Life is like that!

Mrs. Foura, a vivacious, outspoken lady in her late forties, is my colleague. I have never seen her without a cheerful smile on her face, and her morning wishes and laughter have always been contagious:- The day had been gloomy with the onset of winter, cold and windy, with the continual rains adding to the sublime beauty of nature's blessing, if I want to put it in a more positive way!

The coffee area in our office was deserted in the morning, and being an early bird, I was enjoying an espresso from the bar.. Savoring this energy drink in the morning, I was lost in thoughts, contemplating future, thinking about my journey back home and the stuff that I still need to buy for my dear ones, and the like.. When I last spoke to the little one, he wanted a helicopter that can actually fly, with a three sixty degree remote control.. Apparently, he has seen someone flying it in a cartoon channel.. I was thinking about the possible malls where I could pick up one of those.

A light cough had woken me up, breaking my reverie and random thoughts. Out in the corner, Mrs. Foura was making her morning cup of coffee, and surprisingly I noticed tears in her eyes, and a couple rolling down her cheeks. Trust me, it was a little embarrassing for me to disrupt her and ask the reason, or just to speak up something that could probably help.. A lady crying in front of you and talking to her in a deserted coffee area in the morning may not sound that good, even in this I mind my own business kind of place, where people are not that privy at all.. I hesitated for a moment, but what if she needed some help, and I could do something? I did not break the silence, and continued to sip my coffee, paying no attention (not sure why I did that, another basic instinct:-).

She came over and pulled out a chair opposite mine.. "Roy, you know what? I got a chance to talk to my son after a long ten years!" Well, to me it was not a news, and thats quite common in many cultures, where children fend for themselves the moment they are out of school.. She continued..."He had left home at 15 as a school drop out, and I never knew where he was..He never left a note, never called me, never called any of his three sisters.. All these long 10 years.. I have been looking for him, visiting every restaurants and bars that I can think of in this country thinking that he would be bartending in one of those.. Every shops and malls that I could possibly shop hoping to find my little boy's face, at least once, in the trams, rail stations, airports, the journey never ended.. And just yesterday, I got a call from one of my friends saying that she met my son in a little country bar, as a bartender.. I called the hotel, managed to get his cell number, and we spoke. The moment he heard my feeble voice, he said he did not know me, he said his last name and family name and father's name, but he said he doesn't remember me..The little boy who wanted a red toy car from Manor, the one who wanted a black super man dress for his school day, the one who wanted to play out in the rains with me, the one who wanted to walk with me holding my hands all along the beach, the one who liked mama's beef steaks and plum puddings, and the one who grew up with me.. He doesn't know me any more.. She stopped, and I could see another couple of tears streaming down her cheeks. I was speechless for a moment, and was thinking about my own little ones, longing for their sweet kisses, and to cuddle with them to sleep, reading through their favorite bed-time stories....

Cheers
Roy

Clebrations of life!!

Dears,

I was just thinking what brought me up on this beautiful Sunday afternoon to pen down the 'celebrations of life'.. Well, please allow me to unfold the stroy on a slow note:-). Been busy as usual with work, and the holidays were just appearing on calendars.. Namesake, thats is..But then, the brighter sides of life bring folks up to speed; thanks to this beautiful summer in Basel, where the day ends just a couple hours before mid-night:-)

I have never seen such a vibrant life and society than this unruffled town in summer. Just step out to the banks of river Rhein on a Friday evening, and you would see the real celebrations of life.. Families come packed up with light evening snacks to giant sandwiches for dinner.. Cans of beers (and hot for those who would prefer to be a little pepped up), and an endless array of mineral water bottles.. The adults settle on the beautifully carved pavements on the banks, while the kids play around.. Filmy like romantic scenes unfold everywhere, couples, lovers:-)

The adventure seekers prefer to wind surf, or hire a cannoe and explore the much deeper waters far off the banks.. Fishing rods are on rent and you could lay your hands on them anytime.. A number of small time eateries on either side of the banks sell baby hot dogs to giant grilled sandwiches.. Fitness freaks jog, and the runners preparing for the upcoming Basel half marathon keep their nerves up for yet another rigour.. The straight tracks on the banks take you to the much visited Three Countries Corner, where Germany, Switzerland and France borders meet..


