Today is a Saturday and I stayed in the room. I got up and had calls with my love, my friends who logged in and then by noon it was football time. First it was Arsenal leading a 4-0 to the Newcastle United who finally managed a 4-4 draw if not because of their bad luck which stopped them getting a win in fact at the 90th minute. The eventful match was followed by another match which marked an end for the Manchester United’s winning/draw streak in the English Premier League as they lost the away match 1-2 to Wolves. Well, Manchester United really needs players. Except Nani, I don’t see a soul left there. Anyways, after these, the time was for my favorite Barcelona to reap victory in a hat trick from Lionel Messi in a 3-0 win over the Atletico Madrid. There was no Forlan or Augero. It was Guardiola and Barcelona all the way through as they also got into the all time high record of 16 wins in la-Liga by any team in the history. You just have to love the way they played. Names like Xavi, Inesta, Pedro, Villa and Messi, they all sound synonymous.
The football laden day rolled into my Roadies 8 show time at Youtube as Raghu ensured some real entertainment. Lunch and dinner was Pizza today. And I also got myself Bread and choco-biscuits as I exhausted my stock of foods for the breakfast. I am learning algorithms on my own. They say that that is what makes a difference. Algorithms are powerful and they always help you make your brain work extra as they teach you really cool programming stuffs. My tries to solve a few programmatic puzzles from the Facebook and coderloop.com has got me thinking into as to how to code the other way round. I just hope I see it till the end.
It has started to snow again. It felt nice though, with lower temperatures to go out and get the food. As I watched the T.V. today I couldn’t help notice something which I would like to share. It comes from a commercial and I really liked what it said about the Canadians. I guess, if some Canadian is reading this, he likes it. It said “The self esteem of a Canadian doesn’t simply allow him to expect a warmer day. And to break the cold is just a national sport for the Canadians.” LOL…
That’s all for today.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
My Trip to Toronto - 13
It was a tough day and I really had a lot on my plate as I struggled in the morning to remotely connect to my desktop in India. It was 2 hours before I finally was able to raise a ticket. The lady Indian in my team thought of helping me out and took me to the local admin. He was supposed to be a man of hard words. I didn’t like him and the way he spoke. I didn’t understand what made him feel so proud and tough. He came to my machine twice, did nothing and came back later post lunch to change the network cable and everything started up fine. It was the start of my day. I stayed and worked on whatever I could. I am not happy. My bonus and CTC hike keeps on coming back to me and I find it difficult to work. I won’t feel any good unless I go back and talk to my manager regarding all this. My love headed home today. I just hope that amidst my heights of loneliness, our communication doesn’t become bad. Its two weeks and I can finally say that yes, I am half way down my journey. Another week and on coming Saturday, I would travel to New Jersey for a week before I fly back to India.
My lunch these days have got replaced by “Jimmy the Greek” and I have been away from “Thai Express” for the whole of the week. Well, MacDonald undoubtedly is on a record for the dinners. My Indian storage of cup noodles stands at a count of 1. They were handy and helpful. I can never forget the mornings when I gulped in two at a time, hungry and sleep deprived.
I just realized today as to what can be a downside to blog anonymously. You always miss upon your network and people you know, for votes when you participate in some blog contests. Everything these days have become all about social networking and how much you can network. No one cares much about the quality or content you write. So, being an anonymous blogger, I guess I never stand a chance at any of these contests. Many a times I do feel like going public and declaring the true me, but this is the true me, without the name or the face. I know if I go back, I won’t be what I am, here.
Tomorrow I have a Barcelona match to watch as they play against Ateltico Madrid in the la-Liga. Atletico always come up heavy against Barcelona. It’s time to see what they can do this time as Barcelona is at their historical best. On Sunday, it would be Liverpool against Chelsea. With Torres moving onto Chelsea and Liverpool signing in Suarez and Andy, it would certainly be interesting to see who draws more blood. That I guess speaks for my weekend plans.
My lunch these days have got replaced by “Jimmy the Greek” and I have been away from “Thai Express” for the whole of the week. Well, MacDonald undoubtedly is on a record for the dinners. My Indian storage of cup noodles stands at a count of 1. They were handy and helpful. I can never forget the mornings when I gulped in two at a time, hungry and sleep deprived.
I just realized today as to what can be a downside to blog anonymously. You always miss upon your network and people you know, for votes when you participate in some blog contests. Everything these days have become all about social networking and how much you can network. No one cares much about the quality or content you write. So, being an anonymous blogger, I guess I never stand a chance at any of these contests. Many a times I do feel like going public and declaring the true me, but this is the true me, without the name or the face. I know if I go back, I won’t be what I am, here.
Tomorrow I have a Barcelona match to watch as they play against Ateltico Madrid in the la-Liga. Atletico always come up heavy against Barcelona. It’s time to see what they can do this time as Barcelona is at their historical best. On Sunday, it would be Liverpool against Chelsea. With Torres moving onto Chelsea and Liverpool signing in Suarez and Andy, it would certainly be interesting to see who draws more blood. That I guess speaks for my weekend plans.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
My Trip to Toronto - 12
I slept really long yesterday. I remember sneaking into the bed by 9:30 PM and it was 7 in the morning when I woke up. There is nothing to do except for waiting for friends to update on Facebook. And how many movies do you think I can grab a day? Going to work was the toughest today. After the blizzard here, roads were full of snow and it was sticky and the worst part; I wore formal shoes. I walked for some steps and got slipped forward for a few steps and managed myself from falling a few times and the fear of what will happen if someone else passing by skids was a constant companion as I walked the 1.2 km to walk to office. Not to mention the condition my shoes were in, I had to endure the same while I came back though it was much warmer then. My LOB manager wants me in another team lunch this Friday. Last time it was Sushi and this time it would be Italian. That’s the only fun left for me here. I am tired of having MacDonald burgers and Thai and Greek cuisines. I really feel desperate to go back.
I am done with all the major OSCAR contenders. A post is now very much necessary, which I feel won’t happen before weekend. That puts an end to my today. Is that wonderful or disgusting? So small, to have a day, is………..
I am done with all the major OSCAR contenders. A post is now very much necessary, which I feel won’t happen before weekend. That puts an end to my today. Is that wonderful or disgusting? So small, to have a day, is………..
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
My Trip to Toronto - 11
It was the Blizzard day. I never knew what that was, until today. We heard of it being at the US yesterday and today it was Toronto. Since early hours in the morning it’s all covered up. My manager was caring to tell me that since my Canadian counterparts would be working from home, I can take a day off. Initially I felt that it would clear up as day progresses but I was wrong. Anyways, a leave really sucked except that it was a football day at the Copa-Del-Rey. By the way, would you believe me if I told you that I was on Skype calling up and talking to friends in India since 6 in the morning, till it was 12 in the noon. 6 hours, that is the longest I have been online talking to people.
It happened to be the Joke of the day when, a school mate turn up online and complaints to me that he had been trying to reach me badly since days and that it was really bad of me having not told him that I have switched my contact numbers. And all of this crying and shouting is because he feels that he got married without me attending his marriage. Seriously, he wanted me to buy that. If it’s my marriage, and I really want someone to be there, I would get to him, whatever he might be at or wherever he may be. He was calling on my 4 year old number and he forgot all together to explain as to why he didn’t try reaching me via e-Mail or Orkut or Facebook……well, its now-a-days a fashion to tell you that you were being missed at the marriage. Its dual; it tells you that someone got married and that someone still wants to be in touch with you, though he didn’t invite or forgot to invite you. Simple!
