Memorable Moments USA 1989-1991

Pic- Leslie with Anu in Greenwood. 

 Moving from Clemson in a U Haul which I drove. Mini-truck.

Meeting the diverse faculty in my department at Lander, and Leslie Price Bennett and her husband Bob. We really hit it off. 

Went to Yellowstone, and saw Mount Rushmore in 1990 in a trip with my parents. 

Visited Sheelu, a cousin, Jayashree, another cousin and their families in New York Staten Island, and Warren, Ohio. Prakash Kenjale in Detroit, and Kiran in L.A.

Made new friends- Athena and her family, and the Sonis, and some Gujarati families in Greenwood. Wilma Reeves from Home Science, Samrendra Singh and his wife Annie- we are still in touch.

Stopped in Europe, visited Greece for the first time and was captivated. Corfu, mentioned in Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals, was on the route our Ferry took from Brindisi to Patras.

While we were in Amsterdam, heard about Rajiv Gandhi's assassination from a local newspaper.

Joined Xavier Institute in Bhubaneswar, on return to India.

Memorable Moments - USA 1986-89

The day I landed. Sometime in June 1986, abroad for the first time, except a stopover in Zurich by Swissair). Went to New York, took a can from JFK to another airport, and caught a plane to Greenville, South Carolina. Was picked up by Alok and Satish. 

My first teaching experience for undergrads (BS in Management). At Clemson, where I taught computer applications. I barely had a month or two to prepare, but I managed reasonably well. Class size was small, and we had software and a lab. 

First football match with Clemson playing. This was American Football, handheld. Exciting, colourful, with cheerleaders at halftime doing some acrobatics. Great atmosphere, and Clemson was a Champion team from the same decade, a few years earlier.

First drive across the U.S., in a Ford Granada, which also conked out near Las Vegas. Had to change the radiator, which we found in a junkyard. On our way in a hour or so! 

Amusement Parks. Six Flags over Atlanta, Knotts Berry Farm, and Disneyland (last two in L.A.), NBC Studios, and Universal Studios.  Hollywood, a bit of a letdown. The animation studio at Disney was great to see.

Graduating in 3 years, August 1989! Got my name carved on a sidewalk at Clemson- coz it was a centenary year!