And this completes the celebrations of life; eat, drink, and have fun, as if the day is never gonna come back, and even if it does, it is not going to be the same..What a wonderul philosophy! Take each day as it comes, and enjoy life! Sorrows and miseries are bound to be there, but then this is life and we gotta face them!

On a sign off note, the beautfiul summers would not wait for anyone, they just pass by, parting way for the monster winter:-)

Love
Roy

Life in BASEL Part? Sorry I forgot to count:-)

Life is on a fast pace, I didnt myself realize that my very first
month in BASEL is coming to an end.. Landed here on Sept 05 and on
this Sunday am going to celebrate that moment:-)

On a side note, I would believe that the best way to understand the
society and culture in a new country would be to explore as much as
you can, with a little one's open mindset and that never ending
curiosity.. Having set this ground rule, I am now free to explore, and
of course to write about those experiences..

The weather has drastically changed; the mornings and evenings are
chilly and the day brings in that cool, soothing sunlight and
brightness everywhere.. It rains too, but they are so mild and gentle,
just to reassure the fact they do exist in this part of the world as
well.. You can easily survive without an umbrella here, with a heel
touching rain coat and a hat.. Believe me, umbrellas here are pretty
expensive.. I had to buy one, and it came with a price tag of close to
20CHF:-) Yeah, but that didnt kill the beauty that I enjoy in any
way..

My apartment's french window is full open now, and I could see this
Sunday morning lean traffic..

I had a whole set of experiences last evening, running through the
Swiss country side.. Badisher Bahnoff (The German Railway Station) is
just about five minutes walk from my apartment, and the track 2 there
takes you straight off to Germany.. Running along this side of the
tracks, I could cross the road and enter the relatively narrow stretch
that leads to the runners' paradise..Long, straight stretch of running
tack on the bank of a river, with thick country woods on the other
side.. It is just breath taking beauty... The serene waters of the
river, the hitherto unseen water brids floating along, the
meticulously pruned lawns on either sides, and of course couple of
small time Swiss Cafes off the banks.. A world of its own, and you
just pause for a moment and wonder.. Why am I here for work? Why not
just wander around these wilderness to relish this unblemished beauty
of nature? Well, life is weird, and it provides you with enough wisdom
to choose the priorities in life..And wandering penniless doesnt seem
to be fun either:-)

Well, the philosophy apart; hats off to Swiss Local government, who
maintains these country sides with utmost care and commitment.. They
love their country, and would also want to make sure that anyone who
drops in would share the same feeling.. I stopped mid-way and had a
large Swiss beer from a small cafe run by a swiss couple.. We talked a
lot, they in German, and I in a mix of English, Sign Language, a
little bit of writing, sketches etc.. The old lady kissed me on my
forehead when I called the day off and stepped out.. Come next week
end, and here I come..

BASEL is a small city, pretty laid out, and calm.. The night life here
is not so boisterous, people prefer to be in a resaturant and have a
traditional dinner, with lots of small talks.. For the young (and old
too:-) and adventurous, there is a dance bar nearby, just
couple of crosses from my apartment.. Retaining my audience is a tricky
business, and I need to play all my cards:-)

Looking forward to one of those lazy week-ends to explore yet another
whole bunch of new experiences.. Will be right back!

So long!
Roy

Life in BASEL Part 3

Going back to life in BASEL... The third week is eventless, by any score.. One of the best entertaining ones was the party we had at Pickwicks. This is a traditional British pub in BASEL, and the majority of the crowd is British. Wines, plethora of drinks in array, endless servings of snacks jolted our spirits up right through the wee hours the next day.. It was a fabulous experience!