A short nap of one hour followed by a quest out into the snow and blizzard to get my hot pizza and diet coke and I was all set for the Copa-Del-Rey semi finals. Barcelona really play a good football. There is hardly any team out there presently who play as decently and stylish as Barca does. With Messi, Villa, Xavi, Inesta, Pedro and Puyol out, it was the younger ones trying their luck today. They scored thrice and Dani Alves had some really good effort today with the ball along with Bojan and it was disheartening to see him getting frustrated for a goal. Afellay’s first goal for Barca was really good and Adriano did some run till the goal post to open the score. Its time before this new breed gets mature and matches the quality of the seniors. A very satisfying 90 minutes for me which followed by a nice end up from the German, Mesut Ozil who saved Madrid from humiliation and sealed another Real-Madrid and Barcelona final. It’s time to see, with crossed fingers what damage Barcelona and champion coach Pep Guardiola inflicts on the second meet up. The last one, a clear 5-0 victory over Mourinho will be with me forever. Sevilla, who went down 0-1 to Madrid played safe and really lacked players at the front. I feel, that made the difference for the ball was distributed evenly. Ozil, unlike Ronaldo, Benzemma and Di-Maria is a tricky player who just doesn’t rely on shots and power. He is one who plays with mind when he is at the front of the goal post and certainly is according to me the most dangerous Madrid has. He truly belongs to Barcelona.
These days, an image keeps back coming to me. It’s me flying back to India. My flight, supposedly to reach in the morning IST hours would, I hope, ensure the best sunrise I would be seeing in quite some time. I feel lonely here. It could have been bettered have I not been into the buck saving business, while on my trip here.
It happened to be the Joke of the day when, a school mate turn up online and complaints to me that he had been trying to reach me badly since days and that it was really bad of me having not told him that I have switched my contact numbers. And all of this crying and shouting is because he feels that he got married without me attending his marriage. Seriously, he wanted me to buy that. If it’s my marriage, and I really want someone to be there, I would get to him, whatever he might be at or wherever he may be. He was calling on my 4 year old number and he forgot all together to explain as to why he didn’t try reaching me via e-Mail or Orkut or Facebook……well, its now-a-days a fashion to tell you that you were being missed at the marriage. Its dual; it tells you that someone got married and that someone still wants to be in touch with you, though he didn’t invite or forgot to invite you. Simple!
A short nap of one hour followed by a quest out into the snow and blizzard to get my hot pizza and diet coke and I was all set for the Copa-Del-Rey semi finals. Barcelona really play a good football. There is hardly any team out there presently who play as decently and stylish as Barca does. With Messi, Villa, Xavi, Inesta, Pedro and Puyol out, it was the younger ones trying their luck today. They scored thrice and Dani Alves had some really good effort today with the ball along with Bojan and it was disheartening to see him getting frustrated for a goal. Afellay’s first goal for Barca was really good and Adriano did some run till the goal post to open the score. Its time before this new breed gets mature and matches the quality of the seniors. A very satisfying 90 minutes for me which followed by a nice end up from the German, Mesut Ozil who saved Madrid from humiliation and sealed another Real-Madrid and Barcelona final. It’s time to see, with crossed fingers what damage Barcelona and champion coach Pep Guardiola inflicts on the second meet up. The last one, a clear 5-0 victory over Mourinho will be with me forever. Sevilla, who went down 0-1 to Madrid played safe and really lacked players at the front. I feel, that made the difference for the ball was distributed evenly. Ozil, unlike Ronaldo, Benzemma and Di-Maria is a tricky player who just doesn’t rely on shots and power. He is one who plays with mind when he is at the front of the goal post and certainly is according to me the most dangerous Madrid has. He truly belongs to Barcelona.
These days, an image keeps back coming to me. It’s me flying back to India. My flight, supposedly to reach in the morning IST hours would, I hope, ensure the best sunrise I would be seeing in quite some time. I feel lonely here. It could have been bettered have I not been into the buck saving business, while on my trip here.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
My Trip to Toronto - 10
My trip to Toronto is turning out to be a Cast Away to Toronto. This city is great and people are nice, but I am on my own, stuck up this cold. I realized that like walking in this cold. Its freezing outside but that’s what makes walking fun for me here. Wearing all those heavy woolens and heading out, watching the hot air you exhale and the numbness in your nose, cheeks and ears are some experience. Here everyone walks faster than me. I find it hard to cross someone. Only, the old ones are the easy ones. And often I see couples, walking hand in hand on the streets. I feel like stopping them and suggesting them to go inside and order whatever they need. You are together and you go out in such cold. Born here, walking in this freezing cold could never be fun as against the case with me. Why not sit at home, relax and order stuffs you need. Nez, that can’t be generalized I guess. But really, doing the talk as you walk, here, is tough. I appreciate the ones who do the talk here while walking.
My stomach is frustrated with MacDonald burgers and French fries. Either they are the lunch or the dinner. From food, to the time I spent at my room to the amount of talking I do these days, everything has become a test. I feel like being under some regime and under constant monitoring on my way to some extraordinary certification that would earn me accolades. Oh I forgot. Pay Numbers are out in India. I got information as to how much my salary has been hiked and the bonus I would be getting. And I am being asked about my opinion on those figures. They aren’t bad as compared to others in the market. They certainly do match the investment bank tag but my necessities are huge. I am still in a fix as to what I should be saying. Well, I guess I will just show my dissatisfaction and hint towards a better figure but as I feel, spelling out the exact is always tough. Life hasn’t given me many options. Eventually I have to start looking out again which I don’t want to do unless I get myself some amazing abroad opportunities in countries of my choice. So, let it start. I will tell my expectations. Rest, is destiny.
My leave is approved, regarding the travel to my birth city, late in March. I hope something else doesn’t go wrong. I am dying to be there. Post job, its pending. I don’t feel much for being an Indian or a by caste, but I can die for the place I was born at. That’s me. And I feel good that there is something about my existence I love so much.
That’s all I have for today. It’s time for my black coffee. And a big Happy Chinese New year to the ones who have it. :)
My stomach is frustrated with MacDonald burgers and French fries. Either they are the lunch or the dinner. From food, to the time I spent at my room to the amount of talking I do these days, everything has become a test. I feel like being under some regime and under constant monitoring on my way to some extraordinary certification that would earn me accolades. Oh I forgot. Pay Numbers are out in India. I got information as to how much my salary has been hiked and the bonus I would be getting. And I am being asked about my opinion on those figures. They aren’t bad as compared to others in the market. They certainly do match the investment bank tag but my necessities are huge. I am still in a fix as to what I should be saying. Well, I guess I will just show my dissatisfaction and hint towards a better figure but as I feel, spelling out the exact is always tough. Life hasn’t given me many options. Eventually I have to start looking out again which I don’t want to do unless I get myself some amazing abroad opportunities in countries of my choice. So, let it start. I will tell my expectations. Rest, is destiny.
My leave is approved, regarding the travel to my birth city, late in March. I hope something else doesn’t go wrong. I am dying to be there. Post job, its pending. I don’t feel much for being an Indian or a by caste, but I can die for the place I was born at. That’s me. And I feel good that there is something about my existence I love so much.
