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.
