1998

Delaware was one of the first thirteen colonies that fought in the American Revolution. It became the first state to approve the U.S. Constitution on December 7, 1787. My wife and I loved living there. The state was beautiful, and we enjoyed settling into our new life.

I got my Social Security Number (SSN), which was like a national ID. An English teacher helped me improve my American accent and taught me common phrases. Since I was used to Tamil pronunciation, changing my accent took time.

Life in Delaware was peaceful. I didn’t have a job yet, so we spent our days exploring. We took local buses, visited different places, and went window shopping. We didn’t buy much, but just looking at things was fun.

One day, we went to a supermarket in Newark, Delaware. After buying groceries, we carried heavy plastic bags. On our way back, there was a steep, wet slope—about 45 degrees and 20 feet high. I didn’t notice how slippery it was. I stepped on it, slipped, but somehow managed to stay on my feet.

My wife watched me with a grin. “Be careful,” I warned her. But she didn’t listen. She stepped onto the slope confidently—and the next moment, the grocery bags flew into the air as she slid down at full speed! She rolled to the bottom, covered in mud, with scratches all over.

I couldn’t help but tease her. “You should listen to your elders,” I said, laughing. I didn’t even help her up. She was so annoyed that she didn’t talk to me for two days! The silence was unbearable, so I finally apologized, and she forgave me. Even now, when I remember that day, it makes me laugh.

Meanwhile, the company that brought me to the U.S. arranged job interviews, but nothing worked out. Weeks passed—three, six, nine, twelve—still no job. The company gave us a nice place to stay and a small allowance, but I wanted to work. I felt restless.

Back in India, my mother-in-law was worried. She kept calling, asking if we had enough food. She even pressured us to return. I assured her we were fine, but she wouldn’t stop worrying. Eventually, I started avoiding her calls.

I decided to find a job on my own. I didn’t tell the Delaware CEO because I knew he wouldn’t like it.

In late August 1998, a friend arranged an interview at AT&T in New Jersey. I had to travel alone, leaving my wife behind. It felt strange—I wasn’t used to being apart after marriage. I took a train from Wilmington to Metropark, New Jersey. The lonely journey made me uneasy.

At the station, a junior from my college, Jose, picked me up. He treated me like family, gave me a place to stay, and even prepared me for the interview. The next morning, he dropped me at AT&T.

The interview went well. The manager liked me and offered me a job as a software developer. I returned to Delaware the same evening, relieved to be back with my wife. Even 24 hours apart felt too long!

I accepted the job with the new company but didn’t tell the CEO who had brought me to the U.S.

Then, I called my good friend Jay, who had studied with me in college. He arrived in shorts and a T-shirt, with a French mustache, looking completely different! He loaded our luggage into his car and drove us to New Jersey, chatting happily the whole way.

“Jay, you’ve changed!” I said.

“Anna, we’re in America now! People like this style,” he replied, laughing just like he used to in college.

As we drove, I remembered how he used to carry his books in a yellow lunch bag. Two hours with him felt like old times. America had changed him, but his heart was still the same.