This is a self retrospection of the past two years of my life in America . It is pretty long and I have greatly condensed a few portions of it.
July 27, 2018 Madras International Airport (MAA) Indian Standard Time – The day I boarded Lufthansa airlines from Chennai, India. It was a ~15 hour flight to Dallas with a layover in Frankfurt, Germany.
I remember my dad asking me “How do I feel?” a few hours before boarding the plane. Honestly, I didn’t feel a thing. I was numb. Blank. Devoid of emotions. All I knew was that new experiences await and I need to work towards building a future I cherish about. I have been away from family even during my Bachelor’s degree. So, staying away from my family was not new to me.
I remember entering inside the airport. There is a certain point beyond which you will be allowed only if you have a boarding pass. I remember waving back at my parents from there along with a few of my new found friends who were in turn waving back at their parents, friends etc. The journey to the check-in area became closer and closer and the distance from India started getting farther and farther. I completed the check-in and I remember waiting for almost 30 minutes in another lobby to board the flight. I called my family and a friend to bid adieu !
July 27, 2018 Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) Central Standard Time – Touchdown in Dallas. I was greeted by a heat wave with temperatures soaring up to 104 degree Fahrenheit (40 degree Celsius). (Howdy Texas !) The Indian Students Association (ISA) was kind enough to help arrange transport. Me and my new found friends took a free ride to the community that was about to become my new home.
First day – I took a video of my new house and sent it to my family and a few friends of mine. I don’t completely recollect what happened on the first day. I remember sleeping on the floor that night thinking about what lies next.
Fun Fact – We had a hard time figuring out how to switch on the cook top. Later we found out that there was some problem with the wiring. (We were not that dumb !)
The next few days in Dallas – Setting up new SIM card, opening a bank account, setting up internet in the new house and getting the other essentials setup (and a visit to Kumar’s – a South Indian restaurant for a sumptuous lunch. Kumar’s was 100x time better than what it is today). Thanks to my friend’s family who were kind enough to take us to a few places to buy the essentials needed to start our journey in America.
2 weeks later – another friend joined the pack. We were a group of 6 people in a 3B2B apartment.
A picture from July 29, 2018 (outside Kumar’s) – The one on the right is me. (A few people missing here..)
The first goal or rather the the first objective for me to self-sustain as an International student in America is to find an On-Campus job. As a student, immigration rules doesn’t allow you to earn income from any outside sources. Finding an on-campus job is easy in some universities but in an University like UTD where there is a huge bunch of Indians, finding an on-campus job is not so easy.
My journey to finding an On-Campus job – Being the lone wolf I was and the lone wolf I am, I like to mind my own shit and learn from my own experiences. I remember applying to quite a few jobs (Dining Services, Catering and a few desk jobs within the University) before I landed on one. I have spent numerous days with 1 or 2 meals a day and spending long hours outside the dining office to find an on campus job. Dining was the easiest job to get – so they said. In between, there were classes that I had to take care of. Getting good grades was not much of a problem for me so I’m not gonna spend any further time describing my academic experience.
United States is a land of opportunities. But, you gotta keep hustling.
I finally landed an on-campus job after 4 months in America. (somewhere around November 2018). It was an hourly job that paid me 8 dollars / hour. It helped me get a Social Security Number (without which I can’t start working). I was happy when I collected my first pay.
Jason’s Deli – This is the place where I worked. Being someone who has spent not more than a couple of days in the kitchen back in India, this was a good learning experience. I burnt my hand the very first day, on a super hot oven. 8 dollars / hour helped me ease my financial burden a bit, but as someone who didn’t have a scholarship it was still not enough. I didn’t put too much stress on it though but all I knew was that I gotta keep hustling.
I joined a club – UTD Big Data Club – I later became the Vice President (It was no big deal so I’m not gonna spend too much time here)
The road to getting a scholarship – I had no strategy here. There was an online application that I filled in and which asked me for a reason as to why I needed a scholarship. I remember writing a genuine heartfelt essay and totally forgetting about it.
December ’18 – Some of my friends went back to India and some visited their cousins and relatives in the US. I chose not to do any of these and I spent my time preparing for a certification. It proved to be useless later although it was not an easy exam to clear. I remember spending some 50 bucks for the cab but nevertheless I cleared it. I dozed off after getting back home. When I woke up, I saw an email from UTD in my mobile – “Congratulations ! You have been selected for a Scholarship for Spring and Summer semesters”. Oh Wow. Double Dhamaka ! This was a straight 50% off in tuition. It was a big deal for me.
January ’19 – Dec’20 – Fast Forward (x10). Mid life crisis, good banter, parties, more parties, trying out different cuisines, drama, graduation, work – All the components essential for a fruitful life. I was one among the few people who completed the entire academic curriculum in 3 semesters. I could have taken a longer time to complete but remember – I can’t afford to waste the scholarship that was just for 2 semesters. There were many other things which happened in this period but I’m not gonna spend time in it. I will save it perhaps, for my autobiography if I were to write it someday.
Jan’21 – Present – Focus. Living the American dream. There are certain things that I still need to work on to take a leap forward. All I know is that I gotta keep hustling !
A more recent picture from April’21
Cheers.
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