A New Beginning..

Its a long time since I posted for myself here and a lot has happened in that time. I have joined Stanford University (Yes, THE Stanford University), I have started cooking (and it is very good :) ), classes are going on in full swing and by the way I am in the US of A. I just wanted to write about whatever is in my heart right now about this whole long period.

As the D-Day approached I was very nervous; How was I going to fit into Stanford? Am I good enough? What about the money? These questions ran through my brain incessantly. I had other things in my mind as well, which I would prefer never to talk about in my life. The days were filled with advices from various well-wishers, hasty cooking classes and last minute shopping. I was always thinking about how it is going to be such a long time before I come back home. D-Day arrived and the whole day was a huge rush. My sister had come from her college to bid me farewell. My Grandmother had come from Kanchipuram and everyone were a wee bit emotional when the time actually came or me to leave. I felt very sad on my whole journey to the airport but once I got into the aircraft excitement overrode other emotions, it was my first time on a flight.

The 5 hours flight to Hong Kong was a pleasant one. I could not sleep much but I whiled away my time browsing through the channels and staring at the guy , guzzling beers incessantly sitting next to me. Sadly this was the good part of the journey. The journey from Hong Kong to San Francisco was horrible to say the least. I hated the food, could not sleep a wink and had to spend my time watching movies when I desparately wanted to sleep. After landing in SFO everything was a breeze. It did not take me more than half an hour to get through customs and collect my luggage.

It has now been more than a month since I arrived here. During this time I have wondered how the Americans have the patience to wait at stop lines when there is no one else on the road, how they manage with toilet papers (:P) and have been impressed by their courtesy and their willingness to accept foreigners so easily.

This was also the time I spent searching for financial aid and getting depressed on not managing to find one. Now I have come past that and have learnt the need to learn as much as I can. Classes have started and the professors are the best I have seen. Their command over their subjects is at complete odds to the vast majority of professors in India. I have overcome the self doubt that I suffered from and I am confident that Stanford is going to be a home away from home for me.

Cheers.