I just completed 22 trips around the sun successfully on the 1st of this month :). I spent my b'day in a foreign land for the first time away from all my near and dear ones. Mom wished me well in advance and the happy messages just kept pouring in - Anand and Vinita, Nams, Pady, Hrisheekesh, Akshat, Sachin, Meher, Mohit, Siddharth among others.
Sunday was a working day and there was lot of work to be done as my boss was leaving for Paris later in the week for a meeting. Even as me and my boss haggled to get our simulation results in order, we were frequently interrupted by the messages and phone calls for me. Finally, I had to apologise to him and tell him that it was my birthday today. Well, then he too wished me a very happy b'day !!!!!!!!
Ramzaan time has been bad in some sense. Have to leave office at around 2 pm. Rush to the nearest hotel to get packed lunch and rush back home to eat and get back to office all in an hours' time. Oct 1st was no different except that work kept me in office till 3:15 pm after which I got back home hungry and tired. Had my lunch, once again went through my routine of re-reading all the smses I received for the day, gifted chocolates to the two children of my house-owner and went off for a nap.
I got up later for a nice chat with mom, dad, sis-in-law and brother who had just returned from Jammu after a short official trip. Despite being far away, all the lovely mails and messages from some many well-wishers just made me feel so good.
My parents, brother and sister-in-law had specially couriered a gift from India - comprising of a sweet little greeting card and a book so special that I shall treasure it for a life-time. Coincidentially, I had read the entire book earlier in Crossword, Powai much to the ire of the shopkeeper :) The book was on Sachin Tendulkar written by Peter Murray which travails his journey as a 16 yr old in Pakistan to the WC 2003.Besides there were a lot of newspaper cuttings from mom. I am amazed at the kind of effort she puts in cutting those articles for me. When I was at home, I rarely had the patience to go through them. But here I find it a relaxing yet sensible way of spending a lazy night in company of some good music on my CD player and mom's articles.
I thank Namrata Srivastava for visiting an orphanage that day and distributing chocolates to all the little children there on my behalf. It was a very touching gesture and really it's such special moments which makes life memorable even after your hair has gone white.
In the evening, I walked along the Corniche coastline, enjoying the breeze and feeling the moment. I realised that I am on the threshold of something special. The past is history, tommorrow is a mystery but today is a gift which is why it is called present. Through my years at IIT and even at school, there have been some frustrating moments, some highs and some lows. Now-a-days, I have begun to take life with a sense of equanimity and it is really helping me. Now-a-days, I compete only with myself - If I can be happier today than I was yesterday, I consider myself to be successful. I credit this change to a lot of people who have been very dear to me in my life and I know they shall always be there when I need them the most.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
To Mom and my dear friends..
This blog is not to write about my experiences. It is for the small yet significant contributions made by the people around which I so conveniently forget at most times.
MOM - God alone knows the number of times I have shouted at her for almost anything and everything in life. She is like my frustration-sink. For all the disappointments meted out by other people and circumstances, poor mom had to cop it all from me. So let me take this opportunity to thank her - and go beyond it.
I rate Mom ahead of even GOD. Whatever I am doing today is for my mom first before anyone else. I have strong dreams for her and will go any length to accomplish it - no matter what. Despite all the distant relatives and friends I have here and the activities I participate in - loneliness is definitely creeping in. In this context, I can never forget the effort she put in sending me my childhood photographs by post. I simply broke down after looking at all those happy moments of life enjoyed during my childhood days. I realised it was important to be good with people around me - and more importantly to balance optimism, expectation and ambition in life.
I must say I have enjoyed very few but extremely deep and long-lasting friendships in my short life so far. Which is why I keep my standards for friendship very very high. I am sad with the way I spoke in a very insensitive fashion to (most definitely) my best friend, Namrata Srivastava. I vented some of my frustration on Sachin and Padmanabh - I realised soon that I have a certain perspective and expectation from life and people but cannot expect everyone to be like that. I think in a certain fashion from the position where I am but forget that others are not in the same position. I hate disappointing ppl and hate to receive disappointments as well.
I know this is a crucial stage for all my friends - building career and lives. I wish them all the best in their personal endeavours and would like to tell them that I am always there to help them in whatever manner possible.
I learnt to keep doing what you do without ever expecting the fruits of my action, without worrying about the results - Just keep doing what is right and preferably also good and forget about the rest. Somewhere what you do and what you express will hit somebody like an arrow and you won't believe what is to follow next..
MOM - God alone knows the number of times I have shouted at her for almost anything and everything in life. She is like my frustration-sink. For all the disappointments meted out by other people and circumstances, poor mom had to cop it all from me. So let me take this opportunity to thank her - and go beyond it.
