first pay check in dollars

I got paid exactly after 3 months after coming to US. 15th August. precisely , was a normal day. It was in back of mind whole day but somehow i couldn't get the time to check my account . Secretly I was also hoping my phone to ring with a message - credit from LP. That was in India ,when citibank used to inform about credit / debit. Here - BOFA and CHASE dont send messages. Also I was writing Driving Knowledge test for the 3rd time .It was embarrassing to fail 2 times , which was supposed to be easy part of gettting a driver's license. Difficult part was the road test.

I passed my Knowledge test and as the luck would have it , was denied DL. Only in New Jersey a new DL is given just by checking the Indian DL.Ofcourse it is at their discretion . And in my they could not match Delhi NCR DL to their book and was stamped with Road Test required stamp.

Cursing my stars I came home and remembered I was supposed to be paid and  halfheartedly  checked my  Bank APP. Bang! , their it was. I had to adjust my eyes to believe. Yes very very satisfying moment and nobody to share it with.

This is other side of following your dreams.You are all alone. How big your achievement may be,but ones you love are too far to enjoy it with you. And i think that's how life balances out . I might not have achieved the same with my current job back in india. As it was too good. I had option to roam the world,buy a car on company expense, buy phone on company expense, work from home, Wife had a  well paying job with  no pressure whatsoever, Daughter was going to best playschool.

But it was not enough. Basic safety for women and clean healthy air. I cannot buy that how much I earn. It would be strong statement to say that it does not happen in here. But percentage wise it is better here.

Another 2 months to go until I see their faces and hold them in my arms. Until then - Muntazir

1 american month old

I am writing this exactly after 1 month here. 15th June 2017. Weather is generous and people are humble.

My employer here provided pick up and drop ,breakfast was mostly pot coffee and bad smelling muffins (which i enjoyed stuffing myself  and my bag).

I learnt the art of cooking - FINALLY !! Overcame my paralyzing laziness , thanks to my room mate . I could have easily went out for eating or ordered  a pizza , but his sheer gut and no money spending anywhere ever nature made me vegetable ninja. He is from Telangana and teaching me national language of US - telegu .


Exploring opportunities have been mentally taxing . I could not understand what was lacking in my experience . I was selling myself cheap , making false commitments on unknown technologies and then day before interview . studying the shit out of youtube .

Getting shortlisted for an interview seemed like most difficult thing in the world. And for once it was scheduled , just like that and I cancelled all my other plans, dug deep in laptop , prayed all my gods.

Only to be kept waiting for 10 , 20 , 30 mins anxiously looking at my phone to ring. Nobody called.
Nobody cared , Nobody was answerable . Nobody knew how I skipped heatbeat waiting for it every minute. Apart from being disappointed i was enormously sad like a grieving dog who could only express through his eyes and has no energy left to talk.

My roommate arrived next day from Chicago(he had gone for holidays) and life was normal again.

And then day came when other interviews happened and people actually called me. And I was all over the place , Mr.know-it-all. I had to BE . I d'ont have an option. I was getting ZERO (0) interview calls as compared to my roommate (average 10 per day). I was jealous of his phone which constantly kept ringing . Blame it on human nature , i could not help but get jealous .I could not control it - so we got Beer and  we both lived happily ever after.

Telephonic screenings were successful and I was advancing to next rounds. Face2face.
Then came my first interstate travel with skyscraper office  view and butterflies in stomach for upcoming moment of truth for which I got a 20$ haircut.(yes I got a haircut.)

5 rounds of extreme grilling , starting from morning 10:30 to 2:30 pm ,  I knew what enduring would be like . 3 rounds of whiteboarding , and then lunch which i overfilled by tub , and then next 2 rounds with big shots. I had entire knowledge and wit screened and squeezed out.

Exhausted I come out and dint even realize , i was at tourist place with cameras flashes all around.Building that I was on was supposed to be first one to introduce LED screen to the world.
With swanky big screen hoard of tourist can be seen flocking around with sticks and good clothes.

