Yes i am going to "AMRIKA" ! and for the umpteenth time, on the 16th of August.
Ever since i got an admit into an "AMRIKAN" university a few months ago, i have been inundated with advice from all round the globe, especially from the whos-"who?!"s - of my family and "friends".
First it was regarding my visa appointment date, where many friends adviced me to not take it on a friday especially in chennai coz it was supposedly an "open day" when most visas got rejected and in chennai there was this feared muslim lady (in a burqa for added effect) who hardly ever issued any visas!
Of course during those times of turmoil and confusion i gobbled up all the advice i got and actually took it seriously. So when the usual twist of fate landed me with an appointment on a friday in chennai, my anxiousness knew no bounds!. As the visa date approached, my anxiousness gave way to indifference-what with all the paperwork, forms and documents!. At the visa counter, i could hardly stop myself from yawning in front of the visa officer! But as fate would have it, i landed with a visa after the easiest and shortest interviews of all times.
I should have been happy.... but......
- "So when are u leaving?" - Yes i know its a perfectly normal question to ask but not when it is asked for the 5th or the 6th time (literally) by the same person!. Its as if the guy has goes into an automaton mode upon seeing me and this is the only seemingly intelligent question he can conjure up! My response to this has of course become similarly automated now and its just "mid august" even though i now know its 16th August.
- "So have you got any scholarship?" - Now how do i respond to this question, tell the truth, be brief and save my face at the same time?! So its just - "I havent yet!" and leave the rest to their imagination.
- "Be verryy careful over there.. Amrikan women just love indian boys coz they spend a lot of money running behind white skin!" - Arre yaar after paying for my fees and the rest, i wont have enough money to even spend on my own brown skin, let alone somebody else's white skin, so i think u can safely stop worrying abt that now.
- "Ah, cho chad, Amrikan women run from indian boys there coz they become very serious after a one-night stand! What will you do ?!" - Come my dear.. have you met my "above" friend? i have a feeling you two have lots to share with each other.
As if all this unsolicited advice was not enough, loads of people have told me how i should go there, make a handsome living and never come back to India. Unfortunately, an equal number or more have told me to not even think abt staying back in the US, but pack my bags at the earliest, upon completion of my education, and come to India.
Now how do you expect a guy to go to the states with an unbiased and open mind amidst all this nonsense of advices? The killjoys take away the very basic joy of discovering things on your own.
But this constant deja vu of a conversation takes the cake:
U: "So which university have u got admission into?"
Me: "University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, uncle."
U: "Michigan.. hmm.. yes yes, thats a verrry reputed university"
[A moment of silence and deep thought]
U: "Uh... is it in Amrika ?"
Me: " !! ..........................."
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Everybody seems to be so excited about me going abroad. Why amn't i ?
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