What is a tough decision?

I had never really analyzed the workings of tough decisions in my life, and I have had to make several. Who doesn't? Tough decisions are tough, because one has to let go of some things which one doesn't want to, but at the same time, is not a 100% sure about the consequences of the alternative. The heart goes out to one scenario and the mind says otherwise. One has to live with the decisions made, and only later does one realize whether that decision was right or wrong. 

If it does turn out that the decision was right, one is happy and credits oneself for the success. However, if the decision does turn out to be wrong, there is nothing but only great disappointment. Can one ever know? Is the pragmatic decision, which the mind says, to be chosen or the emotional one, which the heart says, is to be chosen. The only solace to be found in a pragmatic decision is the certainty of avoiding any uncertainties. And in an emotional one, the solace is to be found in the acceptance and the readiness to face any uncertainties. In either case, the decision is not easy and involves an immense amount of reflection and emotional upheaval. Being pragmatic is not easy and even in this approach, emotions are involved.

Neither style is right or wrong. It's just a matter of which one works best for someone based on how that person has evolved through the years. For some, being pragmatic has helped and for some, being emotional has been the way to go. These two approaches will always be at loggerheads and a compromise of these two, seems improbable.

प्रेमाचा प्रवास

बरेच वर्षं, प्रेमाची आतुरता लागली नाही,
पहिले तिला आणि तिला पाहण्याची आतुरता बरेच वर्षं गेली नाही.

तिला पाहता क्षणि पडलो तिच्या प्रेमात,
नि भान हरपून बसलो मी बघता तिच्या निळ्याशार डोळ्यात.

एका गावात राहून सुद्धा नाव गाव ठाऊक नव्हतं,
दुसऱ्या कुठल्याही कामात लक्ष काही लागत नव्हतं.

स्वप्नं रंगवत राहिलो, एका सुंदर भविष्याची,
आणि वाट पाहत राहिलो त्या पहिल्या गोड भेटिची.

नाव काही कळेना,भेट काही होईना,
काय करावे कळेना, माझं मलाच करमेना.

गाण्यांच्या वर्णनांत मी शोधू लागलो तिला,
ती माझी आणि मी तिचा, हे कसं सांगू तिला?

एक दिवस नाव कळलं, गाव तिचं शोधून काढलं,
तिच्याशी मैत्री कारायचं हे मी निक्षून ठरवलं.

बोलणं सोप्पं आणि करणं  कठीण,
हे  नंतर मला नीट समझलं,
अजून थोडा धीर जमवून, तिच्याशी बोलायचं ठरवलं.

बोलणं झालं …मैत्रि थोडी दूर होती,
मला पुढे जायची…जरा घाई होती.

मनोगत व्यक्त करणं हे अजिबात सोप्पं नाही.
कितीहि धीट बना, तिच्या समोर एक शब्द फुटत नाही.

आज तो काळ गेला, वेळ गेली,
आठवण काही जात नाही.
आपण फक्त मित्र राहू,
या वाक्याला जगात काही तोड नाही.

कोण कधी सांगू शकलय,
प्रवास प्रेमाचा कसा करावा?
कधी कोणावर प्रेम बसेल,
याचा काय कोणी भरोसा द्यावा?

कळत नकळत हा प्रवास चालू होतो,
त्या नंतर असं ऐकलय, कारावास चालू होतो !

I just didn't know...

A coffee in my hand,
I look back,
Away has it trickled,
Time, like the proverbial sand.

My first thought, I was in awe,
A flash of lightning is what I saw,
I did go to and fro,
What was I thinking?
I just didn't know. 

A twinkle in the eye,
A sweet smile, a loving word,
I thought, ahead we go,
I was wrong, I just didn't know.

Wearing a blindfold, seeking light,
Only darkness, within my sight, 
Singing a song, I plodded along,

I had just been blind all along,
No more do I seek high and low,
I was wrong, I just didn't know.

No more is the blindfold,
No more does the past have a hold,
Light is where I seek it,
All it takes is sheer grit.
Singing a song, I march along,
Now I know, I shall not be wrong.

Now I know, I shall not be wrong!

A Friend's Lament

When I was in my teens and actually even until my early twenties, I only knew that there are friends, albeit friends with different levels of bonding. And then, there was family and a significant other and colleagues and acquaintances. These all belonged to different domains of a person's life. All real.

However, since about a couple of years, I have realized that there is actually a virtual zone of friends only for males, and the zone is called the Friend Zone (FZ). Now, I really have to appreciate the effort that someone's brain went to, to recognize this zone and bring it to the notice of the millions of people living in this virtual zone, where one can only be a friend. Some are there by birth and don't seem to be able to move out of it.

There is also a title that one gets if one is even temporarily living in this zone and it's called being 'friend-zoned'. What a delightful title to have!

For the uninitiated, the FZ is one, where a boy or a man lives, when despite being friends with girls, who may just be his friends or even the ones he likes or even loves, continues being only a friend. Even after he confesses his feelings for the girl! And, this happens all the time. Such is the charm of this guy that he just can't stop being a friend. Such is his dedication and commitment to being a friend.

I think that the people who are in a relationship and say that their partner is their friend, are lying. How can one guy be in a relationship if he is a friend? As far as my understanding goes, once a guy is friend-zoned, he is marked for life and it takes some monumental effort on the girl's part to convince him to leave the FZ. So, actually I would like to congratulate all the girls who have managed to get their guys to leave the cherished FZ and also congratulate the guys who were brave enough and chivalrous enough to leave it. It's not easy to stop being such a dedicated friend. 

I have been in the FZ for a long time now and I have had every opportunity to explore it and to all my dear cohabitants, let me tell you, it's a beautiful place. 

However, if you still want to get out of it, don't worry. Just wait for the one who will put in that monumental effort to get you out of it. And I hear, once you are out, you stop being a friend and become much more than a friend. You become one with the other and there is no longer a need for any titles or any zones. The virtual plays no part in your life. Everything becomes real.

A Congregation of Indian Superheroes - Lokmanya

A few days ago, I saw the movie 'Lokmanya', a movie on the legendary freedom fighter Lokmanya Balwantrao Gangadhar Tilak. I had very high expectations from the movie based on the reviews but as it turned out, the reviews were strongly influenced by the emotions of the reviewers because of the subject of the movie. It was a decent movie; not a bad one but it was nothing that would warrant the gloried reviews that I had read. This is only as far as the direction of the movie and how the 'movie' looked on the screen. However, as far as the story goes, it's history and that was simply mind-blowing. The tenacity and the conviction of the great man is still very inspiring and moving. Even in the face of knee-buckling pressure, he stood fast on his ideals and continued with his work.

