Sweden here we come!!

This is absolutely no day for writing a new post..today being Tuesday, one of my busiest days.. But felt like writing today

And firstly, I knew three taurians will be the first to respond to my blog…and thanks guys for keeping up my expectations As promised I am back with Sweden experiences.

I was very thrilled with the fact of flying out of India as I mentioned in my previous blog. Till the Visa came I really did not want to believe that I will be flying abroad. I just did not want to get all dreamy and then watch the dreams get shattered. Onsites na..you never know what will happen to the so called business requirement until you land abroad. Then the D-day came when the visa came and so our travel was finalized.

The shortest route to Sweden was selected and it being Bangalore-Doha-Arlanda. The packing started, with (mom and dad)^2 joining us in Bangalore, the packing was in full swing… Both parents came from ekm and cbt with lots of food packets. Idly powder, Dosa powder, Chutney powder, Idiyappam Powder, Puttu powder and lots of mixes like pulikachals and lots of pickles. To be honest more than clothes we had food items…

Both moms were really confident about the fact that Sweden is a place where only snow grows and hence it was assumed that no food will be available here. Before the visa came , my dreams looked all pretty..pretty sweden..pretty roads and people and grass and greenery everywhere. But after we started packing, seeing the amount of food we packed, my dreams turned all white and snowy with people starving for food

We finally managed to pack everything into three big immovable bags. We were intelligent enough to contact Qatar airways after packing everything to find out the maximum baggage one can take. And then we got a heart attack…20kg per person!! And currently the three immovable bags were weighing around 65kg..almost 15 kg extra..Vinod then as usual started talking like a multi billionaire…Areey if its extra we will pay for the extra baggage…Sounded like a real good idea..after all food items we cannot avoid.. but it turned into a real bad option when we found out that per kg the charge is 1500 inr. As the bad news dawned on us, we all sat around the immovable unavoidable bags, thinking hard as to what can we avoid.

Then like a life saver, a swift tide of cool breeze swept over us as we came to know that we have an option of sending all these stuff in a cargo as per the company provisions.That was indeed a relief and hence part of the issue was solved. I really cannot forget all those confusions and tensions. I thank both our parents for ever supporting us. I cannot forget that day when me and my dad went all round and round in BTM to find out a pressure cooker which can fit the idli plates.. Really funny but as I write these I really miss you all.. Bright yellow ribbons were tied around our suitcases so that we do not miss them in the crowd..and we finished packing for the second time

The flight to doha was early in the morning..We all spend that night talking…

At the airport, Vinod’s dad said “See you after six months”..that is when I looked at my mom..tears almost jumping out of my eyes…And then off we went… to Sweden..

Ice Ice Baby :)

Well I know I took a long time to come back…after the last post anyways good news is I am back on a happy note..and this time I am sailing in two ships. One foot in a Snowy Swedish ship and the other one in apna India

Vinod’s onsite gave me this chance to come abroad..first time in my life..out of India..I guess going abroad is a dream of every Indian…And I was no different from any Indian.

To be entirely honest, when I used to see pics of my friends or friends of friends going abroad in facebook orkut and all those networking sites..I used to think mera nnumber kaab ayeega??…maybe its all those pics that really made me craving for this entirely new experience of going abroad…

As usual I was spending an uneventful day in my bank, trying to figure out what my colleagues were talking animatedly about in Kannada..door door tak koi customer bhi nahi dhik raha tha…men who blame that women gossip big time should visit my branch once to know that its not true at all.. For a change I got a call from vinod, which I rarely get unless he cannot find the key to lock the house when he is about to leave for office .

This call was different…His manager was asking him if he can go onsite to Sweden…and he in turn as an obedient husband was asking me if we can make it to Sweden..I was as always double minded.. angel vidhi who knows what is right thought six months back you joined the bank..what about your job..you think you will get leave??but the devil vidhi was as always very tempting…dint you see X’s profile pic..she is in London now..now that you are getting a chance to change your location and your profile pic you are thinking about your job ?? I was in a big dilemma… decision making is definitely not my cup of tea…

My saver was always my mom…So I dialed her up..To my surprise, she took the side of the devil vidhi of course for an entirely different reason. Arey when the company itself is giving you a chance, why not go??  Exactly mom..you are always right.. So here I am in Stockholm after almost two months of preparation.

So from now on I will be actively posting on things happening in my life..Well I have completed one month in Sweden..I know I took too long to type…but past one month has been really eventful and I am sure I will not miss any detail

Hej då

Is it necessary to give a title for evrything?

