For the uninitiated, i landed in the US of A on 11th of August :)
haan, ek mahine pehle, aankhon mein kuch sapne liye, pocket mein daddy ke paise liye, 32 kgs ke 3 bags liye, mann mein kafi sawaal liye (?!?!), i entered this land !!
In no mood of retrospection/introspection and the scary lots, so chill :) :)
but since, i am a 'bad assignment' (yeah, i wrote bout it ) down today successfully, it calls for celebration !! muzeeek, drinks :D and more muzeeek....
As i have become accustomed to this numbering my thoughts system, presenting to you, the things which i m liking here the most ...
1. the university..yeah its private and costly, but for the sheer joy of learning and being in classes, i am loving it !!
2. the range of international friends i m making everyday..yesterday i made a Nigerian friend. Made really good friends with a Spanish guy from Spain (duh, Spanish people live elsewhere too!!) on my day 1 at the university..have wonderful Bangladeshi and gujju roomies..a guy from Peru, he s also Spanish, is my walking and homework :) partner..and of course french, chinese, americans and desis. Feels really good :)
3. the profs and the courses..
4. Chicago !! come on i live in downtown, who wont love it ??
5. the Michigan lake (i know now this post is sounding repetitious)
I think, in spite of being slow and dumb, i will finish my M.S. here :)
plus, with so many handsome french guys around, i don't think i m gonna have a bad time ;)
so on this daydreaming note, i will say my tata ...
happy one month to me !!
nightflier
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
kung fu woman !!
How many of you ladies have felt unsafe out there, when u were walking/shopping/traveling alone, all on your own ?
This is a generalized question to everyone..i know it becomes a lot more tougher when you are out there alone, doing all your chores, in a big, bad world..predators are everywhere..but have you given any thought, that you can be victimized or made an easy prey, by the situation..
Well, if you haven't then, i will share this wonderful workshop (which i attended) details with you..i went to a 'self defense' workshop recently held on my campus..the need being just to have fun, get to know other females on campus and lastly learn self defense..
ironic, but the kind of protective environment i was brought up into, i never came across any creeps (read mentally ill/sick/psycho human beings)..and after growing up also, i either ignored lewd people around me, or was surrounded by male friends/peers, always letting them boast in the glory of being 'the protector' !! oh well, the need is still not there, but the whole notion of being in a foreign country and out of your comfort zone can be unsettling..so with this thought in the back of my mind, i went..and thank heavens i went :)
The instructor was a wonderful lady, Margarett, a social worker for an organisation 'Impact'.
To build up the session and involve us, she started off with personal experiences and the situations which all females have to face and handle. The basic idea was to tell that its in our hands to control situations and avoid extreme consequences.
I really cant give details of the exciting session (don't mind my volatile memory !) but want to share some of the tips which i think are really cool and handy !
so without relying on my amazing memory, further more, here you go..
1. Never ignore the inner instinct..Remember that a female's instincts tell her that something is wrong, way before it happens ! so don't think that, the other person cant harm you, cos if he doesn't then rightho! but if he does then .....
2. Use that voice of yours.. When someone invades your personal physical space knowingly, raise your voice..first politely, and then steadily being loud and clear..this tells other people around that someone's causing you trouble.. This also builds confidence :) I know being a woman, its are nature to be pleasant and warm and we are supposed to be spreading sunshine everywhere, but no point being the good one, when your being taken advantage of !!
3. Keep sharp things like keys handy, just in case..most of the times, assaults are never made, if you show (its very important to show that you feel like the queen of the world, and i know every woman somewhere loves being this !! :)) that your alert..but when you know that your not in a safe area, keep things handy..carry a pepper spray, keys should be handy in case you have to run to your vehicle, etc..
4. Mobile phones can come handy..in some cases just to pretend that your in touch with soemone..but only when you know that your safety zone is nearby.. Otherwise talking on a phone outside, blocks your attention and senses, so don't use it much :)
5. learn some kicking techniques from ur male friends/peers..i learnt some today, but don't really want to explain all that :D don't mind..but use your four limbs (2 hands and 2 legs) to the fullest..try to hit on softer parts of the body..anything from neck up and groin is right on spot ! These are extreme measures which we seldom require..but it helps building confidence..so learn it for the heck of it :)
6. Last and the most important, always try to be alert, don't block any of your senses..its always clever to be in your safety zone first :)
so on this note, be alert, be confident and listen to that instinct of yours :) its never wrong :)
nightflier (fellow woman) !
