……. My F1 Assignment…..

I am keeping up the promise and I am not even changing the title. Blogging on something that is not the in-thing is somewhat odd but then here I go unleashing on what has been happening with me since I quit INFA and left India on an F1 Assignment.

The JET journey does not have any complaints and I can only say that they have caught students big time. Every second passenger was an INDIAN student going to some school in the US for their masters. I was bemused to see so many of them and for a moment felt like just yet another guy. But then I heard people going to universities that I have never heard of ( Ferris State University, Kennesaw State University, University of Texas in Pan America to name a few), I got back my senses and said to myself “Dude, NCState rrrrrocks !!!”. Throughout the journey, I was just thinking of all my dear ones back home. I love my folks and was contemplating on when would I meet them again. Two years is not a big time. However, two years is not a short time too. I will miss playing tennis with my dear cousins. I will miss making fun of and being made fun of by my dear folks. I will miss parental care. I will miss my long phone calls with my dear friends. I will miss my not-so-bad salary. I will miss playing with my nieces. I will miss my sister-in-law’s five flavored pani poori. Above all, I will miss being an IRRESPONSIBLE BLOKE.

Carolina Style In Amreeka
After arriving at Raleigh,NC, I was promptly picked up by my aunt who is next in turn in their family to put up with me after my aunt in Bangalore. (Is it gona be Australia or Coimbatore or Haripad next? ) The first few days in their place was nothing less than luxurious and it was a home away from home. I am sorry if I am turning on the fire alarms in HongKong. I know somebody’s stomache in Hong Kong will burn on reading this. Anyways, take that from me my dear bro. However, after moving in to my apartment, I was made to realize the fact that being in America means you have to fend and defend for yourself. You are completely on your own.
Raleigh is a very quiet capital city and it belongs to the Wake County, one of the 100 counties in North Carolina. Famous for it’s lakes and oak trees and of course NCSU ! Nothing more and nothing less. People here love the summer and Raleigh is rated one of the fastest growing cities in the USA. People pay lesser tax here than some of the neighboring cities and that is one major reason for a lot of people moving in to this city. Huh, I have collected enough information to put it up here 

After my classes started, my life was on a fubar for the initial few days. The education system here is a way too different than what most of the institutions in India have. Assignments (that you should do on your own), pop-quizzes etc etc were all too new to me and it took around two weeks to get a glimpse of what is happening around me. It all sounded a little scary and me and my friend were discussing of doing something illegal and get deported to India so that we get our return tickets free of cost . I crossed that phase and now I am kinda settled out here. And now, I need to mention about the profs I met here. The profs are so damn intelligent and are completely against the picture I had about them before I came here. I was thinking of bespectacled, wrinkled people as profs. The truth is they are just a little elder to my old cousin in Hong Kong (I am sorry again. I cannot stop pulling your leg! ). One guy had been with the US Army before he became a doctorate and one guy is a down to earth cool dude who is a big shot in the industry and wears a blazer to the class that does not match a shade with his inners. Some characters they are.

Before the classes started, we had at least three different orientation programmes that were monotonously boring. We were taught not to plagiarize ( a word that I very often hear in NCState) and we were taught not to call lady profs / staffs for a date. The best thing however was that I got to meet and make friends with a lot of international students and even better was “FREE FOOD” (my Indian mentality will never die down in me). We had a get-together at a church and we were made to dance for famous numbers like “Do the hokey pokey”. I was reminded of my sweetheart niece “Srishti” back home who used to dance so cutely to this rhyme and it was an irony to see fatsos dancing for this.

Another thing interesting that happened was the nightout @ Yard Sale. You spend the whole night out of a church to buy stuff for cheap for your apartment. This is not crazy as you may think. This is the way of life of the Indian student’s community @ NCState. The amusing or not so amusing thing about this is that all the students who was there the night before were Indians. And what you juxtapose with an Indian crowd is quarelling, cursing, abusing and a lot of commotion. All this happened outside a church in a city called Raleigh in United States Of America. Indians are always Indians and we don’t believe in “Be a Roman while in Rome”. After spending the whole night out there, the sale started in the morning and we grabbed a dining table and some rocking chairs for our apartment.

