I have met as many people in last 12 days that I haven't met in 12 months! Heard my name pronounced in scores of different accent and ways.

Hanging around the world

Life seems pretty easy and relax at the moment. But I know this is gonna change suddenly when semester begins. In an honest way I dont very much like it this way. And I am eager for it to start all. In spite of the warnings that it gets very hectic and all Im in a way waiting for it to come. Eagerness mixed with a pinch of something cloven fear.

The most active part is the international get togethers. Firstly it was International student orientation. And today again it was a kind of outing organized by M.I.S.A. It is a nice feeling to know people from different nationalities. Like all the world coming to one floor. All of us together represent 35 countries! On Friday I met a Greek dude, a Vietnamese girl couple, of Chinese guys(actually a lot of em later), an Indonesian, Korean, two little Japanese undergrads.Today also met a Sri-Lankan guy - he was a funny man, a Shanghai girl in utter sobriety, two Dutch blondes, a Danish from Copenhagen, a Malaysian, a nice guy from Uganda, a church official from America, many other guys from China.
One thing I got to know out of it. The Chinese people have very high regards for IITs of India. Contrary to all the conspiracy theories running in the market I have found that Chinese are nice people.

ज़िन्दगी

ज़िन्दगी गुज़र गई बस इसी कशमकश में,
प्यार मुमकिन नहीं, ना है मेरे वश में|
मैं नादां चला जाम चाहत का पिने,
था मीठा ज़हर उस रश में!
ना खबर कुछ मुझे, न पता कुछ मुझे,
घिर गया इस तरह यादों की बहस में|

--Unknown

Minneapolis

The first guy I met at airport (after all security checks) here was very helpful. I asked him the way to super shuttle parking and he walked me all the way down to parking and introduced me to shuttle staff for further help. After waiting for about an hour the university van picked me up and dropped to my friend's place. I was surprised to see this undergraduate girl from university driving a big van, quite as big as mini-bus. Is driving that easy. On the way it seemed that city of full of lakes and some waterfall. Aptly it is called city of lakes.

Amsterdam

Last two days were pretty much memorable. a huge family outing dinner. we stayed late night and loads of photos and all. memories-from-childhood thingy. We clicked photos in the same pose as in a long back dated photo.

The day also happened to be my birthday. And I didn't post on my birthday! Okay it was a busy one. It kind of added to the showdown. Then on the next day it was my flight. I was seen off by many of my family members and a friend. I don't know why but the whole time till I got into plane I was sweating like a real pig! So much so that during immigration check at IGI the guy at the desk was inquisitive about the reasons Im sweating. Then he checked my university I20 form and all and asked some lame questions about whens and whys and wheres. I gave him lamest of all lame excuses to him that I used to live in Hyderabad and it was not so hot over there and I could not handle the heat here. I laughed at myself. (Anyways, I do sweat like hell at times.) Like a pig. Like I had never been in this kind of weather. For the record many times my hometown Allahabad is much damp and horrid and hot than Delhi. Talking of weather, weather at Amsterdam is quite nice this day. Lots of clouds, of all types, to be seen in the sky. Temperature is within 20 I guess (since it was still 6 am when I landed). In only a full sleeve I could just feel the little chill but not so chill to need a sweater. Like October morning in Kanpur. Only with lots of clouds in the sky. I really feel like home in this weather. Only with lots of around-the-world people.

Back on the Delhi airport mini incident happened. One of my elephant baggage was over weight by few kilos. I picked 2 high density books and 2 eateries packet out of it and there was nowhere it could be done away with. I asked the airline girl to tell me better ways than dump these in dustbin. I thought I dint want to start my graduate studies by throwing away books :). Although I dont believe a lot in symbolism. Anyways I dint want to throw away anything. So I just stood by the counter with the books like adamant fool. :D. Then the girl said that I could keep the books in my carry-on luggage, in which I still hand some half a kilo limit left, and eventually I did carry those in my cabin luggage. So at the end or it I was carrying the max limit that can be carried. Gave the eateries to an airport worker. Talking of eateries Im starting to feel my stomach. And thirsty too. But I really dont feel like start walking. Not that Im tired or something. I just dont want it. Because I like the view from the place I am sitting and the crowd is coming in. :)

I just now went back in time! By three hours. By my watch. I think I will sacrifice the view and take a stroll.

Amsterdam airport is huge! And lots to spend time with. Only if they had more than one hour of free internet.

Countdown

Counting down from today there are exactly 10 days left in my home country and 8 days at my home. :(

Home

The time to stay-at-home is almost over and there is nothing much to write about it. Only that it was one of the longest nothing-to-do time. There is nothing to glorify because as a friend said vellapa(nothingness) can never be glorified.

But still I loved it because its HOME.