My First L-Square

There are some moments in your life which you remember like they happened yesterday.... Even if - in bigger scheme of things they may not be the most significant or momentous moments of your life... But there is just something that makes you wanna repeat them time and again in your mind and just like that they become memorable... With new faccha batch having their first L-square just yesterday, I spent about hours thinking about how mine was...

Dressing up for L-square - a concept whose gravity I did not understand till I attended my first one... When I had come in just "lame" casuals with no cosmetics used, I saw the shimmer and the glimmer in every PGP1 girl's dress on the floor... People would here think, I'll feel out-of-place but those who know me thats the case most of the time so it wasnt a rude shock!!! The actual shock came when I saw the PGP2s (my friends' who I was hoping to dance with) drunk with no ability to grasp anything sane... All they did was blabber, hug everyone in "huggable" distance and fall (in my defense - it was the first time I saw them like this... And those were the days when I actually yelled at my friends for "losing control" - me being a tee-totaler)...

First L^2, people tend to flock to the ones from their wing, to the ones from their section or to the ones who happened to be in the same group as their outbound group... Incidentally, I had the combination of all 3 in one who I had hit it off very well with... She was "THE HOTTEST" girl of our batch and we liked each other (I sure do hope so) But coming with her had its downsides... A drummer just kept displacing me and dancing with her.... (First L^2 is also the time for PGP2 guys to test the waters ;)...) I tried shooing him off thrice (he is a good friend now but back then I dint know him) but he was persistent...

I danced with her and some other people for sometime, but could not help disillusionment creeping into my moods.... I went off to the A-first terrace that overlooks L^2.... If someone hasnt tried this, should definitely do it once... It looks awesome!!! The lights, the motley of colors and the people in their groups.... Its a pleasant sight....

Although heavenly, there is only so much time that you can see the same people from the top... It got lonely soon and I kept feeling my first L^2 wont be too awesome... Just when I thought I should call it a night, it took a turn... An accquaintance who was a fellow VP contestant came up to me and we had a conversation... I was wondering why would anyone come here and somewhere hoping he was having as lousy a time as I was having... But it was chivalry that got him there - did not want to see a girl alone... (yes! PGP1 guys are very chivalrous in the first few weeks :D...) The conversation was all over the place... About IIMB, about perceptions, about people... About dreams, hopes and realities... And just like that I made a new friend...

L^2 mean fun, dance, daaru and music to most people... And I would say that L^2 was fun for me as well but for very different reasons... I got the pleasure to dance with the most sought after girl in the batch (later who was my constant dance partner for a specific song)!!! I got to see how much my friends care about me (they bothered to send me messages the following morning saying they were sorry to ruin my first L^2 by not dancing with me)!!! And finally, I understood how just random talking could make a just about OK L^2 into one which is worth thinking about!!!

Btw, the next first L^2 (my juniors') I played the role that my seniors played but I did dance with my juniors (even if they were unknown) And just like that, her (junior I danced with) first L^2 became fun coz of that moment when a tipsy PGP2 offered to teach and managed to teach 2 dance steps to her :D:D

Yesterday it was my home.... Today I'm just a guest...

As I sit in my guest house today, I keep thinking to myself - what makes you call a place a home? Its the people, its the environment, its the memories.... Naturally, I found myself asking the question, "So, if I remove the people and if the memories get tarnished, will the place cease to be your home?" While the answer seemed very evident, I decided to put this hypothesis to test...

In my life till date, different places have become "homes" at different points in time.... First is obviously the house I was born and brought up in... Then comes my school - 12 years of my life and 6 - 8 hours everyday... that's a significant chunk of your life... Never really thought of VJTI as my home... While there were most significant memories and very significant people associated with those 4 years - I still do not get the "homely" feeling... Then was the house I shared with a dear friend during the time at Infosys.... IIMB - for all that it gave me and finally, the place I live in after 18th April 2009!!!

Now, my first home is actually a place where my parents live... While I would want them to stay in the house I have lived for good 24 years, if they move - "my home" moves... In case of school - the teachers who taught me, who are responsible for me turning out the way I am today - are no longer present in school... While I still love my school (I go to the annual day celebrations if I am in town) I just cant associate with it anymore... With VJTI out of my list, Infosys rented apartment was a home coz of what Shruti and I did while we were there... And I come to same conclusion as in 2 cases before - my experience there was defined by a person not so much by memories...

Coming to IIMB as a home - there exists an irregularity!!! While memories have faded into oblivion (some willingly, some forced), some bonds still exist.... I love people looking forward to me coming down on campus and I love the hospitality I get... When I go there, I still love the ambience the place offers, the night outs the place brandishes, the nerves of steel that get developed looking at the placecom board (the one where I saw my seniors getting shortlists - my friends and me getting shortlists and my facchas getting the companies they ALWAYS wanted), the profs who still are keen to have a dialogue, L^2s and stories with each one of them, the intensity involved in the throwball - TOW - baski matches...

And yet, this home is ephemeral - a life of 3 years only... It is bonded with the people who were there one year before me and one year after... But more importantly its the memories which play an equally important role... My senior came to campus this year and found himself reminiscing the time he had there but he dint want to leave my side coz to associate with this place as home he needed both me (a familiar face) and his memories... Another friend - a batchmate - said, "its feels weird to make an appearance on campus often... What if people think - kya jab dekho campus aa jaati hai..."

