So, I am finally back in Chicago, at my own place, with my own computer and own bed. It's great to be home!
The flights over were fine - I ended up sitting in a middle row with no one next to me on the flight from Hyd to Frankfurt, so that was nice. I got uber excited when the stewardess was coming around with bread and jams, and I scored some Nutella.... sometimes, it's the small things.
I slept almost the whole time over, which was great. I've never been able to sleep on planes: 1. because I am usually super uncomfortable and 2. because I'm afraid something will go wrong with the plane while I'm sleep. I think I'm starting to get over my fear of flying, but seeing as I want to stay put in Chicago for a while, it may go to waste till next July when I go to the motherland.
The stop in Frankfurt was quick, and I was 'specially selected' to have my carry-ons screened by an agent - I'm not sure what set it off, but they wiped down objects in my carry on, looking for some sort of residue or something - but I happily obliged since the last thing I need right now is to be blacklisted by the Frankfurt airport.
The flight to Chicago was a bit uncomfortable, mainly since I was so anxious to get the heck home. Sat next to a very attractive (and OF COURSE married) guy, but that was ok since we didn't really talk (but it was that comfortable silence kind of thing). Watched a bunch of non-US movies (Sarkar Raj, Non Pensarci, Robert Zimmermann wundert sich über die Liebe), ate like there was no tomorrow, and thought of all the things I was going to do when I got home.
Got home, unpacked, shared my stories, and fully knocked out around 8pm. Saturday I got my hair cut (I sort said "Just chop it all off') and got a facial (which was followed up with a "you should get a face peel" - UM,NO) and then did my grocery shopping and dropped off about 75% of all my stuff back at my place. Chilled the rest of the night, and again knocked out super early.
Today I went to church with my parents, and now I am finally finally back at HOME. I need to upload my billion pics, sort through all my gifts and figure out how I'm going to get the energy to get into work tomorrow. :S
All that said, the experience was tremendous. Viraj, our expat in Hyd, made a comment that I "drank the Kool-Aid" while I was there, which I think is stretching it just a bit. I did enjoy my time overall, but I think I'm done with the Far East for now. Next stop? Who knows, but my passport is ready!
Peace out -
-b-
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Final Days
So, today is my last full day in the office, and I am wrapping things up, and doing final things related to my rotation here. Tomorrow will be busy with debriefs, a new hire orientation, and probably crying.
I really don't feel like working (and I've been avoiding somethings like the plague!) so I'll share my random thoughts about being here.
Things I will miss
1. Buffet breakfast - I like the fact that I can have eggs OR pancakes OR phulkah OR sambar everyday. Gawd, if you just had decent COLD milk and yogurt here, I'd be set!
2. Meeting people - I've met so many people from so many regions, and my whole network has really grown while I've been here. Meeting the Hyd staff has also been great, and being able to put a face to a name is really the best part of coming out here.
3. Travel - I've flown more here in 7 weeks than I have in some past years. 2008 in general was a huge travel year for me, and being able to see Taj Mahal, the backwaters of Kerala, and even Singapore, has truly been a blessing.
4. Bollywood - Now I understand the potency of this film style. I've got like 15 different soundtracks now (thanks Sana!), I've seen Dostana and am purchasing all sorts of movie goodies tomorrow. I'm obsessed with all things Abishek (see below) and I now want to be a back up dancer in one of his films. I think I can pull it off! :P
5. Missing people - as weird as it sounds, I'm going to miss missing people. The old verse "you don't know what you've got till it's gone" is so true here when access to people is impossible due to location and time zone. Expect me to be calling you to hang out or just chat more often.
6. Missing things - Plays, movies, concerts, museums, non-corporate coffee shops, local markets - oh dear, how I have taken you for granted! I promise to go to more of you instead of putzing around in my house, debating what to do today.
7. The weather - oh, I hear it's snowing in Chicago?..... and here I am, working on my tan by the pool. Pity......
Things I won't miss
1. Ginger Court - I'm sorry but if I have to eat Ginger Court food one more time, I will freak. I can't wait to gorge myself on Chipotle, my dad's cooking and Cozy Noodle. That and milk - I am going to get SOOOOOOO sick I can feel like, but it will totally be worth it.
2. Lack of sense of direction - there are no street signs here ANYWHERE. I only know where I am because of landmarks (McDonald's, City Centre, the Puma Store). I don't know north from east (since I don't see the sun rise or set) and I've seen maybe one star since I've been here.
3. The lounge singer at the hotel bar - If I hear you sing 'Besame Mucho' one more time, I'm gonna take that microphone and.....
4. Sales people - just stop following me please, and stop selling me sh*t I don't want. I asked for one thing, you didn't have it, end of story. Goodbye.
5. My hotel room - my box of a room was fun for the first 3 days, and then, I just really sick of being in it! I need more space!
