On a hot , humid night in March I found myself standing in a winding and never ending immigration queue at the Anna International airport in Chennai.
I half expected to see Anna himself standing in the line in front of me because the infrastructure certainly seemed to be from his time!. I had my head hung low since I did not want to catch the disapproving eye of the many foriegners who were sweating it out in thier carefully pressed business suits.
You might ask what I was doing in thier midst , well I was westward bound , to the land of dreams and liberty. The Big Apple indeed!!. I had a smirk on my face proudly displaying my name and destination pasted in big block letters on my baggage :o).
My mind was in a daze , I had stars , 51 to be exact twinkling in my overly excited eyes.
As the queue inched forward so did my anticipation of my first journey. I was going for a year to earn more moolah for both myself and my american software firm.I answered some mechanically asked questions from the insipid looking immigration official and I swear he had a jealous look in his eyes!.Thump came down his stamp on my passport and I was good to go !.Watch out America here I come!
I embarked my Luftansa airbus to the warm but carefully constructed customer friendly smile of the German airhostess who showed me to my seat.I did not mind the discomfort provided by the middle seat too much , because hey! I was going to America , who cares, the end definitely justified the means !.The plane taxied off the runway but I did not notice that as I was involved in grasping all the instructions displayed in the inflight TV in four languages (2 of which I did not understand but I still gave it a ear).I was flying !! literally and figuratively.The hours seemed to pass slowly I flitted in and out of a dreamless but disturbed sleep punctuated by the congested cough of the strapping German gentleman sitting on my right.The seat seemed too small for him and his discomfort somehow rubbed off on me. I closed my eyes trying to focus on my destination, somehow after about 7 hours the means was beggining to justify the end.
’’Ladies and Gentlemen we will be landing in Frankfurt shortly’’ said the German accented voice of our pilot.Its about time I thought, the German gentleman in my right , too big for his seat was starting to fray my nerves a bit.Finally we touched terra firma.It was cold, babies were crying, the plane had the distinct odour of the nights preheated dinner.I was glad when the chill german air hit me on my face.As I walked the corridor towards the transit lounge I could not help but think ’’wow I am in Germany , the land of the BMW , the land where Hitler played havoc’’. A Big signboard advertising MacDonalds and the appetizing smell of burger patties frying brought me back to thoughts of my final destination. I grabbed a big mac and a coke and desperately tried to fit into the aryan and caucasian crowd mulling around in the loading bay of my connecting flight to Chicago.I tried to look busy and preoccupied and important. But my stomach was doing somersaults of thier own.An Indian face seemed to be a welcome relief, I smiled at a few of them.They were also busy trying to look important but they did smile back.My patriotic faith was restored.Three hours went by quickly , my eyes were working overtime trying to catch all the sights.It was time to board my connecting flight.
Again the customer centric warm smile of the hostess , again a middle seat, again a huge strapping American gentleman to my right minus the cough this time, again the plane taking off in time.Instructions were displayed but I disregarded them this time, I was an experienced hand at this now.I did not grin like a clown at the hostess anymore, I had become a frequent flier in my mind.I flitted in and out of sleep. When I was awake I pretented to read my Dan Brown book but it was purely for snob value.The American women on my left told me ’’Honey I loved that book’’ , I grinned back not knowing if I should fake an accent as yet.After nine hours of sleep and pretense the plane landed.I had arrived, Uncle Sam beckoned!
As I entered the Chicago O’ Hare airport I was stunned by the size of the immigrant crowd that filled up the hall.People were running trying to get into the shortest line. I found myself running too.I felt stupid but it had to be done.I finally managed to wedge myself between two haggard looking Japanese men.I smiled at them thier eyes crinkled I could not tell if they smiled back.When it was my turn at the immigration counter I walked in confidently. The instructions of my firms travel orientation running though my mind .I smiled , the official smiled back. He asked me questions the answers to which I had carefully and prudently rehearsed in my mind.
My fingerprints were recorded , my eyes were scanned. I felt like a fugitive but it had to be done.Thump came his stamp and he said ’’Welcome to America , we hope you enjoy your stay here’’. I hoped so too. I thanked him but he was busy trying to beckon the Japanese gentleman behind me.I walked forward . I was free in the land of the free.I was tired , I was hungry, I missed home, I needed to use the restroom. But strangely it did not seem to matter .I put it all behind my head and walked elatedly towards the pay phone. I had to dial home and tell my folks ... ’’Mom, Dad .. I am in the USA now’’ !!!