A GUIDE TO USA

OVERCOMING THE CULTURE SHOCK

Introduction
Carry Luggage
Transit
Using Telephones
Time Zones and Currency
Public Transport
Mind your language
The Anti-Universe phenomenon
Food Food Food
Office and Work Environment
Americans and their Behavior
Social Security and Driving License
Bank Accounts
Cards (Credit/Debit, ATM, phone, medical)
Shopping
Renting an Apartment
Buying a Car
Renting a Car
Doctors in U.S.
Income Tax in US
AAA Membership
Last Word

Introduction
Usually, before anyone comes to the U.S.A for the first time from India he/she will start talking to
people who have been here before and get information from them about what to expect, what to
do etc. Though this gives some idea, it doesn't make one confident or better prepared.

So we felt the need for a small, informal document which anyone could carry along with or read
on the plane before he/she gets to the U.S.A. The objective of this document is to make you
aware of things, situations to expect and enlighten you with facts so that you can be comfortable
once you get here.

You will be better prepared for the trip if you read this document before going or just after
reaching. It tries to give information on preparing for the trip, food, travel, stay and culture in the
U.S.

This is just out of our experience and rather than authoritative statements, which may be
arguable. We want you to enjoy your trip to the U.S. and your stay as much as possible.

All the best !! :)

Carry Luggage
The carry baggage is one big problem while coming to U.S. What to carry? How much to carry?
Do I carry more woolen clothes because its cold out there?

Don't carry too many heavy utensils, cooker etc. You can buy most of the utensils there. They are
not costly and you don't have to carry much. You can carry some spices with you if you want to,
because after coming here you may start missing the Indian food taste.
Don't carry too many warm clothes (unless you are coming in winter), or sports shoes etc. It
would be better if you buy them after here. You should carry leather shoes from India, since
leather items are costly in the U.S. Rest, it all depends on you and your needs !!

Transit
Enjoy your flight. Try to learn more about other nations from the co-passengers. There can be
international stops on your way to the U.S.

International Stops
Generally passengers are required to get down at an International stop, which might be for
Security checkup or fueling / cleaning of the airplane. You will be given a 'transit card` or say
'transit visa`. Normally the halt is for a couple of hours. Listen to the announcement which is
always made before the international halt. You will hear information about departure time, gate
number etc. After getting down at International Airport, you can move around in the airport. Be at
the gate within 45 minutes of your flight's departure for the onward journey, because they may
require to check your tickets or even the gate might be changed at the last moment. Once you get
in, you are all set to take off for the final destination.

Immigration
The first thing you need to go through at the port-of-entry U.S. airport (international airport where
you first land in the U.S.), after landing is the immigration and customs clearance. After that you
may board a domestic flight to reach your final destination. Before getting down at your port-of-
entry final international halt, inside the plane, you will be given a form to fill up called I-94. You will
have to fill that up carefully. Feel free to get help from the flight crew. They will also ask you to fill
you a 'declaration form' asking you about what objectionable items you have in your baggage
(there will be a checklist).

On alighting from the plane you may ask people or signs will guide you to the immigration. Keep
your passport, I-20 and the form you filled inside the plane, handy. At the counter you might be
asked some questions. TALK ABSOLUTELY TO THE POINT. DON'T TRY TO LIE. MAKE SURE
THAT WHATEVER YOU SAY IS WRITTEN ON THE PAPER. You will be given the counter foil of
I-94 form. Keep that very carefully. It may / may not be stapled to your passport.

WELCOME TO USA

Baggage Claim
Try to acquire some 25 cent coins (called "quarters"), which you may need for getting a trolley
cart for your baggage (a dollar bill may also do) and also for making telephone calls etc.
Thereafter move toward the baggage claim carousel assigned to your flight, simply follow the
signs directing you to the place. Collect your luggage and look for signs directing you to customs
clearance. At the customs clearance they may ask you to open your bags for a security
check/verification.

Domestic Flight
Since the Port-of-entry may not be your final destination in the U.S. and you may have to proceed
onwards, locate the counter for the domestic airline you will be taking to your final destination.
Above all don't hesitate or feel shy to ask for help from airport support staff (at information desks)
or police officers, if you need anything.

Follow signs directing you to your domestic flight because you will need a boarding pass. If it is
far away, take the Airport shuttle (bus) service which is free. If you don't know where to get down,
tell the driver in advance and he will drop you off at the proper place. At the counter (podium)
check-in your baggage and get your boarding pass issued and ready. On arrival at the final
destination, collect your baggage once again and look around for that someone who may be
there to receive you. Finally, if no one comes to pick you up, try to locate the information counter
from where you will get all the information regarding how to call. Also the Public Transport section
of this guide will help you in understanding the travel facilities available in the U.S.

Using Telephones
The first thing you might do when you come to U.S.A. is call someone. So this is a good time to
tell you about telephone usage. Telephone calls within U.S. are considered "local" (within the
area of the caller) or "long distance" (outside the area of the caller). Local calls within a short
region are free unless made from a public pay phone which is a coin operated machine. Long
distance calls are charged at varying rates, depending on how you make the call (which long
distance carrier/company you use), for how long you speak and the time of the day. Note that the
telephone companies in the U.S. are private. Each local region is assigned an "area code". So
the phone numbers are denoted as (area code)-123 4567. where 123-4567 is your actual phone
number. If you are calling a number within your "area" then you should dial only the phone
number. If the call is outside your area you need to dial 1-(area code)-123-4567, which is the long
distance call.

To make an international call i.e. to India you need to dial 011-91-<STD CODE -<TEL. NO. e.g.
011-91-22-1234567. Here 011 indicates an international call. 91 is the country code for India. 22
is the "area code" for Bombay and 1234567 may be the actual phone number you want to dial.