How is this home when I think twice before coming to it?? How do I have people, the memories and yet "home" isn't at IIMB once I pass out.... Why cant I live at IIMB for days together without giving it a second thought.... The place I owned till April 2009 is a place I am a visitor in less than 2 months....

Its an "AND" function PEOPLE AND MEMORIES to make a place call home - coz with memories your mind is present and with people your heart is....

Days that were - IIMB rocked!!!

I locked the room... 3 posters on the wall and the curtains I picked from MARS (in the first week at IIMB) is all that remained in K-213... Everything that can be associated with me... K-213, the room I called my home for last one year... The room where I laughed, cried, studied and partied... K-213 where innumerable pizzas were ordered and cheese maggis found their way at un-godly hours... And just like that, IIMB got over for me...

As I looked back, my last glance at the gate, before a decrepit auto rickshaw sped off to Bangalore train station, I couldnt help but think of my first day here - 22nd June 2007 - when Shruti and GS came and picked me up... I went to the hostel office and apprehensively picked the C-312 room chit (my abode in the first year)... I went to my room on the third floor, only to find myself ragged in the very first hour coz stupidly enough I went and introduced myself to my seniors... Little after ragging, I met with my wing mates - as apprehensive as me but not as stupid coz they did not make the mistake to go and talk to seniors :D

25th June 2007 when the college started and I saw the first glimpse of Gundu Rao (he was directing us to different rooms in order to avoid delays) - little to know how significant he is going to be in IIMB life... If I could depict how I felt as the auto moved through Bangalore traffic, it would be similar to screening of a movie.... Visualize motley images just running past your conscience.... The first week sessions, first L^2  and the millions after that, the first class when I slept and was almost threatened to be thrown out to most other classes where I slept on the first bench, the first club elections and the events organized or participated in, summer experiences, hectic schedules comprising quizzes, midterms, end terms, last minute project meetings and presentations and the hajar sports competitions (inter-IIM and intra-IIMB) - innumerable memories just came rushing back.... But you know what is the best part of IIMB - it is the fact that not just the firsts but the whole gamut of things remain memorable... Every friendship made, every fight fought, every competition played and every festival/event organized - everything leaves such an imprint on you that as I left, I could not help but wonder, if I would EVER be able to adjust to the "normal" life that would follow as I start working... 

It is therefore, not a big surprise that most of us after leaving IIMB, find ourselves bored easily!!! (just read status messages on FB and you would know) After these 2 years, life outside IIMB just doesnt seem "interesting" enough.... While it is true, I may have slept through most of my weekends or holidays at IIMB, just watched some soaps after downloading from DC++ or just strolled on campus with friends - but these so-called "mundane" activities still feel more FUN as compared to what we are doing at our respective homes... 

And it is this "bond" that will make me keep coming back to IIMB... Every chance I get!!! My happy place would always be those strolls after leaving K-213 on a fantastic "Bangalore" weather day... Seeing people play on the football field, passing friends at Athicas/mess and then just walking around this magnificent stone structure surrounded by greens... The mere thought of this sight just calms me down... 2 years - that's all it took... The time spent at IIMB would live forever in my heart!!!

With this hope, I live not free!!

Of sleepless nights and crying in pain
Of every effort going in vain
Of taking me to greats heights and under the bottom of rock
Of me being an ass and made a laughing stock...

With this feeling, I live not free
Don't know what else I have to see!!

Days go by and nights come along
Try as I may,they seem too long
Sleep like a baby, a phrase I have heard before
Its been ages since the last dream, a wink or a snore...

With this effort, I live not free
Don't know what else I have to see!!

Each trip down the memory lane
Full of laughter, cheer, angst and pain
Each memory thought of, is like re-living them
Every moment in the present then, is never the same...

With this burden, I live not free
Don't know what else I have to see!!

And then one fine day, you think of times ahead
Of the words not spoken, of the future unsaid
A silent prayer on your lips, saying all will be fine
You think of new places and people, you then don't whine...

With this hope, I live not free
I hope its something I'll be able to see!!!

Compartmentalisation!!!

When I was in school, many terrible things happened during "crucial" (as a kid, the intensity of cruciality just changed) moments of my life... For example, my exams were going on and there was a death in my family.... I was in a school play and I came down with jaundice to lose the lead role... I was in a dance and I was down with fever only to look the worst dancer in the photographs (well, I couldn't back out as it was a day before the actual event)....

So, there are 2 kinds of pains that are inflicted on you:

1. Physical pain which has very definitive means of reaction (give in to disease or fight against it)

2. Mental pain which may seem very abstract to handle, but frankly, has very definitive reactions to it as well (get affected by it or not get affected by it)

Thus, in the examples I mentioned above, I did take definitive actions... I fought physical pain once, I gave in the other time and finally, I did not get affected by the mental stress that a 'death of a loved one' brings with it. But as time went by, I have realised that there are 2 types of mental pains too.

1. Mental pain due to unavoidable circumstances with nothing you can do

2. Mental pain due to material circumstances (like people around, events around etc.)

I always prided myself on how I handled my life in case type 1 came into my life... I could VERY EASILY compartmentalise the pain and handle my responsibilites (as a student, daughter and otherwise)  like I would have done in normal circumstances... For example, the way I handled my exams in event of whole family grieving. 

