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.

a month

One month into my vacation and it dint feel like a month! Only that I visited 3 cities in between.
I saw Kolkata - city of joy for the first time and wondering what it would have been n century before. (n=1,2,3,4). I think in one day I got the vibe :D. The history of Calcutta gallery in Victoria Memorial was the high point. It is much like a city which is depleting than a developing one. Much like kanpur where I stayed for 5 years.
Then visited Bhopal to see some folks. And then to Delhi to some more folks. And the big fort built be Emperor Mogul Shah Jahan in 17th century. And the famous Delhi market Chandni Chowk. And some eateries. It made me believe people in Delhi have very strong immune system.
Since vellapa cannot be glorified I am also learning something during this time. To swim. I started on to pick up things nicely only to reinstate in initial learning stage by a 2 day break :( Looks like swimming is not an easy exercise. More so at the noon-past timings. When it is laziest time of the day. On a second thought other times of day are lazier too.
Recently enough my eyes started to hurt badly. Not in the way as if something hurts you but like itching and uneasiness. Then for the second time within a year eyesight further depleted. Cylindrical correction in both eyes now. It is very bad to have cylindrical glasses. Spherical ones you can do without glasses on many times but cylindrical is worse. Even bare 0.5 will screw badly.

Home

Reached home easily last week and since then pretty much doing nothing here.

Hyderabad, thou shalt be missed

Last day was also amazing. Got a farewell which I never expected again. In the end it looked as if everything was happening so fast. As if I wished I had more time. But then it has to come one day. Whenever you leave a place you get this kind of feeling. At your last day you will feel like you had one more day. Given that extra day you will again wish same. And by mathematical induction you will stay forever. So it gotta be one day or other.

Right now have to do packing and then sleep for a little while. Following was the Oscar Speech which I sent to my colleagues:

Hi all,
Today on the last day of office at oracle I recollect all the good times that I have spend and all the people I have befriended in past 1 year. This being my first job I learned here what it is to work in a professional environment. I was extremely happy with the team I worked. Honestly speaking if I were to work in corporate-IT job this team would be it. I am thankful to my teammates and managers who were always available for help....
...

Nice day

Today, second last day in Oracle, more or less turned out to be somewhat similar to last day. It started with as usual me hurrying up for getting ready and struggling to find something which can consist of breakfast. Finally a glass of the Real Mango juice made it.
When I reached office as usual there was little which I could call office work. But then there was closing procedure and due to some confusion in submitting exit requests I had to submit the laptop/desktop a day early.

All this done I was invited out for lunch by some office friends. Thereafter in the noon what I experienced was historic. So much so that at one point of time I started doubting if I deserved so much respect or not. But then it is what we call affection. I felt obliged to everyone. Honestly speaking I never expected such farewell. I am not someone used to being cynosure. It felt great to have such good friends, so many of them, in such a short duration. I had a great time in Hyderabad living, making friends, eating, earning, spending. Traveling, fooling around, not working in office and a lot more.

But there are times in life when you feel that you should move on. This was the time. And with this far it is no looking back. Although the places get left behind memories don't. People are left behind but friendship doesn't. As Mr.Harrison says and as Mr.me keeps recalling,

All things must pass,
All things mus pass away.

Now I will sing a song, which I didn't do yesterday, and sign off for last day at office. But it will be in text format. :)

There are places I remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I've loved them all

Last weekend

The weekend went nice. Mostly ate out on this one. Friday was amazing. On Sunday when I was paying at a coffee bar a little child came to me. She was just above knee level. She came and dint look up and clung around me. Now she gazed up and very next moment was in screams. I took her in arms to allay her but for no use (until her father came to her).
Later in the day I realized it was father's day on that day. :P

Last week

Today is the first day of the last week of my first job which may be last (corporate) job.

Bidar

June is almost here. And so is my last month in Hyderabad. The weather has been benign in the last few days. It is one of the awesome times when clouds shape up nicely in the skies. Just before the monsoons.
In such beautiful ambiance we visited fort of one of the five great empires in Southern India. Bidar. That was pretty much the weekend. This was on last weekend btw. This weekend visited Shirdi.

