The Accord

I got my car finally (phew!) and it feels good to be back on the road. It's a simple Honda Accord that just boasts of an AC and single CD player. Later today I'm going to the temple for the regular "Car Puja" and can then begin exploring the place on the roads again !

Grrrrr.....old habits die hard !!

I went to the gas station today and promptly got out of my car, pulled out my credit card and was searching for the card swipe-slot. A curious-looking man in red overalls was staring at me when I realized that at gas stations here people fill up gas for you and you pay them to do so. The credit card machines are not in the gas tank machines but separate entities to be used only by the gas-station workers. Not only do these workers fill gas for you they also wipe your windshield and offer to check the pressure in your tires. DUH !!!

Stupid unaquainted-Amreeka-returns!!

My Mommie is a good bargainer.....

My Mom has been living in this country for over 25 years now. And until yesterday, it never occured to me how chistled her local bargaining skills were. We were at a local bazaar looking at clothes and I kind of liked something and my Mom bargained her way into getting the price she wanted. Her techniques varied from initial disinterest in the product to more vehement denial of seeing such a ridulous price anywhere else to seeming "trust" in the salesman into giving us a good deal.

Hmm, I thought I knew what popular talents in this world were until I saw my Mom bargain today....I guess that's my new mission - to learn the local lingo and know how to bargain with the local bazaar-fellas.

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna....

I waited so long to see the movie in Dubai. And finally saw it today ! Based on lots of reviews, I didn't have any expectations from the movie, but boy, did the movie make me cry.

The huge cinema screens canvassing New York City in all beauty made me remember the wonderful six years I spent in America. Everything from the street-side cafes to Grand Central Station to Walmart and Target made me remember all my wonderful friends, the good times we shared, all the laughter-tears and so on....

I'm not sure when I'll go back there again...but oh well....Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna...!

CD's are passe

It's the weeeekkkkeeennnnndddddddd ! Yep, it's Thursday night out here and the holiday mood is so contagious. I for one, don't even work at this point and yet feel all "weekend-y". The past week was slow, just managed to get settled and unpacked. Can't wait for my car to get here next week, and then life will be more free again ! And oh, in this part of the world, hindi movie CDs are so passe, it's all about the FM channels. There are four grreeaat music channels here that play superb hindi music round the clock and so there is no point in taking CDs with you anywhere.

It's important to know local slang....

Over the last few days I've been familiarizing myself with my surroundings. I think my parents feel I'm acting wierd since I've lived here before and I still time to figure things out...

Some local slang:
- Yaani what haada? (What do you mean?)
- Shufi problem? (Is that a problem?)
- Yalla Barra! (Hurry up!)
- Maafi mushkil (Not a problem)
- Haada not good (I wouldnt recommend this)

...n a tonne more that I still have to re-familiarize with

Crash n Burn baby......

Day 4 in Dubai:

I had my first interview at a local e-Commerce company and very modestly speaking the interview was terrible ! Yep, I wasn't sure what the interviewer was expecting and it occured to me that I was totally unprepared on how to talk to interviewers here. Some exerpts from the interview:

Interviewer: Stop talking about what "we" did, all you talk about is we-we-we. I'm more interested in you. Start talking about youself, say the word I-I-I.

Interviewer: What's so great about eCommerce in America, I think eCommerce is better here

Oh well, crash n burn once baby...!...but remember to pick youself up and fight again.

Thou shall remember....

....dedicated to all those who intend to move back home from the US in the near future.

Thou shall remember....

- water comes from a TAP and not a faucet
- TAP water is not potable - not even by mistake
- there is a 'U' in labor, color, parlor
- an apartment is a house and a house is a villa
- if you don't yell into a phone, the person at the other end will presume u are down with a sever cold/cough/fever.
- date of birth, gender, religion (no, cricket is not an accepted religion), marital status and nationality are important components of a resume
- there are two kinds of drivers on the street - rash drivers and very rash drivers (the rest are killed in accidents)
- Wireless High Speed internet is a luxury
- "loving your independence in USA" is not a polite thing to say in society
- it's not ok to say "aaaaaarrggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" at the end of the day

The pain of adjustment....Miss you Amreeka!!

DSL

I'm back !! yayy and finally wireless DSL is connected at home. My stint in the Americas has made me an addict! Yes...to DSL ! It's been 5 days and I missed orkut, facebook, friendster, gmail, messenger, yahoo finance... n the rest.. but everything looks brighter now with the genious of a wireless router.

Saba

We've been friends since high school and though we went to different universities in the US and worked in different cities, we've supported each other through thick n thin. Last night I was talking to my friends about business netoworking and couldn't help but mention Saba's great networking talents - girl you're in demand, people want to connect with you!

Through weekends shopping together, long phone conversations about work, lengthy discussions on philiosophical topics, boy-talk, discussions on Dubai and so much more, we've been great friends.