On the entirety, following is what I have understood as to what it means to live a student life in America. It means:

• You cook for yourself. You make sambhar that does not taste nearly like it. And you even try Bainghan ka Bartha which comes out good out of the blue. You clean the dishes and the kitchen. It also means Dosas are not round in shape and omlette is a semi-solid dish.

• Capsicum is Green Pepper and Brinjal is EggPlant.

• You have to follow traffic rules even while walking. You cannot do “Jaywalking” ( an American word for crossing the road without signals) which you always do in India.

• The prof gave me work up the butt does not mean something bad. It just means that he gave you too much work to do.

• You have to keep distance with the car in the front and cannot tailgate (another American word added to my vocabulary) cars while driving. This is also something we always do in India.

• You have to look at your left side while crossing the road.

• You buy the cheapest stuff and rather than the famous stuff. I use “Gazz” soaps. Have you heard of it?

• Football is played with hand and not legs.

• We are called P.I.G.S ( Poor Indian Graduate Students).

• And finally, it means you use tissue paper to wipe your *** and not your face.

I will add more to this list later on.

Sorry for putting up this after a long delay. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Finally, I am signing off with a plagiarism of a thought from an advertising company:

My house rent – $200 per head. My monthly expenses – $400 . The laptop bag I bought recently – $25. A big sliced pizza @ NY Pizza – $4 A chocolate muffin - $1.
Spending time with my wonderful cousins and awesome friends – Priceless ! ! !




We are P.I.G.S. (These are the fundo guys i am staying with).

My INFA World

"Exposure to great software, working with elite people, making some real good friends, awesome and awful shots in the TT room, raucous birthday bumps, delicious treats…….Life @ INFA has made me deliriously happy very often in the last two years. And I am sure my stint here has taken me to the next rung in the ladder.

The vicissitude of life has made me take this really difficult decision to move on from a place that has given me so much. I am “revisiting (INFA jargon!!)” school in pursuit of an MS in Computer Science from the North Carolina State University.

"Thanks a Ton” to all of you for the wonderful times and continual help, support and encouragement that has definitely made my time here a pleasant experience.
"
This is the mail that terminated all my official connections with Informatica Business solutions. My last day at Informatica was more than an eventful one. Backing up all my personal data on the computer and packing up all my INFA memories, that was a first-time experience for me to quit a job and trust me, it was not as easy as I thought it would be when I submitted my resignation. May be, I will get used to it later on in my life, I suppose.

A lot of friends are lost and the perception that was filling my mind was that things are never going to be the same again. As I moved around, thanking and meeting people who shaped my nascent career, people who had put something in my brains, people who were really kind in helping me overlooking my inexperience and people who steered my thinking and energy into meaningful directions, I felt satisfied with the work lessons I have had during my stint @ INFA. I was not sure about who all will still stand to fight another day and now that some days have passed, I feel happy that some are still fighting 

INFA has a tradition of getting together at the cafeteria for sending off people quitting. I was a little overwhelmed to see a lota people at the cafeteria who had come to see me off. But then, I was a little bemused to see a lot of amused faces over there. “ Is everybody happy that I am leaving ? “ Mine was a little different than the other see-offs I have seen. I was brought to the centre of the crowd and was asked to give a speech which was the last thing I wanted to do on that day. I made them understand that my writing skills is a shade better than my speaking skills and got away with that. However I could not escape the ragging session that followed and worse the bumps that I got. (Though only one guy was so interested in hitting me. I found a good enemy in a good friend.). My dumb answers made them disinterested and it was curtains soon with the send off gifts that really overwhelmed me.

It really was a day to savor and moments that I will cherish forever. Thank you guys.

So, what next ? I had clearly envisioned the answer – “My F1 assignment” .

Whats Happening back home ?

