I ask my dad about his experience actually arriving in the United States for grad school and how he got acclimated

The Ride to New York (0:30) | Being Received at Cornell (6:10) | Bureaucracy in Immigrating (10:04) | Getting Settled, Eating, Budgeting (15:13) | Social Acclimation (23:02) | Othering/Racism (32:52) | Homesickness (38:00) | Staying vs Leaving the US (44:10)

I have my first guess and dear friend Kanika Sawhney join me to talk about her experience moving from Delhi as a more recent immigrant (2011).

Where/How You Grew Up (0:25) | Family Business Culture (3:00) | Deciding to Move to US (6:03) | Staying or Leaving after College (11:20) | Adjusting as an Int'l Student (13:41) | Difficulty in Job Recruiting/Visas (20:49) | Thoughts on Parents Moving to US (31:15) | Unexpected Joys in the US & Missing India (35:15) | Last Thoughts (38:55)

I talk with my dad about his college experience - mentally preparing for it, the social components, and how he decided what to do after graduating, which led him to the US.

Moving away for college + compared to moving to US (0:15) | Orientation & Hostel Life (6:20) | Reactions to children leaving (11:35) | Hazing (15:00) | Sub-communities (22:48) | Women in Engineering (24:12) | Comparison to High School & Favorite projects (31:00) | Building Cranes (37:05) | Recruiting & Deciding Next Steps (43:05) | Negotiating with Eng. Firm (53:40)

I learn about my dad's high school experience, how he prepared for college, and the student culture at his high school.

When Did School Get Serious (0:17) | All India Ranking (7:10) | Applying to College (17:00) | What Drove You (25:52) | Mentality Heading into IIT (29:15) | Friends' Ambitions (33:35) | School Culture (39:39) | Shenanigans (49:10) | Socializing (53:55)

I learn about where my dad was born and what his childhood was like in India, with a little self-reflection mixed in.

Birth and Family info (0:35) | Comparison to Birth of First Child (11:38) | Thinking About Posterity (15:59) | Early Memories with Parents (22:44) | School (30:20) | Entertainment (37:00) | Siblings (39:05) | Reflecting on Being Smart (44:27) | Final Thoughts (50:00)