Handling type 2 of mental pain was also straight forward for me till date. If you ask me, say you are stressed because of a very close friend in need... There is NO WAY in hell can you compartmentalise then... Similarly, say you lose a match (and if luck has its way, its an important one)... It is impossible to avoid the shame, guilt, sadness arising out of this loss... Your friend is in pain, for family member is in the hospital getting a crucial operation done.... These are places where you can make a difference or places where you can have a positive impact by your presence. Till date, I strongly believed that in such cases YOU SHOULD NOT COMPARTMENTALISE!!! So, it's OK if your work gets affected by this pain (in fact, I would go to the extent of procrastinating things if its possible) or if your "enjoyment" gets affected by this thought... (Kindly note, the circumstances which get affected may always not be negative or grave like work related, fulfilling your duty etc. ... They could as well be rosy circumstances like a picnic, a celebration, a festival etc.) Thus were my fundamentals for good 26 years of my life and I functioned well with the stated reactions (ironical in cases where my work DID get affected but you get the point)... 

A recent conversation with a friend shook this belief that I actually hold dear... While knowing that a close friend is in pain, this friend of mine actually compartmentalised things to "have fun"... There is no denying that their bond means something to him but still he could compartmentalize... I couldn't help but ask him, " dont you owe this much to your friend?? dont you think your bond actually deserves this - with lack of any other word - mourning?? dont you feel guilty to have fun when you know this friend is in huge pain??" And his answer surprised me... He said, "I am with a different set of people, in a different context and I ought to make most of it..."

So, im stuck in deciding the actual course of action now (and only because I believe this friend of mine handles things very well)... Is it ok to NOT COMPARTMENTALISE and actually give some importance to things where you can actually make a difference and do something about it.... Or you just COMPARTMENTALISE coz finally, its pain and you need to only deal with it in one way - not get affected and give the context more importance!!! Till date I did the former but now have also burnt my fingers (figuratively)... Should I do the latter or not?? If I do the latter, will I be able to do it, that only time can tell.... 

Sharmili unveiled!!!

So, as a part of Managing Your Career Growth (MYCG as we call it) we had to take this strength builder test. I started this test with the same cynicism as I do any personality tests because I believe these tests just are a function of your frame of mind when you take the test. But, these results astound me.... I showed it to a couple of friends who know me well and they were like with some minute exceptions, THIS IS YOU!!!

Here is what this strength builder assessed me as: (btw, this is primarily done to ensure that when we take up a job as we leave IIMB, we map our strengths to the roles we apply so that we are satisfied in the job)

Includer

“Stretch the circle wider.” This is the philosophy around which you orient your life. You want to include people and make them feel part of the group. In direct contrast to those who are drawn only to exclusive groups, you actively avoid those groups that exclude others. You want to expand the group so that as many people as possible can benefit from its support. You hate the sight of someone on the outside looking in. You want to draw them in so that they can feel the warmth of the group. You are an instinctively accepting person. Regardless of race or sex or nationality or personality or faith, you cast few judgments. Judgments can hurt a person’s feelings. Why do that if you don’t have to? Your accepting nature does not necessarily rest on a belief that each of us is different and that one should respect these differences. Rather, it rests on your conviction that fundamentally we are all the same. We are all equally important. Thus, no one should be ignored. Each of us should be included. It is the least we all deserve.

Empathy

You can sense the emotions of those around you. You can feel what they are feeling as though their feelings are your own. Intuitively, you are able to see the world through their eyes and share their perspective. You do not necessarily agree with each person’s perspective. You do not necessarily feel pity for each person’s predicament—this would be sympathy, not Empathy. You do not necessarily condone the choices each person makes, but you do understand. This instinctive ability to understand is powerful. You hear the unvoiced questions. You anticipate the need. Where others grapple for words, you seem to find the right words and the right tone. You help people find the right phrases to express their feelings—to themselves as well as to others. You help them give voice to their emotional life. For all these reasons other people are drawn to you.

Competition

Competition is rooted in comparison. When you look at the world, you are instinctively aware of other people’s performance. Their performance is the ultimate yardstick. No matter how hard you tried, no matter how worthy your intentions, if you reached your goal but did not outperform your peers, the achievement feels hollow. Like all competitors, you need other people. You need to compare. If you can compare, you can compete, and if you can compete, you can win. And when you win, there is no feeling quite like it. You like measurement because it facilitates comparisons. You like other competitors because they invigorate you. You like contests because they must produce a winner. You particularly like contests where you know you have the inside track to be the winner. Although you are gracious to your fellow competitors and even stoic in defeat, you don’t compete for the fun of competing. You compete to win. Over time you will come to avoid contests where winning seems unlikely.

Woo

Woo stands for winning others over. You enjoy the challenge of meeting new people and getting them to like you. Strangers are rarely intimidating to you. On the contrary, strangers can be energizing. You are drawn to them. You want to learn their names, ask them questions, and find some area of common interest so that you can strike up a conversation and build rapport. Some people shy away from starting up conversations because they worry about running out of things to say. You don’t. Not only are you rarely at a loss for words; you actually enjoy initiating with strangers because you derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection. Once that connection is made, you are quite happy to wrap it up and move on. There are new people to meet, new rooms to work, new crowds to mingle in. In your world there are no strangers, only friends you haven’t met yet—lots of them.

Achiever

Your Achiever theme helps explain your drive. Achiever describes a constant need for achievement. You feel as if every day starts at zero. By the end of the day you must achieve something tangible in order to feel good about yourself. And by “every day” you mean every single day—workdays, weekends, vacations. No matter how much you may feel you deserve a day of rest, if the day passes without some form of achievement, no matter how small, you will feel dissatisfied. You have an internal fire burning inside you. It pushes you to do more, to achieve more. After each accomplishment is reached, the fire dwindles for a moment, but very soon it rekindles itself, forcing you toward the next accomplishment. Your relentless need for achievement might not be logical. It might not even be focused. But it will always be with you. As an Achiever you must learn to live with this whisper of discontent. It does have its benefits. It brings you the energy you need to work long hours without burning out. It is the jolt you can always count on to get you started on new tasks, new challenges. It is the power supply that causes you to set the pace and define the levels of productivity for your work group. It is the theme that keeps you moving.