I rate Mom ahead of even GOD. Whatever I am doing today is for my mom first before anyone else. I have strong dreams for her and will go any length to accomplish it - no matter what. Despite all the distant relatives and friends I have here and the activities I participate in - loneliness is definitely creeping in. In this context, I can never forget the effort she put in sending me my childhood photographs by post. I simply broke down after looking at all those happy moments of life enjoyed during my childhood days. I realised it was important to be good with people around me - and more importantly to balance optimism, expectation and ambition in life.
I must say I have enjoyed very few but extremely deep and long-lasting friendships in my short life so far. Which is why I keep my standards for friendship very very high. I am sad with the way I spoke in a very insensitive fashion to (most definitely) my best friend, Namrata Srivastava. I vented some of my frustration on Sachin and Padmanabh - I realised soon that I have a certain perspective and expectation from life and people but cannot expect everyone to be like that. I think in a certain fashion from the position where I am but forget that others are not in the same position. I hate disappointing ppl and hate to receive disappointments as well.
I know this is a crucial stage for all my friends - building career and lives. I wish them all the best in their personal endeavours and would like to tell them that I am always there to help them in whatever manner possible.
I learnt to keep doing what you do without ever expecting the fruits of my action, without worrying about the results - Just keep doing what is right and preferably also good and forget about the rest. Somewhere what you do and what you express will hit somebody like an arrow and you won't believe what is to follow next..
Saturday, September 02, 2006
The Globe trekker continues..
Quite exactly like Ian Wright, the host of much-popular TV show "Lonely Planet" or now known as "Globe Trekker" on Discovery Channel, my tour in UAE also continued courtesy a rare 3-day weekend provided by the company. And yes, now having visited 4 cities & 3 emirates in the UAE, I am in a better position to analyse all of them.
Al-Ain is by far one of the most beautiful cities I have seen. Very very green and definitely, a place which my parents would love to stay. It's amazing that Al-Ain has been maintained so beautiful, so green by the ruling authorities. Everywhere you would find gardens. Lots of open spaces. Not a single building allowed more than 3 floors. Just a very serene and calm place to live.
On the contrary, Abu Dhabi is a concrete jungle - a highly consumerist emirate and only buying and selling takes place here. There is lack of open space, lack of greenery and the serenity - just a like a cosmopolitan city in India. Ditto Dubai. Additionally, Dubai is a financial centre. Sharjah is very good and neatly developed - the roads are designed very well along the coast and it really is amazing to walk down the coast. Having said all that, Al-Ain is a place where children can be reared by parents and taught a lot of things - especially to fall in love with nature.
The view from the amazing Jebel Hafeetmountains are a sight to behold for the adventurers. The drive to the top was equally stunning. In between the mountains, they have constructed a green garden with lot of open spaces to play especially for children. On the rocks, they have got soil and grass from different places and constructed it on the mountains. Right at the top of the mountain, one can see the splendid view of deserts extending far and wide in every direction - In the west direction, the desert proceeds towards the Liwa Oasis and further west, you would reach the border of Saudi Arabia. If you look south-east, you would find the plains extending into Oman. And just as I was admiring this splendid view and taking a pic of my friend, a ferocious red-colour bee stung me right through my shirt. The burning sensation was terrible and despite water treatment, the burning didn't subside. Finally, as a precautionary measure, I had to be taken to a doctor for an anti-allergic injection. Thankfully nothing much happened and the pain subsided in a few days' time.
Al-Ain shares its border with Oman. Infact, there is place called Burayami near Al-Ain which is actually in Oman but is bordered by UAE on 3 sides. Interestingly, it's easy for anyone to drive down into Buruyami from Al-Ain and so I can proudly claim to have visited another country itself !!!!!!!!!! A special mention here has to be made of Kartik's parents at whose place I spent that night amidst some very good food and company and lots of discussion. Indeed, they made it memorable for me by taking me on long drives in Al-Ain.
From Al-Ain, I caught a mini bus to Sharjah. Listening to "Yuhi Chala Chal Rahi" and going again and again through the maps (which I had xeroxed courtesy my french colleague at office) at every highway indicator, my journey to Sharjah was indeed memorable. On reaching there, it was easy to see why Sharjah is so different - the crowds seemed to pour in and finally the city feeling dawned on me. I soon called up Chetan and he directed to reach their place. After a simple but delicious lunch of Puris, Subji and Dahi, we made our way to Dubai for a pravachan by one guru in India - Pandurang Athavle. Despite not being so much into spirituality as my other friends (Sachin, Namrata S and Akshat are), I still liked listening to his lecture. After about an hour, we made our way back to Sharjah in Chetan's dad's car.