Although I did not enjoy the direction and some dialogues in the movie, which were extremely cliche and unnecessary, I did enjoy it for one very surprising thing. There have been hardly any Indian superheroes, unless one counts the Hindu deities and the characters from the Hindu epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. I am referring to this comic book ones. This movie made me feel like I was watching an Indian 'Avengers' movie with all of India's legends in it. I realised that I was watching a movie with a congregation of all of India's legends, who were definitely superheroes of their times. Watching the movie, I also realised that so many of the people we, as Indians idolize, at one point of time, were all living at the same time. It wasn't the best time for India, being still a British Colony, but what a time it must have been to living in the same time as these legends.

Here are a few of them:

1. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
2. Bipinchandra Pal
3. Lal Bahadur Shastri
4. Lala Lajpat Rai
5. Mohandas Gandhi
6. Gopal Krishna Gokhale
7. Gopal Ganesh Agarkar
8. Jyotiba Phule
9. Savitribai Phule
10. Swami Vivekananda
11. Khudiram Bose
12. The Chaphekar Brothers
13.  Anant Kanhere
14. Daji Khare
15. Vishnu Shastri
16. Bhagat Singh
17. Rajguru
18. Sukhdev
19. Dr. Ambedkar
20. Chandrashekhar Azad
21. Mahadeo Govind Ranade
22. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar

Now, these are the names that I can recollect and I am sure I have missed out so many more to whom I owe my independence.

During the movie, I was overwhelmed that I am the citizen of a nation that had produced such greats, such legends, such superheroes!

Starved for choice

I love food. I want choice and I need choice. Without it, I feel burdened. There are tons of varieties available in India and I can't say I have tried them all but they are, still a part of Indian cuisine. I want choice, not just in the dishes but also in the cuisines available to me. Having traveled to a few countries, I have tasted some really exceptional and delicious dishes and some, I actually prefer to some Indian dishes. I am one of those who live to eat and I don't care which cuisine it is, so long as it is delicious. 

Living in India is a challenge for a foodie like me because the choices are so limited when it comes to eating good food from international cuisines. There are some restaurants who make half-baked attempts at providing an authentic international gourmet experience and fail miserably. Their so-called authentic dishes would be laughed at in the countries where those cuisines come from. For example, the ubiquitous Manchurian, a Chinese dish as most consider it to be, is not known in China and was actually invented in India. The Shezwan or the Szechwan, is not that at all. It's actually Sichuan. And yes, some one may point out that it is an English spelling but Sichuan comes closest to the original pronunciation.  Although it is common all over the world to adapt to the local tastes and I am not against that but where do I go for an authentic experience? Did you know that adding Chicken on Pizza is considered almost a crime in Italy? An Italian, proud of his Pizza will yell at you for doing that. Many Italians have never ever heard of Dominos or Pizza Hut. But these horrible excuses for Pizzas are still extremely popular. I love them too, but I have decided to consider them as another dish altogether.

I love burgers and the pleasure of a really delicious good quality burger is something amazing. McDonald's and Burger King are horrible places to go for a burger. Even in the US, where these chains started and where, possibly the burger also became so popular, are not considered as good places to go and eat a burger. They are definitely junk food there. But in India, I still remember the first McD's in Mumbai at Bandra in the late 90's and the waiting time was a couple of hours just to get in. Such was the craze! And now, Burger King is entering the Indian market as well. As if we are not already saturated by low-quality international chains, Burger King feels that it can further penetrate this market, perennially starved for choice. At least, Burger King plans to offer a mutton burger but McD's only offers Chicken and Fish! There are veggie options too and they should without any doubt have those, but why not have a mutton burger? The Maharaja Mac used to be mutton but now it's only chicken. Now in India, we also can't have Beef and Pork products at a lot of places due to religious reasons and I can understand that for these fast-food chains who earn from the masses. But the restaurants which are trying to sell burgers, and promoting them, should offer excellent options and with different meats. A veggie burger is fine once in a while if one wants a change. But, if I want to have a proper burger, then I want a really good, meaty burger and unfortunately, I can't get that. 

The dessert scene in Mumbai is pathetic. If I want a dessert, I am again starved for choice. There are a couple of good places that have come up in the last few years but I can't tell you one really amazing place to get a variety of excellent desserts. The places that exist and are considered as really good, are still only passable to a large extent. I can get amazing Indian desserts in Mumbai and I can think of lots of places but I have no place to go for an amazing cheesecake with at least a couple of flavours. Why isn't The Cheesecake Factory coming to India? The food at The Cheesecake Factory is not the best but their cheesecake is arguably the best ever!

Starbucks started its operations in India a few years ago and it has become really popular. Again, much of the credit to its popularity is due to its brand name and I seriously wonder if people actually enjoy its coffee. I have tasted much better and they don't even cost 50% of what it costs at Starbucks. I admit, I too was once attracted to it, but once I had better and I knew better, I am still in search of a really good coffee shop in Mumbai, where the focus is only on coffee. All the entrepreneurs and restauranteurs in Mumbai certainly have enough money to buy a couple or even one really good espresso machine and train baristas and also import some great coffee, if it is not available in India. I will gladly go to their coffee shop if they are able to serve a cup of amazing coffee, even if it is far away. 

Dunkin Donuts entered India and their coffee, although not great, is okay. They are known for their donuts and they seem to be doing a decent job of it. The one chain I am really happy about entering India is Krispy Kreme. Their donuts are as unhealthy as they can get but they are damn delicious!

KFC is another chain that I am glad about, however, only for the fried chicken.Yes, it's unhealthy but they do make good fried chicken!

People complain that Indians don't understand, but they won't if they don't know better. People who travel, have tasted the best, they do know better. People who haven't traveled, show them what is better and they are smart enough to understand. Don't assume. More and more Indians are traveling around the world and getting to know more and more of international food. They will surely want to have it once in a while. And being a country of more than a billion people, even a few people coming to you once in a while is still quite a lot. But, the pricing needs to be right. Serve great food and at reasonable prices and there is no reason why there shouldn't be lines out the door, in a country where food such a huge pass-time.

Unheard...

My life till now, with friends who with me stand,
Hear me out and lend me a hand.

My family who suffers my sorrow,

And yet, gives me hope for the morrow.

I have my ups and downs and I continue to laugh,

That is all, a game of whether the glass is full or half.

I am who I am and laugh, I always will,

I am glad that I don't need to pray to laugh or to have a strong will. 

I build and strengthen my soul.

