Downtown....

Continuing my stay in Toronto I had several things ahead of me to explore. Till now I had not been to any place apart from my office and back home. Actually I was waiting for the right time, precisely the weekend to come. And here it came finally and we planned our visit to Downtown, the so called heart of the city. The moment I stepped on the street of Downtown I was literally flabbergasted. That place was a wonderland, and it felt just like you have stepped in a place you had always wanted to be a part of. The view from there was stunning, skyscrapers all around and all the streets illuminated to the fullest. I liked each and everything about that place.

After being to a place like Downtown it feels great when somebody tells you that there are lot more places in Toronto to visit. I was pretty excited then but that didn’t last long because we can’t cover everything in a day. Basically, my philosophy says: if you’re going to stay at a place for a couple of months you should explore things at a slow pace, so that you can always choose a new place to visit every time you go out without getting bored by visiting the same places over and over again and I hope this makes sense too.

So that was the end of my first weekend and it went pretty well.

TORONTO MANIA

Believe it or not, currently I am in Toronto.

A night before coming here I dreamt of my visit to Toronto and the next day I was here,
so to say; I have literally comprehend the feeling of the cliché "Dream come true".

It feels great when everyone you know, even the unknown, come to you and ask you regarding your visit abroad and you start blushing and nodding your head vertically saying "Hopefully I am".

A couple of days before coming to Toronto, I was pretty excited about my travel and at the same time worried too. I was just trying to be optimistic hoping that, this time I am not the victim of the same old prank being played over me again and again. This time I was fully prepared for the travel as I had already bought most of the accessories and clothes required for my travel. If this time again they would not have sent me I would have been highly demoralized.

But finally the D-day came and I step aboard the flight that was heading to Brussels and the only thought coming to my mind was “No more pranks Naveen, welcome aboard, now you don’t have to worry, they are not going to ask you to leave the plane; Bon Voyage”.

This was my first time on an international flight and I was more than happy to enjoy every moment of it. The arrangements in the Airbus were consummate; I mean, if they are providing you with a collection of latest movies, unlimited songs, unlimited games and not to forget 10 different varieties of so called imported Hard Drinks, at a distance of 50,000 feet above the ground, what more can you expect.

I enjoyed the experience to the fullest and was now looking forward for the flight from Brussels to our final stop Toronto. After a couple of hours we boarded the next flight to Toronto which actually turned out to be the same Airbus we took from Bangalore to Brussels (How strange, in the tickets we had, the 2 flights we were supposed to board had different numbers so we thought them to be different, but who cares). So, being on the same flight again was not much of an excitement, just that we tasted all the 3 meals in the same flight.

Now, came the end of our journey or to say the beginning of a new experience. We reached "Toronto".

My cousin uncle came to pick me up; the irony here was that we both (my uncle and I) hadn’t seen each other since a long time so we both were not sure that how the other person is going to look like. Thanks to the white board he was carrying with him displaying my name-“Naveen” in bold :). The moment we came out of the airport I was literally shivering of cold. Many people had warned me of the extreme cold weather in Toronto and now I believe them.

My uncle then took us to the Hotel where we already had our reservations. The moment I entered our suites, it was like one of those lavish suites I had always wished to reside in. I was pretty satisfied with the suite. To be true, there were half a dozen things in the room I was not even sure of how to operate. The suite comprised of all those things I can think of and even more.

Then came the other phase of transition in which I was supposed to report at the office the following day. Everything was going pretty smooth as of now, as one of our office mates was also staying in one of the suites near us, so we could actually ask somebody for any assistance. Also he was from India so that made things easy for us.

While going to the office, we first took the subway followed by a bus. I can’t avoid mentioning the fact that the transport system here is so well organized that you hardly feel the pain of travelling, unlike India of course, where if you are stuck in traffic means you’re helpless. I feel the reasons for such convenience in transport here are the wide roads, high frequency of buses and also high penalty for violation of the rules. You can hardly see any (so called) Traffic Policeman here for managing the traffic and yes forgot mentioning “Horns are strictly prohibited here”.

So after a comfortable journey to the office we met our team which comprised of around 8-9 members (which includes 2 Indians as well). We found the whole team very cooperative and supportive. They were quite interactive in their behavior and treated us quite nicely. It’s always a good feeling when you are working with the people who are not from your origin so that you have different things to talk about and also you can explore different cultures.

