I've signed in and trying to keep up with my monthly blog post. An eventful month I must say. Everything is so uncertain right now. A month back I had no idea what I'd be doing this summer, I was thinking I might end up teaching(again) for the 3rd semester in a row. And then one day it all happened and the internship came up. A few weeks of nail biting and checking the phone every ten minutes for the HR to call and talk about paperwork followed. Once that was done and everything confirmed on paper, a couple of weeks of searching for a place to stay followed. I don't know what I would have done without google maps, and their street view option. I had fun dragging that little stick figure along the streets of TX to look at the place where I'm going to work.

I'm so used to studying now, I wonder how work life is going to be. I'm guessing its going to be different from India where I was among a bunch of campus recruits and I had people my own age to goof off with during lunch and after work.

I'm excited, nervous, a bit apprehensive since I'm going to a new city and a whole lot of other things. I'm packed and ready, and unable to sleep even though I'm dead tired. I'm supposed to report to work at 8 AM every morning which is going to be a challenge. My day starts at 11,especially the last two semesters, which is like a year. I had lab classes to teach and office hours only post 12 30 pm. I'm guessing I'm going to be asleep at 10 and up at 6 every morning this summer! Wish me luck on that front!

I was studying quietly at school minding my own business when a couple of people come and start talking to me. We were discussing random stuff about course work when one of them made a very rude comment about my team and presentation. When I asked him to explain, he had little to say. I just hope my answer and following silence made him realize he should think before talking.

I find this a lot around Indian guys. I don't mean to sound prejudiced or judgmental,because I'm Indian too. But I feel a lot of them lack basic courtesy in things they say and also when addressing women. The worst part is that they don't realize it and think its cool to act that way. It might be when you're an obnoxious 17 year old but not when you are 25 and in a professional environment.

This makes me wonder if they were taught basic etiquette at a young age. Should it begin at home? or at school? It starts off very early when young boys observe their fathers treat their mothers and other women with more authority than necessary. Right through school and even through college and beyond nothing is done to even imply that such behavior is not right. And when they leave home and go to other countries, this reflects badly on us as people! By voicing these 'concerns' they are not going to listen. And the worst part and what makes me real mad is they get away with being able to say what they want to without realizing it reflects so poorly on them and their character.

What does one do in such situations? Stay away and hope they don't embarrass you in public.

Its exam week and I've been eating extremely unhealthy food. Watched Super Size Me recently.

Teamwork and more

I just fail to understand why some people have no teamwork ethics. When you're working in a team its imperative to recognize other people's work and give them due credit for it. Maybe its because we are a part of a class and in school some students don't bother too much. But that's no reason to behave this way. I know I'm ranting but its for a very valid reason! I haven't had a very good experience this semester with some people acting the way they do. Last month, a team member changed the layout of the presentation just 30 minutes before submission time. A very upset colleague confronted her since she spent a lot of time the previous night working on it. And she was given the reply "Oh yeah, I changed it because I dint like the template". Now, this person was angry and without losing her cool explained that this is not correct work ethics and if she had a problem with anything should have brought it to her notice. A lot of explanation later, the incident was put to rest. One would have thought that the person wouldn't do the same thing again. But she did exactly the same thing the second time around.

What do you do with such a person? Do you shout and scream which is obviously not the solution. Do you explain calmly and voice your concerns that this behavior is not right and one will not get away with it in an organization? I just don't understand why some people behave this way? Is it because they don't think? Or is it that they haven't been taught such basic etiquette and manners?

Anyway, this semester is almost over and I'm done with group work for this class. The idea of having such groups and presentations in a business setting was implemented by our professor for a reason and clearly has been lost on some people.

One would think that such a reputed website would conduct a spell check before posting!

http://movies.indiatimes.com/Special-Features/25-Must-See-Bollywood-Movies/articleshow/msid-1250837,curpg-11.cms

Read the last line in the paragraph about the movie 'Bobby'.

Someone who judges you even without knowing you is not worth it..right?

Kitne ajeeb rishtey hain yahan pe..
Do pal milte hain saath saath chalte hain

Jab mod aaye toh bach ke nikalte hai
Kitne ajeeb rishtey hai yaha pe

Yaha sabhi apni hi dhun main deewane hain
Kare wahi jo apna dil sahi mane hai
Kaun kisko pooche kaun kisko bole
Kaun kisko pooche kaun kisko bole
Sabke labon par apne tarane hai

Le jaye nasib kisko kahanpe
Kitne ajeeb rishtey hain yahan pe


Khwaabon ki yeh duniya hain khwaaboh main hi rehna hain
Raahen le jaye jahan sang sang chalna hain
Waqt ne hamesha yahan naye khel khele
Waqt ne hamesha yaha naye khel khele
Kuch bhi ho jaye yaha bas khush rehna hai

Manzil lage kareeb sabko yahan pe
Kitne ajeeb rishtey hain yahan pe
Do pal milte hain saath saath chalte hai

Jab mod aaye toh bach ke nikalte hai
Kitne ajeeb rishtey hai yaha pe
Kitne ajeeb rishtey hai yaha pe

These lyrics really hit you don't they? The last year has been full of ups and downs for me. Getting to know new people and whole new different perspective on life. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I don't know if I'd rather be how I am now knowing so much more but not happy about all these realizations, or how I was a few years earlier, happier but unaware.