Other important facilities provided are -

1. Yellow pages (Telephone directory)

2. Emergency Telephone Number
There is one emergency number that you can dial for any type of emergency
which is 911 (Fire/Ambulance/Police).
3. Directory assistance
Local telephone numbers - 411
Long distance - 1-(Area Code)-555-1212
Toll Free number enquiry - 1-800-555-1212
4. Toll free numbers
Most of the 1-800 numbers are toll free. You will not be charged for the calls you make to such
numbers. e.g. The toll free number for Mr. Sriram Raghavan (DCI California) is 1-800-969-1117.
This is a toll free number and you can dial it from anywhere in the U.S. without having to pay for
it, even from a public phone. Some telephone numbers have alphabets in them such as 1-800-
COLLECT. To dial this number, just press the digit on the telephone pad which has the
corresponding alphabet you want to dial on it, simple!.

Most people use answering machines which are connected to their telephones, or some kind of
voice mail system. It has a standard pre-recorded greeting which is played when you call up and
then after some beeps, it records your message. Initially you will feel like you were talking to a
dead person, but soon you realize theimportance of owning an answering machine.

Using the PUBLIC "pay" phones

The important difference is, you need to insert the money first then dial the number. To operate a
pay phone you need 25 cents. This pays for one local call. If your call is not connected your
money is returned in the "coin return" slot.Collect call - If you want the called party (person whom
you are calling) to pay for the call then you make a collect call. To make a collect call pick up the
receiver and press 0. Let the operator know that you want to make a COLLECT call, the operator
will connect you to the phone number you need. But before that the operator will check with the
other party if they want to collect (pay for) the call. An easier way is to dial 1800-COLLECT from
any phone and just follow the recorded instructions.
Time Zones and Currency

Time zone

There are four time zones in the U.S.

1) Eastern TZ
Example : Massachusetts, New York, Florida etc.

2) Central TZ ( lags Eastern TZ by one hour )

Example : Iowa, Kentucky, Indiana etc.

3) Mountain TZ ( lags Eastern TZ by two hours )

Example : Colorado, Utah, Wyoming etc.4) Pacific TZ ( lags Eastern TZ by three hours )
Example : California, Oregon, Washington etc.

Day light saving

As the name suggests, the time is set in such a way that maximum day light could be used. e.g.
During summer, the sun rises at around 4-5 o'clock. So the clock is set forward by one hour. This
forces all activities to start one hour earlier so that maximum day light is used till late in the
evening.

Therefore:
The Clock is set back by one hour on the first Sunday of November (Fall Season) at 2:00 am.
Clock is once again set forward by one hour on the first Sunday of April at 2:00 am. (Spring
Season). The easiest way to remember this is FALL BACK, SPRING AHEAD. By the way,
Arizona is the only state which is not affected by day-light-saving. People there do not ever
change the time in their clocks.

Currency

Dollar : 100 cents

Quarter: 25 cents
Dime : 10 cents
Nickel : 5 cents
Penny : 1 cent

Public Transport
All major cities have some sort of public transportation not necessarily very good or frequent or
well connected. Therefore most people prefer to travel by their own cars. It is better that you own
a car in the U.S. so that you are independent. But until you get to buy a car you can use the
public transportation system or depend on your friends/colleagues for a ride.

Trains and Buses

In most cities, you may purchase Daily Tickets from the conductor or the driver on the train and
buses each day. For more information on routes, schedules and fares, see the publications and
maps published by the city's local authority. You can locate them in your telephone book. For
Buffalo, you can look up http://www.nfta.com. The website provides bus / train timings and also
gives a listing of places you might want to go for various recreations.

Taxi Companies
In some areas you must telephone for a taxi and make an appointment. You will not find them
waiting in the street corners but you do find them waiting in a queue at the airport. Taxis are listed
in the yellow pages under the name "Taxi" or "Taxicabs".

When you call, tell the "dispatch" operator where you are and where you want to go. The dispatch
operator will tell you how long it will take for the taxi to arrive at your starting point. He or she may
ask for the telephone number, so they can call you if the taxi driver cannot locate you. You should
ask for the estimated cost of the ride.

When you enter the taxi, the meter will read flat rate. This is the minimum charge. Then you will
be charged on a per mile basis.

Mind your language

For successful conversation, in the US, it is advisable that you speak slowly and pronounce
properly. Well, the first part you really need to practice otherwise what you will hear from the
person opposite is "pardon me", "come again", "I am sorry", "I didn't get you". The changes in
pronunciation are like 'schedule' pronounced as 'skedule', 'route' pronounced 'raut' etc. Also some
words are totally substituted like 'petrol' by 'gas'. Here is a table from Gary Nobel of HP San
Diego, which he created when he traveled in India. Thanks to him. The dictionary is very
remarkable.

Food related ( Indian term & Equivalent American term )

Coriander Cilantro
Cold drink Soda pop
Curd Yogurt
Cafe ("kayf") Cafe ("kaf-ay'")
Nes-coffee Instant coffee
Filter coffee Brewed coffee
Milk powder Cream
French beans Snow peas
Hotel Restaurant
Jelly Gelatin
Garam masala Curry
Lady fingers Okra
Small pastries Lady fingers
Toffee Hard candy
Brinjal Eggplant
Biscuit Cookies/Wafers
Bun Biscuit
(Potato) wafers (Potato) chips
Finger chips French fries
Groundnuts Peanuts

Educational

Public school Private school (tuition charged)

Private school Public school (free)
School High school
College School
University School
High school School/Junior High
Take a class Teach a class
Be a student Take a class
2nd standard 2nd grade
High marks Good grades
Invigilator Proctor
Canteen Cafeteria

Clothes
Windcheater Windbreaker
Vest Undershirt
Waistcoat Vest
Half-pant Shorts
Purse Wallet
Swim trunks Swim suit
Swim costume Swim suit