As always and it has to be expected from me, I told Chetan that I would like to visit the Sharjah cricket stadium before other things. His dad drove us and despite initially being sceptical as to whether we would be allowed inside or not, I and Chetan managed to muster enough courage to go inside.
To our extreme surprise, the person standing outside the entrance allowed us to go inside without the slightest hitch. And then it was just - WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I couldn't believe my eyes that all this was happening in reality. I couldn't believe I was looking down the same pitch where once the majestic GOD danced down the track to smack Warne over the top, where he made mince-meat of Kasprowicz and where he showed Australia their rightful place under the sun !!!!!!
Soon after spreading my excitement to my parents and amidst some wonderful camera-work, video-shooting aided with excellent commentary from Chetan, we made our way to the pitch. I touched the pitch and felt like kissing it but somehow, my expression always stops short of actually doing it. Nevertheless, I looked at the sky, down the pitch, all around the stands and a feeling sunk into me - perhaps all this was meant to happen. I felt that good things and special memories (sooner or later) always happens to people who are true in their nature. I thought of all the coincidences, the unbelievable miracles and beautiful sights which I have encountered in life so far- and felt why these things happened to me? GOD is truly great and I am happy he showers his best as also the worst on true people. No in-between stuff !!!!!!
Soon, we found ourselves in the Central Souq - a marketplace in the heartland of Sharjah. Chetan was excited all the while and it is extremely nice to have such people for company when you are visiting new places. We roamed around the coast, were exposed to a mini desert-storm which forced us back to our hut. Then we attended a Ganesh puja at Chetan's friend's place. India truly didn't appear too far from there !!!!
Rounding off the night with some extremely thought-provoking discussion with Chetan, I made my way back next morning, half-sleepy and most definitely tired, back to Abu Dhabi. A truly memorable trip had ended !!!
Despite the work pressure, I am looking to make things memorable for myself over the weekend. Often, I visit friends and distant relatives in Abu Dhabi. I am extremely happy to find a decent group of expatriates who are from Bombay and are living here and continuously try and engage myself in cricket and soccer on weekends.
And yes, I am excited about my impending trip to Egypt in mid-Oct. Just waiting for my leave request to be approved by my boss !!!!!!!! :)
And beyond that, there is my rotational trip back to India in late December. I look forward to that - hope all my friends would be there to celebrate New Year with me.
Al-Ain is by far one of the most beautiful cities I have seen. Very very green and definitely, a place which my parents would love to stay. It's amazing that Al-Ain has been maintained so beautiful, so green by the ruling authorities. Everywhere you would find gardens. Lots of open spaces. Not a single building allowed more than 3 floors. Just a very serene and calm place to live.
On the contrary, Abu Dhabi is a concrete jungle - a highly consumerist emirate and only buying and selling takes place here. There is lack of open space, lack of greenery and the serenity - just a like a cosmopolitan city in India. Ditto Dubai. Additionally, Dubai is a financial centre. Sharjah is very good and neatly developed - the roads are designed very well along the coast and it really is amazing to walk down the coast. Having said all that, Al-Ain is a place where children can be reared by parents and taught a lot of things - especially to fall in love with nature.
The view from the amazing Jebel Hafeetmountains are a sight to behold for the adventurers. The drive to the top was equally stunning. In between the mountains, they have constructed a green garden with lot of open spaces to play especially for children. On the rocks, they have got soil and grass from different places and constructed it on the mountains. Right at the top of the mountain, one can see the splendid view of deserts extending far and wide in every direction - In the west direction, the desert proceeds towards the Liwa Oasis and further west, you would reach the border of Saudi Arabia. If you look south-east, you would find the plains extending into Oman. And just as I was admiring this splendid view and taking a pic of my friend, a ferocious red-colour bee stung me right through my shirt. The burning sensation was terrible and despite water treatment, the burning didn't subside. Finally, as a precautionary measure, I had to be taken to a doctor for an anti-allergic injection. Thankfully nothing much happened and the pain subsided in a few days' time.
Al-Ain shares its border with Oman. Infact, there is place called Burayami near Al-Ain which is actually in Oman but is bordered by UAE on 3 sides. Interestingly, it's easy for anyone to drive down into Buruyami from Al-Ain and so I can proudly claim to have visited another country itself !!!!!!!!!! A special mention here has to be made of Kartik's parents at whose place I spent that night amidst some very good food and company and lots of discussion. Indeed, they made it memorable for me by taking me on long drives in Al-Ain.