I was aware of the term “Jetlag” but had never experienced it. I was bewildered to see that most of my new colleagues were literally surprised to know that we had reached Toronto a day before and came to office the next day. All were saying you must be “Jet Lagged”. C’mon people, I have heard of this term a million times, can anyone tell me how it feels to be Jet Lagged? Then came the feeling; in the evening of the same day at around 5pm, my eyes started closing by itself. I was in the office and never felt so sleepy before. I was literally out of control of my dizziness. That feeling was a bit strange but true. So, this is what they call “Jet Lag”. I just waited for the clock to tick 7 so that we can leave the office and as soon as I reached home I went to sleep.

Continued in the next post>>>>>>

Soon you'll hear from me !!!!!

These days, I often say to people -"Soon you'll hear from me". The reason behind this so called "mystery" is just that I don't want to disclose to others that I might be travelling to Toronto (Canada) in near future unless I get my travel tickets in hand. Well, the reason for this reason is pretty straight forward.

This is my 3rd time that my company has recommended me for going onsite (US, Mexico and now Canada) but alas, there always is something or the other standing in my way, not allowing me to fly abroad.

Let me state that "something" that had been coming my way:

1. It was my first time when my name was recommended with one of my colleagues for going US. We were really happy, as this could have been our maiden visit onsite for both of us. We were suppose to work for Bear Stearns in US but to our amazement, the next day we heard the news that it has been acquired by J P Morgan Chase (How rude! why now, it could have waited for few more days). So that was the end of my first virtual onsite journey and yes, can't avoid mentioning that I got the US visa atleast.

2. Now came my second time and this time again, I was recommended with the same colleague but our destination now was changed from US to Mexico. Infact this time we were pretty sure of our travel, as our client was none other than Wallmart which was ranked 1 in the list of companies on the basis of Revenue generation. So atleast the problem we faced last time was not going to constrain us this time and certainly it didn't. My colleague was sent to Mexico for he was my senior and when asked about me, the people onsite replied that there is at present only a single requirement. "Better Luck next time Naveen"- so that was the end of my second virtual onsite journey.

3. Now came my third time or to say my present time when I am recommended again with one of my colleagues who again is my senior (Being my maiden company, I am the juniormost among all of my colleagues). This time we are going to travel Canada, so you see, even if this time also, "something" restricts me from going onsite, atleast my "virtual" tour of the whole of North America is completed (What an observation).

I am again hoping that no obstacles come our way and my virtual visit turn into a genuine one so that I can practically see how it feels to be abroad.
But again, you never know :(

PS: The duration of my trip to Canada is going to be near about 8 months (the longest among all of my virtual trips)

Getting Addicted to FaceBook :(

Life was getting better since past few days for I was able to maintain a balance in my life that I had always wished for, but, suddenly a couple of days back something instigated me to join "Facebook", a networking website which is known for its addiction. I was aware that Facebook is the most prominently used website for this year and this again provoked me to join it.

I became a member of facebook and to my amazement I found out that most of my friends are already a member of it (how rude, none of my friend told me about it but my general awareness :)). So, I started getting into Facebook and the more I explored its features and applications, the more I was getting addicted. There are endless applications in facebook and believe me, each time you visit any of your friends' profile you'll find something new and so appealing that you cannot avoid adding that application to your profile and trying it.

The worst part in all this is, even after knowing that you are getting addicted, you don't feel like quitting it and rather you go and tell people about its fascinating features thereby impelling them to join it and adding their names as well, to the list of sufferers (how clever).

Prior to joining Facebook I thought that it would be a networking website just like orkut where I can make new friends and can send scraps to people, but, Facebook is much more than I expected: it is extremely vast and has far more features that orkut. I mean after joining Facebook I haven't even checked my orkut profile (actually there is a provision in Facebook which enables you to check your scraps from there only... lol). So you see orkut is just a small application in Facebook.

So, people what are you waiting for? Be a part of Facebook ASAP.

P.S: Don't forget the worst part :(

Trip To Chennai

Obviously you can't expect anyone to visit a place like "Chennai" only for the sake of sight seeing (no offence to people staying there but atleast I can't bear its hot temperature), so definitely I also didn't went there for the same reason. The occasion was the marriage of one of my colleagues.