And for the indians here in amreeka, we came up with an amazing dish which comes very close to the chaat (a snack) we have back home :) buy the doritos/nacho/tacos, any flavor and dress them up with a salad topping of finely cut tomatoes,onions,cilantro (coriander :D),grapes, a pinch of salt, nimbu and sugar :) it tastes just heavenly :) try it and lemme know !!
This is a generalized question to everyone..i know it becomes a lot more tougher when you are out there alone, doing all your chores, in a big, bad world..predators are everywhere..but have you given any thought, that you can be victimized or made an easy prey, by the situation..
Well, if you haven't then, i will share this wonderful workshop (which i attended) details with you..i went to a 'self defense' workshop recently held on my campus..the need being just to have fun, get to know other females on campus and lastly learn self defense..
ironic, but the kind of protective environment i was brought up into, i never came across any creeps (read mentally ill/sick/psycho human beings)..and after growing up also, i either ignored lewd people around me, or was surrounded by male friends/peers, always letting them boast in the glory of being 'the protector' !! oh well, the need is still not there, but the whole notion of being in a foreign country and out of your comfort zone can be unsettling..so with this thought in the back of my mind, i went..and thank heavens i went :)
The instructor was a wonderful lady, Margarett, a social worker for an organisation 'Impact'.
To build up the session and involve us, she started off with personal experiences and the situations which all females have to face and handle. The basic idea was to tell that its in our hands to control situations and avoid extreme consequences.
I really cant give details of the exciting session (don't mind my volatile memory !) but want to share some of the tips which i think are really cool and handy !
so without relying on my amazing memory, further more, here you go..
1. Never ignore the inner instinct..Remember that a female's instincts tell her that something is wrong, way before it happens ! so don't think that, the other person cant harm you, cos if he doesn't then rightho! but if he does then .....
2. Use that voice of yours.. When someone invades your personal physical space knowingly, raise your voice..first politely, and then steadily being loud and clear..this tells other people around that someone's causing you trouble.. This also builds confidence :) I know being a woman, its are nature to be pleasant and warm and we are supposed to be spreading sunshine everywhere, but no point being the good one, when your being taken advantage of !!
3. Keep sharp things like keys handy, just in case..most of the times, assaults are never made, if you show (its very important to show that you feel like the queen of the world, and i know every woman somewhere loves being this !! :)) that your alert..but when you know that your not in a safe area, keep things handy..carry a pepper spray, keys should be handy in case you have to run to your vehicle, etc..
4. Mobile phones can come handy..in some cases just to pretend that your in touch with soemone..but only when you know that your safety zone is nearby.. Otherwise talking on a phone outside, blocks your attention and senses, so don't use it much :)
5. learn some kicking techniques from ur male friends/peers..i learnt some today, but don't really want to explain all that :D don't mind..but use your four limbs (2 hands and 2 legs) to the fullest..try to hit on softer parts of the body..anything from neck up and groin is right on spot ! These are extreme measures which we seldom require..but it helps building confidence..so learn it for the heck of it :)
6. Last and the most important, always try to be alert, don't block any of your senses..its always clever to be in your safety zone first :)
so on this note, be alert, be confident and listen to that instinct of yours :) its never wrong :)
nightflier (fellow woman) !
And for the indians here in amreeka, we came up with an amazing dish which comes very close to the chaat (a snack) we have back home :) buy the doritos/nacho/tacos, any flavor and dress them up with a salad topping of finely cut tomatoes,onions,cilantro (coriander :D),grapes, a pinch of salt, nimbu and sugar :) it tastes just heavenly :) try it and lemme know !!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
giving up..
just gave up on a matlab assignment..
not that I cant program..its just that I cant program myself to do stuff I don't understand :S
it's a big issue now, cos the deadline for the project is thursday..