6. Boiling my water to brush my teeth - supposedly the water is ok, but I don't trust it!!
7. The personal conservatism - I can't handle living somewhere in which it's illegal to be gay, where kissing on TV is blocked out and where married people can't hold hands. Isn't India the birthplace of the Kama Sutra?! I don't get it!
So there it is in a nutshell. I'd be happy to share all my deepest darkest thoughts with you when I am back in two short days. Even this blog is censored.....
Peace out.
-b-
I really don't feel like working (and I've been avoiding somethings like the plague!) so I'll share my random thoughts about being here.
Things I will miss
1. Buffet breakfast - I like the fact that I can have eggs OR pancakes OR phulkah OR sambar everyday. Gawd, if you just had decent COLD milk and yogurt here, I'd be set!
2. Meeting people - I've met so many people from so many regions, and my whole network has really grown while I've been here. Meeting the Hyd staff has also been great, and being able to put a face to a name is really the best part of coming out here.
3. Travel - I've flown more here in 7 weeks than I have in some past years. 2008 in general was a huge travel year for me, and being able to see Taj Mahal, the backwaters of Kerala, and even Singapore, has truly been a blessing.
4. Bollywood - Now I understand the potency of this film style. I've got like 15 different soundtracks now (thanks Sana!), I've seen Dostana and am purchasing all sorts of movie goodies tomorrow. I'm obsessed with all things Abishek (see below) and I now want to be a back up dancer in one of his films. I think I can pull it off! :P
5. Missing people - as weird as it sounds, I'm going to miss missing people. The old verse "you don't know what you've got till it's gone" is so true here when access to people is impossible due to location and time zone. Expect me to be calling you to hang out or just chat more often.
6. Missing things - Plays, movies, concerts, museums, non-corporate coffee shops, local markets - oh dear, how I have taken you for granted! I promise to go to more of you instead of putzing around in my house, debating what to do today.
7. The weather - oh, I hear it's snowing in Chicago?..... and here I am, working on my tan by the pool. Pity......
Things I won't miss
1. Ginger Court - I'm sorry but if I have to eat Ginger Court food one more time, I will freak. I can't wait to gorge myself on Chipotle, my dad's cooking and Cozy Noodle. That and milk - I am going to get SOOOOOOO sick I can feel like, but it will totally be worth it.
2. Lack of sense of direction - there are no street signs here ANYWHERE. I only know where I am because of landmarks (McDonald's, City Centre, the Puma Store). I don't know north from east (since I don't see the sun rise or set) and I've seen maybe one star since I've been here.
3. The lounge singer at the hotel bar - If I hear you sing 'Besame Mucho' one more time, I'm gonna take that microphone and.....
4. Sales people - just stop following me please, and stop selling me sh*t I don't want. I asked for one thing, you didn't have it, end of story. Goodbye.
5. My hotel room - my box of a room was fun for the first 3 days, and then, I just really sick of being in it! I need more space!
6. Boiling my water to brush my teeth - supposedly the water is ok, but I don't trust it!!
7. The personal conservatism - I can't handle living somewhere in which it's illegal to be gay, where kissing on TV is blocked out and where married people can't hold hands. Isn't India the birthplace of the Kama Sutra?! I don't get it!
So there it is in a nutshell. I'd be happy to share all my deepest darkest thoughts with you when I am back in two short days. Even this blog is censored.....
Peace out.
-b-
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Last Weekend!!!
So my trip is coming to an end, and this weekend I stayed in Hyderabad for once!! :P
Saturday we went out to the movies with some of the staff and rotators (Anand, Mary and Johnathan from Belgium)and saw Eagle Eye at the IMAX. The first 5 minutes made me slightly uncomfortable, but the rest of the movie was good. There's lots of stuff blowing up, and I had no idea that Billy Bob Thorton was in the movie, so I was pleasantly amused. Seeing the Chicago skyline and Quincy and Wilson stops made me all "awwwww, I miss home", but I'll be seeing that skyline in just 6 days!! :)
After the movies, we tried to go to the Salarjung Museum and our stupendous driver got lost TWICE. The Salarjung Museum is one of the most well known places in Hyd, and it's even in our expat "Need to Check this out" booklet, and this guy had no idea where it was. After Jonathan and I both yelled at him to just take us back to the hotel, we took a much needed break, and then headed out the F Cafe to celebrate the birthday of one of the executive managers. She was turning 4 and was so ridiculously adorable - I bought her coloring books and Jonathan bought were a marker/crayon stationary type thing, and Mary, Anand and Katrina from Indy bought her books and stuffed animals. She had a cute little toy train birthday cake that was tasty too, and a good time was had by all.
After dinner, Jonathan was itching to go out, and after the Mumbai stuff, none of us were to keen to go out. I gave in though, and said ok. So we got ready and headed out. All the clubs we tried were closed, so we took it as a sign to just go back.