I presume, that is life's sole goal. 

To resolutely stand, no matter what.

To believe in truth, no matter the cost.

Hope is a fickle friend,

It cannot be trusted.

Trusted though it cannot be, it is all that remains.

And it is all that can be trusted to remain. 

I come through life, learning at every stage, 

Turning a page as I (gracefully) age. 

First there were only my mother and father,

Who doted on me and made me believe in me.

Then I had a few friends, always there for each other. 

We talked and laughed and fought, but we helped each other see. 

It is time to turn to the next chapter.

A page is all that needs to be turned. 

So difficult, it refuses to be turned.

A second hand it needs, to close the previous one,

For what is to come in the next chapter, 

One needs the other, to remember what in the previous has been learned.

I yearn to speak and be understood.

My friends who understood me over the years,

I find, my words fall on deaf ears. 

Confusion sets in and I wonder,

Why can they not hear me?

Realization dawns, it is not they but only me.

The ear that will hear the unspoken,

The touch that will mend the broken.

I say so much and yet I do not utter a word,

The dream is such, I never go unheard.

It's always the last place you look...

A few years ago, I had read a very witty reply to the line - "It's always the last place you look..." when you are looking for something and can't find it. The reply was,"Of course it is the last place you look. Why would you continue to look for it after you have found it?" A reply that in the last couple of weeks has found meaning in my life, twice!

I bought a pair of sunglasses and wore them out of the store. It felt great to wear a really nice pair of sunglasses that I had wanted to have for a long time. Also, they looked great on me! Now, within an hour of the purchase I am to have lost them in a mall. A half hour after leaving the mall, I come to realise that I do not have my sunglasses and I run back to the mall. Nobody seems to have seen them and the possibility of them having stolen is low since it was a very quiet day. All the same it was difficult to look for them in a huge store, where I had been browsing for a while. My sister-in-law who was with me, asked me to replay what I had done and where I had been. After doing that for a long time and going crazy with worry in the meantime fearing the loss of such an expensive pair of sunglasses, I pray for a miracle. Suddenly, I get a vague image in my head of some t-shirts and some connection of those t-shirts to my sunglasses. I go over to that section and surely, there resting between a pile of t-shirts are my sunglasses. In order to find my size t-shirt in that pile, I had neatly placed my sunglasses and had forgotten to pick them up. As someone who prides himself (maybe a bit too much) in being systematic, these things do tend to happen to me often. Quite interesting, but I say that the system needs a tune up once in a while. 

A couple of weeks hence, I lose the same pair of sunglasses. This time, in my own home! I come back home yesterday while having those over my eyes and remember not being able to see the keyhole properly because it's already quite dark and I am too lazy to take the sunglasses off my eyes. Today morning, of course, I can't find them. Since yesterday I was alone at home, so I couldn't even blame my parents or the maid for having misplaced them. My frustration at myself tames itself because admitting to being so absent-minded takes some serious effort. Again, following the advice of my sister-in-law, I try to replay my actions in my head and I just remember opening the door, almost blind. I had grocery bags in my hand at that time and so I try to see if I kept those sunglasses in the bags and put them in the fridge. Now, that happens to a lot of people and that would have been soothing to my conscience if that was the case, but it was not to be so. I searched the entire flat, even places where I thought it was impossible for the pair of sunglasses to be. But, I couldn't find them. 

I was sure that they were in the flat somewhere and so ultimately, I resigned to the fact that I am not going to find them. I took my messenger bag and took out all my stuff from it and went to keep it at its usual storage place and voila, there it was. My pair of sunglasses. I have no idea how they got to be there but surely they were there. I had found them. Perhaps a ghost placed them there but honestly, I have no recollection whatsoever of having placed them there. In my search for these sunglasses, I also happened to tidy up the flat a bit. But for sure, it was the last place that I would have thought to look!

My Oakley Crosshair

India General Elections 2014: A true dilemma if there was ever one!

It is, but in another week or so, the day to cast my vote and exercise my right as an Indian citizen. A citizen of a country that is the largest democracy in the world. It is definitely the largest democracy in theory and although I do exaggerate, possibly even the largest anarchy at times. 

I will cast my vote for the first time ever and there is a huge sense of responsibility. Even pride, to know that even my single vote will count towards choosing a government for this country. There are, nevertheless, the naysayers and the pessimists who will continue to ridicule the process and call it a sham. I am not oblivious to the reality, but I choose to believe. There are millions who have chosen to vote and there are still those who have and will choose not to vote. Their choice not to vote is beyond my comprehension. They will not even vote 'NOTA', if they do not find anyone worth their vote. It is important. It is crucial. It is more important than anything that you might plan to do.Please vote!

This is certainly not a post to appeal to everyone to vote but about my own confusion about who to vote for. Barring all other considerations, my only consideration right now is to look at the performance of candidates that I have in front of me. Now, this should usually be the primary consideration, but in India, people have several other considerations that they consider at times to be more important than the actual ability of the person and his performance.

The Republic of India has been headed by one of the most intelligent economists of our time; who in fact was responsible for opening up India's economic borders in 1991 and then helming it as a Finance Minister to grow year on year. This same brilliant mind being the head of the government could not save the country from superlative inflation, a decline in growth and a terrible weakening of the Indian Rupee. Five years, out of the last ten, I was living outside of India and all I heard for the first few from people from different countries was about the miraculous growth story of India. However, in the last 3 years or so, the shine of India's growth story has certainly faded and people did no longer talk so passionately about the growth opportunities in India. Now, is the current Prime Minister Mr.Manmohan Singh solely responsible or is the government as a whole, to be held responsible? I do not know. The Prime Ministerial candidate that the Indian National Congress has chosen is Mr.Rahul Gandhi, who has still to prove himself capable of any office and to directly appoint him at the head of such a vast and complicated democracy is an extremely frightening prospect. What I do know is that I cannot vote for a political party which had the most number of, and the largest scams India has ever had and which also led to the current frustrating economic situation. 

The second political party has Mr.Narendra Modi as its Prime Ministerial candidate. He has been touted a wonder solution to India's economic problems. It's being said that if he comes to power, he will be able to turn around the economic situation of the country. This is based on his performance in the state of Gujarat, of which he has been a Chief Minister for more than a decade. The statistics put forth are impressive and so are the stories that are told about his governance. If his success can be replicated at the national level, then I am surely in for a wonderful time if he comes to power. However, an intelligent reader would have noticed that I am still skeptical (this is for those who have not picked it up). I cannot trust his economic policies when he has no international experience. As the head of a state in India, he has certainly helped to develop that state but would he able to do that for the entire country when he is in a position that is inherently an international one? Does he have enough economic experience to deal with international economics issues? Even if he does have some brilliant economists to advise him, will he have the capability to understand their advise? 

He belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is strongly against FDI in Retail. I wonder if they have actually analysed the effects of this FDI in Retail. How many of them have actually understood the economics of FDI and its effects? Be it economics or be it life in general, it is always the policy of 'survival of the fittest' that is followed. If inefficient businesses go out of business because of more efficient business models, what is the harm? It is finally the Indian consumer that is going to benefit from more efficient business models. How, you ask? Well, the first reason is - cheaper prices! A discussion on the advantages and the disadvantages of FDI in Retail can be discussed ad nauseum, but my basic point remains - have these people, who oppose the FDI in Retail, understood it at all?

The third party to choose from this year is the Aam Aadmi Party, which started off and is still touted to be the political party of the common man and who are not corrupt and who will always fight for the issues of the common man. This party is supposedly made up of all well-educated people and some of them have given up their jobs to do something for the nation. These actions are very admirable and if I could, I would have loved to be a part of such a movement. This party in fact got elected to power in Delhi and their leader became the Chief Minister of Delhi. However, he also resigned in 49 days! Yes, he had his reasons to resign. But, those 49 days seemed like a comedy show. Their actions were haphazard and there seemed to be chaos. I might have perhaps voted without any guilt for this party, had it not been for this fiasco. I am now afraid to trust this man. Mr.Arvind Kejriwal has become the party and not just its face. Ergo I am afraid to trust this party.

I am really not sure who to vote for. It is an extremely difficult choice. More so difficult because I am going to cast my vote for the first time this year. My duty towards my country and my dream to see a wonderful India, cause me to think harder. For people, perhaps I am too idealistic. If you think so, so be it. If you are not, then please vote being a realist. Vote only for the betterment and the development of the country. It is crucial!

Nigh

A day comes and goes by,
And I heave a gentle sigh,
The road ahead doth in front of me lie,
The beginning, is truly nigh.

Not an ounce of sorrow, not an ounce of joy,
It does, but ask me why?
A day of joy, it ought to be,
That feeling, I cannot see,
I do pray; I do hold my head up high,
The beginning, is truly nigh.

A day in solitude, is what I crave,
A day spent, in a wondrous cave,
Of wishes and dreams, of a foregone past,
The cave it is, of a die cast,
I venture out the cave; I look to the sky,
I truly, want to fly,
The beginning, is truly nigh.

The result it is, of a mind sly,
The result it is, of a heart not shy,
The result it is, of a brain that asks why?
A day comes and goes by,
And I heave a gentle sigh.
The road ahead doth in front of me lie,
The beginning, is truly nigh.

Boston Revisited

About 38 months after I had left the United States of America in 2010, I revisited this country in April, 2013 for a month. It felt surreal to go back there as a tourist and only for a month; when I had already lived there for 3.5 years. I had left the USA from Boston and I came back to the USA at Boston. It felt like I had to complete the journey. It also felt like the beginnings of some weird OCD!

This time around, my experience was very different. Not only because I was going there as a tourist and only to have fun, but what has changed since 2010, drastically, is my perspective towards almost every aspect of my life; and sometimes on others' lives as well. Kind of snobbish, I believe, but I attribute that to my stay in France. If one can't pick up being snobbish, at least a little bit after staying in France for 1.5 years, then there has been no learning from that fascinating country!

Watertown, the suburb of Boston where I used to stay and of course, now infamous because one of the Boston Marathon bombers was arrested there, felt familiar but yet it was like I was seeing it in an all new light. Even the city of Boston. But that might also be, because due to my night shifts at the Westin Waltham-Boston, I hardly go to see the town in any light!

A few things have changed. Much of it has remained the same. One major change that I observed was that in the last three years, a lot of establishments were offering Wi-Fi. Small, but a noticeable change. And, I also discovered what I hadn't in the time I was staying there - Boston actually has a decent public transit system in place. I had always assumed it was not good without any reason whatsoever. I always had a car and never even cared about using public transport. I would always worry about the money I had to pay for a taxi to the airport but I never even for a moment considered using public transport to go to there. This time, I used public transport and as it turns out, it is pretty easy and economical! I wonder whether I used to even think then. This used to be such an issue with me and only for going to the airport, all my hidden instincts of being a miser would come forth and I would struggle with myself and console myself that the taxi driver needs to be paid for the trip.

I was staying with my friends, in Watertown whose daughter is now just over 3 years old and when I had left, she was just about 10 days old. I am so glad that I stayed with them. Not only did I have a great time with the two, but the highlight was the little bundle of excitement and energy. Our names being very similar in sound, I explained to her the difference, which she accounted for in her mind and made it a point to tell it to her father as soon as he came home.

In the last three years, I have been on the hunt for a cheesecake that would rival the one served at 'The Cheesecake Factory'. I must mention that I am a huge fan of the 'Original' flavor of 'The Cheesecake Factory' cheesecake. I don't believe anyone else makes it as good. I am also lucky that I only like that one flavor and I always order that. It saves me from people wanting to try it. Nobody wants to try it because they think it's too plain, but I find it to be better than all the rest put together. I couldn't find a cheesecake version that would pass my stringent taste standards in India nor anywhere in France, Spain, Italy or Switzerland. Having given up hope, I had made it my mission to eat 'the cheesecake' as many times as I could. I managed to eat it twice in the 4 days that I was in Boston; for consecutive meals!

There is a great burger place in Watertown Square called Wild Willy's burgers and I had to visit that. I missed burgers also. I have now arrived at the conclusion that Americans do indeed know how to make a good burger and somehow this art escapes other nationalities. On a trip to Harvard Square, I took a student-led trip of the Harvard Campus. A very interesting fact that was mentioned during the tour was that until approximately 15 years ago, women graduating from Harvard did not get a Harvard degree. The name on the degree was that of Radcliffe College. And, another very interesting fact was that until very recently, students wishing to graduate from Harvard had to pass a swimming test. Anyway, the girl conducting the tour was more than upset that everyone goes to Bartley's burgers in Harvard Square, which although receives great reviews is not a good burger place and people should go to Flat Patty's, just a block away from the square. I followed her advice and I was not disappointed at all.

My trip seemed to be focused on food, more than anything else. I also met a lot of my friends but again, it was over food! I met my old flat-mate and I also met a subordinate of mine from the Westin hotel. I am glad that I have still stayed friends with her and now, she has a handsome little boy, just over a year old. She is a wonderful person and it was great catching up. It surprises me at times, when I meet some people on a regular basis and I never have anything to say and I still feel a distance while there are people whom I meet after a long time and I don't feel the distance at all.

