3.First Foreign Travel: Experiences in Hawaii

 

Everybody loves traveling abroad—to see new places, understand foreign ways of life, and, if possible, connect with some of the local people. For college teachers, especially those interested in research, the best way to achieve this is by participating in international conferences.There are numerous conferences held for every academic subject. The first two necessary steps are: submitting a paper to a conference in the place you wish to visit and having it accepted. The next hurdle is securing the funds for the registration fee and travel expenses.

The Financial Challenge

Some educational institutions only cover the registration fee. The travel costs, including airfare, are often substantial. While some government and a few private institutions offer financial assistance, obtaining it is complex. Once a paper is accepted, you must apply to the respective funding body using a special form, including a copy of the accepted paper and proof of acceptance.

Often, there is not enough time between paper acceptance and the conference date to receive a favourable decision from the funding institutions. There is little chance of getting even a promise of aid before departure. If one decides to pay out of pocket, banking on optimism, there is a possibility of recovering at least a portion of the spent amount later upon presenting receipts.

Travel expenses, however, can be huge. For example, in 1998, a flight to any location in America via Air India could easily cost over one lakh rupees. Furthermore, government financial aid often mandates travel on Air India, even though other airlines offer fares that are sometimes up to half the cost. Despite applying early, one is often caught in red tape, and the chances of securing assistance remain low.

Despite these difficulties, this remains a crucial route for faculty in ordinary institutions. Another option is to utilize the travel funds allocated within a research project grant, though this is rare in small and medium-sized institutions.

The Decision to Go

I was not overly enthusiastic about sending papers to foreign conferences. Simply having a paper accepted only served to increase my publication count, and if accepted, I was then obligated to present it, which was a very expensive prospect. One or two papers I had submitted earlier were presented by my professor abroad.

However, thinking that I would like to go at least once, I submitted a paper to a conference in Hawaii in 1998. It was accepted. I began making efforts to attend. The total estimated cost was about one and a half lakh rupees. My college would provide twenty thousand rupees for the registration fee. The remaining travel expenses had to be sourced elsewhere.

The University Grants Commission (UGC), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (STEC) are among the important institutions that provide financial assistance. However, it is not guaranteed, and it takes at least three months to receive a decision on the application. Waiting until approval is confirmed before leaving is impractical.

Worried about the huge expenses, I was sincerely encouraged by my wife and children. Therefore, I decided to go, even if it meant taking a loan from my Provident Fund.

Travel Experiences

1. High Accommodation Costs

The cost of hotel accommodation is often comparable to the airfare. Conferences are frequently organized in popular tourist destinations. A day’s rent at a five-star equivalent hotel could range from one hundred to one hundred and fifty dollars.

I found a solution for this, too. I checked the website of the famous East West University in Hawaii to see if any Indian faculty were listed. Luckily, I found the names of three or four people and managed to get the email addresses of one or two of them. I sent them an email asking if it was possible to arrange low-cost accommodation on the university campus.

All who replied were helpful. Their collective response was, "We have selected one person to assist you. He will arrange what you need. You can stay in the faculty house for twenty-five dollars a day. Please calculate your total number of days and send the amount in advance. If you don't have time to send it, we will pay it for you, and you can reimburse us upon arrival.” Furthermore, they explained that for a bus fare of just one or two dollars from the university, I could easily reach the conference hotel.

Grateful to these unknown friends, I immediately arranged a draft for the three-day stay. Fortunately, the money reached them before I arrived. I left on a loan, unsure if I would get a single penny back. However, after landing in Honolulu, my fellow research student informed me via email that a wire transfer had arrived from the UGC.

2. Hawaii, with its Active Volcanoes

When I mentioned Honolulu, my co-worker's daughter exclaimed, "Oh, Uncle, there are still active volcanoes there!" She was right. This group of islands, which looks like mere dots on a map in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, is the fiftieth state of the United States. Volcanoes are still erupting on some of the islands. This reminded me of what I had seen on the National Geographic Channel—a national park of active volcanoes. Though a little frightened, I decided to give in to everyone’s loving encouragement. This was to be my first foreign trip.

3. The Journey to Hawaii

The United States is a vast country, much larger than India. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Canada to the north, and Mexico and South America to the south. While states like Florida in the southeast share a climate similar to ours, the northern states are very cold. Alaska, the northernmost state, is very close to the Arctic. Some parts of the US are covered with snow for more than three months a year.

Hawaii, a remote archipelago, was admitted as the fiftieth state in 1959. Honolulu is the capital. Sugar and pineapple are the main exports. Although Hawaii is the largest island, the most populated is Oahu, which is home to the capital, Honolulu. Other islands include Molokai, Kauai, Maui, Niihau, and Lanai.

Traveling from India to Hawaii is easy and generally cheaper via the Singapore-Japan route.

