You know how we often hear about some Americans complaining about the numerous immigrants in their country taking their jobs? Yeah well, I think the matter is way beyond complain now. I almost thought I have landed in the wrong country at the SFO airport! Among 20 randomly picked employess at the airport there would be 4 Chinese, 2 Middle Easterns, 4 JApanese, 3 Mexicans,  6 Indians and maybe 1 American! How and when did it become an overloaded melting pot!?
I was pretty drained out from the 16 hours long flight which was virtually endless if you apply Einstein's explanation for relativity, which states, if you are lying on a red hot iron bed, a second seems like eternity. Well, maybe not red hot iron bed, but the incessant chattering of a woman who thinks having 200 relatives all over USA is something to be bragged about, is pretty close to the same level of torture. It all started with an innocent smile before I sat down in my seat and answered her question- "first time in the States?". Before I knew it I was sucked into this black hole of her entire family history and why she thinks her husband's elder brother's wife's distant uncles son is a despicable person and how unfair it is that he has all the wealth she and her family deserves. It does not end with just listening, you have to provide opinions when asked for and if she wouldnt agree it is only natural that you should engage in a debate with her and defend your point. I made it through because fortunately the human race figured out fermentation many centuries back.
After around 8 mini bottles of wine and 15 trips to the bathroom, I entered US territory. I was super excited to meet my sister and bro-in-law after a year and couldnt wait no more. But guess what changes nowhere in the world?! Baggage claim!!!! Seriously, they should use that experience as a reference in all-countries-are-brothers speech. You wait and you wait and you torture yourself by helping others to pull their luggage off the belt and what do they do? A curt 'thanks' if you are lucky and scamper off happily with a loathsome grin on their faces. Dont you just hate the people who found their baggage already while you are still hovering around the belt waiting for your's with a thumping heart?
"Oh there it is! My dirty green suitcase wrapped in sealing wrapper! Isn't it the sweetest thing I have ever laid my eyes on! Yay!! "
Soon the family hug and overexcited giggles followed and we were on the SFO roads.
" So where do we go today? Are we gonna go around the city? Are we gonna check out malls? Are we gonna go to the bay? Are we gonna go stare at historic stuff?"- I was this annoying little jitterbug for the bigger half of the drive.
"relax, we are gonna go home, eat lunch and take a nap"- my sister replied absolutely oblivious to my hyperness.
The best I could do the same day was drag her for a walk around her block. And then I noticed the damdest thing ever- you press the button at the pole to cross the street!
Why, back in India you just wait for cars to feel just enough pity on you to slow down and let you run across the street with hopes of reaching the other side in one piece! Well, now I just hope I still remember to sprint across the road when am back in my country.
The second damdest thing I saw was the Golden Gate Bridge! Thank God for civil engineering and suspension bridges! The bridge that is always covered in clouds and looks like the way to heaven. You almost expect a pearly gate on the other end. That was also the day I experienced my first small talky American. I was on a bench just catching my breath. There was this white bearded man reading a newspaper beside me.
"Dont you think this is amazing?"
"Excuse me?"
"look here, it says 52 locall businessmen have petitioned to remove a Walmart store from their area so there business can stay afloat and the authorities have agreed! Dont you think that's very nice of them?"
"It sure is nice", Mr absolute stranger.
" I myself run a small store and I would react the same way. Sometimes Walmart should understand and contain themselves. It is outrageous the way blah blah blah........."
By this time I had phased out from the conversation.
" .....dont you think so?"
Uh oh...about what? " Yes off course."
That night I visited Walmart to mooch off of my sister (because I am cheap) and I loved it! I wished it would spread and prosper like a parasite.
As ws inevitable, fun was over soon and I came to Corvallis, to my University.
Whoaaaaa!!!! Climate shock!!! This country is freaking cold!!! The last time I felt such a chill was when me and my roomy almost got caught drinking in the dorm room by the warden!
Soon we discovered my run down apartment and the people am gonna share it with. 3 Indians more clueless than I was. 3 tip-top South Indian girls who go ' ikruindepliuiceXkJVxkjv kjv ', after every two comprehensible sentences. They loved the apartment! Even though the management gave us closets without doors, a sink wothout a dishwasher and grinder, a shower that sprays water 360 degrees and a bathroom only half a person can fit in.
The first few weeks followed a cycle of campus hopping-losing my way-going to free lunches offered by Indian seniors-campus hopping-losing my way-free dinners (woohoo)-falling asleep before head hits the sleeping bag.
Then came orientation day and I mingled. I mingled and I small talked and I nailed the use of the sound 'mmhmm' instead of nodding my head vigorously whenever I agreed with someone. Phew! People wanna talk to me and exchange phone numbers! So I wont end up as the lonely foreign student walking around the campus all by herself. Social life: Check.
Now all I have to worry about is to die frozen on the road as the weather gets colder.