Dear loved ones back home (That's my patented greetings)

I am sure there is lot going on back home. The Swamis are in town. They are already complaining abt the poor roads in b'lore. Dhanya did a Erin Bronkovich kind of stunt at the french embassy to clinch a visa (Nattus are going thru a Bad Visa phase). Ravi is getting ready to go to the US with Stars in his eyes. Karthik is going thru some rough phase post college, That's good in a way. Soum.... well no body knows what she is exactly doing . she never makes much of an effort to communicate .Last I heard she was working with HIV Patients and Blackmailing her dad for more money. Satish the Dude is just married and must be waiting for his Bride to come to Dubai. Raja Anna he was unwell in thelast few days, we will talk abt Kikee .... She is enjoying her days in Eurokids. She has a lot of poems in her kitty and I am missing the days of dropping her to School. Enjoyed that responsibility a lot. VARSHA... What a turn around.... They say Big Decisions in life often are taken in jest... Quiet true with her. Cant fancy her working with/for patients! Can she even communicate except to her mother (and that ludicrous Athai of hers ). But they say necessity is the mother of Invention. She Will learn but she like soum will make a sexy doctor. Heard Manni amma is already claiming that all her Grand daughters are Doctors !! She is like wily politician makes the best phrases out of absolute chance situations. That stmt did not go well with the grand sons!

As for me, I am learning and unlearning a lot of things. Interestingly I feel more responsible these days. Very unlike my laid back life back in B'lore. I cook, I wash, I clean and I love doing all this. In fact I was teaching a Russian student how to scrub the collar before u dump the clothes in the washing machine !! TAKE THAT ! I sometimes get annoyed when others around me are not as systematic as I AM. TAKE THAT AGAIN !


I hope you are taking some time to read out my weekly diary. I would love to receive some responses from you. That's my big motivation. I have to say Swamis and GPS Thangam have been sent me some lovely responses and updates of whats happening back home. I would love to read more of such mails.

As always I love you all.

Arun/Jillu

Take time to view this video clip....

Even an MBA can do this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vx1BTBhg4c

Check out my foto album... dedicated to all you guys

ENJOY!
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/dhanya.p/FamilyMatters03

French Revolution in India

state of mind, 11 th July 2007 : cool, composed, relaxed
I was roaming in the wonderful British paved streets of Mumbai. I had just submitted my documents in the outsourced VFS French Consulate building. The last words which the outsourced personnel told me was "your VISA fees will be reimbursed if you are not given the VISA". I believed it was just the norm followed by these people....

Chill, meet the Nairs, do some socializing with new sis-in-law - on a whole IT WAS WONDERFUL TIMEPASS!

state of mind, 12th July 2007 morning : a little nervous, but no tension. Go to VISA consulate after a thorough searching of Backbay - managing to reach the consulate a few minutes before the clock struck 11! Quick process, finish a clean interview and wait for my VISA and passport to come. I was quite excited - it was the 4th stamp on my passport in the last one year ... All I was thinking then was "I am gonna beat Ravi clean, with this stamp!"

The VISA issuing officer calls me, and asks - do you have any other intimation letter from the French organisers. I show him the invitation letter - and the comment he makes is "This cannot be the real invitation. And this is not how the FRENCH give invitations" .... I was bemused. Few seconds later - much before I realised what was happening, the VISA officer was nodding his head in disgust and stamping REJECTION!


State of Mind: 12th July 2007, Noon : pissed, irritated, annoyed, helpless, desperate!
Soon the security comes and asks me to leave the Consulate immediately. I tell them "This is not fair, the grounds on which you are rejecting my vISA" ... they threaten me saying ... "Now, we will call the lady security and throw you out Madam" ... so I say in anger " At least give my money back"... "Sorry madam... just mail to this email address, we cannot do anything" .....

Sadly, with a rejected passport I leave to meet Saranya for lunch. This person called A2D, calls all the people he knows, encourages me to go back to the Consulate like its the most obvious thing to do.

Meanwhile, I just mail the consulate the links to the course and my page on the course webpage.