Anyone who wants to try good BBQ in the Boston area should definitely go to Blue Ribbon. Red Bones is good but I think Blue Ribbon is the best. My friend with whom I was staying would disagree but we have been having this debate for a long time now. Now don't start thinking that an Indian would not know anything about BBQ. I have eaten excellent BBQ at various places in Memphis, TN and Austin, TX so I have a decent idea about good BBQ.

Out of my 3.5 years in the US, 2 years were spent in Providence, RI. I could not have given it a miss. I went there for a day and visited the places where I used to stay and the places where I used to hang out with my friends, my university and I also went to the mall, where I had spent innumerable hours. I am not telling why! I was so bent on revisiting the places I used to frequent earlier, I even went to the 7-Eleven next to my university campus and bought a drink and a chapstick. It does sound crazy, I agree.

My trip this time around was also different in another aspect - this was the first time I had a decent camera to capture my present memories and somehow try to relive the ones from the past. I created new memories, some that helped replace some of my old ones; ones that I would hope never to relive again. The others, I shall guard them close to my hear for as long as I can. I had come to share a bond with these two cities where I had lived that I only understood after I had left. I was come over with  emotion as my flight came in to land at Boston. But, a new sense of calm and peace descended over me when I revisited these places where I had, in a lot of senses, started my life and had also given it a drastic turn.

One never realizes it when one is going through tough times, but things do have a way of falling in place. It is not easy to be patient but you only realize in retrospect that it was just a passing phase. I remember my state of mind when I left Boston in January, 2010 and I compare that with my state of mind this April of 2013. I realize that I have grown and that I understand myself more. Sometimes, I think that growing up is not understanding the world more but understanding your own self better. I look forward to revisiting Boston in the future and hope to find that I have grown even more.........

(I have indeed grown in size, but I was talking philosophically. I hope I find myself to have reduced greatly in size the next time I am in Boston.)

(Watertown Square)



My rush for the 17h11

It is 4:55 pm and I am anxious. Will I make it? Will the people allow me?

 

For the last 6 months I am doing an internship at the JW Marriott hotel in Cannes while still living in Nice. My daily commute is by train from Nice to Cannes and back. A train ride that in itself is a breeze and probably the most beautiful commute one could hope for. With the Mediterranean Sea on one side, the morning gives me a beautiful view of the first rays of the sun dancing on the calm waters; and the evening brings forth a radiant glow on the sky and the waters taking me to a different world altogether. It is truly heavenly!

 

However, to experience this is a challenge every morning and also in the evening. The morning train that I usually like to take is the one that leaves Nice Ville at 08h02 that reaches me at 08h35, permitting me to buy a cup of coffee and enjoy it on the Croisette; sitting on a bench and looking out on to the serene hills to the extreme right of Cannes and the multi-million dollar yachts to my left and the endless sea (sometimes spotted with monstrous cruise ships) straight-ahead. Then, there is the 08h06 train that reaches me at 08h48, allowing me exactly the 10 minutes to walk to my hotel and the 2 minutes to walk down to my office to be on time at 09h00. The morning run to the train station, as it normally is rather than a relaxed walk, is thanks to my procrastination to get up on time. When I reach on time, I am elated and nothing can compare that feeling of happiness when you know that you did everything right on time since getting up! This morning run, however is due to my own actions and can't really fault anyone with that. It has at least forced me to exercise a bit; although for a couple minutes of the uphill run.......

 

The trains are seldom on time when I arrive at the station on time, be it in the morning or in the evening. And, Murphy's law seems to prevail every time I arrive at the station on time and the train is late. I can safely say, that out of the 10 trains I take during the work-week, 7 of them are late. But, they will always be on time when I am late.

 

The evening is another chore altogether. If I am out the office door exactly at 17h00, I reach the train station exactly on time for the 17h11 train (if it is on time). This journey from my office to the train station is an adventure of sorts. It is fraught with risks. And, I can't even plan it properly although I have been doing for the last so many months. The risks are - people!

 

Rue d'Antibes is the main shopping street in Cannes and unfortunately my route to the train station. It is filled with people and it's a very narrow street. It has very narrow pavements and a very narrow one-way street, always filled with cars and crazy two-wheelers winding their way through this mess; sometimes even through the pavements.

 

It has really been an interesting, although quite irritating at times, experience. People watching has been at its best. The single most important thing that I have learned is that "PEOPLE DO NOT, AND I REPEAT, DO NOT WALK STRAIGHT". Especially, people with dogs. I love dogs, but the infatuation with dogs in France has to be seen to be believed. I sometimes wonder if it's even a love for dogs for the French; because some of them would more appropriately be classified as 'rats'.

 

Yes, I understand that it's a shopping street and that people will look around. But, sometimes it is no less than walking through a mine-field. I can easily liken the dangers of a mine-field to walking on Rue d'Antibes; more so if you want to get somewhere on time. People walking hand-in-hand will walk tirelessly slow, not even looking at the shops but reveling in their own world of love. They will also take up the center of the pavement so you can't even go past them unless you push them aside or ask them hurriedly to move out of your way. Old people will also walk slow, but they are more predictable in their speeds. But, they have a tendency to suddenly stop and admire something. And, considering that they are old, and that I am walking really fast and not to knock them over, I have run the risk of banging into someone or something or someone banging into me because, either I have to change direction or stop very suddenly.

 

Then, the most dangerous of all - kids. They are extremely unpredictable in their speeds, their direction and every thing else. Avoiding them, rather avoiding hurting them is the most challenging. And, their parents for some reason don't really care where and how their kids wander around on such a busy street. Sometimes, families walk in a single horizontal line taking up the entire pavement.

 

For other age groups in general, I am less considerate when their walking bears resemblance to nothing more than a random walk. It is also quite funny sometimes when people walking straight would all of a sudden, within the blink of an eye change direction and come right in your way. Then, I also have people bumping into me from all directions. Moreover, to top it all, there are really well-dressed and polished looking people asking for money. They will greet you very nicely and then ask you for money. I have realized now, not to even pay any attention to these people.

 

Quite fortunately, the last 6 months through this mine-field have gone by without any major incident. But, I have indeed missed my train a few times. My anxiety continues to persist. Will I make the 17h11? I don't have to worry much longer as I finish my internship on the 31st of December, But, I shall definitely miss this daily evening adventure.