Transportation Related
Traffic signal Traffic light
Boot, dikky Trunk of a car
Bonnet Hood of a car
Petrol pump Gas station
Petrol Gas
Diesel Fuel
Pavement Sidewalk
Footpath Sidewalk
Zebra Crossing Crosswalk
Take a lift Get a ride
Motorcycle Motorbike
Cycle Bike
Other
Football Soccer
American football(rugby?) Football
Solid Substantial
Ltd. Inc.
Transistor Radio
Two-in-One Boom box
Goggles Sunglasses
Cooling glass Sunglasses
Toilet Restroom
Guest house Motel
Current Electricity
$20 Note $20 Bill
Cell Battery
Torch Flashlight
Rubber Eraser
Condom Rubber
Snap Picture
Photograph Picture
Mixee Mixer
Dustbin Trash can
Beggar Panhandler
IBM-Compatible IBM-Clone
Inflammable Flammable
Mess Dorm Cafeteria
Hotel Restaurant
Restaurant bill Restaurant check
Picture Movie
Talkies Movies
Lift Elevator
To fix To install
To repair To fix
Pram Stroller

Idioms

To post (a letter) To mail (a letter)

To submit To turn in
To be out of station To be out of town
A place to park Driveway
A place to drive Parkway
Straight-away Right away
Anticlockwise Counterclockwise
Bunk school Skip class
Passed out Graduated
Fainted Passed out
Ring up (someone) Call up (someone)
The line is engaged It's busy / I got a busy tone
Push the accelerator Step on the gas
Give the car some race Speed up the car
Get down (from a bus) Get off (of a bus)
Let's push off Let's go
Let's make a move Let's go
Convince someone Talk someone into
Black money Tax free, undeclared income
Standing from a Constituency Running for an election
Issue a book Checkout a book
(from the library) (from the library)

How are you? How are you doing?

How is everything? How is it going?
Intimate Inform
(Very Close Relations) (Intimate Relations)
Too good Cool

The Anti Universe phenomenon

When you come to the U.S. you will notice the opposite everywhere. You will get the feeling
"These guys are crazy" .....almost everything you try to do will fail even if it is a small thing like
switching ON the lamp !!!!"

This is just to make you get a hang of it. The cars are driven on the right hand side instead of left
hand side of the road. So you should look left first while crossing roads :) You may have to insert
the key upside down and rotate it in the opposite direction to unlock. You will also notice that
switches work in opposite direction i.e. UP is ON and DOWN is OFF :). The date is written with
the month first, then day, followed by the year.

As one of our American colleague pointed out as a joke, "its logical, if you see that India is exactly
opposite in location on the globe, to U.S.!!!"

FOOD FOOD FOOD

Of course you must be hungry, when you arrive. God knows what you ate on the plane. You don't
remember the item's name or its contents. It may be one of the weirdest things you ever had for
dinner or lunch. So you must be apprehensive about what you will get for lunch or dinner. The
best thing you can try is PIZZA, which is pronounced as "PiTza".
You get both Veg. and Non-Veg Pizzas. Order a small pizza if you are alone or a medium size is
enough for two or three (well it depends on your appetite actually). You can order pizza by phone
and it will be delivered at your doorstep in a few minutes. Refer to the yellow pages or consult the
motel receptionist you are staying in, for information.

For breakfast, have 'Continental breakfast' which is cheap and the best. To be sure about Veg.
items, always ask for items with "NO MEAT" rather than "WITHOUT MEAT". Be sure to say "NO
ICE" if you prefer to have your drink without ice. And remember that a CHEESEBURGER is a
misnomer. It contains meat besides cheese, so be careful!

Here is a guide for Vegetarian Dishes:

Mexican
Bean Burrito, Enchiladas, Bean Taco, Cheese Taco, Bean Tostados, Mexican Pizza

Italian or Greek
Eggplant (brinjal) sandwich, Sphagetti with tomato sauce, Lasagna (pronounced Laza-nya),
Italian Pitza, Italian Pasta with tomato sauce, Falafal, Veg. Gyro (pronounced Yero).

Denny's
Vegetable omelet (with eggs)Vegetable lunch/dinner (salad, potato smash, garlic sauce) Broccoli
soup

American Restaurants (Sizzler, Olive Garden)

Best bet is salad bar & French fries

McDonald's
Mac cheese sandwich, Milk shakes, ice-cream sundaes
Pizza Hut \Veggie Lover's delight, Veggie pizza with a choice of toppings such as Jalapenos
(pronounced Hala-pin-yose and are green chilies), pineapple, tomato, onions etc.

Burger King
Vege cheese whooper, Garden burger

Office and Work Environment

Before you start your first day, get a hang of how the work environment is at the client's place
from anyone there or read on for some typical environments you may find.

- Project Leaders are very understanding and friendly. And do not unduly pressurize you to
perform. They will definitely give you some time to come up to speed on their work environment.
- There is a lot of individualistic approach. Every person's inputs are given a lot of importance.
Independent views are respected. Before discarding any of your ideas, they will give you a good
enough reason for doing so.

- For the smallest of decisions they will sometimes hold a meeting and get the entire team's
inputs/comments/suggestions before proceeding. One feels important when this is done. But
sometimes it can get boring.
- Nobody double checks what you are saying, they take you for your word.

- There are no suspicious feelings and managers don't fear subordinates.

- Managers will openly discuss about their meetings with "their" bosses, with theteam. There is no
hide and seek as far as information/feedback is concerned.
- People admit if they don't know or have information about certain things. They don't pretend to
be all knowing.
- People are dedicated to their area of work and develop expertise in it. But they do not talk about
work related topics which are not in their area of expertise; they immediately refer you to the right
person.

