Ice, Ice Baby!

Yesterday, I went out with my teammates to ice skate.

All my friends know me for my absolute love for gravity. In other words, I can be pretty clumsy. So I tend to stay faaaar away from such activities.

My first experience with ice skating was around three weeks ago. Sundar, who was an amateur, gave me a few guidelines: Keep your knees bent and never fall backwards. I was determined to at least walk around the rink that evening. So after three tries, I managed to maintain my balance and walk the periphery of the rink.

It was nothing special really. Especially when you were forced to observe kids figure-skate around you. :D

But yesterday was a different story. As I started my usual slipping and sliding, a passive observer gave me a few tips: 'Look straight ahead and make your feet point in a v-shape.' I'm not sure how I got it so quickly but in less than 2 minutes, I was maintaining my balance with no difficulty at all. In less than 5 minutes, I had moved to the center of the rink.

To say in the least, I was ecstatic. Balance was just never my thing. I mastered the first few steps of an art form which I initially thought to be very tricky. And now I have the confidence to do more. :)

Some Old-fashioned American Hospitality

If I could chronicle my entire stay at 'Homestead Suites, Richardson' into the form of a movie, it would be a runaway box office hit. The movie would be a comedy where in the beginning, everything goes wrong but turns out fine in the end.

Ahem. I'm still waiting for the end though.

But here's how the movie would go:

A very beautiful, petite woman travels halfway across the world to the US of A. 'Would there be any aana motta growing on the trees?' Mocha wonders as she makes her way to the hotel.

Scene changes to where she enters the hotel room. She gasps in delight as she looks at the plush surroundings. 'Very nice' she murmurs to her room mate Kat. Who wouldn't be? Take a look at the pics yourself.

'Don't get yourself too comfy', Kat says. 'The hotel service is terrible'. Mocha rolls her eyes in response.

As the days go by, Mocha finds that Kat is right. The front desk 'help' are hostile people who take offense at everything. The manager is even more incompetent albeit slightly less impolite. As a result, Mocha and Kat suffer through weird hotel room rates, clogged bathtubs and ghostly smoke alarms (it sounds a bit like 'wheeeeeee') which go off only when Mocha and Kat are in the room and strangely goes quiet when a third person enters the scene. Regular weekly cleaning service? Yes, if you could redefine the term 'week'. Simple requests such as 'please, give me a detailed bill in only my name' processed? No way, Jose!

The climax is when Kat leaves for India. Mocha is living alone for a few days. But after one tiring day at work, she finds herself locked out of her own room. Wait a minute. She has already paid the bill. But none of the keys, including the masterkey, work.

'I'm sorry ma'am,' the night personnel informs her, after some investigation. 'You're going to have to spend the night in another room. The technician will be over only tomorrow morning.'

Oh boy, Mocha thinks. But she makes her way to the new room at 1 am in the night, after some office-related chores. She hopes to get a good night's sleep. Enter the NEW ghostly smoke alarm. This one goes a loud beeeep after every 180 seconds. Yes. She actually times it. This is while she tosses and turns in bed. Result: no sleep. And we're talking about a heroine who can sleep through the sounds of a bomb or with the sun right next to her pillow.

The next day morning, the technician arrives and works on the electronic lock. After a few new batteries and some reprogramming later, the door magically opens. But wait a second. The room hasn't been cleaned. And it was supposed to be cleaned on Monday-postponed-courtesy-the-lousy-staff-to-Thursday.

Mocha wearily makes her way to work.

What more surprises await our heroine, you- the audience- ask?

I'm sorry. You're going to have to wait like the rest of em.

Though I'm seriously worried about my - err, I mean - HER plight.

:)

'Life in these United States...'

Yes, I know. I haven't blogged.

The past few weeks had been a lil busy for me as there was a lot of work. Scrap that. There IS a lot of work. :)

Yesterday, my team mates and I went on a trip to a wildlife park called Fossil Rim Wildlife Center at Glen Rose, Texas. It's a sanctuary to certain species of deer, giraffes and a few other exotic animals such as the ostrich, rhino and cheetah. We left at 11 am and reached the park by 1 am.

The idea is to interact with these animals/birds by offering food to them (but obviously not the dangerous ones). The first bird we met on our way was the ostrich. It was daring enough to move towards the car as we slowed down. It was also aware that we had food and it kept incessantly pecking on the roof till one of us rolled down the windows and offered food.

Even though in reality deers are very shy and nervous creatures, the deers at the park were quite used to human presense. The Arabian oryx was the most friendly as each one of its kind kept approaching the cars to get more food. My personal favorite was the giraffe. It was so gentle!

We all were famished by the time we sat down for lunch at the picnic area around 3:30 pm. I had never been so happy to see rice and sambhar in my life! :D

After lunch, we found a petting zoo. That's where you could brush down or hold a few farmyard animals. It was a lil funny because the sheep and goats looked so huge around the tummy area that we all thought they were pregnant. As we were exiting the zoo, there was a board that said: 'No, we're NOT pregnant. We just have four-chambered stomachs!' I guess the zoo keepers were a bit tired of answering that question. ;)

On our way back, we saw more giraffes, bison and cheetah. The surrounding areas were beautiful and we even got a spectacular shot of a watering hole.

Here are a few pictures of the whole drive. Click here.

As we made our way back to Dallas, I thought that we were on our way back to the hotel. All of us were tired. But a team mate, Sundar, had other plans. We reached Richardson around 8pm. He took us to a dancing fountain which was near our office. The dancing fountain itself was beautiful and Sundar made us all to splash around in the water. I definitely perked up after that unexpected shower. :D

We reached the hotel by 9pm, all drenched, and then we spent some time reviewing the photos and movie clips that we shot during the day.

Today, the girls (Kat, Poornima, Youngsil and I) spent the day shopping. I thought I'd get bored stiff but this time we shopped for accessories. So, YES! As usual, I went ahead and bought lots and lots and.. LOTS. :) I'm not kidding people, we girls had enough of shopping bags to fit the trunk of our car.

Anyway, one month down. Hopefully less than one month to go.

Yes. I'm homesick. :(

'The Eagle has landed'

With reference to the title, I guess my airplane could be likened to an eagle and well, I didn't really land on the moon but rather Texas.

