Namaste New York: A Novel

  Copyright ? 2014

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, please contact: [email protected]

  Table of Contents

  Preface

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Preface

  Several years ago, I came to New York from Mumbai, India to pursue a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering. I was one of the hundreds of thousands of immigrant students who come to United States every year. Just like every other young student, I had a lot of ambition and energy, and I was prepared to work hard in order to succeed and achieve my dreams.

  Being from a lower middle class family in India, my lifestyle in the U.S. was not exactly lavish. Before arriving here, most immigrants dream about all the fun they're going to have, but in most cases, these wild ambitions are tempered upon arrival when they realize that fun comes at a price. Students, particularly those from developing countries and first generation immigrants, generally have to settle for vicarious thrills.

  This was my experience as well. I began living with a few other needy students from India in Ozone Park, Queens. Without our parents and their constant monitoring, we could have had so much fun at that young age, but given our financial limitations, a lot of that fun was beyond our reach. In fact, most immigrant students tend to hide their true situation and struggles from their parents, who are already uncertain and stressed about sending their children thousands of miles away. We didn't want to add to their worry. In fact, I have seen so many young people who were irresponsible when they were living with their parents become mature and grounded when they were here alone in a new environment.

  Like many other students, I cried frequently during my first few months here as I struggled with homesickness and a desire for my mom's tasty food. I quickly came to understand the importance of family in a way that I never appreciated when I was home. Those early days were difficult and I threw myself into my work to keep my mind off my troubles, but no matter what, I did not give up. Just like my friends, I ran after success. Being a 20-year old and knowing first hand the depths of India's poverty, I thought success was measured by the amount of money I acquired. So I did everything possible to earn and save money, just like my friends and roommates did.

  Once I completed my education, I found a good job and settled here in New York. But I never stopped thinking about my first few years as a student. During that time in my life, I met many immigrants and lived with so many Indian students, forging life-long friendships with some of them. Perhaps due to my successful academic background (which matters a lot to Indians), I had a reputation for being a trustworthy and empathetic listener. Many of my friends would come to me with their problems, opening their lives to me and sharing their dreams and their fears. Their lives and our conversations are inscribed indelibly in my memory, and the story of three graduate students in New York that you are about to read is an amalgamation of my experiences and those of my friends and classmates as we did our best to navigate this new world. Although the students in this story are Indian, their experiences are representative of all immigrants who share a common ambition, endure a common struggle, and strive to achieve a common goal of creating a better life for themselves and for their families.