Navigating pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum in the USA

Date: Dec 30, 2025

I'm sharing this post about my experiences during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum, at the 15-month postpartum mark. My experiences might be similar to and still very different compared to most non-US nationals staying in the US currently. 

My husband and I managed to welcome our baby girl into this world and raise her for 10.5 months ourselves without our family, aka 'village' in the US. Only two family members from India could visit the US after our daughter turned 10.5 months old. This year has been the most challenging in my life. When I think about this past year, what stands out isn’t just the challenges, but also the strength that came from them.

My husband and I already knew that we would have to manage everything, including self-care and child care, ourselves when we found out about the pregnancy. We had accepted the fact that our family would not be able to visit us during the crucial early postpartum period. We took all the prenatal education classes offered by the healthcare provider and the free online resources. I was fortunate that I had a health insurance plan through my employer in the US. My prenatal and postnatal visits were covered up to approximately 75% cost under my health insurance plan. I still had to pay USD 4000+ out-of-pocket since healthcare is very expensive in the US.

Our primary focus was to develop our physical and mental strength throughout this journey. The healthcare providers were very helpful in answering any questions throughout my 9 months of pregnancy and have been useful while raising our daughter in 15+ months. Since she is our first child, there were a lot of new lessons learned. We also hired an elderly lady to cook traditional Indian meals for us in the first two months postpartum and enrolled our daughter in daycare after her 9-month anniversary. It really helped with the work-life balance! My husband and I both have full-time jobs with hybrid work schedule. Apparently, there is a year-long wait time at most of the good daycares, which is why parents should register their future child during pregnancy itself. We weren’t aware of this fact. Childcare is very expensive in the US. The daycare costs are approximately 25K-30K USD annually. Parents can enroll their infants starting 6 weeks of age. We couldn't trust any stranger to be a nanny for our newborn infant either. Most of the people had discouraged us in this journey, stating that it is impossible to manage the postpartum period ourselves. My mother and father always encouraged us and provided positive support. Honestly, we did everything that was needed to get through ourselves, and we survived!

I will go into more details in the following stories.

My pregnancy:

I had a very smooth pregnancy. I had nausea in the first semester only, which caused a lot of fatigue and skipping of meals. I had increasing body pain (back and pelvic), Braxton Hicks contractions, heartburn and fatigue towards the end of the third semester. I followed all the online physical and mental therapy exercises throughout my pregnancy. I had routine medical exams and ultrasound appointments with my healthcare provider.

My childbirth story: 

I delivered my baby girl vaginally on D day (39 weeks+4 days of prenatal duration). I had intense pelvic pressure and lower back pain on (D-2) evening. I was admitted to the hospital with a lost mucus plug  and 0% dilation at 6 am on (D-1) day; My low BP was dropping my daughter's heart rate. My BP and fetal heart rate were being monitored continuously. I was recommended bed rest, being attached to IV and no movement out of the bed. I was allowed to do some birth preparation exercises on their birth ball for around half an hour to increase dilation and progress my labor. The doctors and nurses monitored me for around 20 hours of labor before delivery to avoid performing a C-section surgery. They didn't let me have heavy meals and water, either. The doctors started Cervidil at 2 pm for slower induction; I dilated up to 5 cm and -2 station with Cervidil in less than 12 hours; I had regular contractions building in strength and closeness towards evening so chose to take an epidural. Doctors removed cervidil around 11.30 pm on (D-1) day.  I was lying on a peanut ball for around half an hour after 1 am on D day. I reached the +2 station quickly. I pushed my baby out for less than half an hour. Fortunately, I had a first-degree perineal tear only. There was only my husband present with me for all the 3 days of my stay at the hospital. I had a medicated childbirth fortunately. I'm amazed by mommies who chose to do unmedicated childbirth.