You heard right. I'm as of now, standing on American soil. Ok, scrap that. To be technically correct, I'm as of now, lying down on my bed in a hotel which has been built on American soil.

For y'all who know me really well, you'd be thinking: 'OMG. This girl has finally obtained her dream.' Umm, yeah sort of. :)

I reached Dallas, Texas last Sunday. The journey consisted of a total of 19 hours on two different flights and I'm not counting the transit time at Frankfurt. But it was a great trip.

My flight from Bangalore to Frankfurt was pretty uneventful since it was a night flight. The man sitting next to me was a pharmaceutical representative on his way to attend a conference at Frankfurt. It was pretty sweet to see the way he was enthusiastic about everything down to the food served. It was, without a doubt, his first time flying. :)

Frankfurt International Airport is pretty big and I had to take a sky-train to reach my terminal. Even though my transit time was around 3 hours, I couldn't go around the airport much. So I took the opportunity to get online and email my family that I was indeed still alive. Simple task? You wish! You'd think that the numerous computer terminals would slightly resemble our computer keyboards. Not even close. These keyboards have keys for everything. Two for space bar (which don't even say 'space'). Two suspicious looking ones that ended up being the ones for left-click and right-click of a mouse. Letter keys placed totally out of sync.. well, you get the picture. To say in the least, you NEED a certification to use those terminals. And this is coming from a software engineer.

So in the span of four minutes (and EUR 4), I managed to log onto gmail, click compose, select the appropriate email address that belongs to my sister and type out the following email to her:
"i reached frankfurt stop flight leaves in one hour stop tell everybody stop this computer is dumb stop bye"

I spent the next one hour trying to analyse how the others fared at such similar terminals. Not very well, let me assure you. :)

The flight from Frankfurt to Dallas, predictably, consisted predominantly of Americans and Germans. I took my place next to an Israeli man, Rafi, and an American woman, Rhonda.

"It's my lucky day", said Rafi, "I never got to sit in the middle. Now that I did, I'm sitting between two women."

This man, fellow ladies, was ONE charmer. :)

It took me very lil time to get comfortable with Rafi and find out about his interesting background. Being a software engineer himself, Rafi too could empathise with the strain of being one and declared that he would stick around in the field for only 2-3 more years before he called it quits and get a job that he really liked.

I've always been fascinated by people who are a product of different cultures and race. Give me a person who's quarter Irish, native American, Thai and Mexican and has spent half of his life travelling around Asia, and I think I'd marry him for it. :D

Rafi was an Israeli, whose father was a Muslim and mother a Christian and who had studied for five years in Cape Town, South Africa. And let's not mention his foreign trips. Ladies and gentlemen, I was in heaven. :D

I asked a lot about his culture and was surprised to hear that his own was a bit conservative as well. They actually practise arranged marriages and dowry! But it's practised a bit differently from mine. The groom, it seems, provides the house, gold and money for the bride. The bride, on the other hand, provides the electronic items necessary for proper functioning of the household. So it's very common to hear mothers-in-law not being happy with what the grooms have given their daughters. Hmm. Interesting twist, don't you think?

Rafi himself had given arranged 'alliance' a try, but couldn't wait to break off his engagement a year later. He said, 'I don't want a woman who can't make her own decisions and whose mother still picks out her clothes. I want someone who's independent and looks beyond money and gold.' Same here, brother, same here. Umm. Except I'd want a man and not a woman, thanks. :D

On Rafi's other side sat Rhonda. Rhonda was a very friendly Texan. Not many people go out of their way to make you comfortable, but she certainly did. 'Is it your first time going to the United States, sweetie?' she asked me. I nodded. 'You must be scared,' she said. 'Now don't you worry. It'll be alright, you hear?'

Rhonda grew up in a small town near Dallas. After a few years of growing up in the States, she went and did what she always wanted to do: live in Europe. So she packed her bags and flew to Italy. Learnt Italian, opened a shop that tailored to her 'big-boned' American clientele and spent 6 years of her life there. After that, she fell in love with an American who worked in a big enterprise in Romania. So they got married and she was on her way to joining him in Romania. 'Now, I get to learn Romanian', Rhonda said. 'It's just one more adventure!'

Sigh. Romantic, don't you think?

Anyway, travelling with these two people was delightful. Ten hours flew by (pun not intended) and we reached Fort Worth, Dallas.

I was a lil scared at the Passport Control. Hundreds and hundreds of tips/advice/do-s and don'ts went by in my head.

"What's the purpose of your visit?" the Immigration officer asked.
"Business", I squeaked.
"How long will you be here?"
"Four to six weeks."
Scrutiny of passport. Fingerprints taken. Stamping on the passport.
"Welcome to the United States, ma'am."

Whew!

A couple of hours later (which included goodbyes to Rhonda & Rafi and a taxi ride), I was brought to the hotel which would be my home for the rest of my stay in Texas.

Folks, I'm IN. :)

Here's one that's not mine...

** This post is going to be very unoriginal. I've copy-pasted a forward that I had received in my email. There was more, but I've copied only what I thought was relevant (and I've changed a bit of it too). **

Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom. The monarch could have killed him but was moved by Arthur's youth and ideals. So, the monarch offered his freedom, as long as he could answer a very difficult question. Arthur would have a year to figure out the answer and if after a year, he still had no answer, he would be put to death. The question was: What do women really want?

Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, and to young Arthur, it seemed and impossible query. But since it was better than death, he accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end.

He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everyone. The princess, the priests, the wise men, and even the court jester. He spoke with everyone, but no one could give him a satisfactory answer. When the last day had arrived, Arthur was at his wits end. Eventually, one of his ministers asked him to consult a very wise old woman who lived beyond the highest hills and the deepest oceans, for she would definitely have an answer.

He went beyond the highest hills and the deepest oceans to meet the old woman. His question thus: "What does a woman really want?"

She said, "To be in charge of her own life."

He instantly knew that the woman had uttered a great truth. And that Arthur's life would be spared.

And so it was.

The neighboring monarch granted Arthur his freedom.

:)

"Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...

... Can I be the fairest of them all?"