I was not aware of the distance between Bangalore and Chennai and was surprised to know that it was merely 6 hrs by train (How can there be so much difference in the temperature of two places that are just next to each other). Anyways, continuing our journey by train we reached Chennai by 5:00am and had to wake up (the worst part of a night journey and you cannot refute me on this). After reaching the desired hotel we took a long 7hr sleep and finally came to life. We decided to visit a nearby beach in order to avoid killing our time watching TV and I deeply regret for being among those who planned for it. As somebody told us that the beach was nearby, we preferred taking a bus rather than a cab. So now we left our hotel for good and started walking towards the nearby bus stand. The distance we travelled walking, was no less than a "kilometer" and the sun was shining so intensely that for the first time in my life i wished it had not existed. I could clearly see the mirage everywhere, the earth was boiling hot and somehow, finally we managed to reach the bus stand alive. This was not the end of our suffering rather a beginning. We reached the beach named "Besant Nagar Beach" about which we were told that it was around 3 kms from our hotel and it was no less than 10 (How accurate). Beach was ordinary, sunlight at its peak, burning hot sand, no trees and dirty water while rest everything was fine (Welcome to Chennai).

Now our colleague (The Groom) called us to have lunch together and we were more than happy to end our miserable sight seeing under the sun. We had our lunch and returned back to our hotel and started getting ready to attend the marriage (our purpose of visit to Chennai). The arrangements in the marrriage were above expectations and we enjoyed every moment of it.

For the next day my mates and I were having different plans. My plan was to meet my college friends who were residing in chennai since past 1 month and were still surviving and my mates were planning to visit Mahabalipuram, a place 30kms away from Chennai. Next morning I went to the place where my friends were residing. It always feels good to meet your old friends after a long time and I felt the same. I went to a beach again with my friends but it was decent one this time may be because it was a private beach. We had loads of fun there remembering our old days and time went by just like that.

Then came the end of our Chennai trip. We boarded the same train we came from and started our journey back to Benguluru.

One special moment was about to come for me and it was my "Birthday". I turned 23 while I was in the train :).

My colleagues were ready to take their revenge with me for all the bad things I had done to them and ignoring all of my good. As the clock ticked 12, one of my colleagues got up and gave me a firm punch on my back as if practicing for a boxing match; this is a time when you cannot do anything but relinquish because if you try to retaliate, people are going to hit you more. So here I was, bearing the pain in my back and smiling.

Now people started calling me on my phone, in order to wish me on my b'day and this went on for an hour or so (I was happy that most of my friends still remember my b'day although I know most of them might have realized that, only after viewing my b'day on orkut, but who cares, atleast they called me up at 12 :)). So, finally we reached Benguluru and our TRIP TO CHENNAI came to an end.

Killing Time

At times, the situation arise when you are unable to do something that you are willing to, even when the situation permits.

For instance, take my case; these days I don't have much work to do in office (some technical issues-"ISSUES" is a pretty common term being used in every company, atleast in my it is), so I thought why not utilize my time rather wasting it. So I started solving as many sample questions I can, to enhance my aptitude (I am a CAT aspirant Remember?). For few days it went well and believe me it was wonderful (Being an aspirant all you need is taking out time from your busy schedule for preperation and I was getting it handy in my office).

But now I am exhausted, I can't stand it anymore, I can't spend my whole day solving questions.
There should be some other work as well (besides my CAT preperation) which I can complete within a deadline and then resume my preperation.

So here I am again waiting for the technical "ISSUES" to get solved so that I can maintain a balance and start utilizing my time again rather killing it.

My answer to all questions!!

I am often asked by my pals-
"What are my plans for the near future?"
My answer- "CAT"

"What if I don't get through CAT this time?"
My answer- "CAT again"

"Why don't I switch the company I am working for?"
My answer-"CAT"

"What my parents expect from me?"
My answer- "CAT"

But the only question that bothers me and for which I don't have any answer is:
"What if my company sends me abroad for the duration which makes me unavailable for the day CAT is about to happen?"
My answer- "?"

CAT 2008 on the Doorstep

I am never going to give up for CAT, unless I get into some esteemed B-school, and therefore here I am again, appearing for CAT-08 and pretty optimistic to get through this time.

My optimism is solely marked by the percentile I am getting in my mock tests that is "much better" than what I used to get previously. With the passing time, may be I have incorporated in me the qualities like perseverance, consistency or may be I was lacking in them previously or may be both. I don't know; but all I know is, that now I have started developing in me the habit of not getting stressed even when the situation demands.