Life goes on!!!

As you grow older, you realize one thing - you may whine, crib or celebrate but LIFE just moves on!!! While there may be many opportunities you don't convert and many that you just crack, as you move on, all these past experiences fade away into oblivion... They serve as those anecdotes you share with your friends on a reunion or with family when you give gyaan.... On a contradictory note, till date I always thought that everything we do in life contributes to a bigger picture.... So, if I am going through a rough patch, I was led to believe that it is that black border of a bigger beautiful portrait - not pleasant by itself but very necessary to bring out the beauty of the portrait....

As you must have guessed, I have not figured out what life is all about... I always grew up in a competitive context so, Life to me means feeling that I am not a failure and thats all... No! - it moves on, no! - there is light beyond the tunnel etc. theories. And herein lies the core issue. Success for me is relative.... It does not matter what I achieve unless in a context I am better than most. Thus, what life means to me ironically, is determined by others. Strange isn't it!!! Therefore, while I have been an athlete, a dancer or a club president, it does not matter if I have not handled one aspect of my life well.... 'Coz when I pit against my peers at IIMB, my peers from VJTI who are in completely different setup (its like comparing apples and oranges) or anyone who can be remotely connected to me, I always tend to find people many times better than me.... Thus making me feel "Life Sucks!!!"

And once I get this into my head, no other rational thought has any space to make its presence felt... Then comes a teeny voice in my head (after days of incarceration) saying C'mon Sharmili, Move on Woman!!! And just like that, I am back to being my bouncy self.... Emphemeral as it is, this stage lasts for sometime till one more comparison - and I am back to the "Life Sucks!!!" mode. Point of this post, there are many things in my life to make me feel happy, lucky and on the top of the world.... There are many times the rational thoughts mentioned above enter my head.... Yet, I find myself in bouts of low confidence, self doubt, lack of faith etc. I am waiting for a moment when I actually practice what I preached here (in the first paragraph)... Not for the sake of being proper but 'coz, that I believe would be when I actually graduate to the next level of maturity!!!

Chilly in Chicago!!!

I reached Chicago, met kiddo and guess what - I FROZEEE!!! There was snow everywhere.... Kiddo told me winters are depressing in Chicago and so people needed some cheering up... Which is why there were Christmas lights wherever I went... Beautiful it looked :)

I went to kiddo's apartment and the first thing I did - turn on heat to level 5... This dude was like Sharmili, in my stay here for 3 months - I have never required so much heating :))) Anyway, some more jokes on my (Mumbaikars - later on generalized) cold withstanding abilities... Anyway, we spoke through the nite, saw some of our snaps (you know - its so silly - the concept of seeing the snaps you were a part of... But trust me - it just got back the whole experience and happy feeling back to us...) Then we called it a nite and I told kiddo to NOT wake me up early...

Next day I got up at 12:30 - wooooow!! what a feeling - I had almost forgotten it... And then kiddo started fussing... Get ready!! We are late!! etc... Everything fell in place, we got "Metra" to Michigan avenue - one of the coolest places in Chicago... My sense of USA traffic was completely distorted after coming here... Cars very close.... Cars honking... Cars not letting pedestrains go first... Everything was anti was I had seen in other places... Anyway, we went to Hancock towers - sat in the fastest lift in North America (I would have said world - but kiddo insists on these technicalities), got a mind-blowing view of Chicago outline....

Next we went to Millenium park... Well snowing had dampened the main attraction there, Cloud Gate - which reflects the entire skyline of Chicago... We still took pics coz the structure was magnificient in itself... Btw, the bags you see in our hands here, are the awesome deals we got on Disney soft toys (the big red bag), Guess watches (cant be seen) and Disney doll stuff (Pink bag - which kiddo bought NOT ME)

Then was the MOST exciting part of the trip... So, people who know me - KNOW that adventure, sports etc things excite me the most... So, while I did enjoy all the sight seeing, ice-skating was the BEST!!! And it was difficult too... I fell down 5 times, got hurt at places I cannot mention here but finally, I managed it - took 2 rounds of the entire ring without holding anything and fast and without stopping... I do agree that I was still very clumsy as opposed to 5 yr old kids who managed to be better than me.... But I was VERY VERY HAPPY!!! Would have stayed there longer but we were tired and we still had to see another place... We went to Navy Pier which was closed due to winters or some reason so while I could strike it off the list of things to see, I dint really get to experience it...

Then came the second highlight of the trip... We cooked... We dint have an elaborate kitchen like my mom did but we still managed to get our act together :)))) Woooow!!! Having garam garam Indian food (awesome food made by kiddo primarily) and watch friends with friends and heater on (last detail is important for me :) is an awesome feeling... Its like eating garam garam pakoda and chai on a rainy day with your family.... Get the picture!! We were too tired to do anything else after the entire day of sight seeing... Slept off to get up LATE again :))))


Next day started with seeing GSB Chicago (now renamed as Booth school of business) , eating the famous deep crust pizza (which we could not finish - the smallest size) and running to get a shuttle to the airport.. Oh btw, it was interesting that I spoke to Gau that day, spoke to Rekha after hajar years (I am still surprised she remembered me) and guess what, my trip back to San Francisco was going to be meeting her.... I was so glad that whole thing worked out...