That’s all I have for today. It’s time for my black coffee. And a big Happy Chinese New year to the ones who have it. :)
Monday, January 31, 2011
My Trip to Toronto - 9
It’s a bad Monday. First I wasn’t able to talk to my love and had to rush for office. Then, I didn’t take my cap as it was -3 yesterday and I felt fine. It turned out to be -13 today and I somehow managed to reach office. I wasn’t able to feel my ears and nose. My hair was wet too as I had just taken the bath and headed out. It was careless of me. I had to endure the same on my way back. It was -11 and by the time I reached MacDonald for my take away, my ears and nose were gone. So, I just hope that I wake up fine.
My friend argues that I should visit the nude club in the locality. He says that’s what a man does. Well, I don’t really agree. I am in love in the first place and secondly, I don’t like nude shows. I wonder how people get the fun of such shows. I have this incapability to feel anything at such shows and I know that for sure. Then I guess there simply isn’t any point going there. And as to the second point my friend points out regarding alcohol, well, there is no fun drinking alone. I have done it many a times in India and I know how it feels to drink alone. That’s the last thing I would do when dollars are at stake.
It’s not even 10 days and it feels months. Nez, I have Barcelona match on Saturday, 4:00PM EST which implies that one of my weekends is taken care of. Liverpool signs Suarez and Carroll, a nice breed and mix for Torres who heads for Chelsea. I guess, this would add onto Liverpool’s favor. Torres looked old and tired with Liverpool. Now EPL should become more fun. I hope ManU, ManC and Arsenal feel some heat. On another note, Real Madrid looses 0-1. I pity Mourinho. I pity him for he has always been a proud and egoist coach, quite jealous of Barcelona and have a high inability to cope with success and talent. Such teams can never soar high, for long. We beat them 5-0 and more is coming.
That’s all guys. It’s time for me to immerse myself in the latest algorithm book I happened to come across, have my burger, call a few ones back at home and sleep for another day ahead.
My friend argues that I should visit the nude club in the locality. He says that’s what a man does. Well, I don’t really agree. I am in love in the first place and secondly, I don’t like nude shows. I wonder how people get the fun of such shows. I have this incapability to feel anything at such shows and I know that for sure. Then I guess there simply isn’t any point going there. And as to the second point my friend points out regarding alcohol, well, there is no fun drinking alone. I have done it many a times in India and I know how it feels to drink alone. That’s the last thing I would do when dollars are at stake.
It’s not even 10 days and it feels months. Nez, I have Barcelona match on Saturday, 4:00PM EST which implies that one of my weekends is taken care of. Liverpool signs Suarez and Carroll, a nice breed and mix for Torres who heads for Chelsea. I guess, this would add onto Liverpool’s favor. Torres looked old and tired with Liverpool. Now EPL should become more fun. I hope ManU, ManC and Arsenal feel some heat. On another note, Real Madrid looses 0-1. I pity Mourinho. I pity him for he has always been a proud and egoist coach, quite jealous of Barcelona and have a high inability to cope with success and talent. Such teams can never soar high, for long. We beat them 5-0 and more is coming.
That’s all guys. It’s time for me to immerse myself in the latest algorithm book I happened to come across, have my burger, call a few ones back at home and sleep for another day ahead.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
My Trip to Toronto - 8
Today was another day which I spent inside all by myself. I woke up and had calls with friends love and parents. That was when I was ready for my lunch and today it was Macaroni Pizza and a diet coke. It was filling. I kept aside my daily MacDonald engagements for the dinner, which I would start for in another 30 minutes.
One big thing which came of today during my long online chats with friends is that I would be travelling to my birth town in the last week of March. I got the tickets booked today and we are almost set for the travel. It’s my friend’s elder brother who is getting married there. I had been longing to go there since years but since the day I started working, I never really could plan something. This seems to be a perfect opportunity to head down the memory lanes. That place has made me the way I am, good or bad and it always would be a pleasure visiting it. This time, I would try my best to capture as much I can in my camera. There is so much out there that I really get lost when I try to think as to what all I should focus myself on once I am there. Its nostalgia and it feels heaven…
I had been watching the movies these days. I don’t have much left to do. It’s strange. In India, I was running out of the touch with movies and here, I am like back in, full throttle all over it. To give you something on that, I have plans to dedicate a blog post solely for the Oscar nominations and how I felt about them. They deserve that time and effort. Even if no one is really going to care about what I write or think, it’s salute. Movies are wonderful stuff.
Tomorrow marks the start of my second week of stay at Toronto. You would be logically correct not to expect stuffs from my side. But, I am unpredictable and this time, I would like not to be. Just today as I was discussing my mental fight over visiting places vs saving bucks vs being alone, it came to me that of all the people we knew to be here, in the States and Canada, almost all of them have headed back to India. Some have done that as they are on vacation and some have moved back permanently. Strange but true, GOD really wants me to hit these places alone as of now. Well, as Barney says, Challenge Accepted.
One big thing which came of today during my long online chats with friends is that I would be travelling to my birth town in the last week of March. I got the tickets booked today and we are almost set for the travel. It’s my friend’s elder brother who is getting married there. I had been longing to go there since years but since the day I started working, I never really could plan something. This seems to be a perfect opportunity to head down the memory lanes. That place has made me the way I am, good or bad and it always would be a pleasure visiting it. This time, I would try my best to capture as much I can in my camera. There is so much out there that I really get lost when I try to think as to what all I should focus myself on once I am there. Its nostalgia and it feels heaven…
I had been watching the movies these days. I don’t have much left to do. It’s strange. In India, I was running out of the touch with movies and here, I am like back in, full throttle all over it. To give you something on that, I have plans to dedicate a blog post solely for the Oscar nominations and how I felt about them. They deserve that time and effort. Even if no one is really going to care about what I write or think, it’s salute. Movies are wonderful stuff.
Tomorrow marks the start of my second week of stay at Toronto. You would be logically correct not to expect stuffs from my side. But, I am unpredictable and this time, I would like not to be. Just today as I was discussing my mental fight over visiting places vs saving bucks vs being alone, it came to me that of all the people we knew to be here, in the States and Canada, almost all of them have headed back to India. Some have done that as they are on vacation and some have moved back permanently. Strange but true, GOD really wants me to hit these places alone as of now. Well, as Barney says, Challenge Accepted.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
My Trip to Toronto - 7
I spent the whole day inside. MacDonald was my lunch and Thai Express was the dinner. I need rice and shrimps are always a favorite. I also searched for the Toronto tourist places and came across quite good ones. The CN tower with 180 storey as being the latest onto the modern world wonders is surely a must watch. I wasn’t able to find anything easier though. As said earlier, I would like to stay at my room as long as I can. It has been just one of whole three weeks down. Miles to go…
My favorite Television show Roadies 8 is on air. I miss watching it on my TV. I have an LCD here but it’s just waste. It has only the Canadian channels and paid movies. Cable services in India really are amazing and better. They almost suit anyone from anywhere. Anyways, YouTube is doing the shows for me. In La-Liga today, Barcelona smashed Hercules 3-0 today and the 400th goal under pep Guardiola comes from Lionel Messi. And without an effort, Messi even scored his second. Not to mention the starter from Pedro. That was really an amazing score and surely places Pedro among the top brackets.
