First Trip to USA (Part I)
I have been dreaming of coming to US (like many of us) since I was a child. As I started my job when I was in college, I didn’t want to pursue higher studies and so didn’t come to US. Then got married and was happily living in Pune with my husband. When my husband joined Patni, my hopes of getting a chance of coming to US were elated. And as expected he got a chance to come to US on H1 within 6 months of joining. He came to US in Nov. 2004 and I was to follow in a month’s time or so depending on my visa approval. I was to visit the Patni office in Chinchwad for collecting some documents required for my visa interview. The first time I went there, it was for my visa briefing. When I went there, I was told that the concerned person was on leave. I was angry 'coz I had to take a leave from my office to go there all the way from Kothrud. The second time I went there, I was briefed on the visa interview process. The documents were not ready and so I was asked to go again for collecting the documents. So here I was the third time again in Patni to collect the documents. And after I reached Patni I was told that the documents have not yet arrived. Patni people were testing my patience. And there I was again, a fourth time, to collect the documents required for my visa interview. I got lucky the fourth time and was given all the necessary documents. I got the appointment for my visa interview in Dec 2004. I got my visa without any problems and was excited of coming to US.
As I was traveling on H4, Patni was supposed to book the tickets for me. Pravin (my hubby) was in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Patni booked my ticket for 31st Dec 04 for Scranton. My ticket was for Scranton alright but not the one in Pennsylvania. It was for Scranton in Rhode Island. I was shocked when I came to know this. How could the people of Patni commit such a mistake? This was happening not even a week before I was supposed to fly. Then Pravin contacted Patni people from US and told them about the mix-up and asked them to change my ticket. By the time they had sorted this out and booked a ticket for me, it was 28th Dec 04. I called Patni people to check when I could collect the ticket. I was told that I should call them on 29th and then go to their office. When I called up on 29th morning, I was told that they would be receiving the ticket from the agent that evening. So I was supposed to collect the ticket on 30th morning. Can you believe it? I had to leave Pune at 4:00 pm on 30th and there was still the last minute packing to be done. So I called Patni people and asked them if it was possible to get an e-ticket (I had thought they would suggest this to me) and they gave me a favorable reply. So I finally got my e-ticket via email on 29th evening. To add to this, there was some problem with the electricity and I could not print my e-ticket on 29th. Ashish (my best friend) printed the e-ticket and delivered it to my place.
I left Pune along with my parents, my in-laws and Ashish at around 4:00-4:30 pm on 30th for Mumbai. We reached Mumbai somewhere between 9:30 and 10:00 pm. My flight was at 2:50 am 31st from Mumbai to Frankfurt. So as per the rules I was supposed to check-in 3 hours prior to the departure time. We reached the airport and I took my boarding pass. Then met my parents, in-laws and uncle and aunts who had come to see me off. I could see tears in their eyes. Oh how much I wished I could stand there with them just a little longer. But I knew that the more time I waited there, the harder it would be for all to say good-bye. So I took my elder’s blessings and walked towards the immigration check. Once I had checked in, all there was to do was wait for the announcement of boarding the flight. As I was traveling alone, it was quite boring to spend almost 2:30 hours there just sitting. But as there was no other alternative, I started reading the book that I was carrying with me. Then once I heard my flight number being called, I walked to the security checkpoint. After the security check, I waited for the flight departure. In the meanwhile, I called up my parents to let them know that I had just come out from the security check and was waiting to board the plane.
As I was traveling on H4, Patni was supposed to book the tickets for me. Pravin (my hubby) was in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Patni booked my ticket for 31st Dec 04 for Scranton. My ticket was for Scranton alright but not the one in Pennsylvania. It was for Scranton in Rhode Island. I was shocked when I came to know this. How could the people of Patni commit such a mistake? This was happening not even a week before I was supposed to fly. Then Pravin contacted Patni people from US and told them about the mix-up and asked them to change my ticket. By the time they had sorted this out and booked a ticket for me, it was 28th Dec 04. I called Patni people to check when I could collect the ticket. I was told that I should call them on 29th and then go to their office. When I called up on 29th morning, I was told that they would be receiving the ticket from the agent that evening. So I was supposed to collect the ticket on 30th morning. Can you believe it? I had to leave Pune at 4:00 pm on 30th and there was still the last minute packing to be done. So I called Patni people and asked them if it was possible to get an e-ticket (I had thought they would suggest this to me) and they gave me a favorable reply. So I finally got my e-ticket via email on 29th evening. To add to this, there was some problem with the electricity and I could not print my e-ticket on 29th. Ashish (my best friend) printed the e-ticket and delivered it to my place.
I left Pune along with my parents, my in-laws and Ashish at around 4:00-4:30 pm on 30th for Mumbai. We reached Mumbai somewhere between 9:30 and 10:00 pm. My flight was at 2:50 am 31st from Mumbai to Frankfurt. So as per the rules I was supposed to check-in 3 hours prior to the departure time. We reached the airport and I took my boarding pass. Then met my parents, in-laws and uncle and aunts who had come to see me off. I could see tears in their eyes. Oh how much I wished I could stand there with them just a little longer. But I knew that the more time I waited there, the harder it would be for all to say good-bye. So I took my elder’s blessings and walked towards the immigration check. Once I had checked in, all there was to do was wait for the announcement of boarding the flight. As I was traveling alone, it was quite boring to spend almost 2:30 hours there just sitting. But as there was no other alternative, I started reading the book that I was carrying with me. Then once I heard my flight number being called, I walked to the security checkpoint. After the security check, I waited for the flight departure. In the meanwhile, I called up my parents to let them know that I had just come out from the security check and was waiting to board the plane.
Labels: trip experience
posted by Mugs at 10:22 AM
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