Here I come to US(Dream of a every Indian Software Engg.)

Friends, Here i am back again with a post after almost 2 years(a long time). Please do not ask me why such a long gap. My simple answer would be my wish.

So I am (too)busy with my work that i don't get a feel to write blogs, but now i have made my mind to get it changed. Blogging is my passion and i want to keep it up. As every software engineer has a dream of travelling to US on a onshore opportunity so had i. Hence worked hard, got a chance to get the VISA applied for US(H1B). Once the VISA was applied for on a normal mode, it took as usual the 8 months time to even get the petition back approved (by this time people sometimes forget that their VISA was applied).

So finally i got my petition approved, the day came when i had to go for stamping to Chennai. It was so easy process to get the VISA stamped(for H1B at least). Got the VISA stamped passport in the next 4 days. Was happy that i have something many other dream of having. Finally after many questions and answers and speech fights got the date of travel to US(dream day). Started packing stuffs, queried people living in US, friends in US that what are the items most sought in US by INDIANS top most answer being undies. Yes undies, we INDIANS(most of them) are in a mentality that not more than 2-3 pairs of undies are required in INDIA as they would be washed daily and put to dry under Sunlight, but people staying here in US just collect the dirty undies on a weekend(if they get a chance) and put in a washing machine and get it dried in a drier. So as advised by people bought good amount of them. Also the second thing being the INDIAN spices and ready to eat foods(keeping in mind the weight restrictions and baggage limit), also did some huge shopping of clothes.  

BIAL, Bangalore with my family.

2nd Sept 2012, the day i have my flight scheduled for. On 1st Sept my parents all the way from my native came to see me off(as a usual INDIAN parent) totally proud of me, very first person my son going to US. We reached airport at 2 in the night, had flight at 6:30 AM, at 3:15 had to enter the airport. Emotional mom starts crying so do i. All done with, I enter the airport Departures entrance. Weighed my baggage's and paid a extra 90 GBP as I was flying in British Airways.

London Heathrow Airport.

I set in the air, here on everything that I do, I see is first time in my life. It was  a great feeling, that I have made my parents proud. Had good breakfast in the flight and after 10 long hours i reached London, as it was my layover where I need to change my flight. Reached Terminal 5-B, my next flight was from Terminal 5-C. London Airport(the world's busiest) is so huge, that I had to take a underground metro to get to the Terminal 5-C from Terminal 5-B.

Underground Metro in London Airport

 Here i learnt the lesson every INDIAN would learn out of his country when he come to most of Western Countries, yes I for myself call it as a "Toilet Lesson"(usage of only paper). Continuing the journey, again I set into the air and had some crappy food and reached the worlds dream destination NEW YORK. John F Kennedy Airport, it was evening 6 PM when my flight landed, all immigration done with I was out of airport at 7 and some how got into a shared Limo to reach my friend's home in Norwalk, CT at 8 PM. Finally i reached, and I was being received by my manager.

My First Pic in US officially.

So this was the sweet and short words I could put into my emotions of my very first international travel.

Will keep updating now on. There would be many stories I would want to share here from US.

Your's 

GuruRaj