Leaving Dubai had a sense of purpose to it. I had done what I needed to do while there. I looked at different options of working there after New York. I also touched base with people who might be able to take my band MadLove into the fray to play some gigs there as well. The Princess met me and once again unknowingly and unwittingly we renewed our vows. Well in our own way. We then decided in the face of all the love, to leave each other be so we might survive the difficulty of our long distance love.
That lasted exactly 1 plane flight… But more about that another day.
My plane ride to the US of A was the furthest thing from a ride. It was a practice in self-mutilation and contortion endured over 14 hours which were sneakily pretend-compressed into 5 hours. Let me explain. I left Dubai at 2.30am and arrived in New York 7.30am but through the wonders of time travel, or our version thereof, I had 9 hours added to my life and sadly the worst flight in recorded history. I think every indian person in the arab gulf region was on the flight to New York as well. This is well and good because I am in fact indian. But thats a lie really. You see I am a South African who only 'happens' to come from indian descent. Now real India indians view people like me, ie people who only speak english and have never visited India, with a sense of dismay, shock and horror. I kind of like it that way but hey, it made for an interesting flight as every so often a member of the family seated around me would pop a new head out and say, "really, you are indian? and shake their heads disapprovingly.
The huge snoring man nearby who indiscriminately cut the cheese through the night added to the joy of the flight. But eventually my 13 hour night came to an non too early end.
Arriving in New York was like a dream sequence. Through the arched windows the city slowly appeared as we began our descent. The gold of sunrise flooded the plane and I stared transfixed as outlying areas gave way to views of Magnificent Manhattan, this most beautiful terrifying monster sprawled out in every direction. I was overwhelmed at first literally unable to move, transfixed. But as quickly as it started, a deep sense of steadiness slowly grew roots in my heart and chest. I was going to be ok. I was going to be just fine. I felt as though every dream I had ever fostered and cared about and grown, all of them, were on the plane with me. Each of them ready in some way or form. And as the smallest glazing of a tear welled in my eyes, I thought, hey, come what may, you did it. Win or lose, if I returned home with ‘just’ the experience of living in the greatest city on earth, or if I truly absorbed my course and excelled, I made it to NY. And yes i did so with so much help but now here I was, trying to stand alone. And in that golden freeze frame I was damn proud of myself.
This wonderful feeling however, passed quicker than it came. The immigration queue will do that to you. 1000 people looking nervous as all hell trying to safely get into the land of dreams, kind of carries its own weight. After 2 hours of my own stressing in the queue, running through nightmares of what the immigration officer might ask me, I was simply stamped through, and by an exceptionally friendly chap to boot!
After baggage collection etc, I caught my connecting flight and was off to Pittsburgh. So much for New York J
My aunt Corrie collected me and it was wonderful to see her again. Ahead of me lay a week of chilling and getting spoilt rotten by both Corrie and my uncle Jas. Their beautiful home is deep in the rolling woods of Sewickley, 30 minutes from the city of Pittsburgh. It was cold; like really cold, not Johannesburg-gets-cold-in-winter cold. 2 to 3 inches of snow had fallen in the days prior and as far as one could see a full white blanket of snow covered everything.
Once I was settled in at their home I got to meet my aunt’s mirror zoo to my Johannesburg menagerie of Falcor, my german Shepard and our 3 cats Meowgi, Sushi and Bella. The Sandhu pet collection consists of a german Shepard, Zoom, and 3 cats Spooky, Balana and Wasabi. With my own room and cats and dogs guarding my door I felt like I was right back at home at Barry Hertzog Avenue in Jozi.
But then the jet lag hit… and hit and hit again. I think I slept more over those few days than I did for the last few years. But it was just the revitalizing time I needed before going toe to toe with the Big Apple. On Saturday night my cousin Jehan and his girlfriend Kate and I watched Lady Gaga at the Consol Energy Arena with about 36 000 other very gaga fans. I didn’t expect it but the woman is one hell of a performer and sings note-perfectly while doing her ten million intricate dance moves. I was well impressed to say the least. And I think I was also taken in by her championing the cause of misfits and freaks everywhere; be who and what you are no matter what. Odd as it sounds I counted myself one of her army of little monsters. Now don’t go buy me a Lady gaga tshirt for Christmas but u get my point.
From Sunday till Wednesday I spent time with Jehan who’s studying in Columbus at Ohio State University. I spent some time walking around Comubus near the main campus and then traipsed into the city and even did a Harold and Kumar and found "White Castle". I thought that place was fictional man!
I also had some time to I table my first lot of thoughts on America and its people.
I also had some time to I table my first lot of thoughts on America and its people.
To start with and most frustratingly, America is cheap as chips. Clothing, food, cars, telecoms, everything is cheaper than I’m used to. And that’s often even with the dollar being 7 times the rand’s value. To put this in perspective, a 40 inch LED tv which costs around 20 000 rand costs only 690 dollars which is roughly 5000 rand! My phone contract here is 2 dollars a day for unlimited calls and sms within the United States, "IF" I use my phone. And the clothing sales here will have you buying the most recent past seasons garments like a hoodie jacket for 10 dollars. Try spending R70 on a jacket in South Africa.
I think the 3rd world exists so that Americans can pay next to nothing by our standards for pretty much everything. Its sad but true. But good for them I guess.
I got the feeling it’s true what they say about the paranoia here. Every news show or advert is telling you about the next threat to your life with amazingly over the top danger music to boot. From germs on ur taps to a pharmaceutical ad every few minutes, this place even sells you the weather report. And nothing sells better than fear and self loathing. And in truth Americans have so much less to be worried about than most places in the world.
But its certainly not all doom and gloom and thumbs down for them. Something brilliant about them is how amazing it is to be in a place where the majority of people are trying to be the best at what they do every single day. From lowly waiters to shop assistants to fashion and media fundis and on to the top end of the career cart, everyone knows what they are doing and generally they’re doing it very well. You definitely wont hear “ er probably” when you ask an important question about something or other which relates to the next bit of hard earned cash you’re spending.
It is also completely disarming to be in a society where trust in one another means something. Many supermarkets have self check out where you scan your goods bag them and leave. I also saw that many items are left near the entrance or outside the doors of the shop and people trust that you will indicate what you intend on buying and pay for it accordingly. Theft and petty theft are almost the south African way and we accept it. What I like here is that people don’t accept unacceptable acts. They don’t look the other way. And though sometimes the sentiment is misguided I can understand why Americans , annoyingly, are so proud to be American.
Columbus - downtown in the city
Workers union strike and protest in Columbus
On top of that, the best thing about my aunt Corrie is that she has a plan and she is a master at rolling out her action plans. From checking for the best price of suit cases at 5 different stores in a 20 min window period to throwing in a pefectly timed quick afternoon movie between tasks and making it home to make supper, she had it covered.
A week after arriving in Pittsburgh, I flew out heavily laden, an extra suitcase from being-spoiled and looked after, with my fears and my hopes and all the bounty of my stay, ready for the Big Apple.
I can not wait.