I took flight out of Chicago (Goodbyes are sad - even if you know you are going to meet the person in the next 2 days) and landed in San Fran where I met Rekha and Guru (her husband)... Man!! It was so awesome... I dint have any camera to take a pic with them (sadly so) but it was good fun... Rekha made Pav Bhaji (so Indian food on 2 days... Yeee!), we spoke through the night... Their house is just awesome (they bought a new one) and immediately I told Guru that he should talk to my sister who can help him decorate it... Anyway, after lot of talk (some of it involved around how I just assume things will fall in place when I am travelling and how I havent really planned a lot) we went off to sleep... The next morning I took MRT (Mass Rapid Transit - a sort of metro) from a place close to their place (Fremont) to airport.... Flight was on time, I checked in to get down at Singapore - the last place I was visiting in the trip.. Oh, in order to avoid jet lag issues, I saw 8 movies in a row on the flight and yet, I was not sleepy when I landed... Like Sudha said - it beat the purpose of not being jet lagged :)))

I met Sudha at the airport and went to her new apt.... Next day - went to Mustafa's (the only place I had not visited in SGP), set up her room, met Vikrant and Ashwath (after a long time) and boarded the flight to India....

Back at home... Phew!!! Queues, Indian faces and delays... I was at home... In those 2 weeks,
1. I saw 6 cities,
2. Visited 12 airports,
3. Saw the best sides of people who I met after a long time,
4. Actually bonded with the Stanford students which is THE POINT of the exchange program (My status message for a couple of days was I dont want to leave Stanford people)
5. Did sight seeing, went on rides and walks and
6. Had tons of memorable experiences which are not restricted only to this blog but there for life....

Easily one of the best things that I did while at IIM Bangalore - Enroll for the Stanford Exchange Program...

Sleepless in Seattle

The last leg of my tour was visiting Seattle and Chicago... Now, people often ask me - "why wouldn't you see San Diego on west coast instead of going all the way to east coast for 2 days?" My reply to that is that my parents were comfortable with me going to places where there were people with me.... Unfortunately all my VJTI, Infy and other friends were in India at the time when I was there.... I had to make use of best of available resources (Now, I sound like an MBA :)...) So, yes! I went to these places and as expected had an awesome time :)))

Seattle:

I reach Seattle airport and I am constantly in touch with Gautam who was supposed to pick me up from the airport.... Now, this had to work real time as he dint want to park his vehicle and therefore, could not wait before time... So, finally he says he is close but doesn't know where I am standing... I tell him what I am wearing (I was actually very visible with the only one in 4 layers, cap and gloves...) and suddenly 2 people come up to me saying, "Madam, there has been a security threat - please come with us inside - NOW!!!" They expected me to panic but I was purely amused.... Some random Indians, showing their IDs and saying "I AM in a security threat..." Please tell me who would be so arbit as to threaten my existence ;))) Anyway, so after a while they say its fine and I come out to see Gautam and these guys (his friends) getting into the car... I was like "IT HAAAAAAAAAD to be U... WASTE" Anyway, after having a good laugh and these guys cribbing - I wasnt scared enough - I went out for dinner with Gautam... Megha was in touch with us and we were likely to go clubbing with her friends downtown.... But, plans changed and I had dinner and headed home with Megha where we had a good chat till about 3 am after which I slept... (She continued to entertain her guests and I dont mean ME :D...)

Next day - Sunday - We went to this breakfast place Gautam suggested - after getting lost due to directions HE GAVE - and me saving the day by guiding Megha to the right road.... Good food as usual in same quantities and then we went to Snoqualmi (I hope I have spelled it right) waterfalls with Megha and her friends... Oh btw, before we went - I ate Matar Paneer made by Megha and I was quite impressed I must say... Kids these days have good culinary skills... The waterfalls were awesome... Arnab (Megha's friend) led us to this small trail where we went thru woods... And as expected this guy was upto NO GOOD - Scared the hell out of Megha and me by jumping in front of us from behind a bush... All the guys had a good laugh and as expected - Megha kicked and abused him... Anyway, a contented lot came back from falls (Megha was the most happy coz she got to drive an awesome car) to have dinner with Gautam... Good food and we came back to Megha's apt to play poker... Good fun!! These guys (the profesionals) were like let's play with money... Megha and me - amateurs said NO!!! not with money... But they insisted and finally guess what happens - All of them go broke and its between Megha and me - finally won by Megha.... AWESOOOOOME FUN!!! Then Arnab - I must say had an awesome time - I am sure Megha wont want to associate herself with this but she HAS to know she was a major part of this ;)

Day two in Seattle was a day when I went camping by MYSELF - Sharmili's Day Out!!! Can u imagine - I did not get lost, I did not get caught by Police and I managed to see everything I (actually Arnab helped me with this) wanted to see... Used public transport, walked, shopped, went on cruise (Argosy Cruise), took self photographs (at Pike Place Market - the place mentioned in FISH! and Seattle Public Library - seeing which I feel in love with the city) and finally managed to meet Gautam at the place decided (Downtown - Opposite Macy's - 4th Ave and Pine St.)... Yippie!!! I was more excited by the thought of doing it alone than the thought of seeing these places... After dinner at a good Indian restaurant - we called it a day (Megha wasn't feeling well and everyone was tired after a full day's work..).. Oh! I forgot to mention 3 things...