I'll admit. I have a beauty regime I strictly follow every Saturday evening. It's one of those ways I use to relax myself and I also do it so that I do not look horrible the following Monday morning.

When I told a guy friend about this, he started ranting about the evils of cosmetic products and procedures and finished off with "Whatever happened to natural beauty?" The very next moment, he got distracted by a very pretty woman, wearing at least an inch-thick of makeup, walking by.

Once back in college, while I was talking to a classmate, he looked at my arms and asked "Why don't you shave your arms? And your skin tone seems uneven. Why don't you do something about it?" I was surprised that he noticed all of this. I asked him, "Why do you give so much importance to looks? Why is it a definite must for all girls to look pretty even if it's through artificial means?" He shrugged his shoulders and said "Girls have to look pretty. That's the way it is."

Then we have women who sometimes involve themselves in some competition of sorts. Who's the prettiest? Who's the slimmest? Who's the trendiest?

We are all equally guilty of setting standards when it comes to beauty and rules about what we should and shouldn't be. And being humans, we are apt to being insecure when we don't meet those standards and we succumb to the pressure of it all. That's when we ramp up to do something about it. So if cosmetics helps the process, why be a hypocrite and crib rather than accept it?

I understand that it can be a vicious circle. The latest of products claim to make you look younger/fairer/prettier which makes you buy them which sets the new trend for 'beauty' and so on...

I wish I lived in a world where external appearances meant nothing. But I don't. What I can do is either choose to be unconcerned about it and be happy with what I have even though it may mean being one of the uglier ones or I could get 'help', be more prettier and be fine with it anyway.

What I'm trying to say is that natural beauty is almost a thing of the past. It's very rare to find. Cosmetics, when not used in excessive amounts, are good and help ease at least some of the pressure a person finds himself/herself under.

Unless something radical is done to change the concept of beauty or people are suddenly blessed with tremendous amounts of self-esteem, cosmetics will always be used. By men and women alike.

So get used to it.

Yes, I'm still alive!

Right then. I'm back after a REALLY long Sabbatical.

Excuses? Nada except plain laziness and the fact that I'm constantly under the watchful and rather prying eyes of my manager and let's not forget that I'm just a very very VERY busy girl. By the by, the last one was not only an excuse but also a downright lie. :D

Here's a link for starters: How To Save A Life

Y'all must have heard this one about a million times, but I'm ashamed to admit that I got around to listening to this one only say a few days ago. Some songs move me and this is definitely one of those. For those who don't know, this song is about troubled teens. I get choked up especially during the chorus and I have to say that the singer sings with a lot of emotion, which can be pretty difficult to convey. That's my opinion anyway.

Speaking about music and emotion, I've never really watched American Idol. When my sis got back from her biz trip with around 15 GB of American Idol '08 on her HDD, I was mildly disgusted. 'Umm, hello, don't the words Scrubs Season 7 mean anything to you?' I wanted to ask. Anyway, I decided to give it a chance and...

... My OH my! Not only is David Cook (American Idol '08) a very talented and an original singer, he is also super cute! :D Anyways, his prior experience in music gave him an extra edge in the competition and he reinvented a couple of risky songs which sounded great. To say the least, I am a fan.

Moving along, my family is in town. That event by itself is worth around 2-3 blog posts. :D

Aaaannnd me signing off this short note before my manager gives me the evil eye for the FOURTH time today.

:)

Women Vs Weight

** This short post has been inspired by Scrubs Season 2 Episode 3 titled 'My Case Study' **

There are, perhaps, only a handful of women who'd honestly and confidently say, 'I'm the right size and I'm happy with my body.'

The rest of us fair, lesser mortals are doomed to whining about our over-sized (or undersized) busts, bellies and behinds (However my pet peeve are my 'biceps'. They fall under the over-sized category. In your face, Yokozuna).

My own life is really a chart from Chubby to Overweight to Obese to Plump and back to Annoyingly Overweight. There has never been a Just Right.

W vs W is a timeless battle and I personally don't have any girl friends who have won the 'war'. I guess you can blame it on the fashion industry who decides what is the next size 0 (If I got it right, it's currently 32-24-32) or maybe even that big group of male jerks (oops, did I just anger my male friends? You're not part of them, sweeties!). But in the end, it all boils down to your own self-esteem.

I admire those handful of women who don't really care how their bodies look. They haven't let themselves 'go'. In fact, they are the only ones who truly appreciate themselves and know what's really important in life.

I'm striving to be like that. To be Healthy and forget about Weight. Obviously it's very difficult. But definitely achieveable.

:)

Sandeep

A chubby face. Barely any strength left. Trapped in his body. Unable to speak. That's how Sandeep Menon, my batchmate, spent his last few hours on earth.

If I could imagine his free spirit right now, he would be hovering right over my shoulder, laughing at every word I typed. 'Trapped?' he'd say, 'Damn right! But chubby? Give me a break, I was still as handsome as ever!'

That's how I remember Sandeep: Funny, enthusiastic, positive, this one bright beam of energy.

He was not my close friend. I can't tell you what his favorite color was or how he liked his food. But he was one of those magnetic personalities whom you couldn't draw away from.

Everyone from my college days knew who Sandeep Menon was. And almost everybody can tell you how he touched their lives.

In my case, he gave me that extra shot of confidence. He never once made fun of my broken Malayalam. Called me pretty when I felt least so. And when I was most worried about changing jobs, all he said was 'Go for it. You won't regret it.' And I haven't. Not one bit.

Like I said, I didn't know Sandeep much. I visited him when he got sick for the first time. Met him a couple of times in Bangalore. Scrapped each other on facebook. After that, I didn't keep in touch.

When Sandeep got hospitalized for the last time, I didn't want to see him. I preferred to keep only happy memories of him inside. Call me a coward, if you will.

Sheryl let me know as we spoke on the phone, 'I can't imagine a world without him.'

I don't think a lot of people can.

Right now, I can't get myself to say 'Sandeep, may you rest in peace.' Because having known him, this would be more apt: 'Dude, have a great time at that never ending party in the sky'.

Anyway, Sandeep, my man, someday we'll meet again. Till then, I have to say... goodbye.

Musings

Ever get the feeling that you're the only constant factor in your own world?