I have been working on it since friday, but whether you call it my slow brains (probability is higher) or not, I'm struggling badly..
and things do tend to get worse, if rest of the class is enjoying the weekend and you are the only loser ass sitting in the apartment, not enjoying chicago weather (last few days of summer you see) and the realization about 'you-are-a-jerk' dawns upon you at 11.30 in the night on a sunday !!!
we (me and my roomie who share the same class) have contacted/mailed the prof since friday, but seems lucky chap, is having a great time on the weekend..the only responses have been, in greek !! and my position and situation does not give me time to learn all that you see !!! and I dont want to sound like a geeky jerk, but we have been the only 2 people, pestering him..rest of the class is too clever to even consider him for help, that too on a weekend, me thinks !!
so when nothing else works in life, and you start feeling frustrated and worked up and tensed and worthless (:D)..give up people !!
from failed relationships to unsolved assignment problems, this technique works..hoping with the best of hopes that this works :D
live and let live,
nightflier !
P.S. i really want to write on deep, meaningful issues, guess i have already given up on that front !! :)
not that I cant program..its just that I cant program myself to do stuff I don't understand :S
it's a big issue now, cos the deadline for the project is thursday..
I have been working on it since friday, but whether you call it my slow brains (probability is higher) or not, I'm struggling badly..
and things do tend to get worse, if rest of the class is enjoying the weekend and you are the only loser ass sitting in the apartment, not enjoying chicago weather (last few days of summer you see) and the realization about 'you-are-a-jerk' dawns upon you at 11.30 in the night on a sunday !!!
we (me and my roomie who share the same class) have contacted/mailed the prof since friday, but seems lucky chap, is having a great time on the weekend..the only responses have been, in greek !! and my position and situation does not give me time to learn all that you see !!! and I dont want to sound like a geeky jerk, but we have been the only 2 people, pestering him..rest of the class is too clever to even consider him for help, that too on a weekend, me thinks !!
so when nothing else works in life, and you start feeling frustrated and worked up and tensed and worthless (:D)..give up people !!
from failed relationships to unsolved assignment problems, this technique works..hoping with the best of hopes that this works :D
live and let live,
nightflier !
P.S. i really want to write on deep, meaningful issues, guess i have already given up on that front !! :)
Saturday, September 6, 2008
To my teachers !!
'Thank you' to these teachers for everything ...
My mother - for the constant encouragement and support
Dhurve Madam - for the chances she gave me
Ranade Madam - for the patience she showed
Salpekar Sir - for being the most amazing and innovative language teacher
Aathavle Sir -my MATH guru and one who helped me realize my potential and who respected me (he will always have a special place in my heart !!)
Tak Sir - for teaching life through chemistry
Kurode Madam - for being the true teacher, who taught us about life as well !!
Ketaki, Rinku, Rupali, Leena, Anuj, Prayag, Advait, Niketa, Dada - the real teachers in the practical world !!
Infosys - for NRN !!!! (helped me earn my first bread and butter :D and proved infy the dream employers :))
My father - for being the solid pillar !!
I have just one more thing to say, these people have helped me to be a better person.
P.S. Thanks to addu for this post !!
My mother - for the constant encouragement and support
Dhurve Madam - for the chances she gave me
Ranade Madam - for the patience she showed
Salpekar Sir - for being the most amazing and innovative language teacher
Aathavle Sir -my MATH guru and one who helped me realize my potential and who respected me (he will always have a special place in my heart !!)
Tak Sir - for teaching life through chemistry
Kurode Madam - for being the true teacher, who taught us about life as well !!
Ketaki, Rinku, Rupali, Leena, Anuj, Prayag, Advait, Niketa, Dada - the real teachers in the practical world !!
Infosys - for NRN !!!! (helped me earn my first bread and butter :D and proved infy the dream employers :))
My father - for being the solid pillar !!
I have just one more thing to say, these people have helped me to be a better person.
P.S. Thanks to addu for this post !!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
The dilemma that never was ...
tring tring (can't give words to the departed's theme :-\)
friend: hey yam, I'm going to India, december 29th (morose tone)
me: hey, thats gr8 news !! cool yaar..how much dijja get the tickets for ?
friend: 1150 ... (still morose)
me: !!!!!! wish I could come... (sigh....)
friend: (now ekdum charged up tone) chal na mag... (come then) we will go together !! what fun we will have there..we will meet up with everyone there..goa jayenge..and we might get to attend the star couple's engagement !!
