By SAMEER RAJ MASKEY
Staff Writer
 

I still distinctly remember that day back in April, when I was just coming in the house and my father's voice came from somewhere, "Hey, Sameer! You've got a letter from Bates. It has something to do with your application." I couldn't wait to hear the end of that sentence, as I was impatient to know the climax. I ran to my room. I held the letter with my trembling fingers and opened it slowly to find the secret behind it. I was accepted! My face changed for a big smile and unknowingly I shouted from my room "Mom, yeah, I've done it mom! I am going to Bates." That was the day when I had felt the highest level of happiness.

Now when I called my mom today, she still had that bright happiness but still I could see in her voice that something is missing for her. Someone, who should have been sitting with her on the balcony and talking about the future while looking at the faraway stars. That someone is missing.

Flying from Nepal to the United States had not been a great time. It was the longest flight of my life. Virtually, I was going to the opposite part of the world. There is a common saying in Nepal that if someone drills a hole in the ground, he will reach the United States.

However, I couldn't drill a hole so I had to go through two countries to reach Bates. Though, I've reached here safe and sound I had an unlucky beginning of the whole journey. With three pieces of my luggage placed on a rolling cart, I slowly crossed the visitors' bar and headed forward. I could see far away my friends and family waving their hands, who were barely visible. I was alone going farther and farther from my strong protection. Now, I was on my own. With expectations that I would be flying in the next few hours I went to the ticket counter. To my great disdain I found out, there in the airport, that flight has been canceled because of the Northwest Airlines' strike. I could hardly bear the news. The world was upside down for me. I just didn't know what should I be doing next. I was really nervous. I hadn't come out of that fear when someone came and took me to the of ice of the airline. They had already arranged a flight with another airline for me. "Thank god! I will reach Bates on time," I whispered to myself with relief. But another problem was waiting for me of which I had no idea.

When people are different, ideas can be different. Likewise, when the airline is changed I never expected the rules would also change. The airline in which I was supposed to fly would let me carry a big backpack but now the new airline crews were not letting me to take that handbag. They just warned me straight, 'If you want to go, find any means to make the backpack small. 'How in the world is that possible?' In the middle of the airport, I was alone asking that question to myself again and again. I had no idea except leaving behind the backpack.

But the black cloud showed a silver lining and my problem took a different turn. An American citizen whom I didn't know at all came and started talking to me. This guy had stayed in Nepal for a long time and he wanted to make new Nepali friends. After talking for sometime when he found that I was in a problem he just virtually jumped to help me. He got my backpack and took it in his name assuring me I can get it back in United States. I didn't know how much should I believe him but I did believe him and lastly he became the blessed hand to save me.

The total flight was said to be around 24 hours but for me every hour was like a day. I couldn't sleep properly no could I rest. I was like a newly hatched fish moving on my seat from side to side. Anyway I managed to stay calm and sleep for a bit. A crackling voice of the pilot woke me up. I peeped out from the window. The humming sound of airplane was still there. There was early morning's sunlight on the horizon. It was early morning in Los Angeles.

I looked down wondering if I was below the clouds and indeed I was. There was the city, Los Angeles, with cars looking like small toys, running on the straight highways, small pools were looking like small pieces of paper scattered over a notice board, woods were widespread. This was the first time I ever saw the United States and the first thing I felt was, 'IT IS DIFFERENT, IT IS FLAT!'

Though I missed the connecting flight in New York because of the flight delay, I was finally flying above Portland, Maine. The sky was clear. I could distinctly make out the multicolored motorboats running in the water. 'Oh! There is the graveyard, I whispered when I saw small white dots on the ground bounded within a faint line. I haven't seen a graveyard in Nepal because dead bodies are burned there. I was in relief that soon I would be at Bates. With the airplane landing on Portland airport, I tried to forget everything that had happened. I don't have to fly any more. I was happy.

Cars are driven so fast out here. I had heard about that but never experienced and that amused me while I was finally arriving at Bates, by road. "BATES COLLEGE, 1855"- I saw carved in the stone.

I have always loved to stay in a place where I can see the sky from my room's window. I found that in Bates. More than that, with outstretched green ground and trees lined along the streets made the place look like a well-maintained garden. I could see squirrels hopping around the pavement and Bates won my heart in an instant. "Yes! This is the place I was looking for!"

Indeed, physically people were different here but it didn't matter much to me because everyone was so friendly of which I had never imagined. My fear that I might not be able to have friends soon disappeared when I found myself shaking hands and playing new games like hackysack with my new friends. I was assured that I could live here for the next four years and I found out the truth: Any human can understand any other human's feelings even though two might be of a different origin and from a different place.

Until a few days ago, I would pass by my friends just smiling, and when some would ask me "What's up?" I didn't know how to answer that. But now my friends have taught me the secret answer of that question and that is 'Not Much.' I don't feel easy saying that now because I always have so many things to do and I still say the same answer- 'Not Much'-because I haven't found a short answer to explain how much work I have. Anyway, I have also learned to ask the question, 'What's up?', when I meet someone

Things have changed a lot in three weeks time. I am in completely different world with different people speaking a different language. If someone comes and asks me, 'How is it? Then my answer would be 'It's different'. But living in this different life is giving me its own charm and challenge which is making me feel better. With the days passing by, I am loving this place and people out here more and more. After living here for 15 days I have learned a different way to say Bates is great. Now, I would say, "BATES IS WICKED AWESOME."