My lactation story:

I had difficulties while breastfeeding my daughter on day 3 of postpartum, after getting discharged from the hospital; I ordered a manual breast pump since I couldn't use an electric breast pump due to the large 24 mm flange size and limited knowledge of lactation and pumping. I visited a lactation specialist to learn more about lactation and feed my daughter properly for her normal growth and development. I learned that mothers don't need a smaller flange size because the default size of breast pumps has always been 24 mm since the beginning of the production and use of breast pumps. The breast pump manufacturers need more revenue against the competitors, so they design more complex shapes and patterns. My husband would bottle-feed our baby girl when I would be at my workplace or running errands. I also successfully nursed my baby girl for 14 months continuously and weaned in the 15th month. :) We also introduced formula in bottles and mixed with Cerelac+fruit/vegetable purees to increase her weight after she turned 5 months old. 

My postpartum story:

My body went through major postpartum symptoms such as stomach cramps, bleeding (lochia), soreness, backache, neck and pelvic pain, hair loss etc., throughout the first 6 weeks and I still cared for our baby with my husband as the only in-person support. Fortunately, we had hired help in cooking meals. I was recovering well and I returned to working at my full-time job after 8 weeks of maternity leave. Unfortunately, I lost my mother after 3 months of postpartum due to blood cancer (multiple myeloma) and I haven't been able to meet her, my father and sibling since Dec 2022. My postpartum was definitely more painful than my pregnancy and childbirth. I'm grateful that I could take a total of 14 intermittent weeks of maternity leave through my employer and my husband could take 8 intermittent weeks of paternity leave through his employer in this postpartum. 

2025 tested me more than any year of my life and changed everything. My priorities, my strength, and how deeply I value time, health, and family. 

I learned important life lessons. Here are my tips to other pregnant/postpartum mothers and fathers:

• People will provide countless pieces of advice, but you do what's best for you in your circumstances. 
• Traditional pregnancy/postpartum advice is only helpful to certain limits. For example, pregnant women should not stop exercising or weight-lifting entirely during pregnancy. They should continue most of the physical and mental exercises which they used to follow during the pre-pregnancy duration after consultation with professional doctors/gynaecologist/physical therapists.
• You and your spouse/partner should decide your childbirth plan and not be pressurized by other family members or healthcare providers. There's no shame/judgement/criticism or disadvantage if you choose to do unmedicated or medicated childbirth or had elective or emergency C-section surgery.
• No one should expect you to return to pre-pregnancy weight immediately within 1 year of the postpartum period or shame you ever. Baby blues and depression are really very serious symptoms. You should do everything possible to preserve your mental sanity.
• You should do everything possible to have a smooth pregnancy and postpartum, but things always go out of control, and you should never be blamed/judged or feel guilty/shame for anything.
• It's also great to have good friends and extended family who you can really share your raw emotions with.

In this age of the internet, it is very easy to find great helpful resources for pregnancy and postpartum support. I found the following useful resources from my healthcare providers and my personal research:

• Breastfeeding -- https://med.stanford.edu/newborns/professional-education/breastfeeding.html; firstdroplets.com/?sfns=mo ; 
• Physical therapy (pregnancy, birth and postpartum) -- https://mamastefit.com/; https://www.ayeshabhonsle.com/;  https://www.nurturebynaps.com/; https://yourbabyacademy.com/

Fall in love with the Rockies

We planned a 3-day trip to Denver, Colorado late September 2022. Colorado observes Mountain Standard Time (MST) with Daylight Saving Time (DST). Denver, also known as the Mile High City, Queen City of the Plains, is the capital and most populous city of the US state of Colorado. Denver features a semi-arid climate and is subject to sudden changes in weather. The weather was pleasant and chilly. Wonderful golden, orange, and red colors were starting to show up.

I took a break in my travels past 3 years due to COVID-19. I have not even seen my family for the past 4 years. Especially, in the summer of 2022, airline cancellations and delays were skyrocketing, along with fuel costs. The fuel cost had reached 5 USD/gallon in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Inflation has reached its highest point since 1981. But travel is unavoidable in case of personal and work reasons. Here are a few tips to save money on your trip.

