The weather has been so awesome for past couple of days that I can keep my patio door open and let the beautiful breeze seep in.The greenery in front of my apartment looks so blissful and life looks so peaceful! But wait a minute,have I ever appreciated the same weather in India?!! Not once! I used to call the same weather "heat" and I would walk straight into the AC room and say aloud "I aint going to go out today,its horrible heat" ( ccmon,what the hell did I think of myself?).Well,I am not the only one to be blamed,all these recently migrated desi souls to US behave the same way ( may be)!The moment we land here,magic happens to us and we are the most sophisticated people you can ever find!! We religiously hold the door open for others ( mind you,this service is only for non desi people who walk right behind us).Let me talk more about the magic I just mentioned.We have the most pretty smiles for Americans or for that matter any other race who pass by.We even go to the extent of being extremely awesome by saying "Howdy"!But if a brown happens to see another brown coming by suddenly you witness the most worked out" expression you ever can imagine!!We have much more great qualities than this!! We are the most uncorrupted souls here.Aren't we great!We don't try to bribe the cops!!(Not because we know we would be kicked out of the country the next minute).Its ingrained in our Indian culture.
Ok,I decided I wanted to be different!I want to be nice to other browns too!! I was in a mall (yeah,you are right,As any other Desi,I had coupons saved up so that I get discount).OK,so since I was going to be nice,I was generous enough to give my beautiful smile to a desi.I smiled at the guy who stood behind me waiting to check out.He smiled back! I was impressed.I walked out of the mall to my car feeling really proud at my gesture.just when I heard some body running to me and shouting "hellooooo"! The same brown whom I smiled at!
Mr B(rown) -"Have I seen you somewhere?"Are you from Delhi?
Me - "eh ,no" M not from Delhi"
Mr B - Oh, I thought we knew each other".But anyway its nice meeting you"
Me - Same here.Thank you!
Mr B - Its a beautiful day but have to get back to my work.hey,do you want to know more about my business" ?
Me - Got you! Thank you so much! I am not interested" BYE!
Forgot to mention we don't dare to go to malls at weekends! We have lot of great business acumen desi's (who says Indians are only good at maths?)going around the malls trying to make business" Money chain or whatever they call it.Trying to hook up other gullible browns into it !! Huh,No wonder we don't smile at each other!!
But I can't be so biased.Recently I was waiting in the station for my train and an uncle came by".We Indians call every elderly desi men and women as Uncle ,Aunty. (We have such love for everybody that we include them as part of our family).He came sat by me.Suddenly he did something that threw me apart! He blew his nose so damn loudly and with such strength that the mucus made a forward somersault and hung itself right on the wall in front of us!! Not to mention the loud byproduct noise pollution which accompanied!! My heart missed a beat and I frantically looked around to see,if there were any Non desi people.Thank my lucky stars,there weren't any! I let out a sigh of relief!! For the readers sake,I am not going to mention about the mucous spray generosity on me which resulted because of the event.The uncle was so genuine in his act and didn't have the faintest sign of remorse on his face.But look at me! Not bothering to wipe/wash the shower to which I was subjected to , I was panicking if anybody had seen it and may stereotype me because we were of same color and we were sitting close by!If there were anybody around,I swear I would have shouted to them,cmon! All Indians don't blow their nose this way!! Image!! what not people do for its sake!!
The magic continues every time they see a harmless piece of trash on the road,appreciating the smallest gesture of a bartender , paying the taxes regularly ,taking care not to drink and drive , following the traffic signals diligently!! ok,Granted it is indeed Awesome! But can we take a smithereen piece of this magic when we go back to our good old country? Can we please smile at each other,appreciate that waiter sweating it out but was still nice to us , or at the minimal treat others with respect and dignity?
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Bangalore Blues!!
People come and go out of your life! But some people just touch your heart, like no one else has ever had! Yeah! You guessed it right! It’s a love story!! 17 and restless, that I was! I couldn't wait to go to Bangalore!! What more can a small town Trivandrum girl ask for at the age of 17!!Bangalore, hostel, life away from parents!! Aha!!! Hell aha!!! Dad said he would get me a cell phone too!! Wow!!! I said to myself “I will always hold it in my hands, so everybody could see"!
Few days down, hostel started looking dirty, classes looked really difficult. Math looked Greek and Latin, Engineering drawing as they called it looked like a beast". The colors and crushes started fading away! So was the money my parents were sending! I would spend five thousand rupees in first 15 days and then rest of the month was at the mercy of Anita's wallet!!
Yeah! Anita was one hell of a girl! Not because I lived the second half of months on her money! Not because she used to say that I was beautiful, not because she made me laugh, not because she let me use her wardrobe!! This girl had a heart which never knew to hurt a single soul! She was a pillar of support to all her friends. Unlike me, she didn't have to do double masters in Psychology to know people's heart! She was a born true HR person!!
Anita was an extrovert, outgoing who never had an issue going out to a party and shouting aloud “ok, so I have come, let’s make it interesting for my sake"!