We get into the Novotel, and hear crazy music coming from the bar - looks like all the Tollywood/Banjara Hills kids came to our freaking hotel to chill! So after getting over the fact that we wasted time looking at other spots, we joined the crowd and had a nice time dancing like no body would ever see us again, since it's the honest truth!! :P
Today I went to church for the last time, chilled at Ravindar's house and had breakfast with him and his wife, and then spent WAY TOO MUCH on some do das and trinkets, and a lovely blue pashmina that I couldn't say no too. :/
So tonight me and Jonathan are going to meet up with Rakesh and his wife Aditi to see the long awaited Dostana movie. There are no subtitles, but I think I can get through the general concepts of the movie. If the soundtrack is any indication, I am going to dance throughout the whole movie.
Peace out!
Saturday we went out to the movies with some of the staff and rotators (Anand, Mary and Johnathan from Belgium)and saw Eagle Eye at the IMAX. The first 5 minutes made me slightly uncomfortable, but the rest of the movie was good. There's lots of stuff blowing up, and I had no idea that Billy Bob Thorton was in the movie, so I was pleasantly amused. Seeing the Chicago skyline and Quincy and Wilson stops made me all "awwwww, I miss home", but I'll be seeing that skyline in just 6 days!! :)
After the movies, we tried to go to the Salarjung Museum and our stupendous driver got lost TWICE. The Salarjung Museum is one of the most well known places in Hyd, and it's even in our expat "Need to Check this out" booklet, and this guy had no idea where it was. After Jonathan and I both yelled at him to just take us back to the hotel, we took a much needed break, and then headed out the F Cafe to celebrate the birthday of one of the executive managers. She was turning 4 and was so ridiculously adorable - I bought her coloring books and Jonathan bought were a marker/crayon stationary type thing, and Mary, Anand and Katrina from Indy bought her books and stuffed animals. She had a cute little toy train birthday cake that was tasty too, and a good time was had by all.
After dinner, Jonathan was itching to go out, and after the Mumbai stuff, none of us were to keen to go out. I gave in though, and said ok. So we got ready and headed out. All the clubs we tried were closed, so we took it as a sign to just go back.
We get into the Novotel, and hear crazy music coming from the bar - looks like all the Tollywood/Banjara Hills kids came to our freaking hotel to chill! So after getting over the fact that we wasted time looking at other spots, we joined the crowd and had a nice time dancing like no body would ever see us again, since it's the honest truth!! :P
Today I went to church for the last time, chilled at Ravindar's house and had breakfast with him and his wife, and then spent WAY TOO MUCH on some do das and trinkets, and a lovely blue pashmina that I couldn't say no too. :/
So tonight me and Jonathan are going to meet up with Rakesh and his wife Aditi to see the long awaited Dostana movie. There are no subtitles, but I think I can get through the general concepts of the movie. If the soundtrack is any indication, I am going to dance throughout the whole movie.
Peace out!
Friday, November 28, 2008
Black Friday
I enjoy the day after Thanksgiving because it means that Christmas is ever so close.
I tried to find "Biały Śnieg" on YouTube, but couldn't find it, so here, enjoy this little Piotr Rubik ditty instead.
I tried to find "Biały Śnieg" on YouTube, but couldn't find it, so here, enjoy this little Piotr Rubik ditty instead.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Unprecedented
So, I'm in Hyderabad, which is just under 400 miles away from Mumbai.
I was watching TV (Friends) after coming to the Novotel after work and started flipping through channels. I got to the news channels "section" of the remote, and every single channel had the activities going on in Mumbai on. Most of the channels are in Urdu or Hindi, but by the images, I could tell that not all was well.
Once the BBC had the story, I could understand what was going on, and the sheer horror of what had (and still is) taken place. It's scary to be away from home for any amount of time, but to be a clear foreigner in a country that already has political and religious instability just emphasizes the situation.
Hyd is clearly on alert - the security at the hotel has been increased, there are more police and men checking cars coming in and out of the complex our hotel is in, even at the office, they are doing bag checks and more detailed checks of the vehicles and people coming in.
I don't have much else to say except that this is senseless and my heart goes out to anyone affected by it.
I was watching TV (Friends) after coming to the Novotel after work and started flipping through channels. I got to the news channels "section" of the remote, and every single channel had the activities going on in Mumbai on. Most of the channels are in Urdu or Hindi, but by the images, I could tell that not all was well.
Once the BBC had the story, I could understand what was going on, and the sheer horror of what had (and still is) taken place. It's scary to be away from home for any amount of time, but to be a clear foreigner in a country that already has political and religious instability just emphasizes the situation.
Hyd is clearly on alert - the security at the hotel has been increased, there are more police and men checking cars coming in and out of the complex our hotel is in, even at the office, they are doing bag checks and more detailed checks of the vehicles and people coming in.
I don't have much else to say except that this is senseless and my heart goes out to anyone affected by it.
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