During all these days, whenever I finished posting something..I used to think.. Am I true to this blog??Somedays when I read my own work..it brings a smile to my face…but it also makes me think…Is life really so happy go lucky..Doesnt it get unfair at times…

It was my dream..once upon a time…I just cannot  believe now that it was my dream..it suffocates me now..it angers me for the pains it has given me…for the people around who smile to get their things done…

Do not have a heart coz it pains when it sees betrayal…

Do not have a heart coz it aches when people stab…

Do not have a heart coz its all business…

Do not believe all captions coz its all business…

People lie thinking we are fools..that we will never know the truth…

It suffocates me now…..these false smile and appreciations…What do you guys wana prove!!!

Do not believe smiling faces coz they smile to suck us off our blood…

There is very little goodness left in this world..if you are fortunate u will see it..else u just keep believing that its somewhere there yet to come in your life…

Remove your masks guys… the game is over and I agree I have lost believing your enchanting friendly smile….

Count your Blessings…

 It is criminal to steal a purse, daring to steal a fortune, a mark of greatness to steal a crown. The blame diminishes as the guilt increases……

For the past few days…the usage may be wrong as crime and criminals have always made it to the titles from the time newspapers were born… But these days, I feel that the intensity of the crime…the thought and planning before a crime is far more deep than before… Today I read an article regarding gangrape of a mother of two, who was left to flames when she threatened to inform the police … Apparently this was a result of a denial of proposal five years before… It is very difficult to comprehend the fact that anyone would plan such a thing for five years…maybe a continuous series of events made them act so wild…

But what I fail to understand is the mindset of people who so such criminal acts… This is just one among the many crimes that happen in our country…Sometimes I feel its just coz I read too much of Times Of India… there has been days when I did not want to take so much violence and hence do not read the paper… but ultimately truth is truth… this is what is happening in the world… Its not only about crime… its also about poverty which our nation has been striving hard to eradicate…  The policies which are supposed to uplift the basic living conditions of people, fail to reach them.. fail to make them earn their own living… I happened to read an incident where a father himself has send a request to The President to get his for sons killed because they are suffering from a serious muscle problem due to which they four are unable to walk or even have their own food or for that matter use the washroom…. His poverty has made him write such a letter to such high authority… A line in that read… The State Government has agreed to give Rs.500000 to this family and they are still working on it… I still fail to understand why it takes so much time to help such people in need, when a super performer in sports gets this amount then and there… Is it coz there is nobody to talk for such people??? But I thought goverment was for that… I thought MLAs and MPs are for the people…Where are these people gone…

How to eradicate poverty and increase basic awareness of people… the answer which I can think of is Education…But guess what even that has become business..Students of a school in rural India had sent a complaint letter regarding the unhygenic conditions of their dingy classrooms which lacks proper light and sanitation… apparently some 3 crores has been alloted to the development of schools in that area… and that money has comfortably disappeared… God knows where…..

Recently I happened to see the movie… Unnai Pol Oruvan.. the remake of  Wednesday in Tamil… If we see the list of popular movies in any language..most of them relates to crime and corruption and poverty… Be it be Indian, Anniyan, Kandasaamy,Keerthichakra,Slumdog Millionare and many other whose names I don remember and many others whom I have not seen… How much impact does these movies make.. An impact which to the max makes us clap and say what an awesome performance… But how much do we think about its message..I agree movie is for entertainment… but then when truth is said in disguise…are we failing to see it…are we trying to ignore it…  I honestly feel that directors and script writers of such movies have done greater amounts of research about our society than our politicians….  Rather than blaming them… maybe its time to look into ourself and see how much we have given to the society…

I cannot but think how lucky I am as I count my blessings…

Ponn Onam Vannee…. :)

 

Ok guys… I know, its late for Pon Onam updates.. But better late than never na…

Onam is the biggest festival for any keralite. A festival of colors and flowers, a festival of happiness and prosperity. Quick update -> Onam is celebrated as the coming back of King Maveli who was considered to be a super duper ruler of the past in Kerala. Even Gods were jealous that people were so happy in his kingdom and conspired against him n sent him to paathaal… Since then, its considered that this king comes back to his people every year to check on his praja to see if they are happy.

