Boarding into our car with luggages from Boston Airport, it took just 15 minutes to reach our Apartment situated at Arlington.Travel by Roadways itself was unique in the sense that just after Airport, we travelled through a long tunnel,called ' SUMNER ', named after a Historian, built below the confluence of Rivers 'Mystic'& 'Charles' with ' Atlantic Ocean' that could be seen flowing along the Tunnel on both sides for around one Mile. Video taken through the tunnel will be sent later.Viewing the Link- "http://www.massport.com/logan-airport/Pages/Default.aspx" will also help you all in getting better idea about the site of Airport, in & around.Its sub-links by clicking & viewing will make you understand on facilities for Rail- cum-bus Transport to reach Boston City & Suburbs.Infact, Airport & Harbour along the Atlantic Ocean are situated close to each other.
All along the route, shops & Malls were seen but quiet to look at, externally with small sign boards & cars moving or stalled in Massive Parking areas. Our Car provided with GPS, a hardware device directing the driver audibly on the route lying ahead.Such techniques are nowadays seen even on Indian cars & roads also,Driver is supposed to feed his Password & the destination on the map displayed in front of him thro' the device.
We are at home now. A warm welcome with smilng face of Akila greeted us at the entrance. Here were also seen certain security techniques to reach the specific Apt which will be dealt separately later.Such Apartment/ house are normally Built in multi-storey buildings, families are accommodated in Basement/First-floor {called in India as Ground- floor}/Second Floor etc.Car parking per Family with Auto-Garage door, common laundry & security lock, Mail box per family are available at First floor.Families are *accommodated in basement only in sites where scope of natural ventilation is possible with slopes.
Our Apt, Part of 'Cedar Crest' Apts, has been taken on lease for 12 Months is provided with Living room, Dining room, Kitchen, Two Bed-rooms, Two baths, Parking for one car (outside ), heat Apt & storage.Carpets, Fridge, Dishwasher, Disposal, Security interlock, Fire-extinguisher are provided by the Owner which shall be restored in the same good condtion while vacating.
Independent houses are also having such facilities.Adequate greenery in the form of Lawn & play area for kids are also taken care of.Basement provision is in force, however, only in some States like Michigan.
Our Apt is at 3rd floor of 8 storey building where all are Tenants @ 6 per floor upto 7th. while 8th floor is a Pent house where one lady working as Manager of the Building lives.Owner of the entire bldg lives elsewhere with Office at Ground floor.There are houses called as condos where each is owned by an individual.) Suiting environmental conditions prevailing in seasons viz.Summer,Fall,Winter at Sub-zero ambient at certain States only like this state & Michigan where I stayed for 6 months earlier & Spring, floor,interior walls & roof are made of WOODEN while the exterior wall is of bricks/wooden.Carpeting is essential for floor & glasses are for doors & windows.It also allows roof with slopes to take care of snow-falling/removal during the season.
Entire construction is of Modular type in which various sub-assemblies are bought `AS MADE`& provided at site with screws/bolts or pasted.It is not durable like concrete structure but quite adequate to all kinds of weather & looks attractive.False ceiling is adopted where air-conditioning ducts are provided.Our Apt is provided with Window- type ACs for rooms & Hall except Kitchen which is part of the Hall.110V AC 60 Hz is the system of volage adopted in the entire US.There are certain unique provisions of Electrical fittings at Apt. which will be dealt with later.
Plumbing by Pipe lines laid under-ground for water hot & cold circuits, copper pipes for Natural gas circuit for heating of water & air [electricity as option], kitchen oven & air-conditioning,insulated pipe for electrical circuits,pipes for drain waste/sewer lines to septic tank, pipes with ducts for Air-conditioning /Room-type or centralized.
Outlets through roof by- chimney for smoke above fire-place, if provided, vents for air hot or cold through roof/side walls exterior to kitchen
Toilets/Toilet-cum-bath for each floor & basement
Lawn around the apartment/house with slots for garden over non-lawn area.
Garage for cars with Auto-door opening/closing through Remote control.
Basic Features :
Basement :a) PC room having PC,Printer, Scanner,Audio-equipment, web-camera etc.,b) Utility room having electrical main switch with distribution boards, equipment & accessories for Air-conditioning/cooling & heating,Washer cum-drier for clothes,Treadmill & other equipment for physical fitness &c) prayer room.
Ist floor : a) Kitchen having cooking oven,Micro-oven,Dish washer,Refrigerator- cum- freezer etc. fully furnished for tenancy. b) Living room having dining hall & playing area for kids, c) Family room having TV, audio-equipment,fire-place etc.,& Garage for car parking.
II nd floor having Master bedroom,bedrooms separately for kids & visitors
All floors have Toilet- cum-bath room facilities.Such features are normally seen in case of Individual houses or Villas.
Basic public service utilities :
Electricity :Service connection provided by Private company externally on the wall front/rear door with energy meters separately for a)Power covering interruptible heating & cooling circuits & b) Lighting covering lamps & plug sockets three pin for power appliances not covered under (a)
Natural gas :Service connection provided by Private company externally on the wall adjascent to the basement with meter underground closer to the heating/cooling circuits
Water : Service connection provided by the Govt at state level. externally with meter underground. Boston is fed by reservoirs which will be dealt separately.