Staying alone is tough, and I bear the pains everyday.. I do whatever it takes to kill that bordom, and monotony. Read books, browse the Net, talk to family and friends, listen to music whatever.. I miss everything about home:-)

The best change in life is that I started running, running along the banks of river Rhein that is, with cool breeze kissing your forehead.. I would like to believe that the winds convey the immense love of my family and friends back home, with their gentle kisses, and warmer touches!

So long and you take care.

Cheers
Roy

Life in BASEL Part 2

Life has changed so much since day1 here, mostly because am getting used to this place, the folks around, my work, the weather, the shopping malls, travel by
trams, buses, and the cosy week ends. I was terribly homesick in the
first few days, and the feeling has come down a little:-) Life is a
great teacher, it teaches you to adjust, compromise, bear pains and
sorrows, express happiness, and communicate love more clearly when you
are away. So, I talk with my family with a a sense of passion,
commitment and lots of love:-) And of course, they reciprocate the
same.

I found a new house here, and moved in this morning. A small one
bedroom apartment in a tranquil streat. It is furnished, so I didnt
have to run around setting it up from the ground up. Still, had to do
a little bit of shopping to get stuff that were lacking. There is a
wonderful shop called AIKEA in the countryside; a one stop
place for all your home needs. It sells napkins to refrigerators, from
diapers to televisions, from toilet soaps to 16 seater dining
tables:-) Their range is awesome... And the train and tram ride to
that place was like a trip to the wilderness, on a quite sunny day.
There are streams, forests, small hills, bridges, traditional swiss
wooden houses dotting the hilltops etc... A pleasure to watch, and a
feast for the eyes!!

So long... and will write more in the sequel, would be titled Part 3.

Cheers
Roy

Life in BASEL Part 1

Finally, I am kind of settled down, and am ready to write to you
folks.. Here you go..

Into the second week, and I am in love with this beautiful place. Now I
really understand why people say this is the heaven on earth.. The
city and the outskirts are stunningly marvellous.. The only bother is
the exorbitant prices everywhere:-) Sans this, life looks pretty cool.

I am put up in a small cosy apartment, on the main street.. Right now,
I am sitting on the window, facing the tram station.. TRAMS pass by
every few minutes, and you could see aimless, casual travellers,
flocking around. The best part is that you dont need a car to live
here.. TRAMS are pretty efficient and they ply almost all central
points in the city. The place I live is called Haltingerstrasse, a
small street with a bunh of apartment complexes and shopping malls...

Beer is comparatively cheaper here, and I do have a good stock in the
kitchen now.. Beers, and a bath immersed in the tub rejuvenates the
whole body:-)

And last week, I went for an ONAM Sadya arranged by the malayalee
association here.. It was in the outskirts of the city, and the train
ride itself was a life time enjoyment... The filmy like scenes and the
small, tiled, houses dotting the hilly areas on both sides of the tram
rails were just captivating:-)

On the other, not so rosy side, work is real hectic..The only solace
is that the office is around the corner, and I dont have to struggle
to reach office every day..

More later... in Part 2.

Cheers
Roy

The Xstal that taught us a lesson!

This is something that I wanted to write about, but occupational hazards have been taking their due toll to do anything that I would love to..

Forum Mall in Koramangala was bustling with a holiday crowd on that Saturday evening.. Easter was just around the corner.. Huge Easter eggs were on display, and the same in varied colors and sizes were on sale at the cookie shops.. The multiplexes were showing super hits from Hollywood to Kollywood, including Sagar Alias re-loaded:-)

We were in a popular outlet to pick up a gift for my cousin who was getting married. When it comes to selecting gifts for loved ones, I must admit, I am pretty bad. The first thing that comes to me are items for display in show cases, or new titles that have hit the the stands. This time, my daughter suggested to pick a Xstal piece, looking at the gamut of pieces on display.

