I came to the States, because I was offered a job as an IT Professional and I wanted to be able to financially support my family back home in India. When I first arrived, I was very nervous about coming to a different country with only 150 dollars in my pocket. I was constantly anxious about what I would do if I ran out of money, and how I would survive here. Even though I was nervous, I was very happy and proud of myself for being able to lift my family’s financial status. This was my first flight ever, and it was a surreal experience flying to a different country. I didn’t know how long I would stay here, or what life would be like. It was nerve-wracking waiting for someone to come pick me up, but I was glad I was flying with my colleague so at least I knew someone. Me and him only conversed a couple days before we left, and we both had no idea what to expect here. Once we were picked up from someone from our company, this gave us hope and we were relieved. He drove us two hours to Tennessee in the middle of the night, and it was such a different experience for me. The driver was very friendly and wanted to learn more about us, and our experience coming here. Driving during the odd hours of the night was great. It was the first time I saw such a big city and skyscrapers like that. The closer we got to Tennessee the landscape changed into forestry. I loved the empty roads, and watching the diverse and beautiful scenery around me.