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What’s the best way to send cash gifts to folks in India? It’s to someone without UPI or a bank account.

Amount is fairly small (under 5000 rupees)

Anyone have recommendations of services for ordering cakes/gifts to folks in India (specifically BLR )?

Is it easy to be a vegan or vegetarian at RICE?

I have heard from a few that students at RICE are happy. What makes them happy?

Is there truth to this? Or is it mostly marketing?

I have heard from a few that students at RICE are happy. What makes them happy?

Is there truth to this? Or is it mostly marketing?

I am exploring the ED option for one of Rice/CMU/Cornell/Duke. Others that I am looking at include Harvey Mudd or Vanderbil ou UMich.

I grew up on the west coast in a suburb. Went to smaller charter schools all my life.

Looking for a school with a balance of academics & reasonable campus life with safety. Option to change majors relatively easily is preferred.

Job opportunities & alumni network are important to me. Not really into parties or such.

Clean & good dorm buildings; Plenty of vegan food choices wood be great

What should be my top ED options to consider?

EDIT: I am a domestic student that won’t qualify for need-based aid.

What are thoughts on computer science as a major? With the advancement in AI… Does it still make sense to pursue it?

I am looking for local places to play chess.
Any recommendations?

I’ve seen multiple posts on this sub from folks looking to make new connections & friends. I’ve been in the Seattle area for many years and have made a lot of friends over that time, so I thought I’d share a few things that have worked for me.

• Find people through shared interests. I think shared experiences are probably one of the easiest ways to build friendships. If you enjoy hiking, for example, pick a trail and a day and see if others want to join. There are also plenty of hiking groups and clubs. Same goes for sports, board games, photography, cooking, music, etc. You already have something in common, which makes it much easier to start a conversation.
• Volunteer. Find a local nonprofit or cause that you're interested in and get involved. There are lots of Indian and non-Indian nonprofits around the Seattle area that are looking for volunteers. You get to do something meaningful while meeting people who may have similar interests. For my family - this has been a huge source of connections.
• Don't overlook WhatsApp and Facebook groups. Within the Indian community, there are tons of groups based on different interests and backgrounds — people from a particular state or city, university alumni groups, professional groups, parents' groups, cultural groups, and so on. Some of these can be great places to meet people who already have something in common with you.
• If you're posting on this sub looking to meet people, be specific. Instead of just saying "looking for friends," mention some of your interests, hobbies, age range, general area, or what you'd like to do. Something like "I'm on the Eastside, enjoy hiking and trying new restaurants, and would love to find people who are interested in doing either" gives others an easy way to reach out. Even better - something like "I want to go restaurant hopping on this Saturday . A couple of restaurants that I am thinking of are in Capitol Hill. But, I'm open to other options"
• Be respectful and stay safe. Not every connection will turn into a friendship, and that's perfectly okay. Be respectful of people's boundaries, time, and comfort level. If you're meeting someone you connected with online for the first time, consider meeting in a public place and letting a friend or family member know where you're going. Trust your instincts — if something doesn't feel right, it's okay to step away.

I think the biggest thing is just putting yourself out there. Friendships often happen naturally when you regularly see the same people while doing something you enjoy. It may take a few attempts, but don't get discouraged if the first meetup doesn't turn into a friendship.

These are just my experiences — I'm sure others have found different approaches that work really well.

What has worked for you? Would love to hear other perspectives, especially from people who moved here recently and successfully built a social circle.

(Text written by a human; and refined by AI)

I know this may not be a popular post, but it is better to say these things honestly than type which you hope is true and is not factual

So, DHS is eliminating the 60-day grace period after a job loss, yeah it will become a rule then that will happen , but knowing how things have been so far, hard fact this will be implemented, or reimplemented thats key, the proposal has completed White House review, it will complete the next steps too you may like it or not.

First things first,

If you are not completely confident about your job, start attending interviews right now, don’t put it off for a vacation you may be planning, update your CV , scout LinkedIn, Dice , indeed like there is no tomorrow and get a job offer that has some long term contract

You can’t wait until after a layoff to begin thinking about your next move, because this will become a law in a month or two.

Second and more unpopular opinion:

If you have not already made a major financial commitment, don’t do it, you now need to park your savings and wait for next announcements or till dust settles down, push the urge to invest in a house, car, or anything where you cannot take your money out easily., including signing an expensive long-term lease, co-signing debt or locking your savings into something you cannot quickly withdraw.

Keep an emergency fund and make sure your money is accessible, and vacay only if you are sure, That's because, let's assume you lose your job and you have to leave right now, getting another job obviously is not possible immediately. Going back to India, you need probably some more time to find another job.

You need all the savings you can. You need to move your kids, look into schools in back in India. You have to plan your other things. I mean, needless to say so many things.

I'm not trying to be an alarmist, but as I said earlier, it's better to be very blunt than not say these things. Because I've seen this happening with some of my friends who took for granted and they had to leave everything and go,and it's been tough for them, if all goes well you can either comeback or move to a different country. Keep. Remain financially strong and be in a position to get out on a short notice.

Prepare your family mentally, because if you're well prepared, it's better than underprepared and everybody in a shock. I know it's not easy.an it’s easier said than done, but then you know your family better, you know your job situation better, so mentally prep yourself

If you already own a house, don’t panic. This post is not criticizing anyone’s past decisions., you still have options, such as renting, selling or managing the property from outside the country if that situation ever arises.q

Parents also need to think about something people rarely discuss: their children’s education.

Keep passports, transcripts, vaccination records and school documents ready., also understand admission dates and transfer requirements in India or any other country you may need to move to.

There is no need to frighten your children or disrupt their education now. But as a parent, you should know exactly what you would do if you suddenly had to relocate.

I can say I genuinely hope this proposal never becomes a final rule, but we all know eventually it will in a month or two

Being prepared does not mean being negative. It meansYou are being smart and your family from having to make several life-changing decisions in a matter of days.

Larger homes in English Hills recently sold for less than $400/sqft. That seems like a 2-year low for the area?

Sold for $1,775,000 ($343/sqft)

5 bd, 3.5 ba, 5,180sq ft

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Redmond/18122-NE-127th-St-98052/home/451450

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Sold for $1,740,000 ($394/sqft)

4 bd, 4.5 ba, 4,420sq ft

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Redmond/13214-180th-Ave-NE-98052/home/450713

This Sammamish home seems to have closed for $100k yesterday. That would make the price/sqft to be $53.

Is that a typo? Or was something terribly wrong with the home? Or was it a "gift" to a family member? Anyone know more details?

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Sammamish/1507-227th-Pl-NE-98074/home/263506

Came across this low airfare - $759 SEA to Mumbai Round trip

Very limited dates though :(

https://www.google.com/travel/flights/s/U72p1WAxe2qF5ACPA

“The same talent pool that once filled engineering organizations is now filling CEO offices, board seats, and, in smaller but growing numbers, elected office.”