I believe it was the fall of 2021. Michael Crow had just taken over as President of Arizona State University and still holds this position. The average tenure in this country for a University president is 4 years. There are very few who have survived such long tenures.

ASU’s international student services had brought in an attorney to talk to us about Optional Practical Training (OPT). I went in with the hope of learning how to obtain an internship. My goal was to do this after completing my Master’s in Mass Communication at the Walter Cronkite School.

The hall was packed brown, filled with Indians. The pungent smell of dal fry that we carry with us filled the air. Not to forget the infamous odor of Indian sweat. There were cookies, coffee, water, and soda. I am sure these perks came from the cash rich international student services office. International student visa fees would have funded the office’s existence. They also funded diplomats in several embassies, who were trained in only two things: Accept or Decline! Additionally, hefty international fees charged to foreign students were used to fund local initiatives.

I scanned the room. There she was, the young attorney from Scottsdale. She was eager to educate us about the infamous H1B. This non-immigrant work visa has worsened legal entry into this country. It is more expensive than crossing the border illegally. She began with the Optional Practical Training (OPT) and of course the H1B, an immediate cash cow for her practice.

The lawyer talked about OPT and the rules behind it. She later talked in detail about H1B, the non-immigrant visa. It serves as a path to citizenship for Indians. The dotcom bust had just happened and as a non-techie, I didn’t know if I had a chance to stay. I was doubtful. Who would want someone who knew only to write in English in a country filled with workers who all claimed to be experts in English? More about that later.

But, from one OPT to another, I finally got a job in a nonprofit in Phoenix. Its CEO took me in. My job was to convince her about H1B as she had no clue about foreign workers or the immigration process. A board member was an attorney who specialized in corporate law. The attorney vaguely suggested to her that the company sponsor me. Luckily, she welcomed me.

Her genuine generosity and kindness allowed her to let me file an H1B on my own. They also agreed to pay for it. I was thrilled because $1,000 in 2002 was an enormous amount of money. This was especially true because the nonprofit found it difficult to make payroll. The CFO always had Tums in her pocket!

Now, I had to educate them, find an attorney and get the paper work filed. So, I went to Scottsdale to meet the lawyer. I remember it was a decrepit building close to Old Town Scottsdale. It was a building like a town home. As soon as you entered, you saw a small room. You also saw a receptionist’s window. I took two buses from Tempe to Scottsdale. I dressed like an attorney. I thought that I was about to have an official high powered visit. However, the receptionist gave me a form. It took me a few minutes to fill it and she gave me a receipt for around $2500.

Looking back, I spent 5 minutes filling out the form. Generative AI would have taken two seconds. I never even saw the high powered attorney! I believe the receptionist had the role of a glorified grant writer. She would have submitted the form to the great immigration services department.

I got the attached form, the I-797C, also known as the Notice of Action that came via mail. I went to pick it up. The receptionist at the attorney’s firm said she will soon be ending her practice! I’m sure the attorney would have made north of $50,000 representing the Indians who had attended her session.

That day I learned a unique American concept called entrepreneurship.