Spending endless hours at restaurants, blood donations, packets of kurkures , dosa and sambhar , Magi noodles , fighting with room mates!! We were always together ending up in trouble! Life fun, fun and hell fun!! Anita taught me to love (really). She used to talk to me for hours together about her grandpa and how she loved him!! I used to think“oh, do we have to love our grandparents too? I thought one needs to just love their parents"!!! She used to phone up her parents regularly, which made me feel guilty!! She talked about how good her mom was, how her dad loved her. Talking emotions at that age was quite surprising to me!! I used to think "cccmoon, 17 is not the time you talk about your parents"! But, had not been this girl, at that age, I wouldn't have realized how much my parents meant to me. How they work hard to send me that five thousand rupees!! I learned to talk emotions finally!! I started writing emails to my mom!! Yeah! It indeed was a great start!!
If somebody is expecting a revolution (or a sweet ending climax, like Subha finished her engineering with a good grade, though she had so much fun, then you are on the wrong page).I lost five papers in a row!! Engineering didn't happen! But it was a beginning of a very fruitful relationship which taught me to love! I tell you, one needs to learn from this girl how to love somebody!
It's been almost 10 years. Engineering times has drowned somewhere below my many other "accomplishments"!! Lol! But the love which she taught me still helps me learn new things. I discover new things everyday to love my mom, dad, husband and almost everybody!! Thanks to this girl!!
Few days down, hostel started looking dirty, classes looked really difficult. Math looked Greek and Latin, Engineering drawing as they called it looked like a beast". The colors and crushes started fading away! So was the money my parents were sending! I would spend five thousand rupees in first 15 days and then rest of the month was at the mercy of Anita's wallet!!
Yeah! Anita was one hell of a girl! Not because I lived the second half of months on her money! Not because she used to say that I was beautiful, not because she made me laugh, not because she let me use her wardrobe!! This girl had a heart which never knew to hurt a single soul! She was a pillar of support to all her friends. Unlike me, she didn't have to do double masters in Psychology to know people's heart! She was a born true HR person!!
Anita was an extrovert, outgoing who never had an issue going out to a party and shouting aloud “ok, so I have come, let’s make it interesting for my sake"!
Spending endless hours at restaurants, blood donations, packets of kurkures , dosa and sambhar , Magi noodles , fighting with room mates!! We were always together ending up in trouble! Life fun, fun and hell fun!! Anita taught me to love (really). She used to talk to me for hours together about her grandpa and how she loved him!! I used to think“oh, do we have to love our grandparents too? I thought one needs to just love their parents"!!! She used to phone up her parents regularly, which made me feel guilty!! She talked about how good her mom was, how her dad loved her. Talking emotions at that age was quite surprising to me!! I used to think "cccmoon, 17 is not the time you talk about your parents"! But, had not been this girl, at that age, I wouldn't have realized how much my parents meant to me. How they work hard to send me that five thousand rupees!! I learned to talk emotions finally!! I started writing emails to my mom!! Yeah! It indeed was a great start!!
If somebody is expecting a revolution (or a sweet ending climax, like Subha finished her engineering with a good grade, though she had so much fun, then you are on the wrong page).I lost five papers in a row!! Engineering didn't happen! But it was a beginning of a very fruitful relationship which taught me to love! I tell you, one needs to learn from this girl how to love somebody!
It's been almost 10 years. Engineering times has drowned somewhere below my many other "accomplishments"!! Lol! But the love which she taught me still helps me learn new things. I discover new things everyday to love my mom, dad, husband and almost everybody!! Thanks to this girl!!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
A new diet plan
I made a new diet plan last week according to my '' Big'' brother's advice.I call him big brother because,whenever we are seen together ,I would be asked as how many years I am elder than him.Many conclude that he is two years younger to me,though he occupied my mom's tummy three and a half years before I did.
Speaking about the diet plan,It went as follows
Break fast - Oats + Fat free milk
Lunch - Uncooked vegetables (Carrors,Lettuce,Cucumbers) with Ranch
Dinner - Two Rotis
I religiously shopped for veggies,and stuffed my refrigerator with it .I felt very proud of myself and thought about all the insensible fat people in the world.
Day 1 -Break fast: I made Nescafe with the fat free milk. and added pasta (including potato,onion,Paneer,and masala ) to the oats.
Lunch-I had baked lays'' soaked in the Ranch,Plus very little rice,very little sambar,very little curry.(I was happy that sambar and curry had vegetables in it,and that I was following my diet plan strictly)
Dinner -Having been abstemious the whole day,I thought of eating out.(after all rotis are available in the Indian restaurant!).Me and my better half ordered Onion kulcha (roti deep fried in olive oil with ghee to top it),and Malai Kofta.Dinner was really tasty and all the more tasty because,It went strictly according to the diet plan my sibling had made for me.
Monday, May 19, 2008
One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives.
Last night before I drifted away,I was thinking of one of the dearest human being,with whom I shared a room,lots of junk food,lot of thoughts ( morally un- stratified) ,and a glass of vodka on her b'day.The first time I saw her in the hostel,I remember seeing her in a sexy T-shirt and boxers and it kind of threw me away.!Much above in league with me?!!