1. Sireesha kept calling EVERYTIME while I was there... Dont know if it was a kind of check mechanism madam had put in place ;)
2. Kiddo was so worried now as to how to better the time at Chicago :)))
3. Spoke to people back at home and missed them...

The next morn I left for Chicago... And bid my farewell to Megha at the airport where she dropped me... A 4 day trip with this girl and thats all it took for me to miss her so badly when I came back home :))

"Official Reason to go to USA" - Stanford Trip

After a very very tiring but equally exciting trip to LA, LV and GC, we reached San Francisco :) Phew!!! This is not because of being tired but because on the way back - 2 amateur USA drivers - Megha and Sid, drove along with Chatty.... Well, I would be nervous but I was sleeping away to glory - preparing for the hectic one week ahead of me.... We reached Chatty's place in SF by 11:00 pm or so and then were all raving about his house.... Very neatly kept, very well equipped!!! Spent some time on his playstation, listened to "Desi Girl" which was by now the trip song and some silliness on "Buttons!!!" (Megha was speechless and so were others but for VERY different reasons)... Anyway, after a good night's sleep, we all woke up and these guys dropped me to Stanford (Special mention to Megha and her Polka-dotted pyjamas :)...)

Day 1:
So, I reached after breakfast and immediately left for the Oakland Raiders game... 2 good things happened before I left:
1. Sid finally got to meet Kate and appreciate what I had mentioned about her
2. These guys saw my room and it was so mind-blowingly awesome that they were jealous (I got happy - ha ha ha)

"American Football"- All I can say is its an interesting game.... But unlike a continuous Indian game (football and cricket) this game keeps halting... Not like Basketball - where you stop game due to line cuts or fouls but like on principle... I cannot explain the game here now, but it was an awesome experience... Of course, I saw the cheerleaders and how they keep crowds entertained in this game....

In the evening, our hospitable guests divided us in groups based on the cuisines we wanted to eat. J'ai mange italien :))) (I speak French and not italian :)...)

Day 2:
3 lectures, 2 company visits and 1 game and dinner was the plan for the day.... Dean of Stanford - David Kreps came to give us a lecture on Stanford and its history.... During the lecture, it became clearer that IIMB is like Stanford and IIMA like Harvard... Culture, teaching methodology etc... Which is why I think, there is a Stanford-IIMB program and not a Stanford-IIMA program...

After this was a lecture by Mr. Guy Kawasaki - A successful VC and famed author of book including Rich Dad - Poor Dad!! Enlightening lecture and a very interesting person, in his
opinions and his style.... I took a liking to him instantly....

Finally, the academic session ended with Prof. Carole Robin... Importance of feedback was what she covered in the lecture...

Post this we went to "Whole Foods" where I ate Mexican food (henceforth, whenever I mention food - assume its Mexican or Italian) coz vegeterians rarely have too much choice and people like me who hate Mushrooms - even lesser choices :)))) And American portions are HUGE!!! Poor me... I could NEVER finish a single meal coz one small burito was like 2 meals for me :((((

Facebook where we learned about their culture and NUMMI - the Toyota and GM alliance where we actually saw a car being made in 54 seconds thru JIT system... It was fascinating to see the importance Americans give to culture and perfection....

Then was the BEST social activity ever... We went to Dave and Busters - a mall sort of place with games... I won so many games, beat Vickram in car racing and shopped for sweats :))) Good fun...

Fully satisfied I went to my room (aweeeeeesome bed - did I mention) to get myself all buckled up for even more hectic schedule the next day.... Oh, before sleeping I had to read a case for my classes the next day :((( (will anyone say I was on vacation - oh! I wasn't right... oops!..)

Day 3:
CEO of PepsiCo coming and tellin us how Indra Nooyi was a right choice of a leader.... Man!! that was inspiring... A sales class by top sales executives in Bay area telling students how to improve sales effectiveness with live examples and IHI case being discussed by the case writer himself.... The academic sessions were on a swing...

After lunch we went to IDEO - a design consulting firm... I saw the designs and I coiuld not stop thinking of Namu... She would have looooooved to visit that place... I wish she gets recruited there... It was fascinating... I took some pics for her... Hope she likes them....

We had free time then to work on our projects, after which we went for dinner and drinks with Stanford junta...

Day 4:
This was all-in-all a social visit... Stanford people took us to some tourist destinations in San Fran... I shopped again for a jacket - considering I was cold despite wearing 4 layers... Awesome deal I got on a black fleece jacket and got good deals for both Vickram and Bala...

Went to Pier 39, boat ride, cable cars, Union Square, Golden Gate bridge etc... Photos and more shopping done and we came back tired to the room... Other guys went out pubbing but I stayed back as I had to prepare a case for the next day - CEO of cisco was coming and I dint want to look stupid...

Day 5:
It was an all-in-all academic day...

After an ok-ok lecture by the head of Dodge & Cox, we had an awesome case discussion by Prof. John Morgridge - ex-CEO of cisco... Mindblowing session... I strongly believe that even if the prof is brilliant, the person coming himself and teaching a case written on the decisions he took, makes a huge difference... completely satisfied, I spoke to him after class and he asked my name... shook hands with me... and patted me on my back for a nice question... Wow!!! it was the highlight of my day...

Then was my career counselling session with Virginia who I had met in India earlier.... This session was mainly a feel-good session for everyone but the pessimist that I am, I felt bad :(((( But thats not important...

