Post-VISA, viz, Ticketing, Vaccination, Shopping!

PROLOGUE - Right after I was issued my US VISA on 2nd of December, I booked my ticket to Raleigh, NC. With Christmas and New Year round the corner, the cost of tickets to USA is sky-high! My Dad's credit card isn't very old so its limit (30,000 INR) was way lower than the exorbitantly priced tickets. We've a travelling agent in our Sector who always, till this day, claimed to know everything. After doing a lot of ground work I arrived at the conclusion that it is unwise to travel after Christmas (tickets seemed to progressively rise till they reached their peak on the 2nd of Jan=80,000 INR). With all this information in hand I went to this agent - a ‘sikh’! :) He said - "O, ki pape kar dita si!" He assured me like any clever shopkeeper regarding his rates and quality of service. I kept telling him about the baggage, customs etc. but he kept reminding me - "Arey, hamara roj ka kaam hai yaara!" He somehow managed an American Airlines ticket for 41,000 INR and blocked it! I went home and told everybody that everything is done. I partied around with friends and visited relatives. While I was busy goofing around my Dear Dad went and confirmed the ticket by paying the total amount to the ‘sikh’ agent. My father returns happily and tells me that my itinerary is Delhi-Chicago-Raleigh with a Stopover at Chicago of 1 hours and 35 minutes.

THE TWIST (Chapter 1- Stopover time, Baggage Allowance and Immunization) –

I get to know that the Stopover time of 1 hour and 35 minutes might not be enough to go through customs and find the terminal for my other flight at Chicago (one of the busiest terminals in the whole world!) I call American Airlines (AA) and they reassure me that once you're in US there will be no problem. If you aren't able to board the flight because of the delay in first flight, AA will cover for you and provide you with accommodation on some other plane - free of cost. On the other hand if I get stuck up at customs and can’t board my scheduled flight they'll charge me additional 70$ for accommodation (HOW SWEET!)!

Now while I was taking to this fellow, I enquire about the baggage and guess what? He tells me that unlike other airlines they only allow one checked bag (23 kgs) and a carry-on bag (18 kgs). Most of the other airlines allow 23*2 kgs as checked baggage and 7 kgs as carry-on! Now everyone, including the all-knowing agent panics. After several minutes of threatening calls to the AA customer care we all arrive at the result that I'll have to pay 50$ for my second checked bag!

Right after one gets admitted the university keeps on reminding you about the IMMUNIZATION RECORD AND MEDICAL HISTORY FORM. The form states that State of North Carolina requires proof of immunizations to protect you and others while at North Carolina State University. I kept on delaying it until I was issued a VISA (“Bakre ki maa kab tak kher manayegi”). By God’s grace I’ve been lucky enough not to see a lot of doctors except for minor ailments, viz, cold, eye correction etc. I’m required to have had the following vaccines of which one shot must have been administered in the past 10 years: - DPT (Diptheria, Pertussis, Tetanus), Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR), Polio Vaccine, Hepatitis B Vaccine, Varicella (Chicken Pox), PPD (Mantoux test for Tuberculosis). We go to the Civil Hospital, Hisar (as they were the one who immunized me after my birth). My immunization records were in Hindi so I wanted to translate them in English (by Hindi I mean they’ve written Measles as ‘khasra’). My father knew the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) here. He assures everything will be done in no time. They search the whole goddamn hospital but can’t find a single copy where the record could be put in English. (Courtesy - Govt. of INDIA’s support Hindi plan). When I told them to give me those required shots the Chief Medical Officer referred us to a Junior doc (A hottie-OOPS! Sorry Arundhati). She asked who needs to be given these shots and my father proudly pointed towards me - an embarrassing situation in front of her and two other female doctors. Whatever! She tries to convince me that Government of INDIA issues a limited stock and doesn’t allow it to be administered on anyone over 1.5 years of age. I really felt my age here. L She sends us back to the CMO. He too takes out notes and tries to convince us that just show your university what you got after birth and you shall be fine. I show him an e-mail correspondence where it is clearly mentioned that one shot of these vaccines must have been in the last 10 years. He gives up and refers to some private practitioner. The work that was supposed to be done on me was too small but it required reading of that form (time-consuming). This private practitioner tells us to get the lab reports from Delhi and see him late in the evening when he’ll be free. HOLY CRAP! He doesn’t realize that I’ll have to go to and fro, 5 hours journey each. I give up. I go to Sonal’s (a friend who did her undergrad in US) place. With her mom’s advice I get to know that only a private practitioner will do such stuff and don’t at any time hesitate to pay because these shots could cost as high as 90$ is US. I remember about my friend Aditya – whose father owns a hospital. His Dad is a busy surgeon so Aditya takes me to see him in the evening when his father would be a little free. His father tells me to get all those shots and leave the form with proofs of previous immunization record to Aditya so that he can sign it at night. Now we go to a very motherly nurse who finds the fact of me given MMR and DPT shots extremely hilarious. Somehow I get the three required shots back-to-back. My back ached for over 2 days. L

