Discovery of America : 30 in 30

The Fulbright Program aims to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs and thereby increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship.
—Senator J. William Fulbright

My name is Rajeev. I am a Fulbright Scholar from India.  Three years ago, I took a journey from India to Indiana to pursue graduate education. That made me fall in love with this country. I became a lifelong Hoosier.

I live in New York City now and it’s time for me to go. Go back to India and contribute to understanding between the two largest democracies. I came to America to share my India with you and now as I go home, I will share America with my folks there.

BUT

My thirst for learning about America and Americans is not over yet. To conclude my Fulbright journey, I have a goal – 30 in 30. I want to take a road trip from New York to California and meet 30 American families in 30 days as I pass through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Dakotas, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and end up in San Francisco, California.

“It’s an odd thing, but anyone who disappears
is said to be seen in San Francisco.
It must be a delightful city and possess
all the attractions of the next world”

–          Oscar Wilde

I want take this message back home that there is lot of America between NY and CA. I wish to take back home, the vastness of American land and water and people and food –  between the skylines of NY and CA.  I want to learn from a family in Wisconsin, what it means to be American, what work they do, what keeps there family together, what their concerns are, what dreams they have? I want to learn from a family in Montana what they think of India and Indians and Indian food and Bollywood. The goal of this Indo-US friendship tour is to initiate a dialogue of friendship between the two massive nations. The final product will be a documentary film titled “Discovery of  America”. You can find my itinerary further below and every day I will post story here and Twitter @rajeevcinema  about my whereabouts and experiences.

I want you to be a part of my journey. To find those American families, I need your help. If you have a family or friends who can break bread with and chat with me in any of the towns and cities listed on my route, please help me connect. I believe in America, I believe in humanity. I am confident that with the help of my friends, I should be able to line up American homes opening the doors for me as I keep moving westwards.

Here is the tentative plan –

CITY/TOWN	STATE	STATUS	DATE
Central Park, New York City	NY	START	Jul 12, Saturday
Harrisburg	PA	Found	Jul 12, Saturday
Columbus	Ohio		Jul 13, Sunday
Bloomington	IN	Found	Jul 14, Monday
Chicago	IL	Found	Jul 16, Wednesday
Madison	WI	Found	Jul 17, Thursday
Minneapolis	MN		Jul 18, Friday
Sioux Falls	SD		Jul 20, Sunday
Badlands National Park	SD		Jul 21, Monday
Denver	CO		Jul 22, Tuesday
Rawlins/Laramie	WY		Jul 25, Friday
Salt Lake City	UT		Jul 26, Saturday
Grand Teton National Park	WY		Jul 28, Monday
Big Timber	MT	Found	Jul 31, Thursday
Coeur d’Alene	ID		Aug 1, Friday
Seattle	WA		Aug 2, Saturday
Portland	OR		Aug 3, Sunday
Crater Lake National Park	OR		Aug 4, Monday
Bandon	OR		Aug 5, Tuesday
Eureka	CA		Aug 6, Wednesday
San Francisco	CA		Aug 7, Thursday