Phone : Service connection provided for base phone by Private company, charged monthly for such services & calls, Additional features like caller ID/waiting ID/forwarding/long distance services.; cell phones also provided by Private company charged monthly for such services including supply of phones [fixed]. Accessories like Answering machine are to be provided by the consumers themselves.
Postal Services :Delivery at the Mail-box daily by the Govt or by Private & Despatch at the Post office situated at Sub-division level/otherwise.Registered letters are delivered in person while packets are left at door-step after drawing the attention of occupants by call-bell.
Little exhaustive report, is it not?
Such features are visible even in India, if not better, nowadays.
It is time for one practical joke.
What happens if 1 rupee = 45 dollars !*
Scene 1*
*
Venue : Microsoft Corporation, New York , US Some s/w
engineers are seeing some photographs. *
*
s/w engg 1 : What's that?*
*
s/w engg 2 : Bob's photographs from India .*
*
s/w engg 1 : Wow. Let me see. Which is this place?*
*
s/w engg 3 : (Sees the photo) This is tidel park,chennai
s/w engg 1 : Fundoo yaar! And what is this? He got Bajaj Pulsar also.*
*
s/w engg 2 : Let me see (sees). This guy enjoys life maan...*
*
s/w engg 3 : You know how much an Bajaj Pulsar costs?
Nearly 60K.....
Say it in dollars... (60000*45 = 27,00,000 dollars)*
*
s/w engg 2: Oops. We can't dream of such a thing here.*
*
s/w engg 1 : Let's go to India & try for a job.*
*
[Everybody excited.]*
*
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- -------*
*
SCENE 2*
*
Venue: Sun Microsystems, SanFrancisco , California, US*
*
s/w engg 1: I'm with you man. My Visa is expected anytime. Soon I will
fly to India*
*
s/w engg 2: Ohhh.... When is the party?*
*
s/w engg 1: When I get it on hand.*
*
s/w engg 2: Where will you be working?*
*
s/w engg 1 : I'll be working in** **ambatur
s/w engg 2 : Oh! ambatur. Great yaar. where it is...*
*
s/w engg 1 : It is in chennai.*
*
s/w engg 3 : Fundoo place yaar. Nice climate Not like California.
You'll love the weather yaar. One of my friends is in coimbatore.. .
He says it's the ultimate place to live in. Cool maan.*
*
s/w engg 2 : Who is the client yaar?*
*
s/w engg 1: You know Municipal Corporation of chennai ?*
*
s/w engg 3 : One of my friends is there in
the Road Cleaning Division. Most challenging job yaar. People are
working in the cutting edge of technology there.*
*
s/w engg 1 : I'll be writing software for the accounts department of
the GCU.*
*
s/w engg 2: GCU? what it means...?*
*
s/w engg 1 : that is Garbage Collecting Unit.*
*
s/w engg 3 : : Great yaar. That's what I like about
that country. You can get a job which requires all your skill. Not like
here. See I'm writing software for the space shuttle remote control.
I hate this.*
*
s/w engg 1 : Don't worry guys. I'll give you my
Hotmail id. You can send your resume to me and I'll forward it to the HRD.*
*
[Everybody takes down his Hotmail id.]*
*
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- -------*
*
SCENE 3*
*
Venue: Intel Corp. US*
*
s/w engg 1: Great news guys. Our George has got
admission in the IGNOU with scholarship for B.A History. A
great new field yaar...*
*
All are excited...*
*
George : Got my Visa yesterday. It's all finalized now.*
*
s/w engg 2 : Congrats yaar. So you are out of this country.*
*
s/w eng g 1 : B.A in Histroy...ohh. ..man, enjoy your life there!!*
*
s/w engg 2 :Got full aid, eh?*
*
George : Yeah. Got the UGC scholarship That will be 1200 Rupees / year.*
*
s/w engg 1 : Great. Enjoy.*
*
s/w engg 2 : (Thinking loud): 1200 Indian Rupees...!
that means 1200 * 45 = 54000 Dollars... with that amount I can buy an
three bed-room flat & a Mercedes here...!!!*
*
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -*
*
SCENE 4*
*
A foreigner working in Hyderabad as Software Engg gets
a call from his Home ..*
*
Father : What are you doing son ?*
*
S/w Eng : Having breakfast ?*
*
Father : what are you eating ?*
*
S/w Eng: Coconut Sauce and Rice Bread i.e.,(Idli and
Chutney
Such things can happen if 1 rupee = 45 dollars !
Now let usrelax & view few of my shots taken in & around our Apt through the Link-
Hope you all would have got some idea about Residential Amenities available here after going through this exhaustive report. It is time for us now to relax for some time today, 4th July, the Independence of USA! I will take you all by walk, our first & foremost outing since arrival, to the nearest SPYPOND, a UNIQUE & BEAUTIFUL spot, historically connected with India centuries ago by Trade but not in this Part of Blog!
Let us INTAZAAR for next Part-7.
Since it is made PUBLIC, intimate & guide those interested in viewing the same.
Krishnan
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