I am still having tough time with the currency here. I keep on going to these shops for my dinner or lunch and I always spell the same thing out: “I am new here, can you help me with the coins”…They always do. That’s what I like here. People, though they happen to mind their own, do feel like humans. The lady who comes for housekeeping, the guy who came in twice for fixing up the internet and bulbs and the plumber for the shower issue, they all felt human and they all looked happy and they all sounded content. I don’t know what it is but it surely is good and something which India lacks for sure.
I just recollected that I haven’t been smoking since 10 days. That is the longest I have gone without it. And on the flip side as you start expecting that I finally gave up something bad, I am now-a-days addicted to black coffee. That’s what I have in room and I love it without the milk and that’s what is growing upon me. I hope this doesn’t become the next addiction issue of my life. Well, that was all from the Toronto Saturday.
My favorite Television show Roadies 8 is on air. I miss watching it on my TV. I have an LCD here but it’s just waste. It has only the Canadian channels and paid movies. Cable services in India really are amazing and better. They almost suit anyone from anywhere. Anyways, YouTube is doing the shows for me. In La-Liga today, Barcelona smashed Hercules 3-0 today and the 400th goal under pep Guardiola comes from Lionel Messi. And without an effort, Messi even scored his second. Not to mention the starter from Pedro. That was really an amazing score and surely places Pedro among the top brackets.
I am still having tough time with the currency here. I keep on going to these shops for my dinner or lunch and I always spell the same thing out: “I am new here, can you help me with the coins”…They always do. That’s what I like here. People, though they happen to mind their own, do feel like humans. The lady who comes for housekeeping, the guy who came in twice for fixing up the internet and bulbs and the plumber for the shower issue, they all felt human and they all looked happy and they all sounded content. I don’t know what it is but it surely is good and something which India lacks for sure.
I just recollected that I haven’t been smoking since 10 days. That is the longest I have gone without it. And on the flip side as you start expecting that I finally gave up something bad, I am now-a-days addicted to black coffee. That’s what I have in room and I love it without the milk and that’s what is growing upon me. I hope this doesn’t become the next addiction issue of my life. Well, that was all from the Toronto Saturday.
Friday, January 28, 2011
My Trip to Toronto - 6
Today’s highlight: Sushi at team lunch. It really was good. I never had it before. And I am a big fan of sea food. So, I never had any issues with it. I really liked the hot drink which was served along with the soup and Sushi and the numerous types it includes, it looks and tastes amazing.
I am tired of answering the same questions again and again. All they ask for is what is my plan for the rest of the day or for the weekends or what is it that I am having for the dinner. What am I supposed to say them? Isn’t everybody aware that I am all alone and the temperature is -10? I don’t understand.
My first week at Toronto comes to an end. It was good. I somehow managed my time. What lies ahead of me is two full days at hotel room. I guess I will get exhausted and try out the Google map for local areas to visit which would be cheaper for me to access. I anyways have to go out for the lunch. I leave that onto time to happen. I wish I had a work Visa and come here for a longer interval. This is a nice place to be.
It’s time for my black coffee. I guess I would stick to myself and work on the new website I am planning. You either have everything or you don’t have anything. It feels silly and foolish to hang around in the middle. Life has its own way….
I am tired of answering the same questions again and again. All they ask for is what is my plan for the rest of the day or for the weekends or what is it that I am having for the dinner. What am I supposed to say them? Isn’t everybody aware that I am all alone and the temperature is -10? I don’t understand.
My first week at Toronto comes to an end. It was good. I somehow managed my time. What lies ahead of me is two full days at hotel room. I guess I will get exhausted and try out the Google map for local areas to visit which would be cheaper for me to access. I anyways have to go out for the lunch. I leave that onto time to happen. I wish I had a work Visa and come here for a longer interval. This is a nice place to be.
It’s time for my black coffee. I guess I would stick to myself and work on the new website I am planning. You either have everything or you don’t have anything. It feels silly and foolish to hang around in the middle. Life has its own way….
Thursday, January 27, 2011
9th Aug: My sad & happy Day...
The below post (a real life incident from my life) is my entry for Close Up “Fire-Freeze” Contest.
If you have lived any such moment where you felt contrasting emotions piercing you, you may participate. Remember to post your story-in brief-as a comment below this post. Thanks.
I belong to a big, famous and common league: I am a software developer from India. When you become that, you feel good and especially more when you are a class bunker during your engineering days and addicted to novels, movies and PC games. Gradually, as I settled in my job, a want of better package made me a frequent job hopper. I was sitting at my 3th organization in 4 years. Things were worse for I had already been selected for an Investment bank (a dream) and was waiting for the offer letter. That would make it 4 in 4 years. I hope you don’t ask me WHY when I will tell you that I did that within a week of my joining the new org. It was a dream to work for an Investment bank, for me and opportunities don’t come twice, do they? So as I pondered more over my future, relaxing during my office hours, I thought getting an MBA done from some elite school would now make more sense for I am just about to move into something cool. How long can an offer letter take to reach me? Notice periods after you resign at your workplace are always rosy. All set, GMAT was the word.
Internet got me all that I needed. Forums and blogs gave me a good head start. Within 2 days, I had all the stuff I would need and it stood at 4+ GB mark. I always start good. While a daily 2 hour preparation is usually suggested, I started at 5. Two weeks down, I was getting tired. The zeal was decreasing. One month down, I was almost done with my course. I was looking forward to another two weeks to be done with my revision and searching for a good online test series seemed perfect for the time. Being a born procrastinator, it also seemed logical to seal the deal and I booked my GMAT dates. But somewhere in the city, an accident happens, my colleague gets injured and out of work for no idea how long according to the doctors and the next day at work, my project gets shuffled and I along with another new joiner (Mr. X), is expected to work with someone (Mr. Y ) sitting at the onshore. My housewife days (I used to come home by 5PM in the evenings) were over. The famous onsite-offshore model started for me. It was now 10 or 11 in the night when I used to reach home. It took two days for me to settle in the sudden changes at work and after thinking it through; things still looked easy for the GMAT to happen as planned. Test series would be for the weekends with 1 hour revisions during the week. I was targeting for a 730+.
Four tests down, I was at a 640, a well 90 points below of my target score. Numerous head and fist bangs over the desk, countless cigarettes and discussions with closed ones, subject experts and brainstorming couldn’t help me out. Logic suggested a change of date. And, my soon-to-arrive offer letter was already 2 Months delayed. I kept on submitting my proofs and the HR always came back asking for something different. Sometimes it was the tenant agreement or sometimes it was the format of my scanned copy. Background verification became a passport application. And my 10-11PM log off time from work got extended to 2-3 AM in the mornings as I got stuck up with Mr. X & Y, mostly to explain them no more than the basics for fresh graduates out of college. Everything was testing everything in me.
A score of 630 in the 5th test on a weekday morning finally got the better off me. The test had to be rescheduled. It needs to be done tonight. 90 points increase in performance isn’t a joke. I reached home at 2 AM in the morning. With eyes red, I see the offer letter sitting in my inbox. Happy, I rush to make the other end fine. I log into the GMAC website and hit the reschedule button. It charges me $250, the equivalent of a new exam as opposed to the $50 it is supposed to, for rescheduling an exam appointment. I cancel out and retry the steps. Well, it stays the same way. Nuts, I check out the FAQ’s. My original exam day is on 9th Aug and today is 3rd Aug. You have to reschedule your exam at least 7 days before or else, you get charged the same as of a new exam. I never thought of ending my life more seriously. I am appearing the exam as scheduled initially. You think I am done? Nope. The real fun was yet to come.