(like a candy man in a candy shop tempting small kids, with handful of candies !!! stupid jerk)
me: ......
and thus was created the dilemma that never was !!
so damning the friend and cursing him some more, I m contemplating whether to go home or not :s :s
and I don't quite believe that I'm actually thinking over the whole issue
:-\ :-\
friend: hey yam, I'm going to India, december 29th (morose tone)
me: hey, thats gr8 news !! cool yaar..how much dijja get the tickets for ?
friend: 1150 ... (still morose)
me: !!!!!! wish I could come... (sigh....)
friend: (now ekdum charged up tone) chal na mag... (come then) we will go together !! what fun we will have there..we will meet up with everyone there..goa jayenge..and we might get to attend the star couple's engagement !!
(like a candy man in a candy shop tempting small kids, with handful of candies !!! stupid jerk)
me: ......
and thus was created the dilemma that never was !!
so damning the friend and cursing him some more, I m contemplating whether to go home or not :s :s
and I don't quite believe that I'm actually thinking over the whole issue
:-\ :-\
Monday, September 1, 2008
Long weekend saga ....
Statutory warning : Its nothing much to do hence posted kind of post !! so dont blame me if u get bored !!
The things which were lined up for me during this weekend :
1. Play badminton everyday. But dint know that, labor day means a holiday for the students who manage sports center as well ! So all weekend long, they kept the Keating Sports Center closed, for our dismay >.<
2. Visit the Desi market, Devon street, and get all the indian groceries. But they delivered, my laptop (will come back to it in a while) the same day and i had every reason in the world to get distracted and postpone my trip :D Well we did go there, just that could not get all the stuff ! And i quite dint like the place. It was good to see all the indians, pakistani, bangladeshi, arab families around. But i felt suffocated there. The place made me homesick and i longed to go back home.To be with people i loved, cared for. Hold on, this is really becoming a sad, depressing saga. Fullstop ! discussion ends here !
3. Meet a undergraduate ke days ki friend. Guess i still dont know how to communicate so could not contact the friend, even with an at&t phone : Hope she catches the message i left on her voicemail :( But do they record 15 minute long messages ?? I was trying to give her a detailed route to my place, u know : kidding !!! Bhagwaan help this techno gavaar !! :D
4. Study for the power electronics course and bruch up basics. Moreover do some simulations on matlab for the hi-fi power systems assignment ! i love to talk in jargon.. Dont get worked up, i love not to follow myself, hence dint even open a book/matlab :D Pehle amreekan long weekend pe kaun pagal padhai karta hai :P Not me at least, u nerd !!
Instead i did these extremely fruitful and productive things to keep that lil piece called brain sedated !!
1. Watched rock on!! :) :) dont know where they play hindi movies here and moreover cant afford :D, so saw it online. Good movie. Specially Farhan Akhtar !! No review from my side, just these lines
Aankhon mein jiske koi to khwaab ho..
khush hai wahi jo thoda betaab hai..
zindagi mein koi aarazoo kijiye..
phir dekhiye !!!!!
Hothon pe jiske koi to geet hai..
wo haare bhi to uski hi jeet hai..
dil mein jo geet hai, gunguna lijiye..
phir dekhiye !!!!!