 

 

 

Sunrise from the train (1)

 

 

Sunrise from the train (2)

 

 

Sunset from the Croisette (1)

 

 

Sunset from the Croisette (2)

 

 

Sunset from the Croisette (3)

 

 

A relatively quiet afternoon on Rue d'Antibes.

 





 

 

JW Marriott Cannes

 

Lunch Break!!!

 

As I walk alone.....

(Carras Plage)

As I walk alone on this moonlit beach,

Pebbles crackle under my feet.

I look upon the night, all I see is a sky filled with bright moonlight.

Does it want to say to me? I shall guide your path, let your troubles be?

I wonder, does it make any sense, this life I have chosen for myself?

Answers do not come and I keep on pondering,

How do I make my life worth the living?

The worth of my life, who shall decide?

Is it me or the ebb and flow of the tide?

As I walk alone on this moonlit beach,

Pebbles crackle under my feet.

In these foreign lands, I shall do what I can,

that what lies within my hands.

My motherland beckons me thither.

Does it make a difference that I remain hither or thither?

I know not what the future holds,

I know this, that I can't fold.

I stand on my feet, everytime life pushes me down,

I promise to myself, I shall persevere without a frown.

As I walk alone on this moonlit beach,

Pebbles crackle under my feet.

Towards a goal unbeknownst,

I wonder when, a hand as yet unknown,

Shall hold my hand,

Always besides me, firm shall stand,

To steady my way on a rainy day.

To face with me, come what may.

As I walk alone on this moonlit beach,

Pebbles crackle under my feet........

Being a 'Hindou' in France.

Being a 'Hindou' in France can be a very complicated and confusing existence. It is bewildering. The majority of the Hindus in the world live in India, so I shall assume an Indian nationality. In fact, a person from any religion can be a 'Hindou' in France and not only the actual Hindus. For example, a Christian can be a Hindou, so can a Jew and so can a Muslim or a Parsi and so can any other that bears any sort of resemblence to being from India.

For some, and fortunately not for the majority of the French, they can't differentiate between or don't know the two words 'Indien/Indienne' which means 'Indian' and the person that belongs to the religion of 'Hinduism' i.e. a Hindu. I am an Indian and I am a Hindu, but apparently I have realised that these two identities, although complementary, get reduced to one - Hindou!

I don't really object to it and neither do I feel insulted. I just find it to be very funny and the implications even funnier, where, like I mentioned, anyone can be a Hindou! A few months ago, I was looking for an apartment and the lady who was showing me an apartment was so flabbergasted when I told her that I was from India that she asked me 3-4 times - Vous êtes vraiment hindou? (Are you really a Hindu?). I found her bewilderment to be extremely funny and yet at the same time I was confused as to why my existence was such a revelation to her.

I was reminded of a comic piece performed by the stand-up comedian Russell Peters, who says that Westerns have an image of Indians in their minds (sitting on top of elephants and flying on magic carpets and charming snakes, etc. etc.) and then we go to their countries and destroy this charming image. And those who don't believe me that Westerners have this image (not all), I can tell you personal stories of people having asked me some very stupid things, as well as introduce you to people who have been asked similar questions.

Anyway, until I realised that some French were actually not sure of the exact word, my own bewilderment continued to increase and somehow, I was getting proud of being a 'hindou'. Oh My God! My religion commands so much awe and respect!!!!!!!

A boy looks out the window.

It's raining,

A boy looks out the window,
He doesn't realise it's raining. The concept of rain is incomprehensible. The concept of a concept is incomprehensible. It thunders. His mother cuddles him in her arms. He goes to sleep.

A boy looks out the window,
He understands it's water falling from the sky. He wonders where it comes from. Who turned on the shower in the sky? Who is pouring buckets of water on the Earth? Where is this water actually coming from?

A boy looks out the window,
The rain excites him. He knows it may not last for a long time. There is only a certain amount of water in the clouds  at one time. He wants to go out in to the rain and get drenched. He begs with his mother until she allows him to out, albeit wearing his rain-coat. He agrees to this compromise quickly.

A boy looks out the window,
He has already planned to go out and play when it rains. He has planned to play football with his friends. His mother forbids him as he might get sick playing in the rain. He argues with his mother until she relents. He promises to come back soon. He goes out happy. His mother keeps worrying.

A boy looks out the window,
He has woken up early. He is getting ready to go on a trek with his friends to enjoy the monsoons. His mother packs him some sandwiches for the day. He looks ahead to an exciting day. His mother wishes him to enjoy his day, but also to be safe.

A boy looks out the window,
It's a beautiful rainy day. A perfect time to go out with his girlfriend. To have a nice stroll by the sea, enoying the cool breeze and the splash of the sea water invigorating the senses. He dreams of the future.

A boy looks out the window,
It's raining! Damn! He is going to get drenched for his interview.

A boy looks out the window,
He has come home late after work. The streets are flooded. His parents are happy to see him. He has a hot meal. His mother has prepared it. He feels grateful. He goes to sleep; exhausted.

A boy looks out the window,
The day has finally arrived. He is getting married today. It's raining. A monsoon wedding! Lot's of last minute changes due to the rains. He worries a bit. He looks forward to the day. He looks forward to his life.

A man looks out the window,
He looks in to the future.......................................



Ek ladki ko dekha to.....(When I saw her.....) (Quand je l'ai vue.......)

This song by the legend R.D. Burman has been at the top of my List of Favourites ever since it was released in 1994 in the movie, 1942: A Love Story. Sung by Kumar Sanu and written by Javed Akhtar, it is a song that transports me from the real into a world of wonderful dreams. The melody and the lyrics combine to create a piece of music, that for me shall always remain evergreen and one of the most romatic songs ever created.

 

 

Though not a professional translator, I shall try to translate it in English and in French, with my limited translation abilities:

Hindi:

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga

Jaise Khilta Gulab

Jaise Shayar ka Khwab

Jaise Ujali Kiran

Jaise Bun Mein Hiran

Jaise Chandani Raat

Jaise Narmi Ki Baat

Jaise Mandir Mein Ho

Ek Jalta Diya...

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha to Aisa Laga

Jaise Subhon Ka Roop

Jaise Sardi Ki Dhoop

Jaise Beena Ki Taan

Jaise Rangon Ki Jaan

Jaise Balkhaye Bel

Jaise Lehron Ka Khel

Jaise Khushboo Liye

Aaye Thandi Hawa....

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha to Aisa Laga

Jaise Nachata Mor

Jaise Raesham Ki Dor

Jaise Pariyon Ka Raag

Jaise Sandal Ki Aag

Jaise Solah Shringar

Jaise Ras Ki Puhaar

Jaise Aahista Aahista

Badhta Nasha

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha to Aisa Laga...