Saturday

Saturday. Boring as usual.

Say something

Some people say that I don't talk too much. Mostly when I meet new ones they will observe: 'You don't talk much. Say something'. And after hearing that there isn't really much that I can say.

May be I shouldn't give them chance to say that to me. So that I am not in a position where there isn't really much left to say. It is kind of self loop. When I don't talk much, which usually is the case, then people point it out after it there isn't much left and after that it becomes like that. I have to break the loop

So I am reading how to talk to strangers.

Forgetting names

How embarrassing it becomes when we forget someone's name some time. It happens mostly when you are meeting someone after a long time. But for me it is not usually. If I know someone's name I can recall it after long times but problem is to get it right in first trial. When I meet somebody for the first time and (s)he tells name I usually tend to observe that person and not concentrate on what (s)he is saying for name. I will concentrate more on how (s)he is speaking and all. So it is very difficult to get it in first trial. I always require to ask just after few minutes. But there are nice tips and tricks you can use to escape the embarrassment. Following is a list taken from this link.

1. Tell them your name first.
Someone is approaching you – you know the face, but not the name. Try being the first to talk, smile and say “Hello, we’ve met before – I’m Dee”. In most cases the other person will say there name too. This works perfect in situations when you only met someone briefly because there is a change they also have forgotten your name. Using this trick provides the person with your name also, without either of you having to admit you forgot names.

2. The extra sneaky tricks.
Ask the person their name and after they tell you say “No, I ment your last name.” Another option is to ask how they spell their name, now of course this can backfire if their name is something simple (like Dee).

3. Avoid saying names altogether.
There are situations where you do not want to admit you forgot a name. If it is a name you should know and the consequences are too big then starting a conversation without any names is your best bet. For example, “Oh hi, how have you been?” “Good to see you again, I was hoping you would be here”. This also gives you a chance to remember their name as you talk.

4. Use the ‘introduce a friend’ trick.
“Hello, oh have you met my friend Jack?” Jack then says hi and in most situations the person will introduce themselves to Jack. If the person merely says “Hi Jack” then you can still say “I’m sorry, I have forgotten your name”.

5. Darling so good to see you!
This trick is really a twist on avoid saying names altogether. But instead you use a substitute where you would usually say their name. Such as darling, honey, champ, sir, dude etc. Not recommended at business events but can work at parties.

6. Ask someone else what their name is.
If you are attending a party or networking event scan the room for familiar faces. If you can’t place a name to a face then ask a friend who they are. Now you know their name and are ready to greet them later.

7. Be honest (short and simple).
If you are going to ask someone what their name is because you have forgotten add an apologize. “I’m so sorry I can’t remember your name” or “I’m sorry, what was your name again?” A simple apology is all that is needed before launching into a conversation with them. Or you could try something even simplier like “Can you remind me what your name is?”

There are a bunch of sites here and here that have tips on how to remember people’s names so you’ll never have to use the tips in this post.

Mumbai

Terminal is such a good place to blog. :) You have internet, all the time in the world (if u r well before in time) and lots of activities going around you.

Anyways visa interview was just a formality it seemed. Just two min talk. No document check no nothing. Just they kept my passport. People say they trust. So this heck of visa thingy is over. Now I can put my resignation and fix date of my summer vacation. And rest in peace thereafter. For 1 month.

Even though a short one this trip was memorable like anything. Stayed at a friend's at Hiranandani and spent one whole day. Almost relived the college time. One of those days when we did nothing at room except bulla (gossips - intellectual ones). Went out only for lunch, evening snacks and dinner.

Loner

Since I am going to live more or less lonely life for next some (5?) years it would be apt to get some practice from now on.

There's nothing you can say
To make me change my mind
Goodbye

Pasta

I am enjoying self-cooked pasta right now. Thanks to quick pasta recipe.