I had resigned at work but no one seemed to care about it. Everything stayed the same. There was no change in my working hours. I was still educating an 8 year old IT brain at onshore and a 6 year old IT brain at offshore about how data structures work and why I coded what. I actually had to work 12+ hours even during my notice period. Who does that? Why me? I didn’t want to take the exam but $250 is no joke. So, with duality all inside me, my preparation came to a standstill and now I was looking for luck on the day.
It was supposed to be 9th Aug. And it should be a Tuesday for I remember that while booking it, I thought that I would get the weekend and then on Monday, at office I would fake a bad health and leave early and the next morning, on Tuesday, I would ace the exam. So, on Sunday evening, I went out with my friend to check out the Pearson center in my city. On Monday, I went to office and at 4 PM, I successfully faked my bad health to my manager and headed home. It felt heaven to come back so early. But I was sad. The final day lied hours ahead of me. The day which was supposed to be my day depended now totally on luck. People do end up getting a 50 point increase. Everything depends on the last few questions and how you start. That’s what I was reading in the forums to keep my fire burning. Anyways, I would have the real time experience of having gone through the GMAT when I would appear it again in a few months, to correct my score. The final score matters. A good sleep is most suggested. I picked up my handset to call up my girl friend and saw it was 9th Aug. Weird. It was 10’o clock in the night. I checked my system calendar. It was 9th Aug. I can’t explain what followed next…..
9th Aug, 2010 was a Monday. I was happy that I escaped the exam unknowingly. I was sad that I finally did indeed make my $250 go into the drain. I was happy that I never got to see that score I hated. I was sad for I knew many around me thought I did all this intentionally. I was happy that I didn’t have to face what it feels like wanting to give 100% and not being able to, when it matters. I was sad that I, being the candidate, didn’t care to check the date and the day.
Life is weird. There are very few things which happen and with time, become increasingly hard to comprehend as to why they happened. Otherwise, time usually has the answer to almost everything else….I still don’t know whether I should be happy or sad about what had happened.
If you have lived any such moment where you felt contrasting emotions piercing you, you may participate. Remember to post your story-in brief-as a comment below this post. Thanks.
I belong to a big, famous and common league: I am a software developer from India. When you become that, you feel good and especially more when you are a class bunker during your engineering days and addicted to novels, movies and PC games. Gradually, as I settled in my job, a want of better package made me a frequent job hopper. I was sitting at my 3th organization in 4 years. Things were worse for I had already been selected for an Investment bank (a dream) and was waiting for the offer letter. That would make it 4 in 4 years. I hope you don’t ask me WHY when I will tell you that I did that within a week of my joining the new org. It was a dream to work for an Investment bank, for me and opportunities don’t come twice, do they? So as I pondered more over my future, relaxing during my office hours, I thought getting an MBA done from some elite school would now make more sense for I am just about to move into something cool. How long can an offer letter take to reach me? Notice periods after you resign at your workplace are always rosy. All set, GMAT was the word.
Internet got me all that I needed. Forums and blogs gave me a good head start. Within 2 days, I had all the stuff I would need and it stood at 4+ GB mark. I always start good. While a daily 2 hour preparation is usually suggested, I started at 5. Two weeks down, I was getting tired. The zeal was decreasing. One month down, I was almost done with my course. I was looking forward to another two weeks to be done with my revision and searching for a good online test series seemed perfect for the time. Being a born procrastinator, it also seemed logical to seal the deal and I booked my GMAT dates. But somewhere in the city, an accident happens, my colleague gets injured and out of work for no idea how long according to the doctors and the next day at work, my project gets shuffled and I along with another new joiner (Mr. X), is expected to work with someone (Mr. Y ) sitting at the onshore. My housewife days (I used to come home by 5PM in the evenings) were over. The famous onsite-offshore model started for me. It was now 10 or 11 in the night when I used to reach home. It took two days for me to settle in the sudden changes at work and after thinking it through; things still looked easy for the GMAT to happen as planned. Test series would be for the weekends with 1 hour revisions during the week. I was targeting for a 730+.
Four tests down, I was at a 640, a well 90 points below of my target score. Numerous head and fist bangs over the desk, countless cigarettes and discussions with closed ones, subject experts and brainstorming couldn’t help me out. Logic suggested a change of date. And, my soon-to-arrive offer letter was already 2 Months delayed. I kept on submitting my proofs and the HR always came back asking for something different. Sometimes it was the tenant agreement or sometimes it was the format of my scanned copy. Background verification became a passport application. And my 10-11PM log off time from work got extended to 2-3 AM in the mornings as I got stuck up with Mr. X & Y, mostly to explain them no more than the basics for fresh graduates out of college. Everything was testing everything in me.
A score of 630 in the 5th test on a weekday morning finally got the better off me. The test had to be rescheduled. It needs to be done tonight. 90 points increase in performance isn’t a joke. I reached home at 2 AM in the morning. With eyes red, I see the offer letter sitting in my inbox. Happy, I rush to make the other end fine. I log into the GMAC website and hit the reschedule button. It charges me $250, the equivalent of a new exam as opposed to the $50 it is supposed to, for rescheduling an exam appointment. I cancel out and retry the steps. Well, it stays the same way. Nuts, I check out the FAQ’s. My original exam day is on 9th Aug and today is 3rd Aug. You have to reschedule your exam at least 7 days before or else, you get charged the same as of a new exam. I never thought of ending my life more seriously. I am appearing the exam as scheduled initially. You think I am done? Nope. The real fun was yet to come.
I had resigned at work but no one seemed to care about it. Everything stayed the same. There was no change in my working hours. I was still educating an 8 year old IT brain at onshore and a 6 year old IT brain at offshore about how data structures work and why I coded what. I actually had to work 12+ hours even during my notice period. Who does that? Why me? I didn’t want to take the exam but $250 is no joke. So, with duality all inside me, my preparation came to a standstill and now I was looking for luck on the day.
It was supposed to be 9th Aug. And it should be a Tuesday for I remember that while booking it, I thought that I would get the weekend and then on Monday, at office I would fake a bad health and leave early and the next morning, on Tuesday, I would ace the exam. So, on Sunday evening, I went out with my friend to check out the Pearson center in my city. On Monday, I went to office and at 4 PM, I successfully faked my bad health to my manager and headed home. It felt heaven to come back so early. But I was sad. The final day lied hours ahead of me. The day which was supposed to be my day depended now totally on luck. People do end up getting a 50 point increase. Everything depends on the last few questions and how you start. That’s what I was reading in the forums to keep my fire burning. Anyways, I would have the real time experience of having gone through the GMAT when I would appear it again in a few months, to correct my score. The final score matters. A good sleep is most suggested. I picked up my handset to call up my girl friend and saw it was 9th Aug. Weird. It was 10’o clock in the night. I checked my system calendar. It was 9th Aug. I can’t explain what followed next…..
9th Aug, 2010 was a Monday. I was happy that I escaped the exam unknowingly. I was sad that I finally did indeed make my $250 go into the drain. I was happy that I never got to see that score I hated. I was sad for I knew many around me thought I did all this intentionally. I was happy that I didn’t have to face what it feels like wanting to give 100% and not being able to, when it matters. I was sad that I, being the candidate, didn’t care to check the date and the day.