I'm gonna miss her!

To all my wonderful friends in Austin....

It's been a little over two years and life here in Austin has been so fulfilling with all of you being there for me. I made a list of things I'm going to miss the most and here they are:

- Hanging out on weekend nights
- Taking forever to place an order in a restaurant
- Midnight conversations by the pool
- Cooking together
- Laughing with (or sometimes at) each other till it hurts
- Long drives to unknown hiking trails that either don't exist ;-) or are too far to go to
- Long discussions on raising pets
- Playing "Mafia", Pictionary an Charades
- Tonnes of emails every Friday and yet no decision on where and when we're going to meet
- Our IST policy and yes, everyone is to blame !
- Dancing at clubs downtown...n at some desi parties
- Antakshari
- g*y jokes
- Shaadi.com or more like Shady.com
- Salsa dancing!
- Uncles and Aunties visiting
- ............
- .......
- ....

N a hundred other that I cannot think of now...

Board games!

Whoever invented board games really knew what they were doing. Till today, I just looove playing Monopoly, Life, Risk, Pictionary, Taboo and a hundred others. Game nights here in Austin have been great especially since I've been able to meet board-game-enthusiasts just like myself. I'm taking Pictionary and Taboo with me to Dubai just so I can "spread the lovë". I've seen board games bring people from all age groups together ! Whoever said, your childhood stops at 18 was wrong! go look at what Pictionary says on the back of its box cover - "for kids 8-100 yrs old"!

Trrraaafffiiiiccccc arghhhh

So I drove from Austin to Dallas today to meet my cousin and my friend Saba. The traffic to get here was horrendous. Arrghhh, wanted to pull my hair down!! We were stagnant on the highway for two hours at a stretch. I'm so glad I'm at Saba's apartment now. More updates when I get to Austin!

CAMRY

Life now feels so terribly odd without a car :-(....I prefer to conveniently forget my student-days when I didn't have a car of my own and still managed "fïne". It feels wierd to not have the freedom to run down the apartment stairs, rush to the parking lot and be off in a few minutes. And yes, I desparately need a car as soon as I land in Dubai...oh well, my beloved Camry will be back this weekend...and I will be able to drive it for two additional days before the car is gone forever :-(

24 years of joy!

The 6th of September will mark 24 years of happiness for my parents - they were arranged married in Mumbai in 1982. It's amazing how they have supported each other though thick and thin. I'm not going to be home this time for their anniversary but have promised to celebrate their 25th anniversary in style in Dubai with them.

I love you Mom n Dad....

P.S. These pictures were taken during our recent trip to Seattle, may 2006

There's something about the way you look tonight....

I've been going to sixth street every few months over the last few years. My experiences have varied, sometimes (despite the crowd) the evening has been boring, n other times there's good music (I love 80's music) and the evening rocks !

We were at sixth street two nights ago and special festive lights were being fixed. The sun had set and despite the summer heat, there was a definite breeze blowing through the streets. The Fall semester had begun and the (much missed over the summer) UT students were back in Austin making the night even more spirited!

It was then I realized, that this may be my last time at sixth street.. so many memories, so many faces, so much fun ! I'll miss u Austin....

Packing is a pain !

I came into this country (like many others) with just two suitcases and over the six years here, those two suitcases have exploded into an apartment full of things. I've been packing n packing n packing, and still cannot see the end...so much stuff... too much extravagance in the last few years ....the apartment is ghost-town combined war-zone. oh but there's craigslist and thank God for it....

Sammi

I just found out that my our family dog (who belongs to my cousins), Sammi passed away. He was 11 and the most loving German Shepherd you's ever meet. :-(...we miss you Sam !

Blogging is fun !!

This is post number four for the day... n I'm loving it !!

When Harry met Sally...oops sorry....

.....when Lucky met Carrie. I've sent Lucky to Dubai a few weeks before I head over there. So he lives with Akash, who incidentally has another cat at home - Carrie.

Our initial intentions were to introduce the two and get them to have each other as playmates. From what is to be believed, Lucky went to Carrie's room this morning, ate her food, sat on her bed and scared her while she timidly sat under the table.

...my lil "Gunda"... be nice!!!...I miss you....

Lucky

So ... I loove animals. My favorite (and only) pet right now is Lucky (aka Lakhan, Bachcha, Fatso, Bebo)...he's the most charming gentleman ever. And yes, he loves to eat....I'm gonna have to put the lil brat on a diet soon ;-).

It's been a little over a year bachcha and I love you...here's to many more years of happiness !

Hello World

Hello, hello ! Here I am finally with my first blog, I've been meaning to do this for soo long... n finally !! My blog is mainly for all my wonderful friends in the US who I will miss soo much as I leave to go back home to Dubai. I really want to keep in touch with you and promise to keep you upto date with all that's happening in my life through this blog.... A big move, many new people and a tonne of new experiences...