From Al-Ain, I caught a mini bus to Sharjah. Listening to "Yuhi Chala Chal Rahi" and going again and again through the maps (which I had xeroxed courtesy my french colleague at office) at every highway indicator, my journey to Sharjah was indeed memorable. On reaching there, it was easy to see why Sharjah is so different - the crowds seemed to pour in and finally the city feeling dawned on me. I soon called up Chetan and he directed to reach their place. After a simple but delicious lunch of Puris, Subji and Dahi, we made our way to Dubai for a pravachan by one guru in India - Pandurang Athavle. Despite not being so much into spirituality as my other friends (Sachin, Namrata S and Akshat are), I still liked listening to his lecture. After about an hour, we made our way back to Sharjah in Chetan's dad's car.
As always and it has to be expected from me, I told Chetan that I would like to visit the Sharjah cricket stadium before other things. His dad drove us and despite initially being sceptical as to whether we would be allowed inside or not, I and Chetan managed to muster enough courage to go inside.
To our extreme surprise, the person standing outside the entrance allowed us to go inside without the slightest hitch. And then it was just - WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I couldn't believe my eyes that all this was happening in reality. I couldn't believe I was looking down the same pitch where once the majestic GOD danced down the track to smack Warne over the top, where he made mince-meat of Kasprowicz and where he showed Australia their rightful place under the sun !!!!!!
Soon after spreading my excitement to my parents and amidst some wonderful camera-work, video-shooting aided with excellent commentary from Chetan, we made our way to the pitch. I touched the pitch and felt like kissing it but somehow, my expression always stops short of actually doing it. Nevertheless, I looked at the sky, down the pitch, all around the stands and a feeling sunk into me - perhaps all this was meant to happen. I felt that good things and special memories (sooner or later) always happens to people who are true in their nature. I thought of all the coincidences, the unbelievable miracles and beautiful sights which I have encountered in life so far- and felt why these things happened to me? GOD is truly great and I am happy he showers his best as also the worst on true people. No in-between stuff !!!!!!
Soon, we found ourselves in the Central Souq - a marketplace in the heartland of Sharjah. Chetan was excited all the while and it is extremely nice to have such people for company when you are visiting new places. We roamed around the coast, were exposed to a mini desert-storm which forced us back to our hut. Then we attended a Ganesh puja at Chetan's friend's place. India truly didn't appear too far from there !!!!
Rounding off the night with some extremely thought-provoking discussion with Chetan, I made my way back next morning, half-sleepy and most definitely tired, back to Abu Dhabi. A truly memorable trip had ended !!!
Despite the work pressure, I am looking to make things memorable for myself over the weekend. Often, I visit friends and distant relatives in Abu Dhabi. I am extremely happy to find a decent group of expatriates who are from Bombay and are living here and continuously try and engage myself in cricket and soccer on weekends.
And yes, I am excited about my impending trip to Egypt in mid-Oct. Just waiting for my leave request to be approved by my boss !!!!!!!! :)
And beyond that, there is my rotational trip back to India in late December. I look forward to that - hope all my friends would be there to celebrate New Year with me.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Coming back home
Yes, finally, I am coming back home - India surely has been on my mind from the time I came here and it feels so good to be coming back even thought it is only for 3 days.
Firstly, there is the convocation to attend. Then all the gifts which have been purchased from my hard-earned money to be distributed to so many friends, relatives and ofcourse, my parents. I am not a shopping person at all but I spent 3 full weeks and made list after list in trying to think what to buy for whom !!!!!
At the end of it, I really feel happy with the choices I made as to what would suit whom. Also there is the pleasant feeling in giving back what I myself got as gifts from my relatives coming from foreign land when I was a child. Abu Dhabi has just too many things to buy and you are just kept wishing you had all the money in the world.
Back home, it's raining a lot and that is sure to spoil my homecoming though I secretely am wanting to get wet in the rains - after all, it rains only for 2 days max in Abu Dhabi in an year. Then there are plans after plans which I have been busy making both in the short and long run.
Ofcourse, I am just waiting to meet my friends. Hrishi and Mohit would be coming for convocation as well. Bhagyesh, Santosh and some other friends have gone to US/ taken up jobs and I wish them all the best wherever they go and whatever they do. Just wish that life comes a full circle again and we all get to come together some time in life - Just wish we all remain the children that we were and never become overly formal and time-conscious (typical traits of elders). People who say "I have no time" are the biggest liars in the world and simply need to look into themselves as to where they are going wrong. The greatest of the great people had only 24 hrs in a day and if there is a will on one's part, one can achieve a lot without sacrificing on the innocence, innovation and beauty that every child is endowed with.
