Last Word

Stress is a part of professional or student life and more so when you are living in an alien country. The sooner you understand and accept it the more easily you will adapt to your new environment. Depression and home sickness are symptoms that you should look out for. With this we all feel you will be confident and may be able to come out with your own User Manual. But before we leave, talk to other people coming to the USA. Get to know people going to study at the same University as you are. Exchange thoughts, info and also your problems/worries. It just makes you feel good, if you know that others are in the same boat !!!

To Do's
1) Apply for "complete" transcripts. You may need transcripts for applying for other universities, internship, jobs, etc. You may take 10-15 copies.
2) Inform all official institutions (hostel office, department, post office, banks) of your permanent address.
3) Leave an authorization letter addressed to the post master, authorizing your parents/guardians to receive letters for you.
4) Leave several blank sheets with your signature with your parents.
5) Get your International Driver's Permit. Helps to rent cars in US.
6) Get permit for taking cash
This can be got from any bank authorized to do so. You can get this within a month of the date of the flight.

The following documents have to be taken along to get the permit :

Passport + copy, air ticket, I-20 student copy + copy, grade cards + copies, PC + copy, XII std pass/mark sheet + copy, aid & admission letters + copies, bank advance/ any other form of payment.

Other things to be done in advance

Learn typing
Learn driving
Learn to cook- Don't learn the desi way of one day before leaving. Put some effort & practice for maybe a week. It might be well worth the effort. You just need to have a feel for it... effort and practice help only to an extent...once you get the feel, it is all quite easy... even easier if you have lots of instant stuff on hand.
Make outstation purchases (sweater, thermal underwear, cassettes, etc. - available/cheap in Delhi, Bombay)
Get medical checkup done
Dental - A must...Health insurance in this country does not cover dental problems and is really costly...go early to the dentist...it takes time to recuperate, in case u need some surgery or something
Fresh checkup, especially if you have a major ailment
Get prescriptions & medicines for all common ailments (the technical name of the medicine along with Indian/US brand name).
Get your eye-sight checked - get a new prescription. Buy at least one extra pair of glasses.
Get tested for TB if possible (chest X-ray) - else they will do it at the University
- Do a PPD Mantoux test. If negative no need for chest X-ray. Take vaccination for MMR. Its a 2 dose vaccine to be taken at an interval of one month from the 1st to 2nd. If u don't take it in deshits going to cost a lot in US. Also take tetanus. Paranoid characters can take Rabies, yellow fever, malaria, hepatits A,B,C..Z vaccines :-)
- Some universities just need a doctor's signature on a sheet of paper the university provides...the doctor might insist that u take the injection...it is a good idea to take MMR and tetanus in any case... And don’t forget to get the medical form. It applies to UB and it should be in your application packet.
Get cassettes recorded which you may like to take with you - Lots of them. No point taking western music casettes. CD's are cheap in the US. So stick to Carnatic & light music.
Fill in the Contact form, giving your final flight Number( The flight that takes you from your Port of Entry to LARAMIE ), time & date of arrival. We will pick you up & give temporary accommodation, if necessary.
- Keep in touch with somebody at the university, till u reach
Note your/parent's bank A/c Number - Might be useful when you want to transfer money.

EMIGRATION CLEARANCE

Get this done after the visa. It’s a day’s work.

You can get this from a venue other than the place of issue of the passport - by showing that your place of residence falls in the jurisdiction of that passport office (It might take some time, and pain). ECNR form is available at passport office or travel agent.

Take the following things with you -

Passport
Cash for the ECNR fees. May vary, check it out.
ECNR (Emigration Clearance Not Required) form - get it from your travel agent, avoid queue at passport office
Original of the Provisional Certificate (PC) - to show proof
Xerox copy of the PC
Xerox copy of the passport
Procedure in brief

At one counter show the filled form & get a slip; go inside and show your documents at the checking counter; pay applicable fees at the cash counter; collect passport next day with ECNR stamp. Collect passport the same day....

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS

The next thing to do is blocking tickets (this implies no financial commitment). This can be done via travel agents. Make sure the Travel Agent is good (examples of dependable travel agents are -Travel Corporation of India (TCI), Thomas cook, etc).

Block flights with many airlines/agencies. Put pressure on the agencies and get as much info as possible. Much before the flight call the airlines themselves and confirm your ticket.
Indicate whether you want Asian Vegetarian Meal (AVM), non-smoking section, etc

Cross-check everything the travel agent says.
Some airlines offer Frequent Flier programs (e.g. Air France, TWA) [i.e. after a certain number of miles of flying with that airline you get a free ticket]. Enroll in such programs as you might again travel to and from India.

Avoid change of airline. A direct flight is the best. If change of airline can't be avoided, leave at least 4-6 hrsgap between the scheduled arrival of one flight and the scheduled departure of the connecting flight.

Baggage is usually safe with a single airline - change of airline sometimes leads to misplaced luggage. Some airlines don't take care of baggage transfer - you may have to personally carry it (check this while booking). Ensure if the baggage will be taken care of at every stop over.