English:

When I saw her, she looked like (I felt like).......

A blossoming rose....

A poet's dream....

A brilliant ray of sunlight....

A deer in the forest...

A moonlit night....

A candle burning in the temple....

A tender word....

When I saw her, she looked like (I felt like).......

A beautiful morning....

The warm sunlight in winter....

The sweet sound of the Veena....(Veena: an Indian string instrument)

The essence of all colour....

A swirling vine....

The play of the waves....

A frangrant cool breeze....

When I saw her, she looked like (I felt like).......

A dancing peacock....

A silken thread....

The melodious song of the fairies....

The flame of the burning sandalwood....

The sixteen ornaments of beauty....

A refreshing mist....

A gently developing feeling of intoxication....

When I saw her, she looked like (I felt like).......

Français:

Quand je l'ai vue, elle avait l'air (je me suis senti qu'elle avait l'air).....
d'une rose s'épanouissant....
d'un rêve de poète.....
d'un rayon radiant de soleil....
d'une biche dans la forêt....
d'une nuit de pleine lune....
d'une bougie allumé au temple....
d'un mot tendre....
Quand je l'ai vue, elle avait l'air (je me suis senti qu'elle avait l'air).....
d'un beau matin....
de la chaleur de soleil en hiver....
du doux son du Veena....(Veena: un instrument musical d'Inde)
de l'essence des couleurs....
d'une vigne tourbillonant....
du jeu des vagues....
d'une brise parfumée....
Quand je l'ai vue, elle avait l'air (je me suis senti qu'elle avait l'air).....
d'un paon dansant....
d'un fil de soie....
d'un chant mélodieux venant des fées...
du feu du bois de santal.....
des seize ornements de beauté....
d'une brume rafraîchissante....
d'une sensation d'ivresse, développant doucement....
Quand je l'ai vue, elle avait l'air (je me suis senti qu'elle avait l'air).....
 

I hope I have been able to give justice to the lyrics. Unfortunately, there are some phrases which do not sound as beautiful as they sound in Hindi and the meaning is lost in translation. If anyone has any suggestions for improvement, please leave a comment.

It is a beautiful song and it becomes even more beautiful when there is a face that you are reminded of when you listen to it. That feeling is unsurpassable by anything else.

I hope you enjoy the song as much as I do.....

 

Unexpected Happiness

A couple of days ago, I was having a normal day. Nothing exciting or special about it. In fact, I was quite tired and bored. But, a sudden coincidence changed my boring day to a very happy day. I had not planned it and neither was I thinking about it. It just happened.

There are times when we plan our day and nothing goes right and suddenly something happens that changes everything. It was certainly a plesant and a most welcome surprise. It wasn't even too great an event but it did definitely boost my mood.

I have seen this happen many times now to ignore it. When I plan, sometimes things work out and sometimes they don't. And when I don't plan, most of the times things that happen are really nice and make me happy. I don't know what to make of this. Wisdom says that you plan everything, whereas reality gives almost contradictory results.

I can't really stop planning but I think I shall also acquiese to not having a plan all the time. I shall keep looking forward to such moments of unexpected happiness. These moments that make you believe in destiny and fate and, at the same time doubt it. These moments make you very philosophical, even though the moment in itself has no real effect on your life. These moments put you under a completely perplexed state of euphoria, followed by doubt and fear. These moments make you feel happy about yourself and yet, kind of upset. It's weird that one can feel so many contradictory emotions in a span of a few minutes, and yet I did.

 

Though not all such moments result in such a confusing state of elation, I shall treasure these weird moments, although confusing and keep looking forward to moments of unexpected happiness.

 

I have heard it somewhere,"If you plan for something and it happens. You will be happy. If you plan for something and it doesn't happen, then you should be even happier. Why? Because, perhaps God has something better planned for you." I guess, I take a corollary of this say that these unexpected moments of happiness are God's special way of making you happy. And, for some reason, when you believe that there is a higher power at work to make you happy, you feel really good about life.

The Jigsaw Puzzle

I have been shaped by the experiences in my life. The events in my life have shaped me to be who I am today. I don't know any more who I was originally. But I guess, even that wasn't too original.

 

At every stage my life, the circumstances around me have moulded me. They have forced me to adapt. Adaptation is crucial for survival. However, in this process, I did lose some good traits of my personality, improved upon some, gained some new ones and eliminated some bad ones. I don't complain because if I start to complain, I cannot choose to complain about only a part of the events that have altered my personality. The same events had both, positive and negative ramifications.

 

The 'life before' exists, ignorant of the future and the 'life after' exists, at most times wiser due to the past. The life before exists, at times sadder than the future and the life after exists, happier due to the past. The life before can also exist happier than the future and the life after can exist sadder than the past.

 

The words 'before' and 'after' that I use denote a life before and after a point in time. Since time is endless, this point in time could be as minute as a second or as large as a year or more. It really depends on one's perspective and even what passes during that point in time.

 

I believe that any event changes your life and can possible even alter your personality. A happy event makes the life after happier and a sad event will make the life after even sadder. In both instances, you pick up the pieces and move on. Mostly, this phrase is used when something negative has occurred and you need to move on with whatever is left with you. But, what if these pieces refer to a jigsaw puzzle?

 

You might have lost some pieces of the puzzle due to a sad event or you might have found some pieces to complete that puzzle. The goal is to complete that puzzle! If you know what the end picture looks like, then you know what you need to complete it. Sometimes though, you don't know what you have lost nor do you know what the end picture looks like.

 

At times, only when you find some pieces do you realise what the end picture should look like and unfortunately, at times when you lose some pieces forever, you will have to change the end picture istself.

 

What I find most remarkable in this, is the human capacity to persevere. Happiness makes perseverence easier while sadness will make it more difficult. But, what is important is to persevere.

 

I think the secret to perseverence lies in 'perspective'. Perspective is what will help you in seeing the end picture and help you complete it. Whether you are able to complete it or not, will perhaps be decided by God but even if you get close enough to see it materialising, I think it would be definitely worth it.

Life = Something Going On

Is life a continuum?

 

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines it as "a coherent whole characterized as a collection, sequence, or progression of values or elements varying by minute degrees".

 

For me, the crucial part of the definition is the last part - varying by minute degrees. When I think about my life as a continuum, I find it difficult to fit it into this definition. My life has not changed by minute degrees. On the contrary, there have been some quite extreme changes. And, though I say, my life, I find similar instances in the lives of some people I know. Perhaps, it happens in everybody's life.