On my part, I know I can go any length to achieve something if I truly want to. Maybe it was the lucks of fortune that I got to work in this MNC and staying and working here just makes you feel you can achieve just about anything and everything. Ambition has been sky-rocketing for me in the last 1.5 months - quite the opposite to what I was at IIT. Partly this is because I have to make my own decisions here and nobody tells me what is impossible and what is not. I really feel unhinhibited and surely sky seems to be limit for me now - or is it? Just feel that I am returning to the same person that I was for a while in my school days - extremely rebellious, "dissatisified" and ambitious.
Work-wise as well, I am in better control now and am learning things faster. Things can only go one way from here - and I am dictating it :)
Firstly, there is the convocation to attend. Then all the gifts which have been purchased from my hard-earned money to be distributed to so many friends, relatives and ofcourse, my parents. I am not a shopping person at all but I spent 3 full weeks and made list after list in trying to think what to buy for whom !!!!!
At the end of it, I really feel happy with the choices I made as to what would suit whom. Also there is the pleasant feeling in giving back what I myself got as gifts from my relatives coming from foreign land when I was a child. Abu Dhabi has just too many things to buy and you are just kept wishing you had all the money in the world.
Back home, it's raining a lot and that is sure to spoil my homecoming though I secretely am wanting to get wet in the rains - after all, it rains only for 2 days max in Abu Dhabi in an year. Then there are plans after plans which I have been busy making both in the short and long run.
Ofcourse, I am just waiting to meet my friends. Hrishi and Mohit would be coming for convocation as well. Bhagyesh, Santosh and some other friends have gone to US/ taken up jobs and I wish them all the best wherever they go and whatever they do. Just wish that life comes a full circle again and we all get to come together some time in life - Just wish we all remain the children that we were and never become overly formal and time-conscious (typical traits of elders). People who say "I have no time" are the biggest liars in the world and simply need to look into themselves as to where they are going wrong. The greatest of the great people had only 24 hrs in a day and if there is a will on one's part, one can achieve a lot without sacrificing on the innocence, innovation and beauty that every child is endowed with.
On my part, I know I can go any length to achieve something if I truly want to. Maybe it was the lucks of fortune that I got to work in this MNC and staying and working here just makes you feel you can achieve just about anything and everything. Ambition has been sky-rocketing for me in the last 1.5 months - quite the opposite to what I was at IIT. Partly this is because I have to make my own decisions here and nobody tells me what is impossible and what is not. I really feel unhinhibited and surely sky seems to be limit for me now - or is it? Just feel that I am returning to the same person that I was for a while in my school days - extremely rebellious, "dissatisified" and ambitious.
Work-wise as well, I am in better control now and am learning things faster. Things can only go one way from here - and I am dictating it :)
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Faith & Destiny
Life has been very interesting here. I found all the south Indian people in my office speak very sweetly to me as if they were my closest friends or relatives!!!
I saw Indians lining up outside a restaraunt having a TV set when the test matches against WI were going on and was left dumbfounded to see the lady owner of the restaurant ask somebody by how much India were following on and predict whether they would manage to draw the test match or not !!!!! Now that was something which I will take as a really special memory when I go back home..
Now-a-days, after coming back home, I play (or rather try to play) Scrabble with the 5 yr old son of my flat owner. The zeal, enthusiasm and energy though tinged with the lack of understanding shown by him amazes me and reinvigorates my faith as to why we need a top-notch education system to retain children who have such tremendous potential and prevent them from going "astray". Work has been really demanding on me and literally the project that I have been made to work on will take some 2-3 months to finish and I am actually packed with work !!!!!! At the same time, I also observed the detailed way work is done in reality and frankly speaking, too much of learning in great academic institutions with little or not application is rubbish. That way it has been good and I share a good rapport with my boss as well :)
Food has been good here but I miss home food badly. Fridays are off for everybody and it would be disastrous to venture out on a friday morning in the hot sun. The remaining time is spent scourging the shopping malls here with my friends to check out gifts, items, chocolates and other things which I would most pleasurably have to take back home for a host of friends and relatives next month and that too from my first salary - It is indeed a momentuous occasion for me !!!!!
I am missing out on somebody like Hrishi or Mohit with whom I could have spent the weekend travelling far and wide instead of having to think about working overtime(simply ridiculous) as one of my colleagues suggested. People at times just do not realise how much more they can do with their lives really - if they just sit down and think about it !!!!!! Agreed this is a hot place, transportation is a headache, life is as yet transient but still......I soon hope to look for some place where they play sports, hope to leave office earlier and earlier by finishing my work faster and faster and reserve my energy to explore this new place, meet new people and capture new moments in life.
and Yes, today, I got my first salary and immediately i withdrew some amount from it :P - Wow, it's a special feeling and you just know you deserve it thoroughly.