- People enjoy their work and leisure. They plan their weekends well in advance. Very few people
stay back late in the office or come and work during weekends. Such things are not related to
performance. As long as you do your work well and within time, nobody cares what else you do
and when.- Most companies allow you to compensate by working during the weekend if you take
an 'off' from work on a regular weekday.
- The work hours in most companies are flexible. Come anytime and go anytime but you do need
to put in a minimum of 8 hrs/day or 40 hrs/week as contractors.

- Regular time sheets "may" have to be filled, in some companies.

Americans and their Behavior

Its helpful to know how Americans typically will be. Otherwise you might start feeling "These
people are great dramatists... ".

Here are some tips:-

- Americans are very friendly and helpful.

- They don't make you feel like a foreigner. (Though you feel !!!)

- It is very easy to adjust with them. But they don't like people getting very inquisitive or trying to
get too personal in the initial phase of the acquaintance.

- They dress casually and nobody bothers which dress you wear etc.

- They are fun loving creatures and enjoy their free time. Most of them like to keep themselves
physically fit by regular outings, hiking, exercise, biking, jogging etc. They love the outdoors and
natural surroundings. They look forward to weekends and plan their weekend activities in
advance. This usually consists of some outdoor activity.

- They are frank about their opinions.

- They respect individual views and allow everyone to voice their own ideas on a subject.

- They have a lot of patience. Especially when standing in queues or while driving, nobody will try
to jump before you in the queue. Most of them are very disciplined drivers. However this differs
from State to State.

- If they happen to come in your way or you happen to come in their way, you will promptly hear
an "Excuse me" or "Excuse us".

- They need a lot of feedback while talking. You have to acknowledge/nod continuously.
Otherwise they feel you are not interested in listening or are confused.

- They gesture a lot and shoot some funny (at least so it seems initially) phrases at you. It is a
matter of "getting used to it". - They are "very" proud of their country. To them, the Universe is the
United States. So never ever make fun of or speak lightly about them or tell them that they do not
have any social/cultural background. You will make more American friends that way.

- Most Americans think of India as a poor country of beggars, snake charmers and swamis etc.
This is due to the insufficient and improper media coverage given to India. Their T.V. only shows
only the poor Indian villages and cows on the streets.

Hope you will be able to prove that India is a country of INTELLIGENT people like you and not
just ELEPHANTS and SNAKE CHARMERS.
Social Security and Driving License
You must go and get your social security number and driving license done immediately after you
come.

Social Security Number

Each individual in Unites States, is required to be registered with US government by law. This is
similar to the registration in India through Ration Card.

Government can keep track of the individual from this particular number. You will need the SS
number for any official paper work or dealings e.g. while filling Tax forms or while opening a bank
account or while getting a membership in the public library. A person's entire credit history can be
traced from this number. As soon as one arrives in US he/she is required to get Social Security
number immediately. It is a very simple procedure. Most universities will have this as apart of the
International student orientation program.

Every town or a city has a Social Security office. You have to go there with your Passport. First
thing you need to do is collect the application form for new social security number. These forms
are available in various languages. Find one in English and fill it completely. It will ask you for
your local postal address details besides other information. The officer will check your application
form and passport. After checking everything you will be informed when you will be receiving your
Social Security number, which will be by postal mail.

Generally within three to four weeks time you will receive your social security number which
appears printed on a small card, which you should preserve safely.

Getting Driver's License

Driver's license is one of the most important documents required in United States. Apart from
driving needs it is required at almost all the places where you need to show your ID. Mainly
because this is the only valid Identity card which is required and approved at all the places.

Here in US most of the money transactions are done via checks or Credit-cards. Initially when
you don't have credit card, check is the only practical and recommended way of payment.
Nobody keeps cash. People generally issue checks even for a small amount of less than $5.00.
Checks are as good as Cash and can be deposited at any ATM (Automatic Teller Machine)
center. These checks are accepted only with a valid PHOTO-ID at most places. Actually a Photo-
id could also be a simple identity card issued by the DMV (Dept. of motor vehicles), which is not a
driver's license. At most places Driver's license is the only valid PHOTO-ID. So after getting
Social Security number, Driver's license is another very important thing one should acquire as
soon as possible.
Getting driver's license is not very difficult here. Before appearing for a driving test behind the
wheels one has to clear a written test conducted by DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles - similar
to RTO in India). Each state has its own laws for driving a vehicle. DMV issues a book on the
rules which are required to be followed very strictly. This book gives detailed information about all
the laws and is written in a very nice manner. It is very easy to follow all the rules as they are
nicely explained and if necessary, supported by good photographs.

After understanding the contents of this book you can appear for the written exam. You can
appear for the test on any working day. You can call up DMV and take an appointment with them
or you can even go directly.

They will check your Passport and will give you a question paper. Questions are objective type
and you have to choose the best answer for each question. Time is no limit for the exam. After
you are done with it, the person on the counter will immediately check your paper and will tell you
your score. Upon passing this test you will get temporary driving license which is valid for two
months. DMV also issues an ID card. This is issued by the state government. You can use this Id
card as a Photo-Id till you get your driver's license. At some places you are required to produce
two Photo-Ids, that time it is very useful to have this photo-id you can even go for some driving
lessons. For driving lessons you can go to driving school or to a private teacher. Private teachers
are little cheaper as compared to driving school. Once you are ready for the test, again you will
have to take an appointment with DMV for the driving test. If you have driven a lot in India, you
just have to have a hang of the things here. Particularly, as Indian licence is valid within NT state,
it becomes easy to start driving, even without a temporary licence.

On the day of appointment you have to go there with your learning license. The car in which you
will give your driving test should have proper Insurance papers. Also check all the controls,
including signal lights and brake lights. If any of these is not in shape, you will not be allowed to
appear for the test. This test will be of 100 marks. After your test, driving inspector will
immediately tell you your result. Generally they explain to you your mistakes so that you can work
on them and rectify. If you have passed you will get your license immediately in most places.