Enjoy :)
the singer of this song is damn good. haunting melody :)
2. Now I am a proud owner of a dell inspiron 1525. Actually i wanted to buy a HP/compaq, after SRK's (he is claimed to be a technology freak!!) endorsements, i think twas the one for me!! But after a long research and a lot of hard work (on my gizmo geek friend's part, of course :D ) i bought this one! Its midnight blue and looks very hot! My new love!!! Though i am not that possessive about it, i still hope its love :D
I have worked on personal computers till date, so having my own lappy is a new experience. Imagine, how well i can customize this one !! aah :) The computer is personal again!! wonder why dell guys dont have a tagline :D
I still dont have a secure internet connection, so not able to make full use of it. But this new baby, has made life happy happy :) :)
3. I bought a potted plant, finally :) :) its a pothos or moneyplant in apna india :) got it really cheap..of course, it should not be a thought, but yaha har kadam pe paiso ke baare mein sochna padta hai :D more on the mere-haath-yaha-bandhe-huye-hai saga in some other post! I have named it maniii (a cheap metaphor, i know :)). So maniii (twinkles in my eyes) is my 2nd love after the 1525 (my lappy, duh!!!).. and i dont blush when talking about him, hope thats love too !! :D
4. My biggest mistake on this happily-ever-after weekend!! i saw bachna ae haseeno :
Lesson learnt, Yashraj movies are not even worth a pirated version watch these days !! I dont believe Bipasha Basu was wearing those skimpy clothes to look so stupid and totally unmodern!! And that small town girl song was crap!! deepika padukone was too a perfect modern girl..i mean in the end she does say yes..so itne attitude ka kya faayda ?? and ranbir kapoor looked like a dud..ekdum lackluster performance..where is the kid we saw in sawariya ?? the only believable person was minisha lamba, cos of her character 'mahi'.. Anyways, why m i making the mistake bigger by writing a full fledged critisism bout this stupid movie !! :- :-
So in this way i spent my long weekend..instead of utilising it for brushing up basics and studying, i did the totally opposite thing, as every student does in his hay days :)
But i have really good excuses to give myself..so the geek in me will hopefully shut up !! :D
Now its time for the long stroll along the beach (lake yaar).. Yane time to put the thinking cap on and plan something fruitful for the next long weekend !!
Its in October sometime.. socho socho..
and lemme know if u have anything special in mind !!
till then,keep that geeky guy in control :D
The things which were lined up for me during this weekend :
1. Play badminton everyday. But dint know that, labor day means a holiday for the students who manage sports center as well ! So all weekend long, they kept the Keating Sports Center closed, for our dismay >.<
2. Visit the Desi market, Devon street, and get all the indian groceries. But they delivered, my laptop (will come back to it in a while) the same day and i had every reason in the world to get distracted and postpone my trip :D Well we did go there, just that could not get all the stuff ! And i quite dint like the place. It was good to see all the indians, pakistani, bangladeshi, arab families around. But i felt suffocated there. The place made me homesick and i longed to go back home.To be with people i loved, cared for. Hold on, this is really becoming a sad, depressing saga. Fullstop ! discussion ends here !
3. Meet a undergraduate ke days ki friend. Guess i still dont know how to communicate so could not contact the friend, even with an at&t phone : Hope she catches the message i left on her voicemail :( But do they record 15 minute long messages ?? I was trying to give her a detailed route to my place, u know : kidding !!! Bhagwaan help this techno gavaar !! :D
4. Study for the power electronics course and bruch up basics. Moreover do some simulations on matlab for the hi-fi power systems assignment ! i love to talk in jargon.. Dont get worked up, i love not to follow myself, hence dint even open a book/matlab :D Pehle amreekan long weekend pe kaun pagal padhai karta hai :P Not me at least, u nerd !!
Instead i did these extremely fruitful and productive things to keep that lil piece called brain sedated !!
1. Watched rock on!! :) :) dont know where they play hindi movies here and moreover cant afford :D, so saw it online. Good movie. Specially Farhan Akhtar !! No review from my side, just these lines
Aankhon mein jiske koi to khwaab ho..
khush hai wahi jo thoda betaab hai..
zindagi mein koi aarazoo kijiye..
phir dekhiye !!!!!
Hothon pe jiske koi to geet hai..
wo haare bhi to uski hi jeet hai..
dil mein jo geet hai, gunguna lijiye..
phir dekhiye !!!!!
