I am sure my story is not different than anybody else who came to US on a Student Visa. Hope, through this post, I am equally representing all.
So when I landed to Boston Airport, a friend of mine who was supposed to pick me up, did not show up. But there was this Caucasian young woman with a Placard "Kalidas Bhaisaab" waiting on the Arrivals lounge. I went to her and said I was Kalidas and asked where Torpe was to which she said, Torpe couldn't be there because of a class and that she would drop me to my apartment and get me settled. It was a nice surprise as I had heard only bad things happen to Nepali Students. The apartment was in a nice area (Cambridge). Ashley Summer, the Caucasian lady who picked me, gave me the keys of the apartment. It was a single bedroom fully furnished apartment, just 12 mins walk from Harvard's main campus. Unlike me, Ashley was a Bunker Hill Community College student. She aspired to go to Cambridge College one day and was volunteering for International Student's Office. She said that both Torpe and I were lucky to be going there. She also thought it was stupid for people to spend money on Harvard when Cambridge College was just off the block.
The apartment was $2200 a month plus parking and utilities. Since I had only brought $4500 from home that was a shock. I had expected a cheaper and shared apartment in a place called Somerville. But she told that Cambridge College will bear the 10% rental cost as I was their International Student and that rest would be borne by my to-be-employer, Tanjore. A Blackberry Pearl Flip*, in my name was also activated by Tanjore, which she handed me and let me know that I could call my home directly because first month's fees including international was paid for. She gave me the keys of a Ford Taurus 2004 and asked me if I brought the Nepali Driver's license. Since I had none she said I was already enrolled to a 7 days driving class after which I will have to go to the DMV to take the test and get the DL. The process would be relatively easy and then she would help as well. Insurance was paid for, already a part of my paid-up first semester tuition fee. This was 2005 so the car was a recent model. The International Student Office at Cambridge College had fully stocked my fridge for next 5 days. Dinner was getting cold. Shakeburger from Shake Shack. She apologized because they had initially planned a Chiken Tikka Marsala from Rani. Anyways, it was getting late because the flight had arrived at 8:10 PM local time and I was getting jet lagged. She asked if it was Ok with me if she stayed because the ISO's policy was not to leave students unattended on their first day in US. I was happy that someone was there. She explained lots of things like how long it takes to walk to nearest Au Bon Pain, nearest MBTA stops, gave me the MBTA card valid for one month etc. My SSN was already applied for and gotten approved by SSA Office via ISO on my behalf and all I had to do was go to their office and collect it. This was done when Cambridge College and their ISO had gotten my confirmation of F1 visa. Ashley also explained that I would have to work 20 hours at College as TA. Basically validating ESL scores of few students from China. Rest 20 hours would be at Tanjore as a Customer Experience Manager. Wages paid through these two jobs would be enough to pay for my tuition, rent, miscellaneous, travel, vacation and sending money home. Basically, we did an initial math and it looked like I could send that $4500 back as I would not need financial support from home. About coursework, she mentioned that MMG511 Foundations of Management and MMG512 Organizational Environment was what everyone enjoyed, from her conversations with other students, and that MMG525 Statistical Decision Techniques for Manager was something that could be skipped, if I wished. As I now remember, on that first day, I had wondered how knowledgeable this girl was about Cambridge College's course catalog even though she did not study there. Bunker Hill, of which I had never heard in Nepal, that day I learned, was an important school. Anyways, I was getting worn out and then all of a sudden she asked what my sexual preferences were. I did not understand so she explained if I was a hetro sexual or a homo sexual. When I said I liked vaginas better she sounded relieved. Because that's what Torpe had relayed to the ISO and that's why they had sent her and not John to pick me up. Thanks goodness. And she asked whether I liked receiving head or going full base. I just picked getting head as I was already jet lagged. That was one of the nicest head I received in all my Cambridge College years, as I recollect now. Finally, it was about 2:00 in the morning when I had a chance to sleep in the bed. By the way, it was Sleepy's Simmons Beautyrest, if you ask.
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