Lise Buyer - by far my most favorite lecture - showed us a very unique perspective in life by sharing her learnings from the finance career... Here again, I was putting awesome CP... I just realised... When there are such inspiring people in front of u, you automatically feel like asking them questions...

Chairman of BCG then came and gave us gyaan on how is consulting adapting according to the economic downturn....

Prof. Brady came and spoke about US Elections and how the process is conducted... How is the 2 party system eficient... The discussion concluded on lauding India for having so many diverse parties and still maintaining democracy...

A not so useful international communication session concluded the day after which we left for Leo Joseph's residence - an Indian GSB Alum who hosts SAIL students every year.... Interesting person again!!! He likes an idea, starts a company and then sells it off for a hefty amount for a living... Then takes a break for a year or 2 till he finds the next new idea :))) In short, rich man with an awesome house, lovely family and an pleasant demeanor.... We had a wine tasting session here where, Aurelia - a wine consultant demonstrated her proficiency in knowing wines by their smell, color etc... It was so much fun... Everyone came up with random ingredients based on the smelll and I JUST CUD NOT differentiate between the different smells... All smelled the same - BAD!! It was then I realised I HATE wines :))) After dinner at Leo's I went home whereas others went clubbing again...

Day 6:
Second last day and it was the first time when I got late, missed the gang and had to go on my own to the company we were visiting... Pacific Biosciences, the company was awesome apparently but I dint quite understand anything due to the delay... After this, we went back to campus where we made our presentations... We had a small photosession with the insti photographer, a Career Life Vision lecture by Prof. Andy Chan and attended the L-square equivalent of Stanford - LPF... It was here we met other GSB students and spoke to them in an informal setting...

We went for dinner at a restaurant on campus and generally bonded with the Stanford counterpart by discussin hajar issues...

Day 7:
Last day with them... They had their exams so all of them couldnt join us to the Monterey Aquarium... Good place... I saw a diver feeding the fish LIVE and I myself took behind the scenes tour where I could feed the fish :))) Americans make an experience out of everything... The way they explained everything to everyone, the way they go out of their way to make tourists spend etc. all is very comendable... I keep feeling that people in India should learn this... First we dont have such places, and the little that we have like Essel World - the staff is so curt and not helpful... We have a lot to learn - really...

After this we went Bowling!!! I sucked at it :((( Wonder why??? I did play decently but here I was like awfulllll.... After this I left for Schwab (the place where I stayed) to collect luggage and leave for domestic airport to go to Seattle...

It was a fun week - right mix of acads, corporate and social activities... I think such exchange programs are so much better than those 3 months one... I mean you dont get homesick and you still enjoy... Yes, you have little sleep but I think you can do without it - after all you ARE DOING YOU MBA :))) More about the latter part of the trip follows...

Wild Wild West....

So, after such a warrrm welcome, does ANYONE need anything else to brighten up their day... Nah!!! The day had awesome things in store for me and so did the entire trip... But just one thing that was negative and was common thru out this trip....
1. I was coooooooooooooold... And therefore, I was troubled...
2. And I troubled kiddo the most who really did not know what more could he do....

Disneyland
As usual, I did something unthinkable :) I arrived from India and left directly for Disneyland :))) No time to recover from jet lag, no time to get ready (tho I did freshen up at the airport)...
Comfy shuttle ride till Disneyland after which I got the first excitement of using credit card Vraj gave me.... Yeah!! it worked :))) Then from the 3 options available, we selected Disneyland coz we wanted something veryyyy authentic Amrikaaa to make the trip memorable (tho as I told kiddo that it was memorable coz I was with him).... Then we saw all the things there.... You know that s the good part about kiddo.... Like me he also has this "paisa vasool" funda.... So, he dint like say chal na - lets not see this.... He was like we are paying so much so we need to see everything :)) and I liked that... So, yes - these 2 crazy people from India saw the whole of Disneyland (we actually marked every place we say on the map they gave us to enure we dint miss anything) and finally, at midnight took a taxi to Hollywood where M was waiting for us.... And ya, we were so fortunate to have a Disney parade and a fireworks + "Fantasia" show being performed that day for the first time.... So, huge majja came when we could actually see all Disney characters (in human form) walk down in front of us telling us their stories :))))

Universal Studios and Santa Monica
Reached Motel 6 at around 1:15 am and were fully exhausted... We hardly spoke in the car and after reaching we dint stop talking :))) (M was meeting kiddo after 2 years) General chit chat, catching up, spewing hatred for terrorists etc. after which we slept (I dont even remember when I dozed off)... Started off our day pretty early around 8:00 am with Walk of Fame.... As I have told hajar people, walking stars drawn on the ground isnt too much fun.... But - no one believed me... And guess what!!! Kiddo sees those stars, I say its walk of fame - he says "Pagal hai kya!!! Its a spoof on the actual walk of fame...." Ha ha ha... Finally, we clicked snaps with random stars ONLY to make kiddo happy that we actually saw a landmarkish place :))) Had a heaaaaaavy breakfast (its worth mentioning coz I have never had such a huge omlette like I had thr), we took a cab and got fooled... went to Santa Monica coz of some stupid driver's ultra stupid calculations and then clicked some aweeeeeeeeesome pics... After this went to Universal studio where I showed my awesomeness again... Collected some discount coupons which gave us $8 off on every ticket... (thats substantial you know) Then we saw the studio tour, Jurassic park, Simpsons (where we were plunged down from haajr feet in air), Mummy ride etc. Each of them was aweeeeeeeesome and more mind blowing than other... One day is just not enough for Universal... Esp when it is a holiday and EVERYONE seems to have come there... It doesnt help either that it closes at 6:00 pm and not midnight... Anyway, fully satisfied all of us met C who was supposed to drive us down to Vegas....