Everything and everybody else is racing against time. People have their own agenda, own dreams to fulfil.

And you? You find yourself flailing about in self-doubt and uncertainity.

Sigh.

It's times like this when I get comfort from these lyrics of a song:'... Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives; some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't...'

Now I wait for that epiphany to strike...

Back to where I started from...

Knowing myself, I was sure that it was just a matter of time before I reached this state. So here goes: Personally speaking, I liked Korea more than I do Bangalore.

There's NOTHING to do here.

Maybe it was the novelty of a new country, but I truly had fun in South Korea.

Anyway, that put aside, here's news from my Bangalore-ian life: Someone's stolen my porch light bulb and I haven't seen my newspapers all week.

Ladies and gentlemen: Welcome to India.

To All My Friends...

... See you soon because BABY, I'M COMING HOME!! :D

Yes, today is my last day in S Korea. I'm heading back to Bangalore tomorrow morning.

Am I unhappy to leave Suwon? Sure, coz these are the things I'll definitely miss:
1. Being able to stay out late (this includes work/late night movie shows/midnight cravings for M&Ms which lead to trips to HomePlus)
2. Pollution-free AND traffic-free commutes to work
3. The lack of bloody-thirsty autorikshaw drivers.
4. The luxury of having someone cooking for me
5. My weekend outings :(

Oh great. Now I feel sad.

Buuut I hope I'll get a chance to come back at some point and go on that trip to Everland. :)

As of now, there's no place like home. Right? :)

Why I hate shopping and other solved mysteries

Many people think that girls, by default, love shopping.

I beg to differ. I absolutely detest it. In fact, I prefer grocery-shopping.

Really.

So when I am asked by my friends to go shopping, I inwardly sigh and groan. Because that usually means a one-day trip to countless number of stores where the person concerned chooses a dress, scrutinizes it, decides that she doesn't like really those buttons and then dumps the dress back on the rack. If it's REALLY my lucky day, she'll be tempted to try it on and then we'll go through an inch-by-inch analysis of how the whole outfit fits her. And then she'll decide that she doesn't like those buttons anyway and then dumps the dress back on the rack.

Let's take the case of my sister, Bes, who visited Suwon the past weekend.

She takes fancy to a pair of very pretty lavender shoes at HomePlus. 'Buy it or if you're that unsure, we'll go visit another mall', I say. She decides to pass and move on. So enter Kim's Club. We discover nada there after 1 hour of browsing. It's late so we call it a day. The next day, we go to a Seoul station shoe vendor. Bes likes a pair of black shoes there. 'But do I really want it? Will it go with all my clothes?' she asks. 'Who cares? Just buy it! Its just $10!' I say. 'I don't want to buy something just for the sake of it!' she says after she gives those shoes a longing look as we head out to Namdaemun market. Eventually we find out that the big place doesn't give any room for my sis to satisfy her feet. So we backtrack to Seoul station. 'You just have to buy those shoes, you know' I tell Bes. After some 10 minutes of staring at those particular black shoes and trying them on, she says no. 'I prefer the ones from HomePlus'. On our way back, we drop into another shore store at Suwon station ('Just in case I like something'). Surprise surprise. Zilch there.

So once again, we go back to where we started: HomePlus. She picks out two dresses and two pairs of matching shoes (one of which is the same lavender pair she had her eyes on since the previous evening). 'Which one pair should I buy?' she asks. 'Make life easier and get both!' I say, frankly, a lil sick of looking at shoes all day.

'Of course not!' she retorts 'I have value for money!'

But apparently not for time. Phooey.

While my sister wrings her hands in despair to make up her mind, I set up camp at the shoe section.

Gonna be one long night.

But she makes a decision in less than 20 minutes.

Really.

She decides to buy one dress and both pairs of shoes (not lavender, but the same shoes in grey).

So. Do you see what I mean?

Ok, I'm not saying that I'm the perfect angel. In fact, I need moral support when I do decide to go shopping (which is only once in 3 months or something - thank God). That's because whatever I like never comes in my size or price range. I mean, c'mon, just because I'm a big person doesn't mean that I don't have taste in clothes and neither do I rather prefer to look like a clown. On the appointed day, I rally up some of my good friends (Or those whose are bored stiff doing nothing on the weekend) and I depend on them to help me through those nightmares. When I get depressed, friends give me cocoa and a pep-talk to lift my spirits up. Then they prod me into trying out stuff so that I'll eventually get through the day with at least one piece in hand.

Usually I'm satisfied with my new outfit till around 3 months later, my sis complains that my clothes are getting old.

'Oh no!' I think, 'It's time for another cocoa-guzzling session!!'

:)

[PS Girlfriends/Sisters, I still love our shopping trips! :) ]
[PPS Genius, this post mentions no 'other solved mysteries' :P]

Photos

This is the link that I promised to provide in my previous post. It has Seoul pics, mostly shot by my sis.

Seoul-searching with my sister

It feels really good to have family around. You can be yourself around them and you get a chance to pamper the ones you love.

My sis was down for the weekend. She got here on Thursday evening and left yesterday morning. I couldn't show her around South Korea much but I hope she had as much fun as I did.

The evening she arrived, we went to Outback Steakhouse. Over dinner, we laughed and talked... We didn't notice the time fly by and got out only around 9 pm. It was still too early to go back to the GH, so we thought we'd go see '10,000 BC' at the theater nearby. BTW, the movie isn't good unless you count the special effects. Everything else about it is pretty much a cliche. We got back at 11:30 and I fell asleep while we watched Scrubs.

Next day, my sis and I decided to meet for lunch at a complex near my office. Knowing her sense of direction (which is even worse than mine), I had drawn her a map and even showed her the route to get there. Unfortunately, even with those directions, my sis took a wrong turn while I waited at 12:30 that afternoon. So began our game of Miss-The-Other as we took turns waiting at the complex as the other went crazy with worry and waited at the GH (that would be me) or waited at the office security gate (that would be my sis). Eventually, we found each other online after I went back to the office and she got back to our room. Anyway, we obviously skipped the idea of having lunch.

