It is the card that millions have been waiting for, it is the card that you want to get your hands on, it is the card that comes knocking your door without any warning and it did arrive one fine day...well, it is not a credit card or a library card, it is the much coveted green card!
I have been in U.S for 9 years or so and finally the day has arrived when this country decided it was time for me to be a "permanent" resident. Looking back, there were times when i was frustrated, there were times when i gave up in desperation and some how destiny nudged me towards making the right moves, giving me patience to hold on and sometimes desperation to turn away from my carefully orchestrated moves! In the end, i almost feel it was not me who needs the card, but my guardian angel who should get it...may be i should make my devotion and love for god a permanent resident, instead of keeping them on probation or interns...not a bad idea, huh?
How did it start? If we take a journey back to the good old days, it all started with the advise from my friend. People say that you should surround yourself with successful people, but i think they are wrong. Instead, you should surround yourself with people who made some mistakes and who repent about them, because they are guaranteed to give you the right advise. In my case, my friend and mentor, who took a little while to apply for GC, made sure that i didn't make the same mistakes...He warned me in the beginning and when i didn't heed, he pushed me hard to talk to my lawyers and press for my GC application. I still took six long months to prepare my paper work, but thankfully, it didn't hurt me that much. Ah, i remember spending time reading those long emails from my lawyer, those long word documents that we were forced to read and understand, and filling out those long forms where we had to remember every little detail until so far, like where did i study for my kindergarten and what all i places i stayed in the last ten years?
The next important moment was my filing the I-485 form. It was the time when probably destiny helped me a lot. I had my india trip all planned out in the month of july and then we hear this terrible news that green card was going to become current for all categories and dates. I deliberated for about 2 days thinking of what to do and then finally decided to continue with my trip. This actually meant that i would not be able to file for my GC and at that time, i didn't care much about this. A lot of events happened and finally, the US government decided to allow people to file their applications for about three days after i returned from U.S. It was not a smooth sailing, though since my birth certificate was missing and my parents had to fax one, last minute through some laborious negotiations with indian government officials and i couldn't file my medical examinations as it was too late. Somehow, i was able to file my application on the last day, before the deadline would expire. My thanks to the wonderful legal team at microsoft and my parents who had to go through a lot to get my birth certificate. It sounds weird though that i'm thanking my parents for getting my birth certificate and not for the actual birth...
As time passed by, the wait didn't reach any logical conclusion and there were times when i wondered whether it was worth it to wait for this card to show up? I realized that i was away from my parents for most of my adult life and a thought arose within me on what worth is all this, if we do not spend this with our family? This country, this life, this enjoyment, who do i share it with? Thinking so, i decided to go back to my native place and somehow destiny stopped me again. I do not know why i didn't follow through with some of the plans i made so meticulously and i'm not sure whether it was it for good or bad. I gave up my thoughts of going back somehow and trying to mould in, however unpleasant things could be. Why did i do that? I do not have an answer..
Finally, one pleasant evening, i opened my mail box and noticed that there was a welcome letter inviting me to this country, in which i have already stayed one third of my life and i felt that the clutches that held me back before, were removed and i could see that i was free to do what i want and live how i wanted. It is another thing that if i can escape from the mental clutches that have had their hold and whether the "GREEN" card would be a green light to my life that would allow me to drive in fourth gear or whether i would be that frightened driver, who would continue to stay back on the sideback, imagining that it is better to be waiting on RED than going at full speed...
Omsairam!
I have been in U.S for 9 years or so and finally the day has arrived when this country decided it was time for me to be a "permanent" resident. Looking back, there were times when i was frustrated, there were times when i gave up in desperation and some how destiny nudged me towards making the right moves, giving me patience to hold on and sometimes desperation to turn away from my carefully orchestrated moves! In the end, i almost feel it was not me who needs the card, but my guardian angel who should get it...may be i should make my devotion and love for god a permanent resident, instead of keeping them on probation or interns...not a bad idea, huh?
How did it start? If we take a journey back to the good old days, it all started with the advise from my friend. People say that you should surround yourself with successful people, but i think they are wrong. Instead, you should surround yourself with people who made some mistakes and who repent about them, because they are guaranteed to give you the right advise. In my case, my friend and mentor, who took a little while to apply for GC, made sure that i didn't make the same mistakes...He warned me in the beginning and when i didn't heed, he pushed me hard to talk to my lawyers and press for my GC application. I still took six long months to prepare my paper work, but thankfully, it didn't hurt me that much. Ah, i remember spending time reading those long emails from my lawyer, those long word documents that we were forced to read and understand, and filling out those long forms where we had to remember every little detail until so far, like where did i study for my kindergarten and what all i places i stayed in the last ten years?
The next important moment was my filing the I-485 form. It was the time when probably destiny helped me a lot. I had my india trip all planned out in the month of july and then we hear this terrible news that green card was going to become current for all categories and dates. I deliberated for about 2 days thinking of what to do and then finally decided to continue with my trip. This actually meant that i would not be able to file for my GC and at that time, i didn't care much about this. A lot of events happened and finally, the US government decided to allow people to file their applications for about three days after i returned from U.S. It was not a smooth sailing, though since my birth certificate was missing and my parents had to fax one, last minute through some laborious negotiations with indian government officials and i couldn't file my medical examinations as it was too late. Somehow, i was able to file my application on the last day, before the deadline would expire. My thanks to the wonderful legal team at microsoft and my parents who had to go through a lot to get my birth certificate. It sounds weird though that i'm thanking my parents for getting my birth certificate and not for the actual birth...
As time passed by, the wait didn't reach any logical conclusion and there were times when i wondered whether it was worth it to wait for this card to show up? I realized that i was away from my parents for most of my adult life and a thought arose within me on what worth is all this, if we do not spend this with our family? This country, this life, this enjoyment, who do i share it with? Thinking so, i decided to go back to my native place and somehow destiny stopped me again. I do not know why i didn't follow through with some of the plans i made so meticulously and i'm not sure whether it was it for good or bad. I gave up my thoughts of going back somehow and trying to mould in, however unpleasant things could be. Why did i do that? I do not have an answer..
Finally, one pleasant evening, i opened my mail box and noticed that there was a welcome letter inviting me to this country, in which i have already stayed one third of my life and i felt that the clutches that held me back before, were removed and i could see that i was free to do what i want and live how i wanted. It is another thing that if i can escape from the mental clutches that have had their hold and whether the "GREEN" card would be a green light to my life that would allow me to drive in fourth gear or whether i would be that frightened driver, who would continue to stay back on the sideback, imagining that it is better to be waiting on RED than going at full speed...
Omsairam!
No comments:
Post a Comment