We flew to Denver from Cincinnati in 3 hours and tickets cost approx. 600 USD for a couple. We could have driven all the way (~1200 miles) but that would take us additional 2 days (including breaks+1-night halt) on a one-way road trip to Denver. We rented an AWD car for approx. 400 USD, based on my past driving experience in mountainous terrain. We stayed in a hotel in Denver which cost approx. 300 USD (including breakfast) since it was a quick getaway trip. It is possible to reserve a hotel room in advance. We typically compare the costs of staying in an Airbnb and a hotel. An advantage of having a kitchen in the Airbnb is cooking meals and reducing food expenses for a longer stay.

There were three main places on our itinerary - Rocky Mountain National Park (#RMNP), Denver,  and Boulder. We visited a park in Denver area on the first day and drove around the University of Colorado, Boulder campus on the 2nd day. The beautiful campus is very close to the Rockies. Boulder is known for its outdoor activities and vibrant downtown. I recommend the CAVA restaurant in Boulder downtown, where we stopped for lunch on the way to RMNP.  

Late September and early October are magical times to visit RMNP. The Rockies get three million annual visitors. I didn't know about the RMNP's timed entry permit system. We drove to RMNP from Denver on 2nd day but weren't allowed entry since tourists take the permits online earlier than noon or previous month. Then we just took a scenic drive and returned to Denver downtown in the evening.  

Scenic drive from RMNP to Denver

On the last day of the trip, we reached the gate around 3 pm since we didn't require timed entry permits after 3 pm. Luckily, we didn't need to buy tickets for admission since it was National Public Lands Day (#NPLD).

Scenic view from one of the pullouts on Trail Ridge road

Use the visitor's shuttle only if the parking is full for any tourist spots such as Bear lake. Check the weather online and on the park website for general daily updates. Know before you plan the trip to the Rockies. A popular route-Trail Ridge road is closed to through traffic for the winter season. Trail Ridge road covers the 48 miles between Estes Park on the east and Grand Lake on the park's west side. It is fascinating to observe the changes en route.

Scenic drive on the curvy Trail Ridge road, closer to highest elevation point - Alpine visitor center

Scenic drive on Trail Ridge road

The Alpine visitor center is the highest elevation visitor center in the National Park System at 11,796'. It closed after 4.30 pm. We could have made it earlier to the visitor center had we not stopped to click pictures at every scenic pullout. Then we took a U-turn to go back to see Bear lake. Bear lake road was open to visitors after 6 pm. We made it in time on Bear lake road and reached Bear lake just before sunset. It was perfect timing. It was amazing to see the reflections in the lake! 

Bear lake

RMNP is one of the country's top wildlife-watching destinations. We saw a few elk in RMNP. Usually, everyone can see them in the meadows.

Elk at RMNP

We would love to visit again and probably camp at RMNP next time. I recommend planning a trip in the fall of next year!

Arizona trip: an unexpected journey

After a much-needed long break, I am back to writing about my travel experiences. I had planned a trip to Arizona with 12 people during Christmas week a year ago. In November, we discussed a general itinerary including Grand Canyon national park (GCNP), Horseshoe Bend, and Phoenix. It was the first time I saw a cactus-filled landscape and experienced a desert climate. The southwestern region of the US is entirely different than the midwestern region I have lived. Interestingly almost all of Arizona follows Mountain Standard Time without Daylight Saving Time (DST), while Ohio observed DST with Eastern Standard Time. Time change affects physical health adversely, though it was only 2 hours difference.