Life is weird. There are very few things which happen and with time, become increasingly hard to comprehend as to why they happened. Otherwise, time usually has the answer to almost everything else….I still don’t know whether I should be happy or sad about what had happened.
My Trip to Toronto - 5
Five days down. That implies I am well into the middle of my stay. A couple of issues which still linger include washings, morning bread and cup noodles. They might be near but they are in dollars. That is one thing I am trying to skip. Now a day I am quite happy with my Thai food in the lunch and MacDonald burgers in the dinner. The room coffee maker keeps me good too during the evenings and office work is smooth. Even the climate is warm outside, comparatively. So, in short, everything is just fine and calm.
Tomorrow I would be going out for team lunch. And Saturday does have me visiting a colleague’s house for spending some Indian time together. Though I am not at all eager to go, I really can’t help it. I don’t understand what to talk about and what not to. I take it as another task.
I am getting these weird ideas of creating a website and its gradually growing over me. It would be ideal to focus on it seriously. It can become a potential time killer and would always help me further my skills. I just fear the procrastinator in me. Things never had a problem starting up with me but they never grew up and that list is endless. I don’t want it to grow any further. Being a Gemini, sticking to a cause is tough. I am a perfect example of the same. That’s all for today.
Note: Don’t curse me if at all you are here. I know I am being poor here in uploading pictures of this amazing city but, I hope that you understand that being alone is tough. I don’t want to make it tougher for me. :)
Tomorrow I would be going out for team lunch. And Saturday does have me visiting a colleague’s house for spending some Indian time together. Though I am not at all eager to go, I really can’t help it. I don’t understand what to talk about and what not to. I take it as another task.
I am getting these weird ideas of creating a website and its gradually growing over me. It would be ideal to focus on it seriously. It can become a potential time killer and would always help me further my skills. I just fear the procrastinator in me. Things never had a problem starting up with me but they never grew up and that list is endless. I don’t want it to grow any further. Being a Gemini, sticking to a cause is tough. I am a perfect example of the same. That’s all for today.
Note: Don’t curse me if at all you are here. I know I am being poor here in uploading pictures of this amazing city but, I hope that you understand that being alone is tough. I don’t want to make it tougher for me. :)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
My Trip to Toronto - 4
It seems that I have made a mistake by having started the Toronto trip series. After the initial two days, life has kind of settled down here and I can see a routine emerge out of it. My reluctance to spend and lack of friends are the facts from my life to blame.
You have to agree that you cannot enjoy a place and feel good if you go on visiting places alone. That’s exactly my case. Even though I don’t know when I am going to come back to Canada, will that ever happen in my lifetime or not, I just can’t carry on with my two eyes and legs. And when you have financial issues in your life, going alone and spending that buck out would be the last thing you would ever do.
I went to office and came back. I had Thai food during the lunch and MacDonald awaits me for dinner. Rest of my time in Toronto is spent over the internet with my laptop. Whenever I happen to look outside and see that skyline from my room, that’s when I realize that I am no more in India. It feels good, in a way that I am here. But it does feel sad too, spending time at home when you are at a place new and you do no not know if life is ever gonna get you that second chance. I leave all of it to god. I am happy believing that he being the know-it-all entity understands me and has a reason for me to be here, this way. I am here just to fit into his plan.
Here it’s getting warm though. It was -3 degrees centigrade today. Toronto does
indeed impress me. People look nice as they walk fast trying to escape the cold and snow and covered up in the woolens. Streets look white with snow. Air feels to be purified in cold steam. There is something about the cold chill in the air that hits your face and you feel something inside you. The thing with cold air and winters can never escape you if you really do pay attention to it. And be the one behind the wheels or the street walker, both has respect and time for the other. It’s decent and clean. Take my word, it’s quite a place to be.
You have to agree that you cannot enjoy a place and feel good if you go on visiting places alone. That’s exactly my case. Even though I don’t know when I am going to come back to Canada, will that ever happen in my lifetime or not, I just can’t carry on with my two eyes and legs. And when you have financial issues in your life, going alone and spending that buck out would be the last thing you would ever do.
I went to office and came back. I had Thai food during the lunch and MacDonald awaits me for dinner. Rest of my time in Toronto is spent over the internet with my laptop. Whenever I happen to look outside and see that skyline from my room, that’s when I realize that I am no more in India. It feels good, in a way that I am here. But it does feel sad too, spending time at home when you are at a place new and you do no not know if life is ever gonna get you that second chance. I leave all of it to god. I am happy believing that he being the know-it-all entity understands me and has a reason for me to be here, this way. I am here just to fit into his plan.
Here it’s getting warm though. It was -3 degrees centigrade today. Toronto does
indeed impress me. People look nice as they walk fast trying to escape the cold and snow and covered up in the woolens. Streets look white with snow. Air feels to be purified in cold steam. There is something about the cold chill in the air that hits your face and you feel something inside you. The thing with cold air and winters can never escape you if you really do pay attention to it. And be the one behind the wheels or the street walker, both has respect and time for the other. It’s decent and clean. Take my word, it’s quite a place to be.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
My Trip to Toronto - 3
As expected, today was just another day.
I don’t believe I am writing this, but today it was a lot warmer day at -8 degrees centigrade. You really have no idea how it feels like to walk in -30, especially more so when it’s your first day and you don’t even know where you are supposed to go. I reached office on time. The lady in team invited me over to her house in the weekends and I found her very nice. She looks strong, weird and twisted but, o me she has been good. She deserves the same back I guess. And I also have a team lunch in my honor of visiting Toronto. All of it feels nice, yet embarrassing. I am really poor in handling these matters…
I came home to find my internet connection not working as expected. It took 2 calls to get it fixed. That’s a relief. My whole lot in India is sleeping as I write this and the more I think about it, the more I realize my present and where I am and why I am here and what great I am doing being here and….its endless…..it is better I stop myself going there.
Food is gradually crawling up my list of issues. It has been 4 days and I am all on MacDonald and my cup noodles and my biscuits. I wonder how long I am going to be good that ways. When you are alone and when you know that you need to save some dollars, having food outside is the last thing you would ever wish to do. So I wait for the real call to come from inside before I give in to my cravings……
I don’t believe I am writing this, but today it was a lot warmer day at -8 degrees centigrade. You really have no idea how it feels like to walk in -30, especially more so when it’s your first day and you don’t even know where you are supposed to go. I reached office on time. The lady in team invited me over to her house in the weekends and I found her very nice. She looks strong, weird and twisted but, o me she has been good. She deserves the same back I guess. And I also have a team lunch in my honor of visiting Toronto. All of it feels nice, yet embarrassing. I am really poor in handling these matters…
I came home to find my internet connection not working as expected. It took 2 calls to get it fixed. That’s a relief. My whole lot in India is sleeping as I write this and the more I think about it, the more I realize my present and where I am and why I am here and what great I am doing being here and….its endless…..it is better I stop myself going there.
Food is gradually crawling up my list of issues. It has been 4 days and I am all on MacDonald and my cup noodles and my biscuits. I wonder how long I am going to be good that ways. When you are alone and when you know that you need to save some dollars, having food outside is the last thing you would ever wish to do. So I wait for the real call to come from inside before I give in to my cravings……
Monday, January 24, 2011
My Trip to Toronto - 2
Today my life started at Toronto. Till now, it was just the wait for work is why I am here. The morning started for me quite early which has never been the case with me since years or may be never before. It started at 5 Am which usually is 9 AM for me in India.
