1st weekend in US

My parents arrived in US on Thursday at around 5.30. I was super super excited to receive them in the airport, most of my colleagues saw the big radiance smile in my face.

Airport is a mile away from my place, I saw the flight landing visually (From our office we can see the run way of the airport) and then I left to the airport. In excitement I forgot to take my camera along with me, otherwise I could have captured my mom and dad’s excitement or smile in their face.

I made lot of plans for cooking for them and then finally my friend invited us home for dinner that night (they had good food ;)). There started my eating spree for 3 months, made me put on lot of weight. I received a pat on my shoulder from my mom for keeping the kitchen clean (obviously I never cooked there ;)). I got nice scoldings for keeping Masalas and spices worth for 4 or 5 families for a year and I don’t cook, she just couldn’t understand why I need so much garam masalas for cooking. I tried to explain to my mom that it came from so many people and I just kept it there. Un packing of all the stuffs they bought from India and the wet grinder what they got for me, they slowly unpacked and assembled all the things.

That weekend was a long weekend so I took them around in and around Philadelphia. My mom got a shock on how big the people in US are, the way they dressed and how much the eat and drink. I got her a venti chai from star bucks, she gave me a stare and asked if it is for the whole day, May the potion is high here, I never realized. She started carrying the extra paper cups wherever she goes so I can get one Grande Chai from star bucks , she and my dad would share that and drink. Philadelphia zoo trip was fun, saw a king cobra and it was a good way to start the trip. Food was a major concern for my parents and we ensured that we pack our food wherever we go. There was this big gorilla in the zoo and it knew what was doing and posed for the cameras, it gave a very good pose and damn memory card in my camera was full at the time, I missed that shot. We took chapatti and potatoes ( poori kelangu ) for the zoo trip. It was a short trip of about 5 hours.






I played in a doubles co-ed volleyball tournament in Maryland on Sunday. I took my parents along with me for that, they have never seen me playing volleyball. We were all prepared with a Canopy, chairs and off course food from my mom. They met most of my volleyball friends their and my doubles partner becca and her friend john. My mom and dad felt cold on a warm and sultry day and they were in their sweaters for the whole day. They were observing how people are and the particularly had questions about the sunscreen lotion what people used. My dad then explained to my mom about the whole melanin pigment and why they should use a sunscreen. Becca and John both love Indian food and they enjoyed the food. John is 6ft and 11 inches tall and my mom being 4 foot 11 inches looked diminutive standing next to him. Becca isn’t short either she is 5foot 11 inches. We made it to the playoffs and then it started pouring down so we took off back home and it was a 100 mile drive back home. My parents had a good time but started feeling bored at the end of the day. Drive back was good my mom never sleeps in the car she was wide awake after the whole day out and was watching all the trees, road and traffic and she is very inquisitive too, asked lot of questions.

Next day we were off to Camden aquarium and Battleship New jersey. Camden aquarium is situated on the other side of Delaware River (bay whatever you call it), you can see the beautiful Philadelphia skyline from there. Battleship New Jersey is anchored right next to the aquarium. Aquarium was good with lots of colorful fishes. We had an opportunity to touch the jelly fish( harmless one though), star fish and a baby shark. Viewing area for watching the fishes were good, it is a good sight to see the fishes swim through and as if posing for us J. Underwater shark tunnel is the best one in the aquarium, it was a surreal feeling with sharks swimming right over your head, very close encounter with the sharks indeed. 4D Theatre my mom enjoyed the show like a kid with her my hands when water was sprayed, It was role reversed, I use to hold my moms hand when I am excited or when I am afraid.











Battleship New Jersey, a majestic war ship anchored right outside the aquarium. I have never boarded a battleship before and so are my parents. We took the Arms and ammunition tour (there are lots of tours in the ship) and an electrician (85 years old) who worked in the ship was our guide. Very valuable insights to the ships history and the battles it fought. It is considered to be the lucky charm of the American navy and it had only one fatality in its entire career. Our guide was insisting on what difference a college education can make to kids( there obviously little kids on the tour with us) with an analogy on how the life on the ship was. Only Navymen with officer cadre will get food served to them, separate bunkers and a better bed for sleeping on the other hand for a normal navymen they have to share the bunker with another Navymen , shared restrooms and rationed food. He did make a good point to the kids there.