We found temporary accommodation (Airbnb) for 5 day-stay in Phoenix since it was more expensive and harder to find a place for a larger group in the area of Flagstaff during the winter holiday season. It cost approximately 40$ per person and per night for all 12 people. Two of us flew from Cincinnati to Vegas, since it was cheaper than Cincinnati to Phoenix. Flight tickets cost approximately 1000$ for a couple. Then I rented a car (approx. 1000$) for all 7 days and drove to Phoenix from Vegas. We could have driven all the way (~1800 miles) but that would require additional 2 days of a one-way road trip. It would be easier if more than 2 people were driving from Cincinnati to Phoenix. Others in the group drove from neighboring states to Phoenix directly. The weather in Phoenix is dry and hot. It is more pleasant during fall and spring than winter and summer.

View on the drive from Vegas to Phoenix

Initially, I had planned to visit GCNP in the first 5 days, but it got pushed to 6th day. While staying in Phoenix for the first 5 days, we went on impromptu one-day hikes to Camelback mountain and Tonto national forest. I enjoyed Indian food at 'The Dhaba' and 'Delhi Palace Cuisine of India' restaurants. To reduce the food expenses by eating out in restaurants everyday, we would prepare food at Airbnb place. Given the host provided kitchenware, we shopped at local grocery stores and few people in our group who drove all the way bought some groceries from their home. 

Camelback mountain hike is among the difficult level hikes, with an elevation of 2,704 feet. There are 2 hiking trails, Echo canyon (steeper) and Cholla (longer). It is allowed to park for both trails from sunrise to sunset only, so plan accordingly. Bring proper hiking gear and sufficient water. I recommend not hiking during summers since temperatures are higher (above 100 deg.F). 

Scenic view from Camelback mountain, Phoenix, AZ

We drove to Tuscon for a day, and visited Saguaro national park and Pima air & space museum. You can find the country's largest cacti in Tuscon. I liked the ice cream that we had at the Screamery, on our drive back to Phoenix.

Saguaro National Park

Sedona

I didn't get a chance to visit GCNP since there was a snowstorm on the planned day of the visit. The park was closed to visitors in the morning but only opened for some time in the afternoon. During winter, only South Rim is open to visitors, which further restricts the driving routes. Instead, we visited Sedona in the morning. I liked the red rock scenic views and it was a pleasant drive. We had booked a 2-day stay in Page, AZ. We didn't know at the time of booking a hotel, that it is dangerous to be driving on the road from Flagstaff to Page after sunset. On the way, there are roughly 4 gas stations and it is sparsely populated and unlit due to the mountainous terrain. I had rented an FWD car which was not suitable for the terrain, especially driving after sunset. I was extremely disappointed after flying so far from Cincinnati and planning a week's stay in AZ. Hence, after Sedona, we headed to Page, AZ same afternoon for the last 2-day stay of the trip. 

Driving from Flagstaff to Page

View of GCNP region on the way from Flagstaff to Page, when we were approaching Page and farther from GCNP

We visited Horseshoe Bend which was a beautiful place. I loved it! Page is a small town known for Horseshoe Bend, Antelope canyon, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument and lake Powell. Since we were in Page on 31st Dec and 1st Jan, the tours for Antelope canyon and Vermilion Cliffs National Monument were booked. It is recommended to reserve spots much earlier for the holiday season. The hotel room prices are a lot cheaper in Page in winter, compared to summer holiday season. It costed approximately 60$ per room and per night for a couple. I recommend the 'El Tapatio' restaurant in Page. We drove back in our rental car to Vegas from Page on the last day of the trip (1st Jan) and then flew back to Cincinnati.

Horseshoe Bend

Lake Powell

While the trip didn't go as per the original plan, I was glad we were away from Cincinnati and met my close friend in Phoenix during the Christmas week of 2021. I recommend staying in Flagstaff and Page if your itinerary includes GCNP, Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, and lake Powell. Always check the weather before you make plans and be prepared for sudden changes in the winter season. It rained almost all the time during our Phoenix stay. Reserve the tours and book permits/tickets ahead of time. Preferably drive an AWD vehicle in such terrains and plan a visit during the fall or spring.