Well Onam in kerala was awesome fun. As usual, I realised that late…when I was celebrating Onam in Bangalore… to be honest I did not even see a single pookalam here, except for the small one which i put.. I agree there are many mallus in Bangalore…but then maybe coz I am new to this place I din find any. Onam this time brought back to me the good old memories of hometown… My description of Onam is purely that of a person who din celebrate Onam in the traditional way coz I belong to the Instant Generation…I have never gone early in the morning to pluck flowers to put pookalam…other than once  when the flower I plucked with lot of effort from my neighbours place went down the drain… Onam for me was time to see all the sales…to drag my mom into all the exhibitions and keep staring into the earing store so that my mom understands the sign that i wana buy another set of earings…

Onam was also a day to eat sadya which mom makes.. Sambhar,avial,thoran,kutucurry,pachadi,kichadi….n mmm payasam…. sob sob I miss my moms avial… Anyways…Onam was also a time or maybe the only time when I used to watch Malayalam channels… they played all super hit movies in between advertisments therby making an already dragging 3 hour movie to 5 hours… I still remember for one onam they played a movie right from 6 to 11pm… it was so full of advertisments…

And of course…Onam was time to wear pretty sarees to college…time to select matching accesseries…all about looking good,pretty and happy… A time to put pookalam and eat sadya with friends and teachers… I miss all that…. But maybe I should consider myself fortunate since I  had an extra year in college to celebrate onam…the last year being the most special since that time I was a teacher there…more of a friend to my juniors than teacher though… I still remember having two sadyas the same days coz of pressure from two classess where I used to teach… coz my juniors threatend me saying that not having sadya from their class meant I did not like them… It brings a smile to my face…thinkin about all those days…

Well this Onam is also very special for me…in a different way though…It was my first onam with Vinod…and also coz of the fact that I prepared that sadya which I used to simply sit and eat before…. well trust me…there is joy in both…there is a special joy in preparing things on your own…and it is also fun to jus sit and hog….I used to wonder how my mom made so many things in a jiffy…but then doing the same thing somehow makes me proud of myself… a feeling that I can also do it… all it takes is a thought to make the day a special and delicious one. Well I do have to mention here that all the dishes wont come out well in the first go I can assure you that my mini sadya came out really well…coz not only vinod but also dhanya are both hale and healthy now

I am not sure if Maveli comes every year to check on us…But one thing is sure…Onam is definitely an occassion  for people in this busy world to take a break..to relax and to enjoy the color of nature…Maybe Onam has changed these days by becoming an Instant one…Instant Pookalam…Instant Sadya…But I don blame anybody for this…coz this is a fast life…and everybody has rights to celebrate onam in their own way….coz  just like flowers of different colors and fragnance make a pookalam…people of different nature and character makes the world Enjoy guys and keep rocking and happy Onam

PS: This blog is dedicated to Remya chechi and Tinesh chetan

Reality bites!!

Its been long since i scribbled something here… And there were people who asked why are you not posting, why no new blogs and all that..but now I don see n hear them quiet often.. maybe they got busy in this kalyug. And here I am making  myself busy by watching all the reality shows in the world….

When I heard about the reality show called “Moment of truth”, I thought Aha..bingo here is one show which won get copied by Indian televison..Obviously Indian culture and tradition would never allow people here to go beyond their limits and do a face to face war with truth. Our society is so deeply into commiting and fulfilling relationships that people go to any extend to save their relationship. Especially women in India are suppossed to be goddess of patience as they can handle any amount of supression from their husbands and in-laws till their death, she won speak a word against them…. In such a scenario how will a show like moment of truth work in India. Western culture as we all assume give less importance to such relationships and easily move on from one marriage to another. No bonds, no ties….

When “Sach Ka Samna” entered the Indian television, I realised that Indians are such good secret keepers… I particularly noticed one thing that more and more women came into this program and bravely said the truth in front of millions of people and their near and dear ones. Women, I feel that took this as a platform to waive off their frustration…enough of secrets…let me just let it out!!!! But last two episodes of the show truly amazed me, when Meena Sha confessed so many things which was baap re baap for Indian viewers. When I saw her first episode, I though ok having an irresponsible husband, two daughters… okay maybe she stole some money from her in laws…ok chalo teek hai..Another question…Have you ever instigated your brother against his wife? Well some point or the other it happens in all familes and even if it doesnt happen all the saas bahu serials in India will make it a point that they make it happen… And so its all circumstantial coz finally it will be mil julke rahna in India…

But after that I opened my mouth wide in wonder….man what a masaledaar reality show…I felt a little bad for the irresponsible husband… Have you ever been on vacation without your husband’s knowledge? She said…YESS!!! Well okay…now that’s reallyyy Baap Re Baap… the husband was shocked, the daughter expressionless and the brother “lets just get out of this crap” expression.The husband said…”She is free, independent…let her go anywhere she wants I don care”…I thought after this show Meena sha and her husband would have tough times….vessels will be flying in their houses and people will be pulling them apart from a fight…

