I was travelling by bus from New York City to Berkeley to enroll in the M. S. course at the University of California. It was my first stay away from my family in Mumbai, India. It was mid-September 1965. I was 21, had limited finances, excited, nervous, and naive.
At Oakland (about 5 miles from Berkeley), around mid-night, an American, Jim Cushing, boarded the bus and sat near me. Jim had served in the Peace Corps in China and was studying Political Science at the University. Jim asked me where I was staying at Berkeley. I said the correspondence from the University asked me to contact their International Students Office for help with accommodation. Jim said they would be closed at this time! I had not thought of that. I did not want to stay in the hotel on account of the expense. Jim suggested Why dont you stay with me for the night and then tomorrow you can find a suitable accommodation? What a relief! He offered me his bed (you are a guest from India) and he slept on the sofa. Next day he helped me to find accommodation. I stayed in Jims home for another night before I moved to my home.
I returned to India after staying 7 years in the USA.
Sometimes when I feel angry about some of the cruel things that the USA government is doing, I think of noble Americans like Jim Cushing and remind myself that, in general, Americans are good; only their government sometimes does bad things!
At Oakland (about 5 miles from Berkeley), around mid-night, an American, Jim Cushing, boarded the bus and sat near me. Jim had served in the Peace Corps in China and was studying Political Science at the University. Jim asked me where I was staying at Berkeley. I said the correspondence from the University asked me to contact their International Students Office for help with accommodation. Jim said they would be closed at this time! I had not thought of that. I did not want to stay in the hotel on account of the expense. Jim suggested Why dont you stay with me for the night and then tomorrow you can find a suitable accommodation? What a relief! He offered me his bed (you are a guest from India) and he slept on the sofa. Next day he helped me to find accommodation. I stayed in Jims home for another night before I moved to my home.
I returned to India after staying 7 years in the USA.
Sometimes when I feel angry about some of the cruel things that the USA government is doing, I think of noble Americans like Jim Cushing and remind myself that, in general, Americans are good; only their government sometimes does bad things!