Enjoy :)
the singer of this song is damn good. haunting melody :)
2. Now I am a proud owner of a dell inspiron 1525. Actually i wanted to buy a HP/compaq, after SRK's (he is claimed to be a technology freak!!) endorsements, i think twas the one for me!! But after a long research and a lot of hard work (on my gizmo geek friend's part, of course :D ) i bought this one! Its midnight blue and looks very hot! My new love!!! Though i am not that possessive about it, i still hope its love :D
I have worked on personal computers till date, so having my own lappy is a new experience. Imagine, how well i can customize this one !! aah :) The computer is personal again!! wonder why dell guys dont have a tagline :D
I still dont have a secure internet connection, so not able to make full use of it. But this new baby, has made life happy happy :) :)
3. I bought a potted plant, finally :) :) its a pothos or moneyplant in apna india :) got it really cheap..of course, it should not be a thought, but yaha har kadam pe paiso ke baare mein sochna padta hai :D more on the mere-haath-yaha-bandhe-huye-hai saga in some other post! I have named it maniii (a cheap metaphor, i know :)). So maniii (twinkles in my eyes) is my 2nd love after the 1525 (my lappy, duh!!!).. and i dont blush when talking about him, hope thats love too !! :D
4. My biggest mistake on this happily-ever-after weekend!! i saw bachna ae haseeno :
Lesson learnt, Yashraj movies are not even worth a pirated version watch these days !! I dont believe Bipasha Basu was wearing those skimpy clothes to look so stupid and totally unmodern!! And that small town girl song was crap!! deepika padukone was too a perfect modern girl..i mean in the end she does say yes..so itne attitude ka kya faayda ?? and ranbir kapoor looked like a dud..ekdum lackluster performance..where is the kid we saw in sawariya ?? the only believable person was minisha lamba, cos of her character 'mahi'.. Anyways, why m i making the mistake bigger by writing a full fledged critisism bout this stupid movie !! :- :-
So in this way i spent my long weekend..instead of utilising it for brushing up basics and studying, i did the totally opposite thing, as every student does in his hay days :)
But i have really good excuses to give myself..so the geek in me will hopefully shut up !! :D
Now its time for the long stroll along the beach (lake yaar).. Yane time to put the thinking cap on and plan something fruitful for the next long weekend !!
Its in October sometime.. socho socho..
and lemme know if u have anything special in mind !!
till then,keep that geeky guy in control :D
Sunday, August 24, 2008
the great american blog !!
its been 2 full weeks now that i have been in America !!
sounds exciting and fun..it has been till now..
i was looking forward to the whole getting back to school (i like the word 'studies' more..but when in amreeka act like the 'amreekans') !!! i get to be the mad, geeky, studious, wacky, creative person without any limits..with 2 yrs of corporate life i had become more lady like and composed !! (in short boring and monotonous :D)
But graduate studies is a serious job !! I'm 2 classes down in the term and already feeling a bit overwhelmed by the profs ka expectations..not that i mind..but it isn't a casual shrug of the shoulders anymore nor pass it on to someone else kinda thing..
only that the transition is sinking in more heavily now..in every sphere of life..
i go out and do some shopping (read groceries and things necessary to survive on this planet !!) i feel like what the hell..the other day i went to a Jewel for some groceries, had a tough time finding out what is what and what is priced what..there r a hundred things written on a product label, which includes offers for preferred customers, normal customers, unit price, offer price and what not !! but one good thing is help offered, i mean u just need to tell them that u r in distress and they will guide u in the simplest possible ways. So communication forms a key aspect of your life when your in the US of A.
Actually things are very simple here (the naming convention of the streets, buildings etc), but until you overcome the initial downs of the phenomenon called 'culture shock', you can learn to communicate..its a good experience..you have to be a bit artificial (compared to overtly artificial manners of the locals, com'on that's what i felt !! don't judge me there :D) and smiling (this is fine..there should not be any problem in improving your face value !!) and you can get help easily..believe me if u are stubborn (as i was initially) and dont ask for help, u will need a lot of time to get adjusted to 'being in bush's land', which is not at all done, if your in the city of 'yes-u-heard-it-right' Chicago !!
After coming here and visiting downtown (my school, again !! is very near downtown, which i cant help telling every now and then :D) i realised where the term skyscrapers came from..all the buildings are actually scraping the sky and your head literally spins looking at them..guess stan lee ne yahi kisi building ke chat (terrace) pe baith ke spiderman ka first sketch nikala tha !! imagine if i had teeny weeny traces of superpowers, what fun it would be to zoooom thro the skyline and see at the tiny creatures crawl below me !!
allright, the calvinish, devilish thinking aside, downtown gives u the feeling of being in a city of dreams, a city which deserves to bid for 2016 Olympics and paralympics !!
some of you might say that, may be I'm just overwhelmed by USA, but a place which has 30-40% desis, which gives you the feel of amchi mumbai, can't really be that bad !! I remember telling my mom, i dont feel i have actually travelled for 24 hrs and reached other part of the globe..i see as many indians here to make it even worse !! lol..really my flight had 20 kids going to the same univ as mine..the international community here is huge..and that's why, i think its going to be one rollercoaster ride !!!
