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Edward Haryono shares his Indonesian immigrant journey — from moving to America for education to navigating the H-1B visa and green card process while building a life as an entrepreneur.

What is it like to grow up in a middle-class family in Indonesia and pursue opportunity in the United States?

In this episode, Edward Haryono shares his journey from a small-town upbringing in Indonesia to building a life and business in America. He talks about his education journey, navigating the H-1B visa and green card process, and how his parents’ support shaped his path.

Edward opens up about the cultural transition, immigration challenges, and the determination required to start over in a new country and become an entrepreneur.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro
03:25 Middle Class Family Life and Childhood in Surabaya, Indonesia
11:40 People get married early in Indonesia and India
15:33 Saving Money for Boys vs Girls in India and Indonesia
19:05 Why he decided to Move to USA for education and His American Dream
22:44 How Middle Class Parents raised and helped 6 kids to get best education abroad.
33:00 Life in Seattle as an International Student
37:51 Life in School in the USA as an International Student, community college, Masters and finding the passion
43:42 Reality of Job hunt as an International Student and Understanding Networking
49:03 H-1B Visa and Lottery Process and Challenges as an Indonesian Student
56:49 Green Card Process For Indonesian Immigrants
59:28 Why Quite Amazon job and Start business
01:04:03 Advice to International students coming to the USA

Have a story to share? Email us at yourstory.oie@gmail.com

About International Student Experience:

Welcome to International Student Experience, the essential podcast for international students navigating life, study, and careers in the USA. We share authentic stories and practical advice to help you thrive. Each episode provides a guide to the biggest challenges of studying in America, with expert advice on everything from the F-1 visa, OPT, and H-1B to overcoming culture shock and building your community.

SUBSCRIBE to International Student Experience for more stories and guides! https://www.youtube.com/@UCixFl0MqYWyoAjtF4QPx-pQ

Apple Podcast Channel - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-student-experience/id1848975904

Spotify Channel - https://open.spotify.com/show/5yV9JNNRRF4fBvKw5QETNC?si=e6aec8e007664df8

iHeartRadio Channel -
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1333-international-student-exp-302843551/

Support the show

Join us every Sunday for new episodes at 8 AM (PST).

Send us a text

Indian engineers follow every rule — come legally, pay taxes, build careers — yet many are stuck for decades in the green card backlog.
This episode tells the human story behind that broken system.

In this episode of International Student Experience, host Harshrajsinh Gohil sits down with Tushar Chadha, an international student from Delhi, India, who moved to the United States in 2008 to pursue his dream of becoming an engineer and scientist.

Tushar shares his full journey — from growing up in India, navigating the intense engineering admission process, and the mistakes he made early on, to his life-changing decision to come to Chicago, USA for his master’s degree.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro
03:21 Growing up in Delhi, India and Childhood memories
11:04 Engineering entrance exams, IIT dream, mistakes as a first engineer in family, decision to move to USA
20:04 Move to Chicago, USA, Life as an International Student and living in Dorm
33:19 Getting first Job, CPT and Importance of making genuine connections and advice on how to do networking
40:09 H-1B visa process and Green card process that is going on since last 12 years. how it affects people.
01:01:48 Losing father, regrets and how important father is.
01:09:00 Advice to upcoming engineering students to the USA

He opens up about:
• Growing up in India and dreaming of becoming a scientist
• The realities of engineering admissions and early career decisions
• Why he chose the U.S. for higher education
• Life in American dorms and building friendships with other international students
• How networking genuinely works — and how real human connections shape careers
• Landing his first job in the U.S. and navigating the H-1B visa process
• The importance of mentorship, relationships, and community

Tushar also speaks candidly about his green card journey — a process he has been stuck in for over 12 years, despite coming legally, following every rule, and contributing professionally and financially. He describes the emotional toll, uncertainty, and frustration of living in limbo within a system that often feels deeply unfair to skilled Indian engineers.

In a deeply personal moment, Tushar and Harshrajsinh talk about their fathers — both of whom they lost — reflecting on how important their fathers were in shaping their lives, the regrets of living abroad while parents remained in India, and the emotional weight many immigrants silently carry.

The episode closes with Tushar offering honest advice to engineering students and international students who are considering coming to the United States — what to do, what to avoid, and what truly matters beyond degrees and visas.

This conversation is for:
• Indian engineers
• H-1B visa holders
• International students
• Families of immigrants
• Anyone who wants to understand the real cost of the American dream

🎧 If you’re navigating F-1, H-1B, or the green card process — this episode will resonate deeply.

This episode reflects personal experiences and opinions and is not legal advice.

Article Links -
https://www.boundless.com/blog/indians-face-134-year-wait-employment-based-green-card

https://www.business-standard.com/finance/personal-finance/100-yr-green-card-wait-indian-american-techie-warns-students-job-seekers-124081500177_1.html

Support the show

Join us every Sunday for new episodes at 8 AM (PST).

Send us a text

A quiet, honest conversation about two international students who find love, identity, and independence while studying film in LA — without trying to label or justify their choices.

时间轴 (Time Axis / Timestamps)

00:00 开场简介 (Intro)
02:10 中国的生活经历 (Life in China)
04:45 为什么中国学生选择留美 (Why Chinese students come to USA)
07:44 两位中国留学生如何在美相遇并结婚 (How two Chinese students met and got married in the USA)
16:33 两位已婚双性恋留学生对国内同性婚姻非法化的看法 (The perspectives of two married bisexual students from China on the illegality of same-sex marriage in their country)
17:14 作为一个双性恋者在中国成长、出柜及家人的反应 (Growing up in China as a bisexual person, coming out and how family reacted)
21:47 LGBTQ+ 社群、文化与身份认同：美国 vs 中国 (LGBTQ+ Community, Culture and Identity: USA vs China)
25:09 如果回国生活，他们将如何面对未来 (How will they live if they move back to China)
26:04 “骄傲运动”在美国与中国的对比 (Pride movement in USA vs China)
30:00 当你想到“家”这个词，你会想到什么？ (What do you see when you think of the word Home?)

Have a story to share? Email us at yourstory.oie@gmail.com

About International Student Experience:

Welcome to International Student Experience, the essential podcast for international students navigating life, study, and careers in the USA. We share authentic stories and practical advice to help you thrive. Each episode provides a guide to the biggest challenges of studying in America, with expert advice on everything from the F-1 visa, OPT, and H-1B to overcoming culture shock and building your community.

SUBSCRIBE to International Student Experience for more stories and guides! https://www.youtube.com/@UCixFl0MqYWyoAjtF4QPx-pQ

Apple Podcast Channel - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-student-experience/id1848975904

Spotify Channel - https://open.spotify.com/show/5yV9JNNRRF4fBvKw5QETNC?si=e6aec8e007664df8

iHeartRadio Channel -
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1333-international-student-exp-302843551/

#留学生 #中国留学生 #海外生活 #洛杉矶 #爱与身份 #中文播客 #留学美国

Support the show

Join us every Sunday for new episodes at 8 AM (PST).