If you fail there is no minimum period required to appear again. So you can practice again and
appear as soon as you can.
Bank Accounts
- They are basically of two types - Savings a/c (with interest)
- Checking a/c (with NO interest)

- Generally most people open a Checking a/c at first. It’s a good idea to have a savings account,
as a bulk of the money can lie idle and you can keep track of your money without spending it.

- To open an account you need a social security number, however since it takes a week or more
to get the social security number one can request the bank to verify the passport and open the
a/c. Later do remember to inform the bank once you receive your SS number.

- Then there are concepts like

- minimum balance - which is either NO or YES
(It is better to open an a/c with NO MINIMUM BALANCE otherwise you have to maintain the
specified minimum amount always in the account).
- overdraft facility - Again NO or YES
(This allows you some amount of overdraft. This might be beneficial in some cases, such as
when the monthly salary is not received on time and the house rent, phone bills etc. have to be
paid.)

- There are various kinds of check/cheque books available that one can choose from, such as the
kind of colored paper and printed background design on paper etc. Usually a set of 200 checks
bound together in books of 20 each is sufficient for 6 months. But it depends on how many
checks are issued by you and at what frequency. The first check book is given by the bank
immediately on opening an account, the other 200 checks are mailed to you at the given address.
- The next thing is to ask for an ATM card. This allows you to withdraw money 24 hrs. from any
ATM machine of the bank or related ones.

- Some banks charge money to issue an ATM card and the first set of check/cheque books.
Something like $10.00 for the ATM card and another $10.00 for the first 200 checks (10 books of
20 pages each). But most banks do not charge anything.

- The whole procedure of opening an account takes about 10-15 mins.

- A few shops/gas stations etc. ask for a valid photo-id when payment is made by check. This is
just for verification. (A photo-id could be a U.S. driver's license or an actual ID-card which is
issued by the local Dept. of Motor Vehicles office.

- Small payments such as $1.25 etc. too can be made by check and it is not absurd to do so.
People carry very little or no cash on person. Most of them make their payment by Credit card or
check. But it is advisable to carry about $10.00 in cash at all times to cover emergency needs.
You can carry your check book around with you.

- The following style is used to write the amount in words on the check. Say for e.g. the amount to
be paid is $35.47 then you would write:

Amount in words $ : THIRTY FIVE & 47/100

Cards
- It is a fashion to collect cards of all types and store them in one's wallet. The cards here refer to
the plastic type e.g. credit cards.

- So there are cards such as:

Credit card,
Debit card,
Bank ATM card,
Shopping Store cards (e.g. Sears card; "SEARS" is the name of a chain of stores in the U.S.)
Medical benefit card, Telephone calling card, Public library membership card.

- Most wallets have transparent packets to keep these cards in order.

- Credit/Debit Cards:
A credit card allows you to pay for your expenses without bothering about availability of money at
the time of payment. The credit card company pays for you and later sends you a statement
every month elaborating the payments made. You can then, pay the credit card company by
check. There are certain limits imposed on Credit cards with regard to the amount of credit
available to you, which vary.

VISA and MasterCard are the most widely accepted credit cards. The other being American
Express card. (Called Am-Ex for short).

A Debit card is almost like a check, since it allows you to spend from your available resources
only (no credit business). This is generally issued by the banks where you have an account, after
you apply for it.

It is not so easy to get a credit card for the first timer in U.S. The application is scrutinized by the
Credit Organization/Bank and the credit history checked up (They call up the banks where you
have an account, to find out your balance and credit status etc). Actually it the credit history is
traced from your Social Security No. Usually the period of stay is also an important criteria e.g. at
least 6 month stay is essential to be considered eligible for a Credit card.

To build up a good credit history, many people take loans from the bank. e.g. to buy a car and
repay it in time. This increases the chances of getting a Credit Card sooner.

The most easiest to get is the American Express Card. They ask for a letter from the employer
regarding salary status etc. once the initial application is verified.

- The Gold Card is the next thing to aim for, once you have at least a card. The Credit limit is
higher on the Gold Card apart from other benefits.

- The most difficult to get is the DISCOVER credit card.

- Most Credit cards offer other benefits too, such as mileage accumulation for some airline
enabling you to travel free on that airline anywhere in the U.S. once about 20,000 miles have
been accumulated, at the rate of 1 mile per dollar. Some others offer Rental Car Insurance
coverage and so on.

- Most organizations (health clubs etc.) issue membership cards with neat plastic lamination too.

Shopping
The American system of sizes and measurement is different from that in India. Most of the shops
in the U.S. are the equivalents of super markets in India. You can go around the shop, buy what
you want and pay at the counter. The important difference you will notice is, the shops are driven
by customer service. So if you don't like anything that you bought or it doesn't fit you properly you
may return it within a certain period allowed. You should inquire about the return policy when you
buy returnable goods. Of course you need to preserve the receipt of the purchase. Most of the
time they won't even ask you why you want to return the goods.

When you buy shoes, the size should be ½ more than your size in India. For example, if you buy
size 9 in India, you should buy size 9 ½ in the US.(Or approximate it to the nearest round figure).
Following measurement chart will help you in converting between American system and metric
system.