• The flight from Madras (Chennai) takes four hours across the Indian Ocean to Singapore.
• From Singapore, it takes five and a half hours across the southern coast of Asia to Narita Airport in Japan.
• From Narita, it takes six and a half hours across the Pacific Ocean to Honolulu, Hawaii.

Due to crossing the International Date Line, despite all this travel, one arrives in America on the same day of departure. Traveling eastward essentially saves a day.

4. Alumni Reunion in Japan

Before leaving, I had emailed a former student, Sankar Mananampattamana, who was working in Japan, informing him I would be passing through Narita. He replied, saying, “Even if I have to drive three hours, I can reach Narita Airport, and since I have plenty of time, we can talk.”

However, I was unable to go outside the waiting lounge to see my friend. The reason was the language barrier. My knowledge of Japanese is zero, and the airport officer I tried to speak with did not understand English. Even after ten minutes of trying, he couldn’t grasp what I was saying. I felt sad, realizing my poor friend, who had rushed to see the teacher who taught him, would be waiting outside for me in vain.

As it was my first trip abroad, I did not know that one needs a transit visa to exit the airport in many countries. I couldn’t even contact him on the phone. The strict security guard wouldn't let me call him, even after I showed him the phone number. I thought it would be helpful if someone at such a large international airport knew a little English. English proficiency is often a challenge in Far Eastern countries, and even if they speak it, their accent can be difficult for us to understand. Given the situation, I silently apologized to my student friend and stayed put.

5. Food on the Plane

Another point to remember is that it can be difficult to get vegetarian food outside our country. Non-Indian meals usually contain meat and fish. A well-travelled friend reminded me that if I did not specifically request "Asian Vegetarian Meal" when booking the ticket, I might end up with undercooked meat or half-boiled shrimp. So, I was prepared to satisfy my hunger with whatever suitable food was available on the plane.

6. Where is a Quarter for the Trolley?

I finally arrived at Honolulu airport after a morning flight and a nap. The first problem began right at the airport. I needed a quarter-dollar coin to get a luggage trolley. I had only been given dollar bills when I exchanged money at the bank. Seeing my difficulty, a fellow traveler put in a quarter and got a trolley for me. I thanked him profusely.

I took a taxi and headed to the East West University. Everything was ready for my stay. Since the money I had sent had arrived earlier, there was no issue. The woman at the counter checked my passport and assigned me a room.

The conference hotel was a bit far from my accommodation. Buses were available. A two-dollar ticket was sufficient, but it required taking two buses. You had to buy a transfer slip from the first bus. Unlike in India, there was no conductor or cleaner. You simply put the money in the box next to the driver, who then issued the ticket and the transfer slip.

In short, instead of paying the one hundred and fifty dollar hotel rent, my cost was only twenty-nine dollars a day—a debt of gratitude I owe to my Indian friends and email. Since they were Bengalis, I presented them with rasgulla I had bought and some straw pictures of Kerala as a token of my sincere thanks.

7. Conference Insights

This was my first time participating in a conference held abroad, and I felt some apprehension. I bathed, put on my coat and suit, registered at the hotel, and the first thing I did was look for any Indians. Fortunately, I found a woman from Bengal and a man named Reddy, who works in America. I quickly introduced myself. The joy of meeting people born and raised in our country, so far from home, is indescribable. The mother tongue barrier was instantly gone. I quickly got to know them and sat with them.

My paper was scheduled for the second day, while the lady's was in the final session on the last day. Reddy’s was on the first day. As soon as the English-speaking participants presented their papers, they quickly changed into Bermuda shorts and headed to the famous Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, which was adjacent to the hotel. On the beach, most women and men were lying completely naked, sunbathing. I wondered what it would be like to see that on our Kovalam Hawa Beach.

8. Hawaii Sightseeing

My paper was in the first session on the second day. Afterwards, my new Indian friend, Reddy, had an idea. His wife was supposed to join him, and he had booked a 'rent a car' to drive around the island. Since she couldn’t come at the last minute and he didn’t want to go alone, we decided to see the entire island by car. Since I had almost finished my conference obligations, I readily agreed.

We started our journey from the conference venue at eleven o’clock, taking some tea, sugar packets, and hot water in a flask. The roads were excellent and first-class. As we left the city, the journey took us through pineapple plantations. Most of the population lives on the leeward (sheltered) side of the island. The other side (the windward side) is marked by very strong winds and big waves.

At lunchtime, we stopped at a restaurant for some food, similar to one of our roadside establishments. A burger, Pepsi, and French fries (potatoes cut lengthwise and fried in oil) cost fifteen dollars. My friend, working in the US, didn't mind. I did the quick math: about seven hundred rupees for lunch! The meal was gone before I could fully digest the cost.

We returned in the evening just in time for the Banquet dinner. I was told not to miss the dinner included in the registration fee. However, I was only able to eat a little noodles and ice cream from the dishes offered.

Since there was no time to visit the island with the active volcano by seaplane, I returned via Singapore on the fourth day after the three-day conference. The Singapore experiences followed.