Monalisa

Smile with Knowledge: What a Journey! Monalisa

Already delayed at the point of origin, having missed a connecting flight, required to spend another night in an interim hotel in a foreign country, and now this! It was as if destiny was preparing him well for this journey of unknowns that he had embarked upon... As Gyana sat in the room alone and looked at the single window with bars, it felt like being in a jail, waiting to be rescued from suspicion. Will they be able to verify his paperwork and identity? Will they do it in a timely manner to enable him to continue with his travel plans? What will happen if they are not able to verify the documents? A multitude of questions played havoc on his mind, with no answers in sight.

-excerpt from Smile with Knowledge

Describing the ground realities faced by an Indian couple when they moved from India to the United States in the early 90's in an age without internet or cell phones, this is a first hand account of the life as foreign students in the U. S., along with its myriad perks and challenges. Relating a true story of success while balancing life on a shoestring budget, this is also a tale of small hopes, small pleasures, small battles, and small victories, and yet how all these small things together formed a memorable journey that was larger than life.