Metric Conversion Chart

millimeters x 0.04 = inches(in)

centimeters x 0.4 = inches(in)
meters x 3.3 = feet
kilometers x 1.1 = yards

inches x 2.5 = centimeters

feet x 30 = centimeters
yards x 0.9 = meters
miles x 1.6 = kilometers

grams x 0.035 = ounces

kilograms x 2.2 = pounds

ounces x 28 = grams
pounds x 0.45 = kilograms
milliliters x 0.3 = fluid ounces
liters x 1.06 = quarts
liters x 0.26 = gallons

fluid ounces x 30 = millileters

quarts x 0.95 = liters
gallons x 3.8 = liters

Renting an Apartment
You can get information on how to rent an apartment from the "Apartments" section of the Yellow
Pages, newspaper or 'Rental Guides' which are available at the stores. To lease (rent) an
apartment you should consider following points:

1. Lease period and deposits

Usually there are two types of lease depending on the period of lease: 6 months lease & 12
months lease. (In some places the allow 3 month lease too, but the rent increases in that case).
Most of the cases you get 1 month rent free in case you select 12 months lease and you get half
months rent free if you select 6 months lease. You have to pay 1 months rent as security deposit
and some amount around 10$ to 15$ as key deposit. Rent for the apartment in basements is less
than other apartments. Very few people prefer to stay in basements because of security reasons.
So when you ask about availability of apartments it is possible that the Manager will say only
basement apartment is available. Hence insist for apartment on first or second floor if you don't
want a basement apartment. After renting a basement apartment you may realize that apartments
other than in basements were also available.

2. Utilities
Check whether your rent includes utilities such as hot water, Cable etc. Otherwise you end up
spending around 100$ to 150$ for electricity bill if you have to pay for hot water.

3. Lease Terms
Understand the lease terms properly because most of the times you need to break the lease in
case your project terminates suddenly. if you want to break the lease
a. You have to give 30 days notice.
b. You lose your security deposit
c. In some cases they (the apartment management) try to find somebody who wants to rent your
apartment. If they don't get anybody within 30 days period You have to pay 1 month's rent extra.
In this situation you lose your security deposit plus one months rent. Get these terms clarified
before signing the lease papers.

4. Lease Breaking
If you are sharing an apartment with somebody, Suppose 3 people are sharing an apartment and
all three have their names on lease papers. In case one of the three wants to leave before the
lease period is over, you need to take a letter from him saying that all further paper work can be
done by the other two people. This letter is required when your lease period is over or even if you
want to break the lease before that period is over. If you don't have such a letter you won't be
able to break the lease unless all three have signed the lease break paper. In such cases you
also end up losing your deposit. This is true even for normal termination of lease period. Be
careful and understand these terms and conditions fully.

5. Damages
After renting an apartment carefully observe if there are any types of damages in the apartment. If
you see any, ask your Property Manager to make a note of it. Otherwise they will deduct some
amount from your security deposit when your lease period is over.
6. Downgrading and Upgrading
If you want to move to 2 bedroom apartment from 1 bedroom apartment you have to pay some
100$ to 200$. Many cases downgrading i.e. moving to 1 bedroom apartment from 2 bedroom
apartment is not allowed. Get clarification on all such points while signing lease papers.

7. Electricity and Telephone connection

After you rent the apartment you need to inform your local Electric Supply company that you will
be staying in that apartment from so and so date and that they may bill you from that date. Ask
your local telephone company for a telephone connection by calling them up. Most of the
business takes place on the phone. Surprisingly all work gets done and promptly too.

8. Maintaining an apartment
In most of the apartments you have cooking range, oven, dish washer, refrigerator etc. Use
aluminum foil to cover part of the cooking range (other than coils) so that it remains clean and in
the end you don't need to spend time in cleaning it. Dish washer soap is available in liquid or in
powder form. Dish washer inner surface starts becoming blackish after some days. The cleaning
liquid can be used to clean it. This can be done once in a month. Clean your oven once in a
month using oven cleaning liquid. Use plastic garbage bags in trash cans so that you can just
take the bag and dispose it in the central trash, usually provided in the apartment complex.

9. Laundry
If the apartment itself does not have a washer/dryer, there will usually be a common laundry room
in the complex where you can do your weekly washing/drying. Such common machines usually
are coin operated machines so you'll need a few quarters and also your own favorite detergent
powder.

Decorating, Furnishing YOUR house

Of course this is not an advice for interior designing but to make your APARTMENT look like a
HOME. Home is not a place with four walls, but where you have furniture also :). The greatest
place to get the things you need for your house is Garage Sales. You can get things like Sofa
sets to Wall paintings very cheep from this source.

Garage sale is a second-hand, used things sale which includes household items such as furniture
like couch etc, appliances such as T.V., stereo, clothes/jackets, other used items.

This is held in peoples garages or backyards generally on weekends. They are a nice place to
buy furniture from, which is usually in good shape. Anybody who wants to sell old used things,
can hold a garage sale and put up a sign near the house announcing such a sale. The prices are
negotiable. Generally people advertise through local newspaper ad columns.

The early morning time on Sat. and Sun. between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. is the best to hunt
around for used things in garage sales.

Buying a Car
If you are going to stay at a particular place for quite some time say more than three months, then
its better to buy a car rather than rent one. Buying a car involves quite some work. It is better to
be cautious while buying a car, 'cause owning a car brings you freedom and you own a vehicle
but you need to maintain the car and take care of any problems. The main concern while buying a
car is its maintenance cost should not be high, otherwise you will lose a lot. So here is what
experience tells us.

Buying a car in America is very easy, there are lots of used cars for sale and there is never a
shortage. It is just the question of deciding the budget and type of car to be bought.
Most people prefer Japanese cars over American makes simply because of the easy reusability.
The most popular Japanese car makes are Honda and Toyota.

Types of models? There are two categories of cars, 2-door, 4-door.The 2-d are cheaper. Then
comes the type of transmission (gear), automatic or stick-shift. Most people buy automatic
transmission. Such cars are very easy to drive. (Almost all Indian cars are of the stick-shift
variety).

Where to look? The local newspapers carry a lot of car sale advertisements everyday. You
should see the paper and decide on the ones you are interested in. Next call up the owner at the
tel. no. given, as early in the day as possible and fix up an appointment to visit and see the car.
Test drive it, if you like it and the price is ok, tell the owner that you'd like to get it checked up by a
mechanic. This is the normal practice. There is nothing to feel shy about asking the car to be
checked up. This will save you a lot of money later after purchasing the car from unforeseen
problems that some used cars land up into.