The next question “Are you having an extra-marital affair?”. That was the limit…when she said “Yes”. Rajeev was shocked Tang!!! I was shocked Tang!!! Hearing me gasp vinod came running from his inseparable laptop asking if something is wrong!! I hugged my pillow and said in a solemn voice “she has an extra marital affair!!!!”… Then Rajeev asked Meena’s husband…”Kya aap iske barre mein kuch kehna chahte hai??”.. Wow I love his reply… “I know”…(Arre Rajeev yeh to mein kabse jaantha tha…tu abhi 10 lakh keliye eise stupid se sawaal kyun puch raha hai…that was his attitude)…He continues to say…”My daughter she goes out with her boyfriends and even my wife goes out…very open family we have…i love my wife i trust her”..!!! Rajeev somehow could not hide his shocked look… Hello boss your wife is saying she has an affair and you are saying I trust her… Are roles in Indian families getting reversed!!!! I would not have been surprised if even a very well educated Indian woman said  that…but wow hats off to the open family… One person can go out of love… daughter supports… nice man… awesome..

When she reached 10 lakhs, Rajeev said…ab aap sirf 6 sawal door hai 1 crore se… you had to see the shine in the daughters face…yes mom go for it…get insulted..spoil our family name…just get the money…!!! Thats what i could figure out from her look…Its so pathetic that money can make people go to any extreme… It is really a reality show..which shows how our society has changed in the ways of thoughts and expressions. I somehow do not feel any sympathy towards the participants because it was their choice to come on the show…In fact I feel more sympathy for the participants of “Is jungle se muje bachao”. Poor celebs dealing with cockroaches and crickets…

While yoga guru Baba Ramdev criticises that the show is promoting people who are characterless and MPs are discussing this with high importance as a non ethical program, I think that this is reality…We have to accept it…Its a masked India.. People with deep secrets and dark lies but all for a reason…to keep their dear ones happy even if they themseleves are not…When asked if she will ever leave her husband, Meena said no…well maybe that happens only in India…

I wonder what rakhi the drama queen will be asked in sach ka samna.. I somehow feel that she can confuse even the poor lie detector..

1) Did you not select Elesh coz he is a rich canadian?

2) Are you really going to marry him?

3) Did you really think this many men will come for your swayamwar?

4) Do you enjoy wearing Indian costumes?

5) How do you like your role as an Indian bride?

Have fun guys!! Its reality time

Life’s Like That :)

I saw a set of people laughing at someone’s mistake… It was a normal thing to see in day today life….

But then the next moment, I saw the person who commited the mistake himself laughing loudly along with the crowd… I was surprised…  Especially when I realised that what he is laughing at is the outcome of maybe a week full of work… Atleast for me its very difficult to laugh off my mistake or to digest the fact that my week full of work has failed… the first thing that would come into mind is oh my god, my hard work is all ruined..REWORK….

But then isnt it what life is all about… atleast in IT till now with whatever little I know, its all about rework. Life is all about making mistakes and correcting them and life is all about making corrections ke upar corrections ke upar corrections, sometimes the corrections we think might be a big disguised blunder though. Just that at the starting point of the career, the amount of rework might be just more than work… At initial stage I was worried when Rework happened… I could not forgive myself for not thinking beyond a point where I could think about this modification myself and do it right the first way…. but then slowly I am realising that life is like that..  I sometimes wonder why they keep deadlines coz the work goes beyond the dealines..of course it gives you a push to finish the work.. but then is that what we want?? What we want is to do the right thing in the first go..which mostly never happens

At such times, having the right attitude helps…but I somehow feel that it mostly depends on having the right people around… the network around you helps in shaping your attitude…after all man is a social being.. there is no existence in solitude.. People are so different and so much in variety… sometimes I cannot help but compare difference between the atitude of different people… How cool some people are…no matter what they are not tensed or upset or cribbing… this is the catogory I call as “Ready for Rework “  types…they are the ones who think what can be done to come out of a difficult situation rather than cribbing and crying over what happened.. this I would call is the best attitude and which is very difficult to inculcate… the other category as I call is  the “Crying Over Rework” category…who think why this difficult thing happens to me !why?!why?!why?! so many unanswerable Why’s?! Definitely such people tense up the entire atmostphere… But then its very difficult to become one in “Ready For Rework” category.Its very human to think “why it happened to me?”.But then the only solution is to come out of it and look for solutions…. coz LIFE’S LIKE THAT