An Indian’s introduction to America

As a kid growing up in India, Pune to be precise, from the time I was 4 1/2 years old, I was looking forward to other experiences since I was getting close to graduating at 15. I was in a military boarding school at the Aga Khan Palace, which is now the Gandhi museum. You may have seen a 15 minute scene in the movie Gandhi. The regimented school system which is great for your education but lousy for your social skills. When it came time to decide where I would go to College, India was the last thing on my mind. I thought of England because most of the people my family and I grew up around were British. After going through my O and A levels, I decided that it wasn’t for me and I wanted to go somewhere completely different. I had already been to London several times but I had not been to America. I have no idea what I am getting into. I was scared and excited at the same time. Now, I had to figure out how to get there.

I started applying to colleges and universities all over the US not knowing why or how to go about choosing a college or university. There were no tips or anyone to ask. My parents were no help here either. I knew at 11 and I was starting to think about college and had a huge argument with my my parents. More on this later. I went to the Library and started writing to colleges and universities in places that I recognized in the movies and tv shows. I think I applied to at least 1 in each of the states that I recognized from the movies and tv shows. The more the places were in movies like Florida, California, New York, Texas, the more universities and colleges in those states I applied to. The first one that would accept me, I would go, just to get out of where I was. I had graduated when I just turned 15. I almost didn’t, even though I was a good student – more on that later. At 16, I realized, that I was the youngest person at the university.

I got accepted at a small private university in Ohio that had a good engineering program. When your Indian parents ask what you want to do? It’s rhetorical. What they really mean is you have 3 choices – Engineer, Doctor, Government Bureaucrat – that’s it! I chose to be an engineer – I liked things that moved – so it was Mechanical.

I landed in Cleveland, OH. It was 1 am in a cold November morning. I was dressed up in a 3 piece suit, with 2 big bags (everything I owned), totally unprepared for the weather. I navigated my way out of the baggage claim, not knowing a soul, never been here, I hailed a cab and asked him in my british accent to take me to the hotel nearest to the bus station since I had to take the bus to my university. He looked at this young kid, wearing a 3 piece suit, speaking in a strange accent, asking whether that is what I really wanted. I said, yes! emphatically, since I was told not to trust cab drivers here. He complied. He dropped me across the street from the greyhound bus station. It was 2 or so AM by this time. I walked into the hotel lobby and asked for a room. I looked down the hall with wall to wall red carpeting and saw some really cute girls dressed in really short dresses with tall heels hanging out of the doorways. To me every female I saw were “girls”. The manager looked at my confused face and knew I was new to the area. I asked who these girls were. He said “son, they are hookers!”.  I asked “what is a hooker?” have never heard that word before until I got here. He preceded to explain and educate me on the topic. That was the first new word that I learned. It was cold and I was hungry. I decided to go out to try and find something to eat. Later, when I told this store to my friends, they said – “are you crazy? you don’t go out at that time in downtown Cleveland”. Good to not know. I was hungry so I stopped at the first place I could find – fried chicken. I walked in and saw the biggest guy I had ever seen. He must have been over 7′ and I was a little kid. It scared me but I asked for some chicken. As soon as I got it, I paid and got out of there and went back to my room.

The next day…

I walked across to the bus station dragging my two bags in what was wet, white, and muddy street. I guess it had snowed the night before and that was the first time I had seen it in person. I got a ticket to Lima, OH. I didn’t know there was a flight I could take from Cleveland to Toledo. I knew of bigger cities but not most towns. All my familiarity of the US was from TV and movies. The bus ride took 14 hours (it is a 3 hour drive). Every little town, the bus stopped. I was so afraid of getting off the bus that I did not eat anything for fear of missing the bus at any of the stops along the way. When I arrived in Lima, it was late afternoon or early evening. I took a cab from Lima to Ada – a university town. It took 15 minutes, cost me $15, and was 15 miles away. I went to my assigned dorm based on the letter that I had received. Park Hall. The whole place was empty. I was yelling hello! hello! to indicate that I was here and needed some help. The house resident came out and ask how he could help. I showed him the acceptance letter to attend the university. He said the dorms are not open yet and will open on Sunday. This was Friday. I asked why and he said that everyone has gone home for thanksgiving. I said what the hell is thanksgiving and he preceded to tell me about the pilgrims, turkey, etc. My second word.

He was kind and decided to give me a lift and drop me off at the motel (only one) at the edge of town. I was cold and very hungry. I decided to walk back to town after checking in and dropping off my luggage.

It is about a mile or so back into town. I got to town. A set of railroad tracks dissected the center of town. I stopped and looked up and saw a sign that read “Pepsi”. Wow! something familiar. I was used to drinking pepsi at home so I walked into the place. I asked for some pepsi and said to her that I would like to try whatever that is on the sign which looked like a round thing with a triangle cut out and little round things on them. She said “you mean a Pizza”. I said “Ok”. She handed me a small pizza with pepperoni and a 2 liter bottle of pepsi. I had never seen a 2 liter bottle of anything. I am used to 10 oz bottles but being scared to ask since I was a shy kid, I just thought, this is a big country and I guess that’s normal. I walked back to my motel with a pizza in one hand and a two liter bottle of pepsi in the other – still dressed in the same 3 piece suit.

I ate pizza and drank pepsi for two days. Ever since then I have always loved pizza. I have cut back on the sodas though. After all, I do live in the bay area.