Result-"IMPROVEMENT"

I want to write...

yes I had left writing; not entirely because I was very busy, but also because I didn't find it useful enough expending my time writing blogs. But as is rightly said everything is for a purpose and so am here again ending up writing.

A day before, my brother had landed up in Bangladesh (some company trip I reckon) and I asked him how he had been and this is what he told me "Read my blog and find out"....Ahan for these many days I had completely forgotten that I used to write blogs. I read his blog and believe me when I am saying this; his blogs only created an immense desire in me to commence blogging again.

I know I am not good at writing (which is one of the reasons why I stopped writing) but who cares, I mean why should I?

Blog demands time...

I have loads of things that i want to jot down, but bloody hell , am not able to...

The only thing I am lacking in these dayz is "TIME" but soon i'll be back...

Strong intuition synonymous to execution...

Certainly true in my case....:)

My experience says: More strong your intuition is, More chances are there for it to happen.

Take for instance, i was recommended for going abroad by my PM (as a fresher its not easy u see ;)) but somehow couldn't make it....i was happy for atleast i was recommended for the same

i had a strong intuition that i would soon b flying abroad and believe me, soon i was again recommended for a different project and this time i was not only recommended but was approved for the same...

so my VISA formalities commenced and i appeared for the interview and got B1 visa for a duration of 10yrs....

Got almost flunked in my first GD..

The title says it all.....

My gd/pi which was held last sunday in PESIT, B'lore was the first 1 out of my 3 calls for MBA.
Although i wasn't very well prepared for my GD/PI but the feeling of anxiety had started embracing me a week before the D-day.

I was a bit worried, not bcoz i was desperate enough to get into this B-School (KJSomaiya) and cud not afford to loose it ,but bcoz ,i m afraid of GDs that was a part of selection criteria..

Don't know how to put this, but yes i need to learn the art of public speaking...I am never able to perform to my full potential in GDs..don't know y but i feel that my unimpressive way of speaking is bcoz my mind lose synchronization with my body at that very instant wen i start speaking.....funny isn't it??? but unfortunately its true....

People say that if u want to learn the art of public speaking experience it as much as u can....but some1 is stopping me from experiencing it and u know wat its my same old apprehension

Is this seclusion...

I have always wondered, that for all the things happening to me, m i an exception or is this the case with everybody, m i the only 1 suffering or enjoying the moments or every1 is confronting with the same situations...

Say for instance, its now nearly 6 months for me that i m sitting wat is called "on bench" in the compny & simply (wat most of my colleagues console me by saying) mentoring people in their work..."Mentoring people"-huh...won't it be better for me to learn new things at this age wen i hav jus put my foot out of the college life into the business environment; instead of "Training" my colleagues on all those topics that i am already damn familiar with, for i had read them hundred of times....it seems to b a vicious cycle to me...

won't deny that training people has also helped me upto some extend but that was not the purpose i had joined the compny for...my sole purpose was to learn as many significant technical things that would help me in gaining an edge over others; but that alas, i don't think i m in any ways heading for....

So my point is, is this the situation with everybody in every compny or is it my compny, rather me only, who is confronting with such issues...

Stage Fright....

Its not that m a complete stage fright, i mean its not that i cannot speak a word in front of audience/jury but, i m no better..;(

Let me put it lyk this: i can easily go up to a stage or in front of any mob confidently and can even speak with so much eloquence that i can persuade anybody, but my so called "eloquent speech" is just a combination of words i had already mugged up. I can't even speak a word apart from wat i had byhearted. Say for instance, some1 turn interrogative while i m putting my points in front of people, from that very point of tym i start feeling panic and can't help myself turn into a dumbstruck.

My often falling short of words ,is, I feel, has nothing to do with my vocabulary or english pronunciation (u know m not that bad in that) bcoz i have seen people with so much enthusiasm and zeal to speak that english is never a constraint for them. They are so much involved in the discussion that u can easily make out that they would be suitably rewarded, admired and appreciated by the people no matter wat.

Yes i want to be lyk them; so that i won't fear anymore, not from expressing myself to others atleast.

Dilemma...why always me???

"Dilemma"..it feels lyk some1 is talking about me

Well from the time immemorial or shud i say, since the beginning of the dawn for me i had always been full of choices. Some may take it as, "what luck" but the truth is something different, whenever u have choices to make u become dumbfound as to which way to go and that as a result makes u indecisive as u always have to consult people for the same.
But if on the other hand u dnt have any extra choice u r atleast sure of ur move and don't require any consultancy.