I am looking forward to getting back home in August to meet a special friend who is extremely stubborn, adamant and as per me, has the guts to go out and achieve what most people feel unsure about. See u soon then..
I saw Indians lining up outside a restaraunt having a TV set when the test matches against WI were going on and was left dumbfounded to see the lady owner of the restaurant ask somebody by how much India were following on and predict whether they would manage to draw the test match or not !!!!! Now that was something which I will take as a really special memory when I go back home..
Now-a-days, after coming back home, I play (or rather try to play) Scrabble with the 5 yr old son of my flat owner. The zeal, enthusiasm and energy though tinged with the lack of understanding shown by him amazes me and reinvigorates my faith as to why we need a top-notch education system to retain children who have such tremendous potential and prevent them from going "astray". Work has been really demanding on me and literally the project that I have been made to work on will take some 2-3 months to finish and I am actually packed with work !!!!!! At the same time, I also observed the detailed way work is done in reality and frankly speaking, too much of learning in great academic institutions with little or not application is rubbish. That way it has been good and I share a good rapport with my boss as well :)
Food has been good here but I miss home food badly. Fridays are off for everybody and it would be disastrous to venture out on a friday morning in the hot sun. The remaining time is spent scourging the shopping malls here with my friends to check out gifts, items, chocolates and other things which I would most pleasurably have to take back home for a host of friends and relatives next month and that too from my first salary - It is indeed a momentuous occasion for me !!!!!
I am missing out on somebody like Hrishi or Mohit with whom I could have spent the weekend travelling far and wide instead of having to think about working overtime(simply ridiculous) as one of my colleagues suggested. People at times just do not realise how much more they can do with their lives really - if they just sit down and think about it !!!!!! Agreed this is a hot place, transportation is a headache, life is as yet transient but still......I soon hope to look for some place where they play sports, hope to leave office earlier and earlier by finishing my work faster and faster and reserve my energy to explore this new place, meet new people and capture new moments in life.
and Yes, today, I got my first salary and immediately i withdrew some amount from it :P - Wow, it's a special feeling and you just know you deserve it thoroughly.
I am looking forward to getting back home in August to meet a special friend who is extremely stubborn, adamant and as per me, has the guts to go out and achieve what most people feel unsure about. See u soon then..
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Life is going good
The last few days have been a real roller-coaster for me. Have been braving the hot sun and the excessively humid atmosphere, working long and hard at office and finally rediscovering some love for engg in the process and still trying to get out of the awe that I am engulfed in - the sheer magnamity of this place.
I have been visiting the shopping malls, departmental stores and Indian restaurants which are aplenty here, checking out prices and comparing them to decide places to buy from. Also next month is going to be kadki for me since money going for rent, buying preliminary sustainable items and also to pay for my airline ticket back to India. Office has been going good and I am now assigned to work on an oil and gas project to simulate and study the adequacy of a water network system !!!!!!! Now that is some real engg.....
Also I have been lucky enough to find some nice seniors and colleagues in my department who are very helpful. After office, I, Shraddha and Vikas have a nice time walking down the really huge streets here - be it to search for a new place to stay or for having a quick meal or simply just like that..
Back home, I have learnt how difficult it is to be a room-maker - forget being a homemaker. Having to wash clothes, keep all things in place, being disciplined, punctual, neat and regular are things which I casually put to rest while being at time. Now, I realised how difficult it is be M-O-T-H-E-R !!!!!!
I am also learning to manage finances - something which my father and CA brother were in complete control of when I was at home. This is something new and I feel I am managing it well. Ofcourse, I started calculating how the expenses are going, how much is left, what are the necessities to be fulfilled etc. etc.
I am also trying to find a special place for all the special gifts given to me before I came here - the nice pen-stand and glass showpiece by Namrata G and Prajakta, the beautifully written greeting card by Namrata S, the absolutely wonderful Notebook and pencil box gifted by Akshat, Sachin and other TS friends and lastly but not the least, the wonderful songs ka CD from Pady which I hope to listen as soon as I buy my MP3 player. These are really special gifts which make life really nice and I hope to make my room a better place to live in :)
Still exploring the place, plan to visit Dubai soon and hope to get my residence visa in a months' time after which I can directly fly to Abu Dhabi, can have an official net connection and most importantly, can fly my parents on their first ever flight and first trip to a foreign country...Things slowly but surely are coming true.