Look up the yellow pages in the local tel. directory to get the list of car mechanics or just ask
colleagues to recommend one. If that doesn't work out, ask the local AAA (American Automobile
Association) office to recommend someone to you. For a fee of about $25-30 the mechanic will
check up the car and tell you the problems or possible problems if any. Some people do it for
free. It is good to tell the auto mechanic to check up the following things with additional care in
addition to their regular :-
1) Brake cylinder, drum and worn out pads
2) Transmission. (this is the costliest part in an automatic car )
3) If it is a 4 speed never buy it. 5 speed is ok.
4) Check for rust in bottom, radiators, muffler and tailpipe.
5) Check for vibrations when you brake from 40mph, without down-shifting. if there are vibrations,
either break pads or steering pinion is in bad shape. Get 4 people to sit in the car and you can
make out if the suspensions are ok, when you make a sharp turn.
6) Most important, check for oil leaks, and whether the car gives you power speed/pick-up when
you try to accelerate. You can feel if it's OK.
7) Last, check for emission whether the smoke is black (thick), which means oil is also burned
with fuel = the car is beyond its life. The piston rings might be leaving a gap in the cylinders
because of wear. In that case, don't buy the car, because you will have to change the cylinder,
piston and rings which will come to double the cost.
8) Ask the owner to give the records of the maintenance he has done, like new tires etc. Also,
make sure you don't go beyond 3rd hand purchase. There must be something seriously wrong
with the car if people have changed owners drastically.
9) Air filter, valve etc. OK?

Ask the owner to discount the price of the car by the amount required for the repairs suggested
by the mechanic. Or else ask him to get it repaired for you. The rates of the used cars have some
standard values which are generally not exceeded. These values can be checked up in
something called "Blue Book" which is a text available in the public library or with car dealers. So
car models classified as per Year of make have their value listed in the Blue Book. There is a cost
deduction to be applied for the mileage that the car has been driven for, which is mentioned in
most Blue Books. That gives a fair idea about the standard cost of any used car. Moreover there
is ample scope for price negotiation. Generally private owners who sell through ads can give
better discounts than used car dealers. Generally car dealers stick to the Blue Book Price but
usually ask more.

Mileage is also a consideration while purchasing a used car. Lesser the better. The ideal average
is 10000 miles per year. So a car manufactured in 1987 may have a driven mileage of about
70000 miles in 1994 and not more than 80000. These are approx. figures.
After buying a car you need to get it insured. You cannot drive a car in the U.S. without proper
Insurance. The car has to be insured against collisions etc. There are various vehicle Insurance
companies having various deals. Look up the yellow pages and call up some of them and ask for
their rates. Then decide on one. The Insurance coverage period and the type of Insurance
chosen and your age (more for less than 25 yrs.) decide the amount to be paid. The
"comprehensive", "collision" are terms used by the Insurance companies to describe the type of
insurance coverage. Get everything explained properly. There is sometimes windscreen
coverage too, for a nominal additional amount per month; this insures your windshield against
damage (a windscreen replacement may cost about $200.00 approx. otherwise).

You have to get the emission testing done on your car before it can be registered. In case the
previous owner has got it done and the test is valid still, then there is no need to do it again for
the specified period. The valid test papers are required for Registration.

The local vehicle registration office will issue a temporary registration for 45 days and meanwhile
process and prepare the proper number plates. The documents required to get a registration are -
Car ownership (title) papers, Emission Test papers, Car Insurance papers. After proper
registration is done you can drive your car. However you should have a Driver's License. Actually
each state in the U.S. has different laws. Most states allow you to drive with an I.D.P.
(International Driving Permit) for a ye ar or so. But others require that you get a local Driver's
License. The driver's license can be obtained from the local DMV office after a written and driving
test. Refer to the section on obtaining a driver's license for details.

Renting a Car
Car is a necessity in most of the places here in U.S. Either you buy a car or you can rent a car.
You can pay either a monthly rate or daily rent. Though its expensive to rent a car for a month or
so, it might be required if you are going to stay at that place for a small period of time. Here is
some information you will need OR should know when you want to rent a car.
- The driver/co-drivers may need to be at least 25 years old.
- Credit Card is required to rent a car. Else a deposit of about $300 etc...Most companies do not
allow you to rent a car if you do not have a credit card.
- You need a valid driver's license to drive a rental car.
- Well known car renting companies are - Hertz, Avis, Alamo, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise etc.
- Car Insurance has to be bought for the Rental car. It is a separate charge or is included in the
total per day renting cost. Some credit card companies pay for the insurance if you use their card
to book a car e.g. American Express Credit Card, in such a case you need not buy insurance
from the car rental company.
- You have to register the other drivers too as co-drivers of the rental car while booking the car.
They should have valid driver's licenses too. Nobody else should be allowed to drive the car other
than those registered!
- Unlimited mileage or fixed mileage is also a criteria which decides the hiring charges of a rental
car.
- You can make the booking over the phone. But you have to go personally to pick-up the car
from the renting agency.
- Generally the gas (fuel) tank is full and you are supposed to return it with a full tank.
- Some rental agencies do not allow you to rent their car for travel outside the state.
- There are various types of cars that can be booked. Generally depending on the seating
capacity, such as small, medium, compact, large, full-size, premium, mini-van, van etc. One may
even choose the make of the car if available. The rental agencies maintain the cars in good
shape and generally have new cars.

- The renting charges vary depending on the season, weekend/weekday, for how many days you
want the car, how much in advance you are booking, availability, type of car etc.
Doctors in U.S.
God forbid, but if something happens to you, here is what you should know:

- The Medical Benefit Card which is sent by the Medical Insurance Company is an important card
and should be acquired at the earliest. Fill up the Medical forms to ensure that you are registered
with the Insurance Company after you land in the U.S.

