Scavenging the house....

Its 7 00 Am, and Ishika wakes me up....says, "we have to go"....
i open my still sleepy eyes..and it takes me two minutes to remember that we have to for scavenging...a house......now, as a student in USA, n that too on an F1 visa....u cant afford to buy everything for ur room/house/apt.
So, then by 9 00 am, me, ishika and arpita set off to go to this lady's place, who r leaving for India permanently....so have a lot of stuff to carry back......
The small twist...as we are about to aboard the bus..ishika's aunty calls n says that that lady had told us not to come so early..but then v had classess n that's the only time we could go..
We call that lady and then she tells them they wnt be up till late and that we wudnt be able to get the comforter till then....but that's wat we were goin for..so now wat...we make a long face, n then arpita comments.."yaar, itni jaldi uthe hai kahi to jana padega!"
as if that lady heard her tell this...she calls up again n tells that we can come if want to take some other stuff..so finally our early morning rise not wasted..we ride a bus n subway..search all the streets and after some 1 hr we find her apartment.....hurray!!!
we are ushered in a house that has all its belonging in the living room...its like an invitation...."take watever u want..everythings here".....
and our scavenging begins....first dishes, bowls, small dishes....a coffee mug with a "lid" as satyu has (satyu if u do read this then i got this for free n u had to pay :) )..then lots of hangers...and paper rolls...now these r not costly..but if u get free then wats the big deal...i wanted to take fivc but seeing my roomiee look in her face, took only 3 ;)...
then it was time for the kid to wake up..waise bhi der tak sona acchi baat nahi hai....n we were lucky enough to get our comforters!!!
so finally our mission successfull...now the only question was how wud be take all these home!!!
But, then three donkeys..always pay for the work...so we three finally lugged everything and began our journey back home...n welcoming us was a good strong shower of rain...and by the time we reached home..our sponge bed, n everything including us were wet...
but all in all fun...
how many times do u get fokat ka maal.....lol

at vaishali's place...

my flight finally landed..after 22 hours of daylight....and with two kids around me....baby sitting them....cute but nosy kids....so finally relieved by them as my flight lands...the new land calling...with a spectacular view of the newark airport and the scenes from above.the pastures, the green land...the ravine...with so much ordered landscapes...it was a beautiful sight....felt good coming here...
i went to the immigration counter next...with all my records and forms....waited in a long line....n finally met the immigration officer....he checked my passport..took my fingerprints...n then asks??? first time in US...i said yes...coming for studies??which course...i reply, "masters in toxicology"..but the last word doesnt ring a bell in his ears...but he shrugs off....and then gives my passport back with a smile and "maintain 4 GPA...all the best"..with a big thanks to him i proceed to collect my luggage...
ok now...i did label my luggage properly...but here everything seems the same...some were unique...that were laminated....i mean the whole thing sealed in plastic...now thats brains..not many have their luggage sealed in plastic entirely.
i waited with my trolley all the way...n noticed a lot of indians..n that too tamilians...here and there....some returning..some for the first time...so its was fun watching the scenario...but hey..my luggage just went past me..i lunged for it...but nope...it wnt come that easy..so i waited for it to complete one revolution. the next very moment...the old fellow before me...fell..trying to pull his 23 kg bag...n cried "amma"..okay now he's tamilian too...it took me five minutes to make him upright again and to know if he's okay...
n then again another lady fell doing the same thing...ok now...this is a common scene here...
finally after some 30 minutes i got all the three bags n i headed for the customs...n the customs official just asks me if i have any pickles..i say "no just indian sweets"...n well..he also wishes me best of luck...
n i finally m out of the airport searching for vaishali and kudrat. now..where are they????..i scan the whole line of awaiting people...four times..but no sign of them...
now....wat...i try the booth..but it asks for coins..and i dnt have any..i ask people for coins..but they dnt have any....now dnt the US people need any chillars...
finally i just look at the people...i find one man.speaking a language familiar to me but not fully known...okay..he speaks malayalam. now thats good...i go n tell him.." the people who r comin to recieve me...are not here..so can i call....??" " where do u have to calll?"..pat comes the reply...i say "NJ"..okay..u can call....finally i dial kudrat..n i say hello this is ramya...."oh hi ramya..m on the way..just 10 min..sorry...be right there.ok" ...i say "ok..bye"
i thank that uncle..n go out..
stand at the footpath and just take in the whole metal beauty of the country....
flyovers going over each other..u never know where they would end...cars driving in a single que..with no hiccups..and observing the other passengers..here n there....n theennnn i see vaishali walking and kudrat running...ofcourse vaishu is carrying..so....;)
a biiiigggg smile spreads on my face and then i say hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii....shake hands with jijju..i.e. kudrat....n give a tight hug to vaishali..
n v sit in the car...n exchange looks and greetings while jijju is gone to recieve somebody else...
i tell vaishu everything on her mother's behalf..and then i check her....has put on weight...looks very cute..n happy...i feel happy for her...
finally the other guest also arrives and v reach home...observing the streets, buildings and lanes...the cars.the people....
n i like it here....
reaching home...i greet aunty and ba..and didi is there..with the two kids...have a good talk...
have some fun with the kids..give them the game...which they like very much..but unfortunately it'll take a couple of years for them to start playing scrabble..anyways..its a long life game...so its ok i guess....butttt.....if the game is intact by then!!!
have a good refreshing bath....and at the dinner table....have great fun with jijju n jijjaji(jijju's jijju)
and pull legs of vaishu..n njoy a lot...after some talk..i go n sleep...my first sleep at US...in a cossy bed...feeling great and haappppppyyy!!!!