Here's a special mention to Rag because... well, he knows why. :)

I left office early that day. My sis and I decided to go mall-shopping. After having a dinner of burger & fries, we went to HomePlus and then to Kim's Club. As it was still early (for a Friday night, people!), we decided to watch a movie again. We took a chance with 'Amazing Grace' and while we waited to be ushered in, we shopped at a 1000 won store and picked up many frivolous trinkets. :D

The movie was OK. It was sorta touching but I think I would have absorbed it much better on the small-screen.

After the movie, I could tell my sis was wide awake and the last thing on her mind was sleep. Unfortunately, I was bone-tired and could barely muster the strength to reach the GH. But now I wish we could at least have gone for a walk. :(

Moving on, our Saturday plan was to see Seoul. First stop was Changgyeonggung Palace which is near Hyehwa. I have to admit, I had my reservations about it. The palace had gotten good reviews from the Internet but I thought 'it's just grounds. It would be boring to visit'. But let me tell you, the palace was the highlight of the day.

I'm really not sure if I can describe my experience in words. The moment you step through the gates, you feel as though you've travelled back in time. I was awestruck looking at the palatial buildings and the gardens surrounding them. The palace buildings by themselves are not very grand but they have a quiet elegance about them. The tranquility and peace I felt there was amazing. I was very content in walking around or even sitting down, taking in my fill of these ancient grounds and admiring the architecture.

It's spring in Korea. Trees are growing back their leaves. Flowers are blooming. I've always considered myself as a winter person... but that's only because I haven't seen flowers bloom. To say its magical is a very big understatement. Spring looks beautiful. As did those bountiful gardens on those grounds. My sis has taken pics of the palace and the gardens. I'll upload them but I don't think anything apart from being there and actually experiencing it will help describe the ambiance I felt at the time. :)

After the palace, we took the time out to go visit what we thought was a museum dedicated to art and architecture. It was, in fact, a kid's science museum. But it was fun looking at excited Korean kids trying out gizmos and gadgets.

We got back to Seoul and I took my sis to Namdemun market. I thought she would have a ball of a time, shopping for trinkets and all. But she didn't find anything that suited her taste. So after that disappointment for both of us, we thought of going back to Suwon. But on the way to Seoul station, we stopped at a very quaint Italian restaurant. We weren't hungry so we only ordered a small pizza. American music of maybe the 40s was playing in the background. The food was really good and once again, we both sat in comfortable silence. :)

After boarding KTX, we reached Suwon station around 8pm. By then, it had started raining. We got caught in the rain as we waited for a taxi to take us back to the GH. I was growing miserable by the minute since I had still not bought anything for my sister. After around 20 minutes of waiting, we were able to hail a cab and get back. Dinner was good though, and I felt happy after my sis complimented the food.

We thought of going back to HomePlus to try our luck again. And yay, Lady Luck was there to help us out. My sis bought a dress and coupla shoes. So yay, I was happy again. :)

That day, settling in at the GH took some time as my sis had to pack her things.

We got up at 5:30 am the next day. Finally left for the Limosuine bus-stop around 7am. We reached the Airport in around 1 hour. I didn't know this but in Incheon Airport, the passengers and their friends are allowed together even at check-in time. We had breakfast together but I must say I was jittery with pre-flight issues... Yeah, I know, I wasn't the one who was travelling but I consider myself as a protective sister. :D After making sure my sister got through International Boarding without any issues, I headed to the airport bus stand to get back to Suwon and my GH.

Exhausted by the time I got home, I stayed in my room the entire Sunday, alternating between sleeping and watching TV.

It was an eventful and satisfying weekend. :)

Links

This is an interesting link. A series of clues helps you to finish the game. :)
Game

Oh, and here's a complete map to where I live and work!
My South Korean World

It's gone to the dogs, I tell you

I went for a walk to the park yesterday evening. I came across a Korean woman and her two dogs. I couldn't resist taking a couple of photos:

The dogs (mother and son duo) were absolutely adorable and very obedient. They even let me pet them. Awww... :)

Weekend escapades

I haven't written about my previous weekends in Suwon. It's because I didn't have the time. I was busy at work... and yes, there's a tinge of laziness floating somewhere around. :)

Two weeks ago, KG, SuResh, Rag & I went to Itaewon. I knew that we were headed for a tourist shopping area, but knowing myself, I thought I wouldn't be tempted to buy much. So I carried some 50,000 wons ($50 approx) and also some dollars for money exchange (the rent was due, you see).

We got off at Yongsan station and then we took a taxi to Itaewon. We went to a shopping area that is mainly along both sides of a street. It resembles Commercial Street of Bangalore, but not as crowded. Since Itaewon is sorta tourist-ridden, there are many international eat-outs like Subway, PizzaHut, BurgerKing etc. Needless to say, you don't feel like a outsider there... because 75% of people that you see on the roads are foreigners too! :)

SuResh is great at bargaining. I think it's one of his hidden talents! :D He helped me buy many, many, MANY things (my supply of 50,000 wons got over during my third purchase. That's when I plunged into my rent-money!). I was amazed to find guys (read SuResh and KG) who are very into shopping as well. We got into any shop that tempted us, haggled about the prices and got out with at least one of us having bought something.

After spending a good two hours in Itaewon, we went back to the electronic market in Yongsan. The guys bought even more electronic gadgets from there and then we started our way back to Suwon. KG showed me a good knick-knacks store at Suwon metro station itself. Once again, all of us got into a shopping-spree mode... Needless to say, it was lots of fun. :D

I spent the Sunday that followed watching Terminator-2 on TV and working for a couple of hours at the office. I also went to HomePlus with KG, Rag and SuResh to help (read watch) them buy clothes and other miscellaneous goodies.

The next weekend was the last KG, SuResh and Subbu would be spending in Korea since they were headed back to India on 15th of March. On Saturday, we went to Galleria for a couple of hours.

Galleria is a departmental store. It's mainly devoted to international brands like Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, DKNY, Chanel... Well, you get the point. :) I had my fill of admiring women's clothing and gawking at the respective prices. Some of the guys bought a few sports shoes from the Fila showroom.

