After arrival in U.S.

I was thinking about what different experiences/thoughts/questions a student could face in first few days after arriving U.S. and I came with the following list.

1) Searching for seniors who have come to pick you from airport ( when you walk out from airport)

2) You will notice difference in the people around.

3) You will be asked to Buckle up your seat belts in the car.

4) You might have booked your apartment online from India and move into an unfurnished empty apartment the first day with 2/3 suitcases.

5) Seniors might accommodate few new comers in your apartment for temporary stay

6) You could be put in with any of your seniors apartment till you find a place for you

7) After landing in U.S., you will ask for a way to call India to inform your parents about your safe arrival.

I have seen few cry when they talk to parents back home after arriving.

9) Some of you might come without arranging for pickup and cab driver would have dropped in front of the campus and you will have no contact and no where to go

10) You would tend to ask lot of questions about everything ( everything is different)

11) Seniors might take you for McDonald’s, Indian Restaurant or some other fast food chains

12) You might end up in your own apartment and making friends with your neighbours.

13) Seniors will ask not to sleep till night time if you arrived in U.S. in day time

14) You will be amazed ti see sunlight till 9 PM

15) Ask if you can access Internet to check your email

16) I have seen few who will feel relaxed and filled with joy, after coming to U.S. ( maybe they could have tried very hard to get study here)

17) You will ask about opening bank account and finding how bank works.

18) Compare the food you get from students cooking to delicious food mom cooks back home.

19) When I first entered into Walmart, I couldn’t believe my eyes, seeing its size. I never saw a super market of that size. That would make your eyes blink.. and say ..wow.. I’m in America

20) If you haven’t found an apartment after you arrived in U.S. searching for nice place to stay will be bit hectic.

21) You would go for a walk and come back home and say to seniors that a foreigner smiled at me and said Hello

22) First item you take from grocery store, see its price and do a mental calculation ( $5 * 40)

23) That calculation will continue for every item you put into your cart.

24) Your shopping experience will be different if you move-in with any senior who is been there for atleast 1 year.

25) I have taken so many new students to Walmart/Indian store within first few days of arrival. Usually, they don’t buy any stuffs, they will be hesitant. Not sure, if the price they will pay is wort its value. So, I will step-in and say take that blue comforter, that’s the cheapest you can get.

26) Amazed to see so many different types of car

27) No 2 cars you will find of same make, model and color.

28) No more than 1 people inside the car.

29) When you turn on the TV, ad’s will look different.

30) If you answer any marketing phone calls from 1-800 number, you wouldn’t understand a word they talk

31) I was asked by almost everyone whom I pickedup from airport, about part time jobs, aid.

32) What kind of part time job students does?

33) How will they pay?

34) Just after I say them while entering the campus, that university starts from othert side of the road, why is there no walls surrounding the campus?

35) Will it snow here?

36) Do you have a part time job/aid?

That’s not the end of it. If you happen to face any of the above situations, just pen down a comment with the thought number before it.

Like, I came across 26, 10, 13

If you wonder, what inspired me to write this list, its was because of comment from on the the reader, saying, I had faced 90% situations you were writing about.

Related posts:

1. First week student life in U.S.
2. Cost of Graduate Education in U.S.
3. Getting around the campus/town
4. Airport Pickup
5. Cost of Living for Students – Breakdown