Drive from Page, AZ to Las Vegas, NV

Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio

My second drive in the US, back in summer 2018! It's one of the perfect one-day hiking trips in Ohio. It was about a 1.5-hour drive from Cincinnati, OH. Here are a few photographs I clicked:

Whispering Falls

There are various waterfalls such as Cedar Falls and  Whispering Falls. We covered a lot of terrain in the Hocking Hills. One of the trails was the Hemlock Bridge Trail to Whispering Cave Trail Head. There are visitor parking lots at different locations in the park to start hiking.

California! Such a lovely place!

 I remember the song by Eagles whenever I mention California -- "Welcome to the Hotel California.. Such a lovely place!" It's indeed a lovely place! 💗

I visited Berkeley, San Francisco 2 years ago and drove by Pacific Highway CA-1? The past 2 years have been pretty much spent staying at home and hiking in local spots around Cincinnati. I reminisce about the happy times I had with my friends visiting California! I wish I could go there this time of the year again. 

The main attraction in California is the Golden Gate bridge. There are multiple spots such as Baker beach for different views of the bridge. 

Golden Gate Bridge

View of Golden Gate bridge from Baker beach

We also visited Lombard Street, Ghirardelli Square, Pier 39. While driving in town, we passed by the SF-Oakland Bay Bridge, Transamerica Pyramid.

Lombard street

We had around 3 full days to explore Berkeley and San Francisco area. So we selected a few places beforehand and came up with new ones as time permitted. We also visited the University of California, Berkeley. It has a beautiful and serene environment. There are also local hiking and picnic spots in Berkeley such as Tilden regional park.

UC-Berkeley campus

The Campanile, UC-Berkeley

Tilden regional park, Berkeley

Pacific coast highway (CA-1) stretches along the coast and it provides mesmerizing scenery as one drives. 

Somewhere along CA-1 Pacifica highway

We got to visit Stanford university just before leaving for SFO airport. It's the most beautiful campus in the U.S. I have been to date.

Stanford University campus

Stanford University campus

I would like to visit other places in California state. Next on my to-do list are Yosemite national park, Sequoia national forest, Muir Woods, Napa.

Cincy - mo about the Queen city!

Beautiful Cincinnati!! :)

Cincinnati skyline!

Cincinnati, Ohio is home to numerous structures that are noteworthy due to their architectural characteristics or historic associations. Starting with the amazing Cincinnati riverfront skyline, which provides the awesome view of the whole city! On the other side of the Ohio river, is the famous Newport on the Levee, the great entertainment center.

Christmas at Newport on the Levee!!

Newport Aquarium

Newport on the Levee

Newport Aquarium

Newport on the Levee is located across the downtown Cincinnati on the banks of Ohio river, in Newport, Kentucky. It's a cool place for hangout and viewing the Cincinnati skyline. University students can go there via University shuttle and back to campus during weekends. It has an awesome AMC movie theater, Barnes & Noble, Cold Stone Creamery, Brio Tuscan Grille,  Brothers Bar & Grill and famous award-winning Newport Aquarium!

Fountain square is an popular attraction in Downtown. You will find everything here.. Live music, delicious food, parties etc.. There are many free events which you can find out online..including Trivia Night (Mondays), Fall Music Series (Weekends in September), Ice Rink (open 7 days a week in Nov-Feb), World Fare (Wednesdays) and many more. The famous Graeter's is also located nearby :). Awesome spot for chilling literally!

Cincinnati Downtown

Cincinnati Connector

The Cincinnati Bell Connector, previously known as the Cincinnati Streetcar, is a streetcar system in Cincinnati. It had recently opened when I moved to Cincinnati and I got to ride in the fancy streetcar. Though it connects Cincinnati's riverfront at The Banks, Downtown and Over-the-Rhine only. It would be awesome to have the loop extended.

Operating since 1855, Findlay Market is not just another historic monument. It is very colorful and vibrant public space. There is live music and numerous activities each year,

John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge

Cool kids having fun!