After Galleria, Sid, Subbu & I spontaneously decided to go watch a movie at the theater nearby. We got tickets for Vantage Point. About the movie, well yeah it was ok. You can watch it, I guess. It's just that at one point while I was watching it, I got a lil tired of the flashbacks. Climax could have been better... Ok, I can seriously go on (and on and ON) criticizing anything, so I'll just stop. :)

The next Sunday, we went to Namdemun market. I think it's called the biggest market in South Korea. The guys were as usual in shopping-spree mode. :) I didn't buy that much though.

After shopping loads, we decided to check out N Seoul Tower. There's an observatory at the top of the tower. We thought it would be a different experience. Unfortunately, the gang got split up. The group I was in arrived at the Tower first. We waited for the second group to arrive. But they reached a different entrance and them (or us) not knowing any better, went in. After waiting in vain for around an hour (and hence missing the other group completely), we decided to go in as well.

63City had been a good experience. That was also my first time in an observatory. But N Seoul Tower had a similar observatory and so was very pretty boring. Anyway, after getting out of the tower, we rode on a local bus (my first time!) to Itaewon. From there, we went by metro to Suwon (had to change 3 trains and hence took around 1.5 hours). But the company I had was good. We exchanged stories about college and other fun topics. :)

Whew. So that's what happened the past 2 weeks. For the weekend that just went by, well I guess I'll post that later. <-- Yes, procrastination doing it's work here. :)

My Midnight Moods (In the literal way, people!)

Even though it was a Friday evening, I had none of the weekend cheer. I was determined to finish my work on Friday itself since I couldn't come the following Saturday to complete it. So, it was 11:30pm before I got out of the Samsung campus.

I was in my office-mood -you know the one where you're still thinking about your work even though you're physically out of the office.

Exhausted, slightly cranky and very hungry, I was almost sure that by the time I got back, there wouldn't be any dinner left over at the GH. So I decided to skip the taxi home and try to find anything on the way which seemed even slightly edible. Hell, even bland seafood-y Korean stuff was an option right then.

But God loves me. So even at 12 am, a lot of the familar eat-outs were still open.

I looked around to mentally assess my choices:
* MoMo shop. Nada. Want something more substantial.
* Isaac's. Way too hungry for a small sandwhich.
* Pizza. Not in a mood for that much cheese.
* Sheffy's Hotdog. Now THAT'S what I'm talking about!! <--ok, catch phrase from Scrubs, couldn't resist.

While I waited for my hotdog (Chilli, yumm!), I noticed that at the store, apart from the expected adult crowd, there were school kids too! My reaction: "That's not fair! Kids get to hang out outside at 12 am in Suwon, while I have to get into the house by 10pm in Blore???" <-- BTW, that's not pathetic, it's just this safety thing... And the fact that I don't get to go out much :D

A couple of giggly school girls sat nearby, eating their icecreams. It made me feel a lil nostalgic about my school days (and oh, that made me feel old. But let's not go there :D). There was a Korean sitcom playing on TV, so I amused myself watching it (and no, I didn't understand a word). My point is that my office-mood was slowly melting away.

It's the little things that make me happy. I got my hotdog. I decided to eat it on my way home. I saw a lot of people enjoying their night out. When I got back to the GH, one of my favorite songs was playing on TV, and there was still some food left. Yay, it was egg-burji! My favorite! :D After a short dinner and bopping my head to the music, I went up to my room, tucked myself in bed and watched 6 episodes of Scrubs at a stretch.

And that was when my mind FINALLY sang out: "Work? What work? TGIF ALL the way..." :)

Reviews and what not

I've been downloading and watching quite a few movies lately (though they may be rated 'old' in a movie buff's list), so why not a few personal reviews and unwanted opinion? :D

#1: Juno
This one won an Oscar for Original Screenplay and rightly so. It's pretty different and is (sarcastically) funny at times. I'm not sure if I'd watch it a second time... Was not exactly feel-good for me, and it didn't leave me wondering long after the credits. But yeah, definitely worth a watch.

#2: The Reaping
Ugh. Don't bother with this one. I usually get sleepless nights after watching even the lamest of horror flicks. But this was so pointless that I don't even remember the storyline now.

#3: Beowulf
For some reason, this animated movie gave me the creeps. Really! With all its spooky music, setting and animated characters... I'd give it a 3/5

On my download list: 1. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975) 2. Scrubs Season 5

Songs I'm listening to at the moment:
1. Sunny came home - Shawn Colvin (The guitar is amazing)
2. All I wanna do - Sheryl Crow
3. You were meant for me - Jewel (If I could have anyone's voice, I'd choose hers)
4. Foolish games - Jewel
5. Stay - Lisa Loeb
6. Where have all the cowboys gone - Paula Cole (Amazing video)
7. Song 2 - Blur
8. I'm with you - Avril Lavigne
9. One of us - Joan Osbourne (Lyrics for this one)
10. Complicated - Avril Lavigne (Remember, DJ? :) )
11. Linger - The Cranberries

Yeah, they're music from the last decade (except Avril Lavigne of course). I miss the 90s. :(

Lastly, some food for thought: Guys and girls are really different. <-- Yeah, I know, that's a no-brainer. But I felt the 'full force' of it only half an hour ago. I was trying to make a guy understand what the 'problem' was (it wasn't technical), but he didn't get it at all. He kept offering solutions to a problem which didn't exist even though I tried to make it clear to him several times. It could have been because he was least bothered. That's true. But anyways, I explained the problem to another girl friend and she told me exactly what I needed to know.

So it made me think. And I'll leave it at that. :)

TeamLunch

Two words that never cease to make me break out into a sweat (apart from 'no sugar') are 'Team Lunch'.

Before my first, I used to think that team lunches were all about fun and food... A mini party even! How great it is to finally know your fellow colleagues a lil more personally. It's something that makes them seem slightly human (Note: I have not used the terms 'more human').

But here are the hard facts: team lunches are socially awkward occasions where you endure long uncomfortable silences with people whom you hardly know outside the office whilst you push around food on your plate. A time during which people suddenly turn religious and pray to God, pleading with Him that time flies by quickly... Well fat chance, my friend, God ain't listening. Time crawls slower during a team lunch than it does while waiting for a typical Bangalorean traffic jam to clear.

Yes, that slow.