I have been visiting the shopping malls, departmental stores and Indian restaurants which are aplenty here, checking out prices and comparing them to decide places to buy from. Also next month is going to be kadki for me since money going for rent, buying preliminary sustainable items and also to pay for my airline ticket back to India. Office has been going good and I am now assigned to work on an oil and gas project to simulate and study the adequacy of a water network system !!!!!!! Now that is some real engg.....
Also I have been lucky enough to find some nice seniors and colleagues in my department who are very helpful. After office, I, Shraddha and Vikas have a nice time walking down the really huge streets here - be it to search for a new place to stay or for having a quick meal or simply just like that..
Back home, I have learnt how difficult it is to be a room-maker - forget being a homemaker. Having to wash clothes, keep all things in place, being disciplined, punctual, neat and regular are things which I casually put to rest while being at time. Now, I realised how difficult it is be M-O-T-H-E-R !!!!!!
I am also learning to manage finances - something which my father and CA brother were in complete control of when I was at home. This is something new and I feel I am managing it well. Ofcourse, I started calculating how the expenses are going, how much is left, what are the necessities to be fulfilled etc. etc.
I am also trying to find a special place for all the special gifts given to me before I came here - the nice pen-stand and glass showpiece by Namrata G and Prajakta, the beautifully written greeting card by Namrata S, the absolutely wonderful Notebook and pencil box gifted by Akshat, Sachin and other TS friends and lastly but not the least, the wonderful songs ka CD from Pady which I hope to listen as soon as I buy my MP3 player. These are really special gifts which make life really nice and I hope to make my room a better place to live in :)
Still exploring the place, plan to visit Dubai soon and hope to get my residence visa in a months' time after which I can directly fly to Abu Dhabi, can have an official net connection and most importantly, can fly my parents on their first ever flight and first trip to a foreign country...Things slowly but surely are coming true.
Friday, June 23, 2006
First days on foreign soil......
I can still remember the emotional moment when I saw my parents and dear friends at the Bombay airport waving at me. As soon as I lost sight of them, I realised that a whole new world awaits where there are not people behind to help or support you if you fall. Quite automatically, I felt more responsible. The joy of flying by plane was somewhat lost in the sadness of leaving the most important people in my life.
Even as IA 681 took off from Bombay at 12:05 am, I saw the chain of streets and hoarding lights disappear into darkness and soon there was only the black Arabian sea to give me company.
I read some Technip info and a WC 2006 magazine and had my dinner on the flight. Soon, after some 2 hrs, lights reappeared again in the background. These were my first live glimpses of a foreign land - something which I had only heard of and seen only on TV or books. As we touched down at Sharjah, I could clearly see the small sand dunes and before I could realise, I was amidst a host of Malaylis, Americans, French, Iranians and ofcourse Arab people. Soon, after completing formalities, I found myself in one of the most comfortable AC vehicles sent by the company to pick me up and it roared down the WIDE highways at 130 KMPH !!!!!!!!! As we roared, I could see a stadium with lights and for all practical purposes, regarded it to be the stadium where the GOD demolished the Aussies some 8 yrs ago !!!!!!
I slept in the car and reached our hotel - a 10 star one (for me) at 4 in the morning. Soon, without any sleep, I made my way to the office at 8 in the morning. First day was spent mainly completing the formalities. The office people were nice with me and my fresher colleagues, Vikas and Shraddha are really nice ppl to hv as friends.
Abu Dhabi is characterized by TALL buldings and WIDE roads - u will hv to walk vertically, not horizontally. All the posh cars going around and u will hv utter confusion since u will tend to look left when u hv to look right while crossing the road since vehicles are left-hand drive here. This place is hot but ACs are everywhere. I met an Indian and Bangladeshi working in the hotel and they were so happy to see an Indian here !!!!!
I got an accomodation with a southie family at reasonable price close to office. Here, most things are cheap including food, cyber, cell, travel and most things except for acco. There are lots of malls and restaurants and I am proud to be working on the 21st flr of the tallest building in Abu Dhabi !!!!!!!!!!
This place is still a concrete jungle - worth working in some of poshest offices which are hard to find even in Nariman Point in Bombay!!!!!! The buildings from inside look very ordinary and it is not worth to live here as socialising is difficult. My pre-medical check-up was done by French lady doctor and it was really quite an amusing experience. Ofcourse, anything Indian - be it the food or the movies or the people looks doubly nice from this place. Today I happened to watch Lakhshya on TV and literally cried at some of the scenes. As they say, when u live away from India while being Indian at heart, you realise the power of India.
Will write more soon..
Even as IA 681 took off from Bombay at 12:05 am, I saw the chain of streets and hoarding lights disappear into darkness and soon there was only the black Arabian sea to give me company.