- This card entitles you to coverage under certain medical categories only.
- There is a $100 deductible. Which means if you land into medical problems, you have to pay the
first

100 dollars from your pocket. Thereafter the Insurance company takes over the payment
depending on the coverage plan etc.
- There are two acceptable ways of payment for the Doctor's services which depends on the
Doctor. The Doctor's receptionist is the best person to ask payment related questions. Some
Doctors ask you to pay them (by cash, check, credit card etc.) immediately after the service. The
receptionist will then give you a formal bill, which you must send (by postal mail) to the Medical
Insurance Company along with the claim form supplied by DCI (which comes in with the initial
package soon after you land in the U.S.) The Medical Ins. Co. will then send you a check after
verifying your claim. Other Doctors will note down the details of your Medical Insurance Company
from your card. They will then send the bill to the Insurance Company and receive the payment
directly. You need not pay the Doctor.

But in both the above modes, remember that there are certain charges which the Insurance
Company will not pay and which they don't cover, such as the first $100. So find out the details
from the Insurance Co. about your respective coverage/medical problem etc.

- For certain kinds of medical problems where you have to visit the Doctor repeatedly, only a fixed
number of visits per year are paid by the Insurance Company and not all.
- How to decide on the Doctor to visit?
Ask your colleagues or other Indian friends. Otherwise check up the yellow pages (phone
directory). Look under the "Physicians" heading. Telephone the Doctor and fix up an
appointment. Only in cases of emergency, do the Doctors see you immediately, otherwise it is
always by appointment.
- You can claim the expenses for any Dr. prescribed medicine that you have to buy from the Drug
(medical) Store.
NOTE:
- Pain in the lower back and strain between the shoulder blades and a stiff neck are very common
due to the kind of spring mattresses and soft foam pillows available in the U.S. and one just
needs to get used to it.
- Beware of Dental problems since they are usually not fully covered under the Insurance
Scheme.

Income Tax in US:

Income Tax return filing is very simple in US as compared to India. Here Tax forms are very
simple and easy to fill up. One need not know all about Taxation laws, but still can very easily file
tax return. Here in US there are two types of taxes. One is the FEDERAL Tax which is something
like our Income tax and the other is the STATE Tax. Last day of filing the income tax return is
15th of April. Accounting year is considered from 1st of January till 31st of December. US has a
Tax treaty with India. Under this Tax treaty one can file his tax return either in India or in US as
per the convenience. But you need to show your income earned in either of the country.

Suppose you come to US in the middle of the year. You must be definitely having some income in
India before you came to US in that particular financial year. Also some part of salary is paid to
you even when you are in US. This income is taxable and hence you pay tax on that income.
Generally you pay tax on this income in India as in most of the cases income tax is deducted at
source. So one pays tax on the income in India. So now you are liable only for the tax on the
income that you earn in US.

Here there are different types of forms for different category of people. For those who are US
residents and who have status of Resident Aliens, they have to file what is called 1040EZ form
(form 1040 easy). Any person who is in the US for more than 183 days continuously, gains status
of Resident Alien. Any person who is in US for less than 183 days in that financial year is
considered as Non Resident Alien.

Non Resident Alien will not have some Tax benefits which any US citizen or Resident Alien will
have. Here in particular, Non resident Alien will not get Standard deduction on their income. Also
they have to pay Tax as per the Flat rate. So basically when you file your Tax return as NR you
land up paying more taxes. But you have to file 1040NR when you are having status as Non
resident Alien.

For filing Tax return form one can get help from the government body which is know as IRS
(Internal Revenue Services). This is same as Income Tax department in India. Also one has to
pay tax to the state government. Each state has a different tax law for the State Tax. Booklet of
information on this is available on request. Tax forms are available freely at the public places like
Post office, Public library where one can get the form that he/she requires. Also, government
gives special services for the people who need guidance. One can get this information even on
phone by calling them. One can even go in person to understand the form.

Apart from these facilities provided by the government one can even go to private Tax
consultants. They charge somewhere between $30 to $60. They take care of every detail and
one need not bother about anything. Along with the Tax you are supposed to send one form
called "W2" form. This form is provided by the employer to all the employees. The form contains
all the information based on the salary of the person. Also all the taxes paid by the employer to
the State government as well as Federal government. Details about the social security taxes and
the medical taxes paid by the employer is also included in this form.

There are three copies of this form. One copy is to be sent with the State Tax form, one with the
Federal Tax form and one is for the employee's personal record. Before sending the W2 form one
should check the validity of the information in it. Most important is the correct social security
number. If there is any change in any of the information one should inform the employer ASAP.
Employer is supposed to send the corrected information to IRS and also a corrected copy to the
employee which is called W2C f form.

AAA Membership
We wanted to mention this specially because its very helpful for a person who is new to U.S. AAA
read as 'triple A' stands for "American Automobile Association" is an auto club which provides you
with all kinds of tour and travel information. It provides you with all the maps and travel guides
which you will need. It also has services like towing, opening your car door lock in case you get
locked out, emergency help and so on. Being a member of this club also gets you concession for
motel booking and rental cars.

There is a yearly fee for all these services which they provide, and if you believe us, "It's more
than worth it".

So we think its a good idea to be a member of this club. It will help you in traveling, which of
course you will do once you get here.
Last Word

Stress is a part of professional or student life and more so when you are living in an alien country.
The sooner you understand and accept it the more easily you will adapt to your new environment.
Depression and home sickness are symptoms that you should look out for. With this we all feel
you will be confident and may be able to come out with your own User Manual. But before we
leave, talk to other people coming to the USA. Get to know people going to study at the same
University as you are. Exchange thoughts, info and also your problems/worries. It just makes you
feel good, if you know that others are in the same boat !!!