It’s strange how life differs over the time zones. While I am trying to brush my teeth and get ready, my fellow mates at India are wrapping up their Monday. It’s simple for the world rotates yet amazing for that makes lives so different. Nez…the first news of the morning was a good one and a bad one. My love starts working from 1st March instead of 1st may. That’s bad for her stay with me for 3 months before she joins work has to be cancelled. That implies a more-lonely me back when I am at India. And it’s good because she would get paid which implies my salary increases and I start getting more bucks for us to live. I now feel that it’s more bad and little good. Nothing can be a substitute than to live together when you are in a distance relationship.
It started falling snow the moment it hit the clock at 6. And it never stopped. It came to become the coldest day of the year at Toronto. It was my first day and I didn’t have the slightest idea as to where my workplace was. I started out in the snow as I felt my nose going numb……and after managing to call up my colleague at the work place and having walked more than a kilometer as I tried not to fall on the snow covered lanes and not to freeze with the cold air I was breathing in, I finally reached where I was expected. Everything can never go right for me. So, the remote desktop didn’t work out. I wasn’t able to check my mails. I did some coding as was needed for the day and started back home at 5PM. That’s really a good thing about working anywhere except India. You come on time, you don’t any shit at work like play TT or gossip around or go for long breaks and you finish your work on time to head home early. That really makes you aware of how important the work life balance is.
Oopss..…I forgot my lunch hour. My team brought boxes and so there was no one who could accompany me. It was again an adventure waiting for me. So I started out and as I asked the other fellow member in the lift, he helped me out as we talked about our work. That’s another good thing about not being in India. I don’t say that Indians aren’t friendly but that the people here are more reachable. I would have thought twice if I were to ask someone at India and would have never dared had it been a girl. Here humanity matters more. You can feel it. And it feels good. Well, amidst a hundred shops and thousand unknown faces, I decided for a roasted chicken sandwich and a diet coke. My lunch ended in 15 minutes as I watched people around and that was it.
Evening walk back to my hotel room had similar colors as the morning but it wasn’t that cold either or might be that I am getting accustomed to it. MacDonald’s has an outlet nearby and I did deserve a value meal after countless cup noodles, cakes and biscuits. I got that packed and as I write this, I am already done with my hot French fries. The burger and the coke have to wait for the dinner. I got my Skype credit charged up today. Hopefully, now I would be able to make some calls to India for cheap. And before I end my post, the last feather in my cap of Toronto would be that I finally was able to brew coffee using the coffee maker. Google is all you need when there is no help available. My first brewed coffee doesn’t taste bad, if I am to be realistic. That implies my tomorrow morning should start on a good note.
It’s strange how life differs over the time zones. While I am trying to brush my teeth and get ready, my fellow mates at India are wrapping up their Monday. It’s simple for the world rotates yet amazing for that makes lives so different. Nez…the first news of the morning was a good one and a bad one. My love starts working from 1st March instead of 1st may. That’s bad for her stay with me for 3 months before she joins work has to be cancelled. That implies a more-lonely me back when I am at India. And it’s good because she would get paid which implies my salary increases and I start getting more bucks for us to live. I now feel that it’s more bad and little good. Nothing can be a substitute than to live together when you are in a distance relationship.
It started falling snow the moment it hit the clock at 6. And it never stopped. It came to become the coldest day of the year at Toronto. It was my first day and I didn’t have the slightest idea as to where my workplace was. I started out in the snow as I felt my nose going numb……and after managing to call up my colleague at the work place and having walked more than a kilometer as I tried not to fall on the snow covered lanes and not to freeze with the cold air I was breathing in, I finally reached where I was expected. Everything can never go right for me. So, the remote desktop didn’t work out. I wasn’t able to check my mails. I did some coding as was needed for the day and started back home at 5PM. That’s really a good thing about working anywhere except India. You come on time, you don’t any shit at work like play TT or gossip around or go for long breaks and you finish your work on time to head home early. That really makes you aware of how important the work life balance is.
Oopss..…I forgot my lunch hour. My team brought boxes and so there was no one who could accompany me. It was again an adventure waiting for me. So I started out and as I asked the other fellow member in the lift, he helped me out as we talked about our work. That’s another good thing about not being in India. I don’t say that Indians aren’t friendly but that the people here are more reachable. I would have thought twice if I were to ask someone at India and would have never dared had it been a girl. Here humanity matters more. You can feel it. And it feels good. Well, amidst a hundred shops and thousand unknown faces, I decided for a roasted chicken sandwich and a diet coke. My lunch ended in 15 minutes as I watched people around and that was it.
Evening walk back to my hotel room had similar colors as the morning but it wasn’t that cold either or might be that I am getting accustomed to it. MacDonald’s has an outlet nearby and I did deserve a value meal after countless cup noodles, cakes and biscuits. I got that packed and as I write this, I am already done with my hot French fries. The burger and the coke have to wait for the dinner. I got my Skype credit charged up today. Hopefully, now I would be able to make some calls to India for cheap. And before I end my post, the last feather in my cap of Toronto would be that I finally was able to brew coffee using the coffee maker. Google is all you need when there is no help available. My first brewed coffee doesn’t taste bad, if I am to be realistic. That implies my tomorrow morning should start on a good note.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
My Trip to Toronto - 1
My first trip abroad has started. I travelled to Toronto for 3 weeks from where I am supposed to go to New Jersey for a week. And that is all about it. Today, I am trying to put down everything possible about my arrival to Toronto via London.
The cab to pick me up was supposed to come at 2:00 Am in the morning. As remains the case, they never turn up on time. After a customer care call and my efforts to guide the driver as to where my home was, I finally was downstairs watching him load my baggage into the cab. I bade goodbye to my roommate and in the chill, the journey begun. International section was new to me and as I was travelling for the first time, I really wasn’t aware of the process which lied ahead. I reached the airport a good 40 minutes ahead of time. After the wait, with red eyes and a light head I met the person over at the counter who checked my two luggages into the cargo and the handed over the boarding passes to me. Without any further delay, I headed for the security check and got seated in front of the gate 32 where my flight was supposed to arrive. It was British Airways and my first international flight. I plugged in the cell phone pods and tried being as much relaxed as possible. But, I failed. The tension and apprehension of what lied ahead hardly allowed me to relax which I guess was good as I didn’t fell asleep.
I had a connecting flight from London. There were many things ahead which I didn’t have the slightest idea about. Things like how much does it take to reach London, what it feels like to be seated for 8 plus hours on a Boeing and whether I would be fine having food during the flight considering that I was a nausea patient and …….well, the answer to everything is just to face it. I landed up besides a little boy and her mother. I ate all that was served. I tried sleeping as much as I could. London was waiting for me after flying for 8 hours.
Another wait started as I sat myself in the waiting arena. It was a 4 hour wait. But it was post the security check up. Compared to India, the security check up at London was pretty impressive. They didn’t take anything for granted except for my sports shoes which was no interest to them. My laptop, purse, belt, socks, bag…everything got scanned. I was carrying INR & CAD, so I tried keeping myself away from the shop nearby. Watching people usually is boring. But not when you are in a foreign land. 4 hours didn’t feel like being 4.