John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge is the innovative 19th-century landmark linking Kentucky & Ohio is decked with flags & cable lighting. It officially opened in 1867 and is an engineering marvel. The bridge looks so pretty when its lit! Its 1,057-foot span made it the longest suspension bridge in the world, a record it retained until 1883 when Roebling’s most famous project, the Brooklyn Bridge opened. Be sure you walk/ride the bike across the bridge along the Ohio river trail to get a closer look.

The famous Oktoberfest Zinzinnati happens every year and is America's largest one! It attracts more than 500,000 people every year. I haven't clicked any Oktoberfest images yet, but surely will update it later.

One of the drawbacks is that affordable and safer public transportation for traveling long distances in the MidWest region of the US is the hardest to find. You need to be able to drive atleast a rental/personal car to go for groceries or work or traveling for pleasure. If you are a student staying near University campus, it is possible to go around town via shuttles, but it gets worse if you are working for an internship or a full-time job and you have to travel frequently to the workplace via shared rides or your car. Though Cincinnati has an Amtrak station, the rates are almost the same as a flight ticket and might be expensive. Surprisingly, I have found affordable train tickets and public transportation (buses) in places near the West Coast of the USA.

Decision-Making (Study in the States!)

Study in the US:

Update: August 19, 2022

Please follow the following official website: Your Guide to studying in the U.S.

Please visit my website for knowing more about my research and work experience.

Read about the current situation (say, pandemic) in any country you want to pursue higher education or job opportunities and if it's worth taking the risk. Refer to official websites about the information: CDC, WHO. 

Here's an interesting read about U.S. work visas for international students.

Decision for pursuing MS/PhD in US:

- Consider your short- and long-term goals before finalizing the decision to travel abroad and pursue degree program.
- The future goals will involve your perspective on professional and personal life.
- Family as well as financial support is important. You no longer stay with your parents or family in a new country. You might not get a chance to meet them for a period of 1 year or more, since you will focus on your studies/research/internship or RA/TA commitments. You might be lucky to get atleast a month vacation to travel to home and back. You have to take decisions on your own, while living in a new country.
- For getting admit in top-rank US school, you need

• an impressive academic background -- GPA (more than 3.0/4.0) + research publications help a lot; 
• work-experience -- atleast 1-2 years, can or cannot be related to the academic program you are applying to;
• GRE -- more than 320/340, specifically Analytical writing (AW) score more than 4.0/6.0;
• TOEFL -- more than 100/120, specifically Speaking section (> 20/25). Alternatively, choose IELTS depending on University/Department requirements;
• Statement of Purpose (SOP) -- good writing skills directed to the research you intend to work on, also specifying the Professor/research laboratory you are interested to work with. Contact Professors before applying, in order to check if you have a chance in getting admit and if it's worthwhile submitting the application;
• Letter of Recommendation (LOR) -- contact Professors in your previously attended University and/or industrial contacts who know you well and can write really good recommendation for you; give them enough time before the deadline.
• Depending on availability of the positions and your skills, you might get a Research/Teaching Assistantship or both (funding your academic program (tuition+health insurance+other education costs) + biweekly stipend). Apply before deadline to get the opportunity.
• You might NOT need ALL of the above documents/paper work for application. Under special circumstances, you can be waived of GRE or TOEFL/IELTS scores or any other documents submission. Check the application requirements which are different for every University/Department/Major.

- Keep in mind, 2 ambitious + 2 expected + 2 average University/Department/Major choices. Your choice of Major (Specialization for Degree Program) can change with respect to your previous education or work experience. Your SOP will explain your goals in research and professional life.

- Some Career Counseling services (back home) might not be helpful AT ALL! They don't show you a complete picture. It is better not to rely entirely on these money-making services. So collect as much information as you can get online yourself and by talking to neighbors/college-mates having similar interests as you. In the end, YOU are the one pursuing your life goals. No one can spoon-feed/push you.  "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch!"

