniel, and Narayan. I met the three of them back in Chennai and we had decided to stay together. I realize with envy that Suniel and Narayan would still be in the cozy comforts of their parents in Chennai. Sai had flown down along with me and he was put up at Prashanth's apartment. I was brought down to earth from my day dream when Rakesh said that Saturday being a holiday would be a good time to start searching for an apartment! I retort stating, "Dude, after all I have landed here just last evening.". To this Rakesh stated with a shrug, "During the weekdays you will be busy contacting professors or looking for assistantships. You will have very little time to search for apartments. You might as well start today, and try to get settled in soon." With just a feeble nod in response I got ready to go out. I realized that it might as well be a blessing in disguise as I have my friend to guide me through this initial phase.
So after a couple of days of tiring search and having contacted each land-lord in person, me and Sai were finally able to find an apartment which was close enough in its proximity to the College and also to our senior's apartments! By Sunday evening we had moved our belongings to this new place and after some hurried shopping (for our day to day needs) at the nearest Walmart, we dragged our tired bodies back home. Of course Rakesh was there to remind me that I would have to wake up early next day as I would have to open a bank account...I just nodded and fell asleep...So much for life in USA!

To be contd...

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

ha ha ha.. been there.. now doing the role of the senior prodding the hapless junior to go open an account, register for that course, buy second hand furniture :D.. nice post da!

nishant said...

I loved the way you have written, but then I beg to differ about the life you are leading..Iron is beaten after going through a furnace to become stronger...To be iron or glass is our choice.....

Anonymous said...

student life can be fun but finding ur way thru in a country and culture different from ours is extremely tough ...I did not study here but hear about it from my husband...on his 1st day on way from airport he put the window down on the highway and his friend quickly pointed out the right ettiquete ....he still thinks it as funny ! I'll wait for the 2nd part !

viswajith.k.n said...

@ Meena: Life here is also fun. I do agree with that point. But life here can go astray pretty much easily...thats wot I am trying to convey!

@Anonymous: I guess its lavana...danks maams!

Jira said...

For some reason Harry's first day in the US reminded me of mine! Except I had no bunch of Indian friends or classmates, and I already had an apartment in which I knew I was going to stay all alone..:(

Lets see what happens with Harry..

Anonymous said...

I didn't study in the US, but did stay on my own in Brussels for 3 months. I can totally empathise with the feeling of home sickness and the grunt of adjusting to a new routine.

Agree with you that not everyone has a rosy life here. HG, for example, struggled to find a job after graduation because of a recession hit economy. Had to take up a software job instead of the chemical engg. he studied. Things worked out in the end but it was not an easy ride.

Look forward to the next installment in the series!

Solitaire said...

Don't you look back on those days and smile to yourself? I feel so nostalgic.

viswajith.k.n said...

@ Solitaire

Of course I do look back at those days and have a laugh...This post was kind of ok but I am planning to take it along the lines of individuals having poor luck in USA...how rotten things can go? That is what I want to portray!

Anonymous said...

award for you on my blog

Anonymous said...

baby justin bieber official music video download [url=http://connections.blackboard.com/people/3874b3d09b]justin bieber baby mp3 download [/url] baby justin bieber mp3 download 4shared

Anonymous said...

justin bieber baby video download [url=http://connections.blackboard.com/people/3874b3d09b]justin bieber music video baby download [/url] baby by justin bieber instrumental download

Anonymous said...

The Back-up Plan
poster [url=http://connections.blackboard.com/people/a3e151fd51]The Back-up Plan
stories[/url] The Back-up Plan
video download
Kick-Ass
movie theatres [url=http://connections.blackboard.com/people/6693c936aa]buy Kick-Ass
movie[/url] where can i download Kick-Ass

download Furry Vengeance
movie 2010 [url=http://connections.blackboard.com/people/f06de2c308]Furry Vengeance
movie quotes[/url] watch Furry Vengeance
film
A Nightmare on Elm Street
downloads [url=http://connections.blackboard.com/people/ac13ad5e7a]A Nightmare on Elm Street
movie direct download[/url] A Nightmare on Elm Street
review film
Preachers Kid
preview [url=http://connections.blackboard.com/people/bbcf2f72d8]Preachers Kid
video download[/url] Preachers Kid
download

Anonymous said...

The Back-up Plan
movie blog [url=http://connections.blackboard.com/people/a3e151fd51]how to watch The Back-up Plan
online[/url] films The Back-up Plan

Kick-Ass
preview [url=http://connections.blackboard.com/people/6693c936aa]new Kick-Ass
movie[/url] Kick-Ass
divx
how to download Furry Vengeance
[url=http://connections.blackboard.com/people/f06de2c308]Furry Vengeance
3d[/url] where to download Furry Vengeance

download A Nightmare on Elm Street
movies [url=http://connections.blackboard.com/people/ac13ad5e7a]A Nightmare on Elm Street
psp[/url] A Nightmare on Elm Street
review
Preachers Kid
downloading [url=http://connections.blackboard.com/people/bbcf2f72d8]Preachers Kid
hdtv[/url] Preachers Kid
movie theater