I read some Technip info and a WC 2006 magazine and had my dinner on the flight. Soon, after some 2 hrs, lights reappeared again in the background. These were my first live glimpses of a foreign land - something which I had only heard of and seen only on TV or books. As we touched down at Sharjah, I could clearly see the small sand dunes and before I could realise, I was amidst a host of Malaylis, Americans, French, Iranians and ofcourse Arab people. Soon, after completing formalities, I found myself in one of the most comfortable AC vehicles sent by the company to pick me up and it roared down the WIDE highways at 130 KMPH !!!!!!!!! As we roared, I could see a stadium with lights and for all practical purposes, regarded it to be the stadium where the GOD demolished the Aussies some 8 yrs ago !!!!!!
I slept in the car and reached our hotel - a 10 star one (for me) at 4 in the morning. Soon, without any sleep, I made my way to the office at 8 in the morning. First day was spent mainly completing the formalities. The office people were nice with me and my fresher colleagues, Vikas and Shraddha are really nice ppl to hv as friends.
Abu Dhabi is characterized by TALL buldings and WIDE roads - u will hv to walk vertically, not horizontally. All the posh cars going around and u will hv utter confusion since u will tend to look left when u hv to look right while crossing the road since vehicles are left-hand drive here. This place is hot but ACs are everywhere. I met an Indian and Bangladeshi working in the hotel and they were so happy to see an Indian here !!!!!
I got an accomodation with a southie family at reasonable price close to office. Here, most things are cheap including food, cyber, cell, travel and most things except for acco. There are lots of malls and restaurants and I am proud to be working on the 21st flr of the tallest building in Abu Dhabi !!!!!!!!!!
This place is still a concrete jungle - worth working in some of poshest offices which are hard to find even in Nariman Point in Bombay!!!!!! The buildings from inside look very ordinary and it is not worth to live here as socialising is difficult. My pre-medical check-up was done by French lady doctor and it was really quite an amusing experience. Ofcourse, anything Indian - be it the food or the movies or the people looks doubly nice from this place. Today I happened to watch Lakhshya on TV and literally cried at some of the scenes. As they say, when u live away from India while being Indian at heart, you realise the power of India.
Will write more soon..
Monday, June 19, 2006
First Job
Finally, after a lot of pushing and prodding from friends and my own self, I hv started to write my blog. Also realised that this was going to be needed so that I could keep my mind free from a lot of thoughts. And what a time to start writing this as I am about to join my first job in the gulf.
This has been a really sweet gift for me in some sense - a childhood dream (of flying by plane) come true. I feel proud of having achieved things on my own and literally from sratch !!!!! Coming from a middle class background, travelling by plane or even AC or 1st class compartment was out of question and still is - though relatively less as compared to an year ago. My air ticket and visa are sponsored by the company. Last year too, I got an internship in Asian Paints on merit and they sponsored my tickets by 3rd class AC. I know all this sounds too childish but I realise the pride that I have for such small things in life which most upper classes might take for granted.
The job itself is daunting - involving hard core engineering skills and I am looking forward with great eagerness to it. Right from school days, I failed to understand why people studied something and worked somewhere else only !!!!!!! I must consider myself lucky that I am getting an opportunity to work as a process engineer in a multinational company which is into engineering consultancy mainly in the oil and gas sector else even I might have wasted all the chemical engg I learnt by working as a data analyst. I really wish that my love for engg is rediscovered during my job which was somewhere lost at IIT due to too much of theory and lack of application in any way.
I wish that I manage to maintain good relations with all my colleagues and most importantly, enjoy the job that I do. As long as you are happy, nothing can prevent you from working and I wish I tread that path to success. From a career point of view as well, this will provide me with a good platform to take up certain decision in future. I may plan to do an MBA or do a complete U-turn and study something like astronomy purely out of interest and now with any intention to make money out of it. Ofcourse, all these would be subject to how well I am able to take care of myself and my parents financially.
I hope to nurture my love for travel with all the money made from the job and wish to meet so many friends that I have made all over the world now courtesy various forums and discussion groups. A good chunk of my relatives are in the US and with so many friends also heading off to the US for further studies, the US of A surely beckons as a place to be visited. Personally, I would love to visit Australia and Europe - really want to visit the Alps, the Black Forest, Madame Tussads, boat on River Thames, climb onto the bridge at the Sydney harbour, go to Melbourne Zoo (one of my ultimate favs) and ofcourse, kiss the pitch at the Adelaide Cricket Ground for very very special reasons.
All and all, life has really opened up new horizons for me and I am geared up to take up the challenges as they come by with great enthusiasm and excitement.
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