 

Then why, one might ask, am I thinking about continnum in life. The reason is that I had always thought about life as a continuum, or rather, in continuity. Now, as it turns out, it was even more foolish of me to think about life to be in continuity. The subtle difference in the two terms is that, continuum allows for some variation, whereas continuity does not. However, the closest I could come to a word that would bring some semblance to 'life' as something that has a begining and an end with some changes in it, was 'continuum'.

 

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines continuity as "a: uninterrupted connection, succession, or union; and, b: uninterrupted duration or continuation especially without essential change".

 

Comparing continuum and continuity, I feel more comfortable with the prior than the latter, though still not satisfied with the word. As I understand it, everything that has a begining and an end, is a process and that process involves certain steps. I am sure that people who study spirituality could possibly have a better definition. I am sure that the people who study physics or engineering or any kind of science could give a better definition for what a process is. But for me, as a layman, I consider a process as something that has a begining and an end, and betwixt I have to go through some steps.

 

But, life hasn't given me till now any sense of ontinuity, continuum or process. However, to be a little bit more comfortable with some word that allows me to define 'life', I choose - process. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines process, simply as 'something going on'. Although it scares me to apply this definition to life, it however allows me to at least be a little bit satisfied with what I can call 'life'. Something going on, is not something that inspires confidence in me and nor does it tell me anything. However, my curiosity to define life lessens a tad bit.

 

The most common definition of life that I have heard of till now is that 'life is a journey'. I think that, that is one of the most naive definitions. That time is in the past, when going on a journey meant literally going out into the unknown. Now, even if you need to go to the next town, you get there using a GPS. And, GPS systems are now even available on mobile phones. So, the unknown will only exist in your journey if you go into the moutains or the deserts or the jungles into areas where human habitation is uncommon. So, I think that the definition of 'journey' itself has probably changed. The dictionary I keep referring to, says that journey is an act or instance of travelling from one place to another. The destination is known in a journey, whereas in life, it is not; unless you consider death as your destination. If that is so, then I don't think this blog post is for you.

 

A journey involves travel and travel involves plans. I would really like to meet someone whose life turned out exactly as he or she had planned it (granted they should have had some plans first). In my experience, insignificant as it may perhaps be, nothing goes as planned. Something does go on, and that is - life.

 

So to conclude, a certain degree of acceptance of the definition of life as a process, helps me to accept the sudden changes that happen in life. Since I accept that life is 'something going on', then I also accept that anything can, essentially 'go on'.

 

 

Nissa Bella

 



Nice. It has been my life for a year now. It definitely does not feel like it and it feels like the year has gone by too quickly for me to even notice it. I arrived in Nice, on the French Riviera or the Côte d'Azur as the French call it, on September 2nd, 2011 to start an Msc in Finance in EDHEC Business School. I was excited and yet, clueless!

This was going to be my first foray into the world of Finance. I had studied finance before but I had barely even scraped the basics. It was more of Accounting than actual finance. I had no idea what was in store for me. It has been a year of confusion, moments of brilliance and moments of complete ignorance, making me feel like a Kindergarten student. There were times when I could recognize that there were letters from the English Alphabet in front of me with words I knew the meaning of and also numbers, written in the English style, but it seemed like a completely different language when these words, of which I knew the meaning, made no sense when they were put in that order. There were also times, when I encountered words that I had never heard before (perhaps for good reason) and symbols that represent prehistoric art, rather than mathematical symbols. I am sure that the mathematicans and statisticians, if ever they land on this blog post, would roll their eyes in disbelief; but some times, I have realised, that these ultra-smart people don't really recognize that there exists a world that is completely oblivious to this field and in fact, does not care about it.

I must be honest! I arrived at EDHEC, quite unprepared.  That is very relative and I have had numerous and lengthy discussions with my classmates on how EDHEC had not provided us with the adequate information. The course was intended for people with 'no or little background in finance' (as their website still says). Unfortunately, their interpretation of 'no or little' is highly contestable. EDHEC believed that the statement means, that you should already know about linear Regressions, so you could proceed easily towards Multiple Regression and then go on to understand Heterskedasticity and Homoskedasticity and then finally, the ARCH and GARCH Model. Although I do say finally, it was not finally. It expected people to learn programming in less than 18 hours!

Well, all said and done, I did manage to learn a lot. I was going through a sentence yesterday and I was surprised that at the start of the year, I had not understood it and now I did. I will give it here: "Assumptions of the methods do not coincide with the nature of your research problem - For example, you make a claim about mean-reversion of stock returns and your methodology assumes a geometric Brownian motion."

Although EDHEC was the reason for me to be in Nice, it fulfilled almost a 10-year long desire to learn and improve my French. I had started learning French back in India, but coming to France and improving it here has been simply the best way possible. I had seen a documentary on a travel show a few years back about the French Riviera, and I had thought at that time - "I want to go and live there for some time". When I started skiing not too long ago, I had dreamed of skiing in the Alps and last Winter, not only did I ski in the French Alps, but I also went to Chamonix Ski Resort, where Mont Blanc is located. My first weekend in France, I went to Monte Carlo and experienced one of the most glamorous nights ever. It has been a fabulous year, socially. I have travelled over the last year to Paris, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Geneva, Mont Blanc, Antibes, Cannes, St.Paul de Vence, Eze, Villefranche-sur-mer, Rome, Pisa, Florence and Prague. That list just boggles me.

I have met people in EDHEC from so many countries that it is even difficult to count any more. And, each one as amazing as the previous. The almost intoxicating mix of cultures has been the highlight of my stay in France. I have made friends from so many countries! It feels amazing!

Currently, I am doing an internship at the JW Marriott hotel in Cannes, and although it's not the best and I continue my search for something better, I am working in CANNES!!! Right by the beach!!! 

France has been great to me. And, words fail me to thank this country. The people are extremely nice and very hospitable. The food is great. I have some excellent French friends. Very few French people know how to speak English, but when they see that a non-French is making an effort to speak French, they try to help you and are very much impressed by you. However, some times it has been quite funny that I speak to someone in French and that other person speaks to me in English. I love the French culture. I love it because they are proud of their own language and their own culture and do not feel the need to emulate others. That is what I feel for Maharashtra, my state in India and my mother tongue Marathi. I can understand their thought process because although it's a different country and a different language, the feeling of pride is the same.

 

 



 

It is next to impossible to express your gratitude when there are so many things to be grateful about. How do I say thank you? How do I measure my experiences over the last year? How do I measure my learning? I have been so enriched over the last year that it is humbling.

However, the biggest question of all is;

Where do I go from here?