One more really amazing fact about Chicago is the Michigan lake..and the quietest part of the lake (that's what i think) is 5 mins walk from my apt..after a tiring day, a walk by its side is the best relaxation, i must say !!
Though there r a lot of things i miss, ghar, mom-dad, dada, ghar ka khana, the comfortable and secure life (it will take some time to settle down here :)), friends, eating out and shopping escapades and what not..but guess studies and a really good city will make me a better person !!
so until amreeka reports again,
take care you all :) and as they say here, have a nice one (jo bhi kuch ho ;-) ) !!! :D
P.S. my life works a lot on guess work, don't u think so ?? :)
sounds exciting and fun..it has been till now..
i was looking forward to the whole getting back to school (i like the word 'studies' more..but when in amreeka act like the 'amreekans') !!! i get to be the mad, geeky, studious, wacky, creative person without any limits..with 2 yrs of corporate life i had become more lady like and composed !! (in short boring and monotonous :D)
But graduate studies is a serious job !! I'm 2 classes down in the term and already feeling a bit overwhelmed by the profs ka expectations..not that i mind..but it isn't a casual shrug of the shoulders anymore nor pass it on to someone else kinda thing..
only that the transition is sinking in more heavily now..in every sphere of life..
i go out and do some shopping (read groceries and things necessary to survive on this planet !!) i feel like what the hell..the other day i went to a Jewel for some groceries, had a tough time finding out what is what and what is priced what..there r a hundred things written on a product label, which includes offers for preferred customers, normal customers, unit price, offer price and what not !! but one good thing is help offered, i mean u just need to tell them that u r in distress and they will guide u in the simplest possible ways. So communication forms a key aspect of your life when your in the US of A.
Actually things are very simple here (the naming convention of the streets, buildings etc), but until you overcome the initial downs of the phenomenon called 'culture shock', you can learn to communicate..its a good experience..you have to be a bit artificial (compared to overtly artificial manners of the locals, com'on that's what i felt !! don't judge me there :D) and smiling (this is fine..there should not be any problem in improving your face value !!) and you can get help easily..believe me if u are stubborn (as i was initially) and dont ask for help, u will need a lot of time to get adjusted to 'being in bush's land', which is not at all done, if your in the city of 'yes-u-heard-it-right' Chicago !!
After coming here and visiting downtown (my school, again !! is very near downtown, which i cant help telling every now and then :D) i realised where the term skyscrapers came from..all the buildings are actually scraping the sky and your head literally spins looking at them..guess stan lee ne yahi kisi building ke chat (terrace) pe baith ke spiderman ka first sketch nikala tha !! imagine if i had teeny weeny traces of superpowers, what fun it would be to zoooom thro the skyline and see at the tiny creatures crawl below me !!
allright, the calvinish, devilish thinking aside, downtown gives u the feeling of being in a city of dreams, a city which deserves to bid for 2016 Olympics and paralympics !!
some of you might say that, may be I'm just overwhelmed by USA, but a place which has 30-40% desis, which gives you the feel of amchi mumbai, can't really be that bad !! I remember telling my mom, i dont feel i have actually travelled for 24 hrs and reached other part of the globe..i see as many indians here to make it even worse !! lol..really my flight had 20 kids going to the same univ as mine..the international community here is huge..and that's why, i think its going to be one rollercoaster ride !!!
One more really amazing fact about Chicago is the Michigan lake..and the quietest part of the lake (that's what i think) is 5 mins walk from my apt..after a tiring day, a walk by its side is the best relaxation, i must say !!
Though there r a lot of things i miss, ghar, mom-dad, dada, ghar ka khana, the comfortable and secure life (it will take some time to settle down here :)), friends, eating out and shopping escapades and what not..but guess studies and a really good city will make me a better person !!
so until amreeka reports again,
take care you all :) and as they say here, have a nice one (jo bhi kuch ho ;-) ) !!! :D
P.S. my life works a lot on guess work, don't u think so ?? :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)