DEPARTED FROM
Anand, India
ARRIVED IN
Queens, New York
YEAR
1974
AGE
34
NOW LIVES IN
Voorhees, New Jersey
TRANSCRIPT
See, in fact what happened it's my friend he already briefed me about this U.S. and what practices here about the people how they work here or how they move here and there whatever and cultural, what is difference? Hence, I was aware about all those things so it's not that much excited to see America. And also, this New York is a carbon copy of Bombay, Mumbai now, same thing people are running to go to the train and go to the work and coming back also running like that same thing, I was not that excited I knew everything. All those things.
First thing my friend told me let's do first thing about the job. And also talk with your other devotee friends. Yeah, there was the first thing I did in the initial days, read the resume. There were, first thing would be together. It was Friday and chattering. Got to retype and get the copies, from Monday started to look for the work like that, he said “Don't waste time here.” I said “Okay.” I just wanted instructions, right. And Sunday, I saw our devotee friend there and talking about this new temple and the situation of those things. Busy right from the first day. You can say that.
And I was given the map, the street map, New York City’s street map I was given. I was said, “Look here and study this one”, and you will be familiar with all the streets and how the city is located and all those things. Which I was trying that thing also. For me it was not that difficult.
I had so many friends back home there and they've moved here before I came, I mean they're excited to see me actually. Many of them called me that night. They knew that I'm coming, they were excited. I didn’t have much time to see some other things or those things in the first few days.
It was writing a letter only at that time, only letters that’s it, to receive there was eight to ten days. Telephone but telephone what will happen in that time, we have to register and then they'll connect and find out when the person on the other side is available, then they will call like that. okay, other person is available within half an hour. You are there and call back like that. Yeah. But if you have to call, there was an assistant, register the call, and they will find out when the person is there. They will try to find out where the person is there when he is there and they're trying to find out the availability when he's available. They will call back here and say, “This person is available this and this time, what time you want.” Then I will say this time and they will connect me.