THE FUN PART (Chapter 2 - Things to buy – aka shopping list)

Despite all the above hurdles there is a lot of fun involved in these last days too. My most favorite part has been shopping. During my undergrad at NIT, Durgapur I always preferred ultra short T-shirts and jackets! :) I was consistently advised by my relatives in US and friends on Orkut communities that buy really useful stuff from INDIA and don't compromise with quality, most of the beggars there are handsomely dressed and will put you to shame with their dressing style! I'm told to buy as much as I can in INDIA (as most of the things, except electronic/electrical appliances, are very very expensive in the US). After hearing this and some similar stuff from their colleagues my parents become extremely generous and tell me to buy the best stuff available. Clothes, by far, have always been my favorite things to buy. (Courtesy-Arundhati)

2.1 APPAREL

1. Suits - For presentations professional meetings and career fair. I purchased the fabric from a Raymonds dealer.

Suiting fabric for one business two-piece suit (3 meters, jet black) = 4500 INR

Suiting fabric for one blazer (2 meters, tweed fabric) = 2000 INR

Tie = 300 INR

Shirting fabric for one shirt = 300 INR

Tailoring charges = 2000 INR (two-piece suit) +1750 INR (blazer/coat) + 200 INR (shirt)

INR

2. One Octave winter jacket - 2500 INR

3. Reebok shoe (Regular) = 3,999 INR

4. Three American Tourister/Samsonite trolley suitcases = 2*3000 INR (23 kgs) + 2000 INR (18

kgs)

5. Thermals - Jockey (2 pair) = 1200 INR

6. Woolen Socks (6 pair) = 540 INR

7. Four pairs of Jeans (Koutons + FLU; Denim/Non-Denim) =3000 INR

8. Liberty Shoe (Formal) = 3500 INR

9. Floaters (BATA) = 250 INR

10. Belt - 300 INR

11. One traditional kurta-pyjama, you do get to show them off at Indian festivals and

international gatherings. (Fabric+Stitching) = 1200 INR

2.2 KITCHEN

1. Pressure cooker (4 liters size with spares)

2. A non-stick pan (tava)

3. Medium sized dishes.

4. Tumblers, spoons, forks, knife, glasses, coffee mugs, bowls.

5. Tea making vessel (I’ve no idea what the hell is it!!!)

6. Vessel with compartments to put all the frequently used spices

This department is with my mom. I still don't know what else she has bought! :P

2.3 Bedroom

1. Blanket (Raymond. Just for summer months - It has be warm plus extremely light to fit in those stupid suitcases) = 1950 INR

2. Two Bed sheets + Pillow covers (double sized- Bombay dyeing) = 2*300 INR

2.4 MISCELLANEOUS

1. Two pairs of glasses = 3000 INR (I prefer indexed glasses. :))

2. Wallet -300 INR (Try and get one with lot of pockets to hold cards and all as

Seniors suggest you get a lot of them on reaching there in no time. :D)

3. Contact Lenses (one pair) = 1500 INR

EPILOGUE - I'm tired of shopping first time in my life but my parents will keep buying until I board my flight. This has been my best shopping spree till date! I’ve to buy a lot of other things, viz, T-shirts, formal shirts, formal trousers, hair gel, toiletries, soaps, hair oil, shampoos, toothpastes, toothbrush, books (Low Price Editions) and many others which I don’t remember right now!

Things I’ll have to buy in the US- Laptop, digital camera, mattress, comforter etc.

Cheers,

Ashutosh Grewal