The flight for Canada had me sitting by the window, alone. I tried capturing as much London as I could. I can say that I loved it. The roads, the people, the climate, the surroundings, the view…they all looked great. This is what they say as being the largest city in the world. It kept me yearning for more which is a feeling I really like. These are the ones which makes you live life. Nez…my flight to Toronto was again all about dim lights, foods and occasional trysts with sleep. Another 7 hours and I saw snow for the first time. It was -18 degrees Centigrade outside. The airport too seemed to be lonely for 730 PM in the evening. The customs was a formality. I had confusions about private laptop declaration which the lady sitting at the counter helped me with. I came out, collected my baggage and called up Bloomingdale Limo service. They have a reputation of being reasonable and good. An Indian picked up, booked a cab and made me aware of the process. As I came out of gate no 29 to meet the person sitting at the prebooked counter, I tasted -18 for the first time in my life. It was cold, refreshing, clean and new. I breathed for a few minutes before I came inside and waited for my cab to arrive. Another Indian greeted me as he drove me towards my hotel. He came here 32 years back and has a child aged me and is now settled in Canada. He was all praise for the city. We shared a few words about India before he gave me his contact and waved off. The hotel, Marriott wasn’t bad either. Thankfully, my 220V adaptor worked out good for the 110 ones here. Connecting to the internet had wire and wireless as the options. My cup noodles gave me a good time during the dinner and there I was, sitting on the 17th floor watching a snow covered clean Toronto lying before me.
Its -25 today. I went out for 5 minutes and felt lucky to have come back to the hotel, alive. It was becoming difficult for me to breathe out there. I wonder as to how I am going to make it to the office tomorrow. That’s the next big thing ahead, tomorrow. Hope, things will work out for the good. Presently, it feels nice to be here. I don’t know how it would stay like that.
The cab to pick me up was supposed to come at 2:00 Am in the morning. As remains the case, they never turn up on time. After a customer care call and my efforts to guide the driver as to where my home was, I finally was downstairs watching him load my baggage into the cab. I bade goodbye to my roommate and in the chill, the journey begun. International section was new to me and as I was travelling for the first time, I really wasn’t aware of the process which lied ahead. I reached the airport a good 40 minutes ahead of time. After the wait, with red eyes and a light head I met the person over at the counter who checked my two luggages into the cargo and the handed over the boarding passes to me. Without any further delay, I headed for the security check and got seated in front of the gate 32 where my flight was supposed to arrive. It was British Airways and my first international flight. I plugged in the cell phone pods and tried being as much relaxed as possible. But, I failed. The tension and apprehension of what lied ahead hardly allowed me to relax which I guess was good as I didn’t fell asleep.
I had a connecting flight from London. There were many things ahead which I didn’t have the slightest idea about. Things like how much does it take to reach London, what it feels like to be seated for 8 plus hours on a Boeing and whether I would be fine having food during the flight considering that I was a nausea patient and …….well, the answer to everything is just to face it. I landed up besides a little boy and her mother. I ate all that was served. I tried sleeping as much as I could. London was waiting for me after flying for 8 hours.
Another wait started as I sat myself in the waiting arena. It was a 4 hour wait. But it was post the security check up. Compared to India, the security check up at London was pretty impressive. They didn’t take anything for granted except for my sports shoes which was no interest to them. My laptop, purse, belt, socks, bag…everything got scanned. I was carrying INR & CAD, so I tried keeping myself away from the shop nearby. Watching people usually is boring. But not when you are in a foreign land. 4 hours didn’t feel like being 4.
The flight for Canada had me sitting by the window, alone. I tried capturing as much London as I could. I can say that I loved it. The roads, the people, the climate, the surroundings, the view…they all looked great. This is what they say as being the largest city in the world. It kept me yearning for more which is a feeling I really like. These are the ones which makes you live life. Nez…my flight to Toronto was again all about dim lights, foods and occasional trysts with sleep. Another 7 hours and I saw snow for the first time. It was -18 degrees Centigrade outside. The airport too seemed to be lonely for 730 PM in the evening. The customs was a formality. I had confusions about private laptop declaration which the lady sitting at the counter helped me with. I came out, collected my baggage and called up Bloomingdale Limo service. They have a reputation of being reasonable and good. An Indian picked up, booked a cab and made me aware of the process. As I came out of gate no 29 to meet the person sitting at the prebooked counter, I tasted -18 for the first time in my life. It was cold, refreshing, clean and new. I breathed for a few minutes before I came inside and waited for my cab to arrive. Another Indian greeted me as he drove me towards my hotel. He came here 32 years back and has a child aged me and is now settled in Canada. He was all praise for the city. We shared a few words about India before he gave me his contact and waved off. The hotel, Marriott wasn’t bad either. Thankfully, my 220V adaptor worked out good for the 110 ones here. Connecting to the internet had wire and wireless as the options. My cup noodles gave me a good time during the dinner and there I was, sitting on the 17th floor watching a snow covered clean Toronto lying before me.
Its -25 today. I went out for 5 minutes and felt lucky to have come back to the hotel, alive. It was becoming difficult for me to breathe out there. I wonder as to how I am going to make it to the office tomorrow. That’s the next big thing ahead, tomorrow. Hope, things will work out for the good. Presently, it feels nice to be here. I don’t know how it would stay like that.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
My New Year celebrations just got over....
The New Year celebrations just got over for me. That explains where I had been these many days post my Christmas post. It was the same routine life except one additional premise which imparted a whole new meaning to these normal, routine, lame days from my life. It was my love who was staying here with me.
She was the mornings I always wanted. She was the smile I always longed for in the goodbyes and welcomes. She was the taste my buds always searched for during the dinners and the in the food out. She was the voice I always wanted to hear when I get home. She was the company I always needed when I headed out for the movies or a good time out. She was the support I always prayed for in times dark. She was the life I always asked for, in my life.
No one else had mattered. It was a proud display of arrogance on my part for I had what I always needed. Friends, family and no-idea-who-all got neglected. The same sheets, the same room, the same air, they all are here but what they used to have is what is missing today. There is no substitute or shortcut to living life in & with love..
Today, as I sit here writing this post, she is traveling back to her city to complete her course and I am looking forward to a business travel to Canada/US in the next 3 days for a month, alone. The next one month will test all that I have. The temperatures are low, I would be on my own and the expectations from me to deliver are high and I am traveling abroad for the first time. So, it’s missing your life plus the insecurities and challenges that lie ahead for me. Be it a win or a loss, it’s just another match which needs to be played. Matter of time before I am into it…..do wish me and us, luck…
She was the mornings I always wanted. She was the smile I always longed for in the goodbyes and welcomes. She was the taste my buds always searched for during the dinners and the in the food out. She was the voice I always wanted to hear when I get home. She was the company I always needed when I headed out for the movies or a good time out. She was the support I always prayed for in times dark. She was the life I always asked for, in my life.
No one else had mattered. It was a proud display of arrogance on my part for I had what I always needed. Friends, family and no-idea-who-all got neglected. The same sheets, the same room, the same air, they all are here but what they used to have is what is missing today. There is no substitute or shortcut to living life in & with love..
Today, as I sit here writing this post, she is traveling back to her city to complete her course and I am looking forward to a business travel to Canada/US in the next 3 days for a month, alone. The next one month will test all that I have. The temperatures are low, I would be on my own and the expectations from me to deliver are high and I am traveling abroad for the first time. So, it’s missing your life plus the insecurities and challenges that lie ahead for me. Be it a win or a loss, it’s just another match which needs to be played. Matter of time before I am into it…..do wish me and us, luck…
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