The US Experience

I am trying to keep up with my commitment to write a blog at least once a month and I know that I have a lot to talk about during my time in the US. I honestly don’t know where to start. I have so many lessons, and so many experiences that if I start writing, I could write a book. During my layover in India, I had the chance to meet Anthony, a wildlife ecologist who visited Nepal to extend grassroots engagement with the communities here to educate them about the importance of preserving wildlife ecosystems. A local from New York, he was a Ph.D. scientist who was currently leading a nonprofit in the US. It was surreal talking with him. We first talked about my black hole research and then he asked me about my other research interests and I kept on engaging and then we switched to talking about what brought both of us here. The layover was supposed to be 4 hours long and it did not even feel like 10 minutes to me, I was so immersed in conversation with him. My Birgunj internship came in handy, I shared some of my research work with soil microbiome and protein-ligand docking and he shared his thoughts on it. I enjoyed our conversation and was happy to connect with him. It was a perfect start to the US!

When I landed at JFK airport, I had no proper internet connection and my mobile phone was acting funny in that it did not want to connect to JFK airport’s internet. I had the daunting task of navigating the subway routes on my own. I did not want to take the taxi because it would take me almost 100 dollars to get to my apartment and paying that sum wasn’t even an option for someone arriving on a budget in New York. Well, I thought, I’ll just talk to a bunch of people in the subway and they will show me the route. I ventured forth. I got lost and changed 6 trains until I met George, a really kind and humble Canadian who sat with me, briefed me on the entire New York City subway map, and detailed the way to my apartment. Thanks to him and a black woman in the subway, I found my way to the apartment. I lived in a basement in a really nice location, East Village, Manhattan. My roommates and I made good memories together.

New York City reminded me of my good old days when I used to play Vice City. The city resembled what I used to see when I played GTA. There were people of all sorts, Black, Hispanic, White, Asian, people wearing all sorts of dresses, bikinis, pants, coats, shirts. Everyone seemed like they were in a hurry, I could feel the hustle culture of New York. I was jet lagged for 5 days and my sleep schedule looked erratic but during this time, I walked around the city on my own and made sure that I knew where my lab was situated. NYU New York was spread all across the city, unlike NYU Abu Dhabi which was inside a bounded campus space.

I had two priorities in the US: first, my research, and second I wanted to travel as much as I could. At the end of 6 weeks, I produced some important plots, reduced 5 galaxies in AIPS, validated the flux data of the calibrator galaxy, and was happy with my performance overall. There were some fumbles in between but I am happy with how I handled it and it was a good learning curve at the end. I had a lot of reflections when I did my research and was convinced that I needed to pursue something that I was genuinely passionate about for my Ph.D. At the end of my research internship, I was already inclined towards pursuing something in the field of imaging, preferably a research endeavor in the field of medical imaging.

While I worked every weekday, I traveled every weekend. Awahan Dai was a close friend who lived in Philadelphia. Almost every week, I flocked to Amtrak and traveled with him and his friends. From sailing in Virginia to devouring Jhol momo in Baltimore; from beach football in Virginia Beach to a stroll around Boston City; from North Carolina to July 4th fireworks in Manhattan; from sightseeing Rhode Island to DC’s Lincoln Memorial; from an all-night chat with Sampanna dai to a taste of night clubs in Philadelphia; from the MET museum to hiking in the Hawk Mountains, we made wonderful memories together.

During my last week in the US, I went to see my Sani ma. I flew from JFK to Atlanta Airport where my Sani ma, uncle, and 2 bahinis picked me up. I felt really homely seeing them, it felt good to know that you had someone akin to family in the US. They took me to Georgia Aquarium, one of the biggest aquariums in the entire US. While I enjoyed looking at diverse aquatic ecosystems, I particularly enjoyed a dolphin show where trained dolphins danced and performed different stunts under the command of skilled human divers. We strolled around the Olympic park, flocked inside the CNN office, and made our way to Alabama. I really liked the South Side, Auburn City was a clear example. There were grocery stores and shops in different points and you had to drive through woods to get there. The city did not seem like a city at all, especially to someone who was just visiting Alabama from Manhattan. The area was so village-like, with trees everywhere, peaceful, less crowded, and no traffic and it was just an ideal place for someone born and raised in a Nepali village environment. I definitely preferred the South to the North, I just couldn’t imagine myself living amongst the intense hustle culture of the North when I had already seen a more peaceful and calm side of the South. I had a really good time with my bahinis, we joked around, poked fun at each other, played tennis and just messed around and conversed joyfully. It was inspiring to see my Sani Ma pull off the lifestyle she had with all the hard work so far and I particularly envied my uncle’s life, I wanted to be exactly like him in the future.

After spending close to four days in Alabama, I returned to New York, packed, and caught a flight from JFK to Nepal. When I reflect on my time in the US, I realize that I could be biased and my opinion could not be representative of all people. After all, I went there with a position of privilege – an apartment in Manhattan, a summer research program almost totally funded by the university, and enough friendships and connections to help me navigate and travel. Yet, what I discovered in the US surpassed expectations – my time there revealed a genuine embodiment of freedom, diversity and boundless innovation. My stay was a delightful chapter and I’m charged with enthusiasm for the next. I bring tons of inspiration and a clear direction for myself from this trip and I have never been this motivated. Until next time!