From multi hued small paper weights to huge (regal, that is!) dinner spreads.. Finally, we decided to pick something that was simple, yet elegant. She started searching the stands to pick one.. The kids usually were given multiple sermons before entering any expensive shop displaying fragile/breakable stuff, not to play around and end up owning the broken pieces:-) Well, the elder one usually sticks to this piece, bu the younger one is really not. I was looking at an original Italian piece, enjoying the immaculate carvings, and the flawless design.. Something fell on the ground, and the loud noise of breaking glass roared on the floor..Pin drop silence followed for a while. Getting back to my senses, I turned around. The elder one was holding her shopping bag, her face grimaced.. The younger one was standing in a corner, dreaded, almost shivering.. Little pieces of xstal were scattered all over the floor. My pay cheque for the whole month would go for a toss; I thought!

The sales girl came rushing in, picked up the price tag and handed it over to me. A few ten thousands! I nodded yes, and handed my card to her.. I just looked at the younger one; with tears streaming down the cheeks, he uttered a week sorry.. I knew he was really meaning it.. I held him closer, and said it was okay, adding that he could have been a little more careful..

The girl came back with my card, followed by the floor manager. A tall, handsome gentleman, with a warm, engaging smile. He shook hands with me and thanked me for my understanding. Then he reached out to the racks and picked up a small Xstal and handed it over to my scary cat! A gift in return for a broken piece:-) Turning back to me, he returned my card, without taxing me for the incident!

My son keeps that little piece in his study, and every time he looks at it, he says with pride.. This is the gift that I got from Landmark for doing a big mistake. And you know what, I am not going to do that again.. Never!

Thanks a ton to the gentleman who taught us a lesson, in the most kindest manner!

Regards
Roy

Stay Hungry.. Stay Foolish!

Just been through with this wonderful book by Rashmi Bansal, Stay Hungry.. Stay Foolish!

Incredible, to say the least.. The book showcases 25 personalities who made it big, by starting on their own, throwing away fat pay cheques, setting their own agenda and destiny. All of them were graduates from the hallowed portals of the venerable IIM Ahmedabad. Rashmi herself is an IIM A alumnus; no doubt why she easily connects with each of these brilliant role models for those who cherish a dream of this kind..

The book features Sanjeev Bikchhandani at number 1 slot, the founder CEO of Naukri, India’s largest job portal that has become close to the hearts of millions of job seekers and movers.. Refusing to work for MNCs and big time deshi companies, he chose to start on his own. The servant’s room in his father’s house made way to a makeshift office. The initial years were tough, business was not coming in as easily as he thought, Internet era was just about to unfold, people had so much of skepticism on small time entrepreneurs, and there was a family to support! Cash flow was so meager that month ends became regular nightmares for him.

Surabhi, his IIM A classmate, and now wife, stayed along all through the tough times. Her high paying job at Nestle somehow kept his business going and the family scraped through the hardships. I was touched by the understanding the lovers had as a pre-condition for marriage.. Sanjeev would not work for anybody, and Surabhi should be ready to support him at least for 5years till he make it big in life.. Both stuck to their commitments to each other. She supported the family for five years without cribbing, and he made it big, chasing his passion. Today, Naukri stands at 600crore revenue! The man behind is a big time success, and a role model for those who want to chase their dreams..

My favorite from Sanjeev… Start on your own only if you are looking for something beyond money.. If money is your whole focus, you would not stay through the tough times.. On the other hand, if you are driven by an insatiable passion to start on your own and set your own agenda, go all out, and am sure you will survive the monster waves.

BTW, the title is adapted from Steve Jobs’ speech to the graduating class of 2005 at Stanford Business school
http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/grad-061505.html

And.. the book comes at an incredibly wallet friendly price tag.. But as always, I am more than glad to lend you a copy:-)

So long
Roy