Have you noticed that even the people you are remotely comfortable with, suddenly act all awkward and weird when they have a dining table and some silver-ware put in front of them? It's like they don't know what to do under the circumstances... 'Do I go friendly all the way? No wait, that doesn't suit the occasion! Better to act grave like someone just died.'

It's true! I used to face that (and act accordingly, I admit) in my former company all the time. The last time I attended a lunch in my previous company was one week after I gave in my resignation letter. The party was because of a successful hardware completion which would help us software engineers achieve our target. I was going to leave the company long before that target would have been reached. Boy, was I feeling uncomfortable during that afternoon.

But then again, I have to admit... team lunches are best of the lot, especially when you compare them to office parties. :D

Why am I suddenly writing about unofficial intra-personal 'meetings' all of a sudden? Aah, it's just because I attended one during the afternoon today. :)

[Oh, before I sign off: I realised that I violated my one-word-for-a-title rule. The rule was purposefully enforced because I sincerely believe that an eloquent person can express all in one word. And if I had to go drag myself to a thesaurus to do it, I would have... Unfortunately, the enforced rule created nothing but unoriginality and more laziness. I couldn't be bothered to find one word that conveyed - you guessed it- 'Team Lunch', and hence the title of this post!!! :D ]

Oopsies

I was browsing through a series of blogs before I stumbled across this particular post: http://annseries.blogspot.com/2008/01/malayalam-ariyilla.html

Not gonna offer any opinion or thought on the matter, but I thought I'd put up my own set of Bloopers (where I mispronounced a few Malayalam words) too.

Four years ago
My hostel roommies and I are sitting around in a circle and generally chatting/teaching myself Malayalam (slang included) on the side.

Me: Hmm.. I can't stand pavakkya (bitter-gourd). Hate the stuff really.

NJ: Me too! Ente chechi gathiketale pickle kazhiku (My elder sister eats pickle when there is no other option).

Me (not understanding the word 'gathiketale' and thinking it was some sort of fruit): Really? What kinda pickle is that?

A moment of silence before my friends burst into laughter and another few months before they let me live it down. :D


Along the same time-line
My roommies are discussing gossip and I join in.

Me: '... That's it! Can you believe that happened to us?' Then what I mean to say next is 'Daddy knetti poyi' (My father got shocked), but what comes out is 'Daddy nettille poyi' (My father logged onto the Net).

A moment of silence again...

Viddy: Umm... If that's how you people deal with disturbing things like that...


Last year
I was talking to Monkey-ma at the flat about natural distasters.

Me: 'Pinne, in Japan, they have... what's the word?' I was trying to translate the word 'earth-quake' in my mind. What I meant to say was 'Bhoomi-kulukam' What came out was 'Bootham kulikum'(Ghost bath)!!!


My personal favorite (I still laugh at this one)
At one time, we used to have a water supply problem back at the Cochin flat. So each time the building water tanks emptied itself, we had to take turns to call up the watchman downstairs and ask him to do the honors of switching on the motor.

One day, it was my turn to call.

When the watchman answered the phone, what I should have asked was: 'Chetah, motor addicho?' (Elder brother, did you switch on the motor?')

Unfortunately I asked: 'Chetah, vellum addicho?' ('Did you get drunk?')

The poor soul started sputtering on the other end and my flat mates were roaring with laughter in the background before I realised my mistake...

:D

Again!

It snowed again!

This time, the transition from a dry, barren ground to a winter wonderland happened right in front of my eyes.

It started off with the normal slightly-cold morning. At noon, as I had lunch outside, I noticed that the weather wasn't as sunny as it should have been but was, in fact, cloudy. So I predicted rain. After all, it did rain last Friday, I thought.

The afternoon wore on as I worked near one of the office windows. Then I noticed the air outside suddenly grow foggy and misty... Wait a second! That's not fog! That's not rain! It's SNOW! OMG!!

Rag and I couldn't wait to go down to the basement to have a look at the beautiful white snow... The short conical bushes on the grounds looked like Christmas trees from one of those English movies. :)

It didn't stop snowing even at night when we made our way back to the GH after work.

After having dinner, I had to go to a nearby convenience store to buy a few things. The short walk also gave me time to appreciate the crunch and the softness of newly formed snow beneath my shoes. I couldn't help periodically swooping down and crushing snow in my hands too. Kinda childish of me, I admit. :)

At the store, I was a bit preoccupied and as I was wondering how much to pay, the salesman replied 'In Korean, simchan won means 3000 Korean wons.' I was surprised. A Korean willingly speaking English to me! He said, 'Thankyou! That's Khamsamida in Korean' and then he smiled.

As I made my way back to to the GH, I couldn't but feel ridiculously happy.

Yep.

Snow + a cute Korean. My favorite combination to end any day. :D

Sliders

While I was growing up, I used to watch a television series called Sliders that was aired every Thursday evening at 8pm on Channel 33. Apart from having a major crush on one of the stars (Jerry O'Connell who played Quinn Mallory), I loved the theme of the show: alternate dimensions and parallel universes.

In this universe, you're this person who has done so much. But what if you changed one decision and that caused you to take another road at a junction, altering your entire life... The idea is mind-boggling to me. :)

You may think that I'm the weirdest person alive, but it really is fun to think about it. Like for example, my mom got an opportunity to work in USA when she was younger. Being newly-weds then, my Dad asked her not to go so far away but live together in Dubai instead. That's where my parents started our family.

So if I use this parallel dimensions theory, had I been brought up in the States, I know a lot of things would be different from what it is now: from my education, profession, opportunities, priorities right down to my personality. Of course, it does mean not knowing the wonderful people I have met till now...

Anyways.

So whatdya think? If such a thing existed, who would you be in an alternate universe?

Valentine

It was Valentine's Day yesterday!

Like any other place, there had been V-Day hype going on in Suwon for quite some time. Restaurants and coffee bars offered that special something for the loved one, blah blah and oh, BLAH.