I took a train from there to my hotel and get a call in mid way , those 3 sweet words !

The entirety of emotions overwhelmed  me. I was tired , but wanted to shout and jump , i was in america but alone in train with nobody to celebrate , all those faces flashed in front of me who motivated me and  ones who mocked .

I think i thanked god but i dont remember clearly.

But what i do remember clearly was thanking my wife for letting me run wild , taking care of my child 8000 miles away and my parents who believed -  i am mad and can do anything .I offered small prayer to god for taking care of them and  continue to do so even when I am not there .

Luck favored me and i got another interview and another offer. Fortune favors the bold has been my mojo . Glad it stands true.

I have lived in a extended stay hotel for most days and now shifted to new place - guest house . It was infested with bugs earlier and have been vaccinated now. But i had my reservations and shifted against my will. Thankfully no lovebites from creepy crawly world.

Signing off for today. 

To the promise Land

Log of first time experience - coming to America

Ever since I was a child , I wanted to see America . My  first serials was different strokes ,Vicky the robot and on and on . Hollywood movies , foreign cars used to attract me so much that I was more aware of american culture than my own. 

And finally the time came in 2015 when my visa was approved  and I could come to US to work.

It was an out of the world feeling. Applying journey was long. First the lottery , then selection , and then interview which turned into RFE , and finally stamping. 

In 2016 I was working in a decent job with travel opportunities and a good manager. Life was stable but my thoughts weren't. So I decided to leave India and use the VISA. But as luck would have it , my wife was not convinced and my mother's health also deteriorated , I took my resignation back in India and started again.

It was strange feeling to start all together again. As if all my energy was directed to 1 direction and suddenly it was diverted to a different direction. Anyways complete year passed. Life crawled as there was always a question hanging - do you want to go to America.

After much discussion , persuasion with my family  I resigned again . All my friends on 1 side supporting my decision and family on the other cursing my decision. What made it worse was my current manager offering my travel opportunities to Thailand , Hungary,  UK , Canada  - all short term. 

My notice period was for 60 days and not a single day passed without me wanting to accept his offer and let go my crazy american dream. And upto last day my manager generosity puzzled me when he said - you can still take your resignation back. "I must have done something good" I think . 

Packing bags was another major task , trying to fit whole world in 2- 23 Kgs and 1 7 Kg bag. Ofcourse I went over weight , but emirates did let me in. God Bless them. 

Dubai to JFK flight was long and tiring especially when I could not drink alcohol , as I wanted to stay sharp for Port of Entry interview. Flight was stable and service good as always. I do recommend them for long haul flights . 

Anyone could see anxiety on my face as I was queued up in interview line , fiddling with my papers , jacket ,bags , passport. There was an  CBP officer who gave me a good stare and secretly hoped I dont have to face him out of 6 terminals. Next Moment Iam in front of him !! somehow line got distributed and I was standing lucky or unlucky before him. 

He asked me my visa type and finger print scans . I was waiting for questions and interrogation to happen . Suddenly he said - you may go !  Just like that . that's it. I thought of running away as soon as possible if he might change his mind. 

Sigh of relief as I was walking towards exit ,when i got pulled over for bag checking . It was fairly detailed but as I was basking in glory it all went well. I think one of the reasons my POE interview went well was Formals.I was wearing them from last 24 hours and all crease was done for in 13 hours flight , but it still worked. My tip to all aspirants - apart from confidence and paper work , wear formals . 

my first dollars was spent on chocolate doughnut and coffee on airport. Weather was clear , windy and feeling was wonderful. Though we got traffic jam on NY - NJ bridge link , but i was not bored looking at cars , trucks and roads.  

Matrix sim card thankfully worked which I bought in India and I called up dear near ones and also my going to be manager here. 

First phase of coming here is over . Its been a week jet lag itself took 3 days to get over. 

Now to the second phase and new challenge.I will post it upcoming weeks.