- In case you don't have a prior research experience as Bachelors/UnderGraduate student, NEVER apply to PhD position directly. First, apply to MS with thesis option if you are really interested in pursuing research opportunities or else MS with Capstone project/internship option with more coursework. Second, if you really like the MS with thesis option, working with a particular Faculty/Department/University/Country, only then you go ahead for applying for PhD positions. This gives you ample time to think about your career goals and make decisions if you are not satisfied with the choices that you made. MS with thesis option needs 2-3 year commitment, MS with Capstone project/internship option needs 1.5-2 year commitment and PhD option needs 4-6 year commitment.

- The most common misconception is that PhDs stay in academia; read this post about PhDs transitioning to non-academic careers.

- Apply for internships (industry or national lab) during summer and/or fall/spring semester after finishing 1st year of full-time coursework. This will be useful in gaining work experience in US and possibly extending to a full-time job further.

- Ph.D. and M.S. (with thesis option) students need additional efforts compared to M.S. (without thesis option) if they intend to graduate within the limited 2 or 4 years respectively. Since this stated period involves:

 1) satisfying coursework requirements, 

 2) research work and required publications (keep in touch with your advisor regularly and discuss your weekly research updates and graduation requirements), 

 3) RA/TA work which is not included in your thesis (most circumstances unless you are funded by your advisor or external collaborator directly for your thesis work),

 4) writing thesis (don't assume that this is the easiest part because you need to write and get it approved by defense committee),

 5) job search as you get closer to graduation (since F1 VISA provides only 3 months of unemployment at the beginning of OPT period after your graduation, it is impossible to find a job, give interviews and get an offer within such a limited time),

 6) Assume that you will rarely get a month vacation to travel to home or any other place you would like since you cannot afford to spend an additional period for your graduation. You will be on a tight schedule.

 7) Lastly, during a full-time job in the industry after you graduate with M.S., you earn at least 3-5 times the amount of stipend received during a Ph.D. program. While the commitment to both the career paths need at least 40 hours per week, you have to decide your priorities. 

- Contact the previous/current students helps to get to know the REAL situation. Better be early to change the decision (of a particular Faculty/Department/University/Country)!

- Keep in touch with current situation of a particular Faculty/Department/University/Country where you intend to apply and make the final decision considering all the factors. The situation can NEVER be the same after you arrive, but you need to be aware of all the factors before you move in to the new place. ALWAYS have backup plans.

Following examples are based on my experiences during my stay in US. This might not happen to everyone but you need to be flexible in making decisions under these unforeseen circumstances. 

- Example 1: immigration policy for students or post-doctoral scholars can affect the length of your stay, funding opportunities, job-search (after graduation or end of post-doctoral contract).

- Example 2: A faculty that you chose to work with, during graduate studies or post-doctoral work can have limited/no funds for your research from their side. You might have to work as Teaching Assistant/Instructors or with external collaborators alternatively. 

- Example 3: After you arrive and start your graduate studies, the faculty can choose to move to another university/industry/national lab or take a sabbatical temporarily (0.5 to 1 year) or permanently. Accordingly, you have to move along with them or choose a new advisor or wait till they come back to the same University that you are studying at.

- Example 4:  NOT all MS or PhD students have guaranteed funding (GA/RA/TA/fellowship/scholarship) throughout their graduate studies. Hence, don't commit yourself unless you have a written offer regarding funding. Until you finish your coursework, you need to be on Full course load per semester (which needs funding for atleast 1-2 years). Don't assume that you can cover all expenses (living, tuition, health insurance) with your 20-hour part-time job. You need to apply for a scholarship/fellowship award and RA/TA to cover for your tuition and receive biweekly stipend, if you don't intend to apply for an education loan. After you finish your coursework requirements for a MS with thesis/ PhD degree, you can switch to reduced course load (1 credit-hour per semester) in case you no longer receive any funding.