Now discussing 1 of my ongoing dilemmas', as i mentioned in my prev blog that m working in FIS and also appeared for CAT this tym and even expecting calls from the same. Now here comes my dilemma; my company (FIS) has its base mostly onsite and they handle all the new projects from abroad itself. And now after working for long six months (mite b a short period for sme but not for me) i realized ther is certainly lot of possibility for me to go abroad if stay in the company for an year or 2.
"What to do now?" a very common qustion has sprang up in front of me again.

Shud i stay in the company and commit myself to work or go for my post graduation.
Shud i prepare for my GD/PI or let everything go the way it is going. Shud i again consult people or decide for myself. These qustions are again making be agonized.

If i want to discuss this with smbody than who's that somebody? Generally it's my bro who i feel is the apt person to consult but for how long; my dilemmas' are never ending. Sometimes i feel m i still not mature enough or grown up to keep my dilemmas to myself and become decisive.
I guess its me only who's responsible for my sufferings bcoz until and unless i take decisions by myself and don't take assistance from others, i won't feel that m grown enough, but i know i am and its time for me to show, to pretend that i m good enough in taking my own decisions.
I am the qustion and i m the answer

CAT 2008

It was my 2nd attempt for CAT. Yes i did appeared for CAT last tym also but failed to get thru any good B-School (limited seats u know). The only thing that bothered me last tym wen cat result was out was that i filled nearly 10-12 colleges under CAT and got call from none. For a minute i was dismayed wen i saw my result but u know u will always find people around u who can boost u up by scoring less than u. CAT 2007 was lyk a catastrophe to me.
The result for other colleges was also disclosed one by one and fortunately i got call from 2 symbiosis college. But being a fresher I was not even able to get thru these 2 avg colleges (u r free to call it an excuse bcoz it is :))

Finally I joined Fidelity Information Services, bangalore and decided to gain work ex and then do MBA; for it was the only option left. Then came CAT 2008, don't know y but my perseverance was lost and i didn't prepared much for the xam and gave it on the prescribed day. Was not expecting much after i left the center but after hearing the views of my frienz and people around me i turned optimistic (not very but yes i was now a bit hopeful).

CAT result was out and atleast i scored more than wat i did last yr :).Even unlike last yr i had not filled many colleges but this tym was expecting call from a college or two. And can u believe i have already got calls from 2 colleges and expecting a call from 1 more. But this tym i need to convert it at any cost for my excuse of fresher has already lost its validity...lol

PS: Its the state of mind that matters the most (as i didn't prepared much for CAT this tym i didn't felt ny tension while appearing for the same and hence scored well atleast from the last tym wen i was well prepared)

Nostalgia

Few days bak i watched "Taare Zameen Par" and was about to burst into tears if my friend wud not had been sitting besides me and somehow i controlled myself obviously due to fear of embarrassment (its in human nature u see) . But since then TZP has become my all tym favourite. The movie made me feel nostalgic of those old dayz wen i used to stay with my family at home. It was a gr8 feeling that had occured after such a long tym for i m away from my home since close to 5 yrs. Although i talk to my parents after every 2-3 dayz but that day i was really missing them.

My First Blog

Although m not good at writing but still; i feel u don't always do wat u r good at

To commence my first blog, I would like to mention my present condition or situation watever it may b bcoz past is history so b it a mystery and moreover we shud b looking fwd towards wat lyf is goin to offer us :). Its now six, infact more than six months that i m working in the IT sector of a Florida based prestigious finance company named Fidelity Information Services Pvt Ltd (this is the way i put these lines to people when they ask me bout my work ex). I don't know whether it is the correct way of taking things but i reckon that ur almamater and all those places u had come through could not have been better than wat they had been or wat they r.

Even on this issue i had often met with an altercation with my roomie "A" bcoz he's not happy with his work (as it seems to me) and keeps on criticizing the company and blaming his fate. Although he's sometimes good at certain things but wen it cmes to discussion he always leave u frustated that in turn results in loosing ur temperament and retaliating. I strongly believe in taking things as they r instead of finding flaws in them. U r the one who is entirely responsible for every situation u r in; don't blame ur fate, nobody has tym writing ur damn fate.

I want to enjoy every moment of lyf; who knows wat r u goin to become in ur next reincarnation...lol...and who knows even animals mite b thinking the same way.
Whenever u feel small, think of all the good times u had. Enough of pedogogy i guess...:)