It was the campus interview season in our college.US technology was coming to our campus.I was at Trivandrum the previous day,enjoying the treatment one gets at home,when you visit them after a '' long time''.!I remember I had a new diet plan then.It was on how to eat when you imagine your self to be a bottomless pit.The diet plan was fantastic and it worked well.
I got a call from the girl I was talking about.I rushed to the station to catch the next train to Cochin.(not that I so curiously wanted to attend the interview,but they said that I would be fined ,if I don't attend the classes next day.)The hostel atmosphere later charged me up too.I was all geared up that night for the next days interview.I chose to sit for the same.Tintu (thats what she's called),had already planned that she would not be attending it. But nevertheless she was there in the GD hall to pep me up.Group discussion went well,and I put forward some of the most confusing points.My name was to be called last .P.S-Tintu did not go away after the ''pep talk '' which I mentioned earlier.P.S-She had not had a drop of water since morn.It was lunch time.I didnt want to take the chance of going away to hog,while my name would be called. (P.S -Tintu is still there with me).All through she kept saying how good I can be,though I don't seem to know that.She ran around all the ''supposedly bright students'' for last minute knowledge for my Personal Interview ( While I was in restroom,trying to look personable in front of the mirror).
It was 10 pm in the night (after the PI),the interviewer came out with a serious grim face,with some names scribbled in a paper.The third name was Subha Govindarajan...and YIPPPPEE!!!!!I was selected.Before I could express my happiness with a couple of cat calls or whatever,I heard a loud cheering...!and yeah...it was her.She was celebrating....!!
Times fly really fast and now I can't swap anything to get back to this particular day.A manifestation of such a pure love..!
A Baby step in USA
A Baby step in USA
Monday May 19th:1:53 PM (Location: United states of America)
Yup!!I too have started to blog!!I have often wondered the exact utility purpose of a blog!Agreed that it does keep you in touch with this foreign language.Why did I start one?!To keep connected with this language?Hell..NO!!3500 words in the GRE word list had already a toll on me!.GRE gave the kind of exercise my brain cells wanted!!Right after GRE came the most depressing and self assessing part!!The application process for ''M.S'' !!Statement of Purpose which had to be submitted to the school taxed me.But I got tremendous help from my sibling who taught me how to go about it!
I am one of those who 'z lucky enough to have lots of people to delegate jobs to!!!Vimita was one such!!An awesome girl,who always helped me (or rather I helped her,by doing some of the very important works like getting the print-outs from the printer,locating a computer where she can do my work in the lab) with the formatting work in the word documents.No matter how much work I thrust on her(in the name of friendship),not once did the smile on her face faded!!The next best thing after my family is Vimita Parakkal!! Vimita was the one,who got most of the attention from ''supposedly good looking wannabes''!!!
Coming back to the self assessing part,which I mentioned earlier,My SOP was finally done and I could squeeze the purpose of my education in a single page and later icings were added to it by my beloved husband.!Yes.It was my Statement of Purpose for furthering my education in this land of opportunity.And surprisingly,I got admitted to my masters in Industrial Psychology.(Psychology of getting people to work together).Oops!!Ain't I designed for that?!
Hence If I have to give an Acknowledgment for my masters in HRM,it would be Vimita Parakkal,(I always use her full name because I derive some kind of a mysterious pleasure in the fact that it bugs her), Vijay (my sibling) and Prasad (my better half) for my Admission to San Jose State University
Monday May 19th:1:53 PM (Location: United states of America)
Yup!!I too have started to blog!!I have often wondered the exact utility purpose of a blog!Agreed that it does keep you in touch with this foreign language.Why did I start one?!To keep connected with this language?Hell..NO!!3500 words in the GRE word list had already a toll on me!.GRE gave the kind of exercise my brain cells wanted!!Right after GRE came the most depressing and self assessing part!!The application process for ''M.S'' !!Statement of Purpose which had to be submitted to the school taxed me.But I got tremendous help from my sibling who taught me how to go about it!
I am one of those who 'z lucky enough to have lots of people to delegate jobs to!!!Vimita was one such!!An awesome girl,who always helped me (or rather I helped her,by doing some of the very important works like getting the print-outs from the printer,locating a computer where she can do my work in the lab) with the formatting work in the word documents.No matter how much work I thrust on her(in the name of friendship),not once did the smile on her face faded!!The next best thing after my family is Vimita Parakkal!! Vimita was the one,who got most of the attention from ''supposedly good looking wannabes''!!!
Coming back to the self assessing part,which I mentioned earlier,My SOP was finally done and I could squeeze the purpose of my education in a single page and later icings were added to it by my beloved husband.!Yes.It was my Statement of Purpose for furthering my education in this land of opportunity.And surprisingly,I got admitted to my masters in Industrial Psychology.(Psychology of getting people to work together).Oops!!Ain't I designed for that?!
Hence If I have to give an Acknowledgment for my masters in HRM,it would be Vimita Parakkal,(I always use her full name because I derive some kind of a mysterious pleasure in the fact that it bugs her), Vijay (my sibling) and Prasad (my better half) for my Admission to San Jose State University
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