The Day I Laid My Feet on US Soil

Check in at Mumbai

I was scheduled to fly from Mumbai India to Boston MA USA on Saturday 27 September 08.I was all set to fly after the parties for friends; you know the kind where friends congratulate you for some thing and make sure you pay dearly for it J, shopping etc, etc. With my friends help we loaded the Bags in the Toyota Qualis we had rented to travel from my home in Wagh-Bill Thane. We [me, Kiran, Chiku and my Mother] started for the airport from home at around 9:30 PM to allow for sufficient buffer time for check-in at the Airport.

One of my very good friends Pintu was coming to the airport to see me off and he was also going to bring me some warm cloths so on reaching the particular gate where Air France check-ins were done we waited for him. After he arrived we chatted for around 30 mins or so and it was 12:30 when I bid goodbye to all gave every body a final hug, told Maa not to cry and checked-in.

My First Flight

After a long wait at the airport I boarded the plane for Paris France my intermediate stop, right on time at 2:15 AM. I had been told by my friends all kinds of stuff about international flights like: sexy air hostess, free wine/beer, complementary chocolates etc but the thing that was ringing in my mind at that time was not one of these but "how would it feel when the plane takes off, when it’s ascending and finally in the air?"

So quickly I scampered my way through to my seat after the customary greeting by the air hostess. Then put my cabin luggage under the front seat and settled-in on my seat. Then safety instructions were given through the on-board entertainment system as the plane was getting on the run-way to take off. I fastened my seat belt and waited with bated breath as the plane accelerated on the run way and just like that we were in the air. Didn’t feel that scary; I looked through the window, Mumbai from the air, lots of small lights; the plane was still tilted vertically as we were ascending. After reaching cruising height they served refreshments and yes they did serve wine/beer along with the other beverages but I don’t drink alcohol.

A Morning in Paris.

My flight reached ahead of the scheduled arrival at Paris. To my surprise the landing was more exiting may be due to the fact that it was day time. After getting down the plane and entering the Paris Airport the first thing I had to do was to finish my chores and get something to eat. So I asked an officer for directions to the restrooms and went there. The first thing I noticed there was there was no water in the toilets to wash I had to use toilet rollJ.After the chores, started looking for something to eat then I thought let me go the terminal from where I was to board my second flight to Boston and then search for food there.

Not that food wasn’t around I just had to search something I could eat. I couldn’t pronounce the name of the salad I chose so just pointed it out to the shop owner. Then I had to wait for 5 and half hrs. It was boring, frustrating and down right horrible as I was feeling very sleepy and could not sleep as that may cause me to miss my flight. I tried various things to pass time browsed through duty free shops, tried calling home but could not as the instruction in the Public Phones were all in French somehow I waited out the 5 hr and then entered the terminal I was supposed to fly from.

Port of Entry

Finally after a brief delay in landing due to bad weather we landed at Boston airport. I had heard stories of horror people had to face during port of entry interview so I was very apprehensive.I collected my bags rather easily thanks to the stickers I had put before checking them in at Mumbai went to the rest room to freshen up still feeling sleepy and queued up at the immigration counter with my I-94 form.

To my greatest surprise the officer didn’t ask me much questions the only ones he asked were pretty straight forward. So Finally I was on American soil, land of uncle Sam, the land of Opportunities.

Came out of the airport and my HR Sunanda was waiting at the gate with a placard with my name on it. Not because I am a very important person but because I was carrying some thing for her from India. She helped pull one of my trolley bags and once I was out of the airport I realized it wasn’t much different from Mumbai though the perception quickly changed once I got into my cab and came on the highway.

Mumbai to Marlborough

The Prep Week

I just had one week to settle all my project related work and prepare myself for the on-site assignment at Marlborough and believe me one week is nothing if you have to get ready for a long term on-site assignment. Luckily for me I had few people around me who helped me a lot.It wasn't the project related stuff that worried me I was more worried about the Shopping,Clearance from all Dept. and Documentation that was needed.
I got the confirmation that I was going for to Marlborough on 20th Sept and I had till 27th to get ready.The same evening me and Kiran went to Anil bhai he and bhabhi helped us prepare a exhaustive list of things to buy.

Shopping for OnSite

I started shopping for the trip on the next day[21st Sept] as this was the only day available.Kiran my room partner was of immense help with the shopping.We started early from home[Thane] after breakfast,boarded a local and went to Dharavi first to get the most important thing a "Leather Jacket".When we got there there were around 200 leather product stores I was preparing myself for a long day of shopping fortunately it did not take long probably on our third attempt we found one that I liked. If it wasn't for Kiran I would have spent quite few Rupees more.He bargained well and we got the jacket for a very reasonable price.

Next Stop was Kanjurmarg where we thought we'll buy cloths and one of my friends Niteen was also going to meet us there.This was supposed take time and it was already 1PM so we had lunch at a hotel near to the Huma mall there and started our shopping again.I got the cloths after a few deliberations but they needed alterations and the shop owner was saying he can give the cloths after alterations only on Monday evening. I did not have that much time so we requested and he agreed to get that done the same day around 3 PM.
So we had around 2 hrs to kill so we were roaming around and then Niteen called , he was already there I met with him and his 2 friends who had come with him.Then we went to the baggage store[Geordianno] to buy bags.I had to buy 2 big bags [check-in] and one smaller cabin bag.For Rs 10,000 they seemed costly to me but Kiran was very adamant that we take those bags, I thought what the heck lets take it basically there wast much time to think.Jacket,cloths and baggage was done then we went to Big bazaar to get the other items in my long shopping list.

In all we finished most of the shopping stuff that day apart form the food items and medicine and winter cloths those things I could buy any time.

My only regret during all this frenzy was that I could not go home to meet my family before going abroad.I knew I wouldn't be able to meet them for at least another year.Once I told my family that I was going to Marlborough for a one year assignment and I wouldn't be able to come for Diwali my mother would cry on every phone call I make. So I thought to call my mother to Mumbai instead and one of my uncles was also ready to accompany her.

Travel Clearance

So i was almost all set to FLY except for few things my clearance was not getting done from my company I had to go to each of the departments I had to get clearance from. But all things ultimately worked out by the next Friday I was all packed-up and ready to FLY to USA baby.