My Life in the Land of Opportunities (Ajay Ghosh)

 It was in July 1997, I had landed at the Chicago O'Hare international airport. Barely a month before, I had received confirmation that I had been admitted to a Master's Degree program at the prestigious College of Journalism, Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My joy had no bounds and all that I had wanted was to reach the shores of the US, the land of opportunities. Although the classes were to begin in August end, I chose to reach Marquette much before, in order to be familiarized with the new way of life, and be prepared to start the program at Marquette.

Not knowing anyone personally in this vast country did not deter me. I had read in the information kit sent from Marquette that there are buses from the Chicago airport to Milwaukee that will carry students to the campus. As the official sponsors of my study at Marquette, I had sent in a letter to the Chancellor of the archdiocese of Milwaukee about my plan to arrive on July 26. To my great surprise, Rev. John O'Connell, the Chancellor of Milwaukee archdiocese was waiting for me at the Chicago airport to receive me.

During the more than 100 miles drive from the airport to Milwaukee, Rev. John O'Connell gave me a brief about the life here and about the arrangement he had made for me to start my new life in the United States. Living in an apartment all by myself and managing everything all by myself was a new experience for me. Braving the cold winter of Wisconsin and the separation from all of my dear ones, life wasn't easy

There was a longing to hear from friends and family. To hear or watch something about India, either on the TV or the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the only newspaper I got to read, was something that would excite me. However, there would hardly any news in the national or local media about India. India's testing nuclear weapons in the summer of 1998 brought India into limelight.

With full scholarship and teaching assistantship, I was able to graduate with a Master's Degree in Journalism by December 1998. The decision to marry Mini, the love of my life, against several odds was yet another major story to narrate separately.

In May 1999, even while I was on a student Visa with working permit for a year, I reached Chicago yet again. This time, it was with Mini, whom I had married barely a month before in New Delhi against the wishes of her parents and that of mine. Now the challenge was to stay at Marquette and continue my Doctoral degree or to start a new life all over. The 50% tuition scholarship Marquette had offered me to start the doctoral degree did not seem to be sufficient for me to start my married life, with no other financial help both my studies and life in the US required.

The search for a new job, where I wanted to utilize my newly acquired skills and enthusiasm brought me to New York. I had offer for a job, through a friend of mine, to work as a professional photographer, an entirely new field with no prior experience. Things did not go well and in less than two months, I had to look for a new job.

Mini, my wife, who had a job as a receptionist at a computer institute lost the job the same day. Luckily for us, the very next day, we both found jobs at India Post, where I was hired as its New York Reporter and Mini as its marketing person, bringing in some stability to our life.

With that our new life in New York began. Living in a Basement apartment on Long Island, driving up to the bus stand by car, having a bus ride to the Jamaica Subway station and then having a long ride into Mid-Town Manhattan was a thrilling experience.

As Mini and I worked at the same office, we loved the trip to the City and the challenges of work as we would help one another in each other's job. Many of the media events were mostly in the evenings and Mini would accompany me as the official photographer as she had a special talent in photography. And Mini would call me for rescue, when faced with clients who spoke only English.

It was totally a new experience, walking on the busy Streets of New York City, being overwhelmed by the high rising buildings and the fast life of New York. Waiting for Bus and Train, especially in the cold winter nights was hard.

Our life in New York had many pleasant surprises. Got to be active in several ethnic Indian community organizations, was fun celebrating Diwali on South Street Seaport, Pongal and visiting the Flushing Temple in Queens, and attending multiple Onam celebrations each year in various places. There were special cultural and entertainment events by mega stars, including Bollywood stars almost every month, which I would always look forward to. Got several friends and weekends were packed with parties.

With the birth of our daughter, Archana, life took a yet different turn. Mini stayed home to take care of our daughter. We could not survive on the small salary with my journalism job. My prior master's degree from Delhi University came in handy. Soon, I was able to find a new full time job as a social worker at Saint Dominic's Home, a Foster Care Agency in the Bronx, NY. My hard work was well appreciated and very soon, Saint Dominic's filed for my work visa and soon thereafter for my Green Card

Although my heart has been longing for a journalism job, it did not pay me enough. I got to work as the New York Bureau Chief of Indian Reporter and World News as well as of India Tribune, both Chicago-based ethnic Indian publications. Each of them wanted my journalistic contributions week after week for years and ended up not compensating me for several months/years. My work as the executive editor of NRI Today, a New York-based monthly magazine brought me fame and closer to several ethnic community groups and leaders. However, one could not work for long without adequate compensation.

When my friend, Gins Zachariah, told me that he had wanted to start a news magazine from New York, I promised him my fullest cooperation. For the past nearly five years, The Asian Era, where I work as the Chief Editor, it has been a source of joy to bring out this elegant news magazine every other month, without having been paid a penny for my passionate work as its editor.

In the meantime, we have been blessed with two more beautiful daughters, Navya and Ahana. Relocating to the state of Connecticut had its own challenges too. Having no background in science did not intimidate Mini. She took on the challenge of joining a nursing program and continues to work as a registered nurse at St. Vincent's Hospital, Bridgeport. Having no family support system to take care of the children, Mini opted to work at nights, ensuring that there is someone home with our young children, when I am away at work during day.

Meanwhile, I was fortunate to have been appointed as the Media Consultant for AAPI, the Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin by its then president, Dr. Narendra Kumar. It’s been very rewarding in several ways, getting to learn about several physicians of Indian origin, their skills, leaderships, commitment, and contributions in the medical field in this adopted land of ours.

My teaching jobs both at Fordham Graduate School of Social Services and at the University of Bridgeport give me the satisfaction that I am able to impact the lives of students in several ways. It's still a mystery to me as to how I am able to carry on with multiples jobs, as a Social Work Administrator, a Rehab Therapist, Editor, Media Consultant and Professor. When you have talents and are committed, you will always find what you want to achieve and continue to find ways to effectively utilize your talents skills in more ways than one in this land of opportunities.

Life in the US has changed in several ways in the past 17 years since my immigration. The Indian American community has grown in size and quality. Gone are days when India was ignored by the mainstream media. India and Indian Americans fill the pages and screens of national media networks. Their achievements and contributions are part of the daily American life. The second and third generations of Indian Americans have been absorbed by the culture and the fast moving life style of this great nation. My daughters would like to say that they are Americans first and Indians after that. I am proud to be part of this second wave of immigrants to this country where our contributions are as important as those of those who made this a nation the greatest of all nations of the world.