State of Mind: 12th July 2007, 3pm : relaxed & non-chalant !
This time I speak to the security guys in a more proficient way and explain to them how the VISA officer will be keen to meet me, after he reads my mail. I explain it to them in my spitter-spatter Hindi! It was just a shot in the dark - luckily they believe me and go talk to the officer(JMR) abt it. JMR agrees to meet me! What luck! Still I was sure of not getting the Visa.


I manage to get into the Consulate and wait there ...

State of Mind: 12th July 2007, 4pm : relaxed & tensed ... and bored !
Finally, JMR comes out and tells me he wants to see an intimation from them saying they expect me in France. "What crap!!". I again tell him to look at the invitation letter.

JMR goes back in, and makes me wait longer

State of Mind: 12th July 2007, 4.30pm : relaxed & bored ... and very bored !
This time JMR comes out with my documents and and tells me the same things and asks me for more documents... the consulate closes at 5.00pm... i only have 30 minutes to prove whatever i have to - to him....

State of Mind: 12th July 2007, 4.40pm : excited, tensed and determined
I quickly chekc my mailbox... find some mails and manage to pay 20 bucks and get the printout and hurry back with 5 mins. GIve the printout to the security to give it to JMR and WAIT....

State of Mind: 12th July 2007, 4.50pm : fingers crossed!
He comes out quickly this time and tells me .... this is not enough(expected!) ... but(luckily there was a but) I will wait for an intimation directly from the course organisers and then decide whether to give you the visa. He is angry with me for wasting 2 hours of his(all i was thinking was - "what abt my 2 days!!"). But I was sure, that I had managed to convince him abt my integrity!!

Then it was almost peaceful after that...

I directly called the course organiser who was really nice to mail the VISA ppl (in french ;-)) 3 minutes after i spoke to him.

Then, I mailed the all-feared JMR.... who replied typically "The Visa 'can' be issued" ... whatever that meant....

Again, I respectfully wait for 2 days for the passport to reach home.... which didnt come. Again I mail him ....this time another typical laconic response "Somebody should come and collect it"

Then I bug Saranya to go and collect the Visa and all she told me was "I don't know what you did to the security guards, they were desperate to talk to you" ....

and guess what the security guard told me "we have never seen this happen before, you better give us sweets" ...

How the oldies tried to imitate R&J "differently" :)

Combo 1:



Combo 2:




PS: JUST FOR FUN

...LEO li(o)ning in....

I am just out of a bad state called “Blogger’s block” and that was the reason for the delay in putting up my first blog here. To outsiders, let me introduce myself as the “LEO” of 9over90, shouldering the responsibilities of taking care of beautiful sisters and smart bros and also the added responsibility of taking care of “Handsome ME” J .
This blog as already stated, is a space on the web exclusively meant for us to put up our memories and to reminisce the wonderful times we had spent together.

This is a big time in our family when we are getting truly internationalized. With our JILLU already in HK for an MBA, me having my one foot in the US and Dhanya’s French revolution about to happen, our family newspaper’s international section is demanding a lot of space these days. Nevertheless, Dr. Soum’s terrible treatments in a village called “Tumkoor” and Mr.Kaka’s full-time romance in Chennai is having the local section equally interesting.

The personal “ME” is counting his last few days in Bangalore….He has got emotionally attached to this place and “#306, 7th CROSS” in particular and is finding it a lil difficult to step onto his next endeavor in life. He is at least satisfied that his time here has taken him to the next rung in the ladder.

…….And the news from centre court, NCBS is that the Dhanya-Ravi finals is equally poised at 7-6 5-5 with Dhanya taking the first set in the breaker. This is after the champions knocked out the “UNDER-DOG” from the competition, who at present is covering himself in HK. Tennis has become the family game for us now and this is manifested by the facts that our grandpa has developed a recent crush on Venus Williams and Mrs SP is continuously getting bewitch’d by Djokovic.

Kannappas are coming to India next week and “Salam Ale Gum” to them. We are all pretty excited about the goodies that they will bring along J . …..

Lots more coming up on the other side of the break…..Stay tuned for more fun….