Research topics:
- Selection of academic faculty and approval for their guidance is important while selecting research topics.
- Availability of the Faculty is important for guiding your research topic in case you are stuck or taking longer to accomplish the planned goals. A good faculty will ensure that you are on the right path and give you suggestions by considering your input too.
- Take significant amount of time to read along the past papers, current research and future scope for the particular selected topic.
- Might also need to consider financial support if you will be working in collaboration with industry or other research laboratories in your/other academic universities.
- Selected research topic for your graduate studies may/may not be aligned with the research projects which are funding your academic degree program.
- Funds for a particular research project/degree program can never last longer. There are always issues and/or delays. Don't be dependent on such projects/departmental funds if there's a chance of changing the research topic/track of your degree program suddenly after a certain amount of time.

Publications:
- Important for going ahead with any future plans (post-doc, academics ).
- First-author papers are indicative of your major contributions in your research work.
- Depending on a particular research lab/faculty, publications can be based on solo research work and/or collaborative research work.

I found the following link really useful to read before you go ahead for PhD applications. The guide is more oriented towards CS PhD but it covers most of the generic points for any major.

Also, visit the following link for general advice to graduate students and young scholars on how to navigate the world of academia.

The Great Smoky Mountains, Tenessee

My first long drive in the United States! It was a scenic drive in Spring! Smokies is a must visit during Fall, when you can see multi-colored leaves.

Smokies - Scenic beauty

Gatlinburg downtown

We visited Gatlinburg and happened to stay right in the downtown. Didn't have to drive to get to the trails. Also, the area is covered with tourists all-year round except winter. We hiked on two trails and  one of them included a waterfall! There are lot of things to do in downtown (Skylift Park, Mountain Coaster etc) but you need a plan to cover most of the stuff in optimal amount of time (also including the wait-time for the rides+traffic). If you are a nature lover, the top priority is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! The park is super clean and serene; has lot of visitor/information centers, stores; the trails are provided with good maps/directions.

Gatlinburg downtown

Stream along one of the Gatlinburg trails

Sugarlands Vistor Center (museum) in Gatlinburg

Rangers at Sugarlands Visitor Center were very helpful in giving optimal directions and provided park maps; the Center had a museum, a bookstore and also offered an informative 20-minute film.

We drove to Cherokee later via Newfound Gap. We hiked to observation tower on the highest peak in the Smokies - Clingmans Dome. Along the paved trail until you reach the top, the scenery is breathtaking!

Information about Clingmans Dome

4th of July fireworks in Knoxvlle, Tenessee

Second time when we visited Smokies was during 4th of July long weekend. Specially went to see the mesmerizing Ruby falls in Chattanooga, Tenessee. In fact, it was supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!! :) One of my dear friends gave the awesome suggestion. It's a must visit in off-season to escape holidays rush. The observation tower at Ruby Falls provides an astounding panaromic view. It's an 145-foot tall underground waterfall inside a limestone cavern in Lookout Mountain; has well-planned lit route inside the cave leading up to the waterfall and back. There are guided tours for various activities and the guides are super-amusing and informative.

Panaromic view from Ruby Falls, Lookout Mountain

Ruby Falls, Chattanooga, Tenessee

Downtown Chattanooga is also serene town set along the Tenessee river; had awesome eateries. It is popular for trolley-like Incline Railway scaling steep Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls waterfall and Rock City, featuring sweeping views, sandstone formations and gardens. Provided you have a whole day, you might be able to cover these prime sites in Chattanooga. We also covered few trails in Gatlinburg and also happened to see a bear family (mamma + 3 cubs)!

Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are most-visited towns in Smokies; both have awesome restaurants with variety of cuisines and well-planned accessible roads.

Ruby Falls, underground waterfall

Stalactites and stalagmites, underground cave tour, Ruby Falls

Stay tuned for more updates on other places visited in US during past 2.5 years..