MY EXPERIMENTS WITH FOOD

Mr Joe Kaplo received me from Manchester Airport on August 23 evening and dropped me at Patrick’s home. I was just sitting in the couch and looking at the house. I was completely in dilemma to start with. I was not in a mood to start any thing. I was getting bored of the loneliness. (I like loneliness, but not this kinda (kind of)). I love to be alone but in the group (interesting character!!??!!). I had boxed food from my brother’s home, sufficient for two days. I slept without thinking any thing more for that night, after speaking with my wife and children, online.

The next day morning, (Friday, Aug 24) Mr Joe Kaplo came again to pick me up to go to Liberty Mutual, the car insurance office. Since my brother already made the base and the documents were readymade by Patrick, it was a cake-walk for me. I was happy that I can drive a car all by myself, in USA. Saturday, I dared to take out my car on to the roads of Manchester. Initially I was finding it bit difficult, but got quickly used to the slow traffic, sign boards, flow of traffic, white and yellow lines on the roads, traffic symbols, etc. I was patting my back that I was driving perfectly. It was a great day.

I was not feeling hungry since my heart was filled with joy. I thanked once again everyone, who made it possible for me. But body can’t wait for more time without food, I got to go ‘Shop & Stop’, get some vegetables, etc., to start my cooking!! Through some guided directions, from my wife and my brother’s wife, I could able to make all sorts of Indian dishes (Rava Upma, Atukula Upma, Borugula Upma, Mirchi Bajji, Aloo Bajji, Arati Bajji, Dosa, Utappam, Smoodles, Pav-Bhaaji, Chapati, Poori, Bisibella Bath, Pulav, Vangi Bath, Sambar, Pappu, Cabbage/Cauliflower/Tomato/Aloo Curry, etc., etc., etc.) during my stay, to my satisfaction. Some of them I tried FIRST time. I could make puffy POORIs but even after several trials I couldn't make circular CHAPATIs. I enjoyed cooking and eating too.
One day I did a funky job in cooking. I purchased ‘Golden layer Honey Butter flaky Biscuits’. The pack was cylindrical and I thought there will be circular flaky honey biscuits inside. After coming back to home and opened the pack as per directions, BOOOP, it opened with big sound and layers of soft dough came out. For a moment I shocked and I realized that I made a mistake. I understood why the people stop every where in the stores and spend lot of time in reading the instructions on the packets. Carefully I took out all of them separated them on a plate and started reading the instructions on the pack. I found it was a big lengthy process to get Golden layer honey butter flaky biscuits. Then I started learning how to operate baking oven, baked the biscuits and enjoyed the brown, solid, no butter, no honey, no shape, tough biscuits. It was FUN at the end.

HAPPY MARRIED LIFE – My Dear Brother

As I landed in Newark International Airport, I got a phone call from my brother to come out towards Baggage Collection. I had gone out and standing on the stands for his reception. Another SURPRISE, people can go till the Security Check-In area, in all USA airports. He was up there and I was down. After skipping some phone calls, because both of us were trying to contact each other, finally I made it. I was excited on seeing him, feel like some one close to me, felt very happy. The happiness was doubled when we reach HOME. The kids were waiting out, for my arrival, with flowers, to surprise me. I was hiding behind the car to surprise them. After Hide & Seek, it was all FUN. I can’t forget those fifteen days, running very quickly, spent with my brother, his family and my nephew, who came from Penn State College to add more FUN.

CLICK HERE TO SEE SLIDE SHOW

I can’t forget the enjoyment, in going to nearest Railway station in LUNGI to receive my nephew, driving on New Jersey roads under the controlled directions from my brother, getting certificate of appreciation from the kids “Peddappa (Older brother of Father) knows driving and drives well”, playing cricket and shuttle badminton in the back yard, teasing the kids with Indian accent, watering the plants, visiting Lord Venkateshwara Temple, meeting another nephew (his wife & their small baby) who settled in nearby place, etc.

CLICK HERE TO SEE NIAGARA

We had celebrated the Wedding Anniversary of my brother Mr T V K Murthy with Mrs Radhika Murthy on wonderful twilight of August 10, 2007. We all had lots of entertainment while going to NIAGARA FALLS. The view of falls was multi-hued in the nights and stunning in day time. Walking through ‘Cave of Winds’ and getting under the falls, jump aboard the ‘Maid of Mist’ to see how both American and Canadian Falls look like from the bottom up, were incredible.

We all had lots of amusement by visiting Wild Safari (drive-thru Animal Park), Hurricane Harbor (Water Park) and Rides (variety of Roller-Coasters) at Six-Flags Great Adventure Theme Park in Jackson Township, New Jersey.

CLICK HERE TO SEE SIX-FLAGS

The First-time experience of Roller-Coasters is the real fun in my life. We had seen the world’s tallest and fastest Roller-Coaster ‘KINGDA KA’.

CLICK HERE TO SEE NEWYORK CITY

It was amazing to feel like ‘superman’ on Roller-Coasters. Visiting ‘Statue of Liberty’ in New York City and moving on the roads by ‘Circular Line’ Open-Top-Buses is incredible.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO OF STATUE OF LIBERTY

CLICK HERE TO SEE WORLD'S TALLEST & FASTEST ROLLER-COASTER

CLICK HERE TO SEE NIAGARA FALLS VIDEO CLIP

After a reverberated start of my adventure in USA with Patrick and my relatives, I came back to Manchester to settle in, before I can have some more adventure with the staff and students of CHS (Campbell High School).

AUF WEIDERSEIN, ADIEU, GOOD BYE

It was August 07, 2007. I was fuming over the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program. I was not able to understand whether the program is to make the people get together to be acquainted with or to break up them before they know each other. I met a person just six days ago. We didn’t move around to match our steps. We didn’t sit together to match our vision. Together, we didn’t met people to mix our body language. And all of a sudden it (the program) says to bid adieu, make auf weidersein and say good bye. We didn’t know whether we meet again in future. We were consoling ourselves that the world is small and we meet again (of course later both of us found that the world is too BIG and still confident to meet again).

The person is none other than Mr Patrick J Kaplo. First time when I got an email from Patrick, I was flying with joy that the exchange is taking place and I had been given a chance, by Fulbright, to experience the America. We spoke over phone several times and discussed issues related to our exchange, our education systems, our living standards, etc. We exchanged oodles of information through e-mails. We were in touch, though remote.

We cemented our friendship and promised to continue this for life. Patrick was generous enough to offer his home for my stay in America during this program. He planned everything for smooth running of my exchange with him. (His parents, Staff of Campbell High School, people around and students are more openhanded than he was expecting.) It is magnificent to have exchange with him. I wished them good luck and happy times with India (they have to board flight on the same day from Boston to go to India). I bid adieu with a big hug, good bye to Jessie and kids. We were going to miss each other. I tried to keep the tears from my eyes, waving hands from the car window, while going to airport, to my brother’s place, New Jersey.

AUF WEIDERSEIN!!!