Las Vegas
First impression - WoooooooW!! All lights of USA are used up in Vegas.... Second impression - it is made by engineers and most probably from IITs - coz everything is a duplicate here... Fake paris, Fake NY, fake Disneyland etc. Then went to our hotel - thanks to M - we were put up in MGM Grand :))) That was awesome too... We booked the room for 2 only and then had to smuggle other 2 in... So, guess what we did... Me and M pretended to be the 2 people staying there (and the reception guy says - I am going to make sure you girls have an awesome room so that you can have loads of fun... I mean - how corny is this... I think he assumed me and M were lesbians or something :)))...) Anyway, then we got kiddo and C to join us after all procedures were done... Then we went to the LV strip... Slept around 5:00 am and then left for the Grand Canyon trip later in the day.... After the trip when we were back in Vegas - we gambled, we lost :(((( But, we realised how these people make money... When you are at high stakes game - more waitresses come and offer you free drinks so that you put more money to try and win.... We were at Blackjack table and we got drinks.... We came at 1 cent slot machine and no waitress showed up :))))

Grand Canyon
It was a trip which people like me cannot appreciate it to the fullest... Nature, power of nature, beauty of nature etc. gets lost easily on me... But kiddo did a fair bit of job making me all enthu for the trip... The first place where I was late.... First place where I wore 4 layers of clothing and was still numb... The first place where I slept for hajar hours (Kiddo will say I did that over the entire trip after this :)))...)... It is beautiful no doubts about it... But I wish I could either have the money to do the helicopter ride or the boy fat which allowed me to do river rafting :))))


Drive back to San Francisco
One seasoned driver and 2 novices split this journey which culminated in an AWESOME apt and an AWESOME time listening to buttons, talking to friends on phone and good times concluding with some nice pictures taken....

This was my last day with the 3 fun people I met for these 5 days and who ensured I have loads of fun and loads of warmth (thru their actions and thru the warm clothes they kept givin me ;)...) C drove me down to Stanford where the "official" exchange program awaits me... I had an AWESOME time - with people close to me, with places full of life and finally at a time when I had not too many worries bugging me.... I dint whine at all in the entire trip (cold whining not included) and that speaks a lot about the trip (people who know me - KNOW its a big deal...)

Sharmili chali Amrikaaa!!!

SAIL - 2008.... First part of this program was painful when we had to juggle our classes, submissions, not get attendance for bunking for a legitimate cause and finally entertain our guests from Stanford.... But the second part - IS BLISS!!!

So, after a memorable visa trip (I stayed in a 5 star hotel, had a chauffer driven car at my service and had awesome time with GS), I was all set to go to Amrika.... My trip was planned well - thanks to the hajar efforts put in by my awesome "kiddo".... Packed bags in one and half hour - thanks to 2 back to back end term exams and left ON-TIME with Vivek and Shyam....
Random things then happened as soon as I started my journey and till the point I reached LA Airport...

1. Cab driver - Random that he was - kept unnecessarily talkin to me... and me more idiotic insisted I sit there on the front seat beside him... (Well, in my defense - I did not know this was goin to happen).... And icing on cake - he was drunk tooo (Now, plz ppl - dont panic on reading this... By drunk I mean social drunk not "I cannot drive well" drunk)

2. Dingy Dhaba - I was hungry, but more than me was Shyam.... Thanks to huge tax and rentals, CCD at airport would be extremely expensive... So, AWESOME me came up with a brilliant idea of eating at CCD before we reach airport.... Net result - Ate in a random, shady looking dhaba.... Good part - AWESOME food at a very reasonable price.... Good part 2 - Driver dint charge waiting time :)
Bad part- shaaaaaaaaaaady place but thank God I was with Vivek and Shyam....

3. Immigration Hassles - Despite having done eveyrthing right, I was asked to wait for 30 min before the immigration counter.... Thanks to the jhols Vivek and Shyam did :)

4. Charger Woes - What was exciting during the wait mentioned above, was me talking
continuously on phone to P and saying things these guys were scandalised to hear :)))... Me dying to find a charger at the airport in the loo which apparently doesnt receive power (2 cleaning ladies told me this after I waited there with the charger plugged in for 5 min), me rushing to get security checked - not because I wanted to be on-time etc. but coz there was a charging station in the waiting lounge.... Me using the one-rupee wala phone after haajr years :)))

5. Time trouble - And where I was short of time till now, in Singapore I had excess time - for 4 hours dint know what to do... Surfed, frehshened up, roamed around, tried to shop, drank coffee, woke up S in middle of night to talk, etc. Time JUST DOESNT GO when you are all alone....

6. Too much food - Singapore airlines believes everyone is from Somalia and they need to be fed... While I was desperately trying to not be jetlagged, one meal after another was shoved into my face by the stewardesses.... Finally, when I just managed to get deep sleep, air hostess wakes me again to get down at Tokyo for a re-entry in same plane again.... I till date have not understood what was the purpose of this....

Finally, it was 10:30 LA time and I was there, with kiddo waiting for me with a sign - "Welcome to America Shamu.... Love Kiddo" and just like that all the random things just culminated into a BIIIIIIIIG SMILE....

More about the trip.... Laterssss....