So I had gone to HomePlus, the previous weekend, to take a sneak-peek. As expected, there were the usual Valentine's Day paraphernalia like heart-shaped balloons, gifts, teddy bears etc

But get this: on one side of the bakery section, propped up against a wall, was a 20-foot long table which was FILLED with chocolates. So many different kinds of them! Some were wrapped in gold foil, some in classy boxes and others in girly ones with pink ribbons. There were also packets and packets of Ferraro Rocher, Belgian and other luxury chocolates plus giant packs of the normal garden-variety like M&Ms, Snickers, Twix... I was in HEAVEN. I took my own sweet time (15 minutes) in finding a small box for myself..

Sigh.

Now I can die happy. :D

Back to Valentine's Day. Did you know that in South Korea it's the women who give chocolates? Apart from being shocked beyond belief when I heard that, I instantly thought of women bondage and those poor ladies who had to give up their special milk/white/dark/minted chocolates to a buncha idiots who probably didn't deserve them (the chocolates, I mean) in the first place.

Oh you all, I'm just kidding! Me just a teeny wee bit possessive when it comes to my beloved... :D

Anyway, last night, the GH owner's sister gave us home-made chocolates as after-dinner dessert. They were very, VERY good. In fact, the next time I go home, I'm gonna rip off a few recipes from the Internet and try making some myself. :)

Oh, I forgot! Yesterday, my colleagues, Rag & Sid, gave me a few candies too.

Thank God for sweet guys. That's how I get by. :D

(And yes I know, this is yet ANOTHER entry about food!!)

63City

The Koreans celebrated their lunar New Year on Feb 7th. So on account of this occasion, all offices were closed from Feb 6th to 8th making it a 5-day weekend. Sounds like fun? Yeah, it would have been had I not gone for work on those days. Sigh.

I came home late on Friday, around 1 am. But I still wanted to celebrate it being the beginning of the weekend (TGIF all the way!). So I talked on the phone till around 2 am and then watched the movie 'Monster'. I guess I slept off at 4:00 am or so while I was trying to fit in 'PS I love you' too.

Next day, I woke up at 10 am. I felt like listening to silly love songs and found John Mayer's 'Your body is a wonderland' on youtube (Click here for link to the song). A part of the lyrics are trash like 'Your skin like porcelain; one pair of candy lips and your bubblegum tongue'... but I love the accoustics and when you come down to it, it does make a person - at least a girl - feel good. :)

Sightseeing plan for the day was 63City. It's a 63-floor building near Yongsan. Tourist attractions are Seaworld, Skydeck, IMAX theater and a variety of restaurants.

My colleagues and I started out around 2pm. After we got off the metro, it took us a while to get to the Tower. But the walk down was wonderful because we took a path which is adjacent to Han river. The river view was beautiful and there were even swans and ducks swimming along the shores. It would have been pleasant for cyclists/joggers/runners or just plain walkers like me. You can click here to see Han River pics.

I've never been to an aquarium before. So Sea World at 63Tower was a good first experience for me. There were sea lions, otters, penguins... Very interesting and good fun.

After that, we went up to Skydeck. That's where tourists can have a glimpse of the city from the 60th floor. Lemme tell ya, the view was AWESOME. The night sky was filled with twinking lights from the city below. Anyway, you can click here for 63City pics.

Just a footnote: the elevators at 63Tower work very, VERY fast. I was amazed looking at the floors whiz by when we were making our way down to the first floor...

Anyway, after leaving the building, we went to a ferry dock which was nearby and took a 60-minute ferry ride. I seriously have no idea how time flew by! The river side view from the ferry was beautiful as we went underneath bridges, one after the other. The ferry ride was comfortable with indoor seating as well as outdoor. And this is my favorite - the ferry even had its own juice/drink/snack bar :D

I loved the ride. It made me feel so vibrant and alive. And happy to spend my time in South Korea. :)

After reaching the dock, it took us a while to get to the nearest metro station (or was it really the nearest?). It was kinda funny trying to figure out how to get back. Eventually, we decided to change 3 trains to get to Suwon. Reached Park-22 around 11am. I had my dinner, watched reruns and then went to sleep at 1am. :)

Single

DISCLAIMER: The following blog entry is NOT to be taken as an offense but rather to be taken LIGHTLY.

Being 'Single' can break a person, I tell you.

Before College

Mom: 'Kochava, when you go to college, you may be tempted to have a boyfriend. I want you to remember who you are because you're not allowed to have anything of that sort. Keep friendships to a limit.'

Me: 'Umm ok...'
(Damn!)

Four Years Later... After Mom ripping almost all of her hair out, one sis is finally married off and another one is refusing to do so.

Me: 'Guess what, Mom, do you remember that guy T----- from my class? He has a girl friend and they're planning to get married soon.'

Mom: 'See??? That's how children are supposed to be: smart! Why couldn't you find a pleasant looking, religious, well-mannered, tee-totaller Christian boy from a good family, who's ancestral property is near ours and who has a well paying job?'

Me: 'Uhh....'
(Right! Let's put that on top of our to-do list, shall we?)

Work Life

Colleague: 'So do you have a boyfriend?'

Me: 'Not really.'

Colleague: (clucks sympathetically) 'Oh recent breakup, huh?'

Me: 'Umm.. I've been single all my life.'

Colleague: 'Right.' (and proceeds to walk away quickly).

Sigh. In India, it's being single that kills ya. :D

Lyrics

Parts of the lyrics of this song are really good. Do read on:

Wear Sunscreen sung by Baz Luhrman
"... Don't worry about the future, or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum...
... Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself...
... Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives; some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't...
... Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself, either. Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's...
... Enjoy your body: use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or what other people think of it; it's the greatest instrument you'll ever own...
... Dance.. Even if you have no where to do it but in your own living room...
... Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse, but you never know when either one might run out..."

Street

This shot was taken on a street near my Guesthouse. The pic is a lil shaky but I'd say it's not bad for a beginner. :D

For those who are interested, click here for a few miscellaneous photos.

Icecream

This is a picture of my favorite Korean chocobar: vanilla icecream with an outer layer of chocolate cookies. Btw, I'm beginning to get a lil tired of it.

Oh and I promise not to write about food anymore... Well at least, not too much :D

Thursday

Thursdays are bad because they're not Fridays (and neither are Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays, I get it, but don't you think of picking a fight with me).

Waking up today morning was especially a chore because the thoughts that ran through my mind (apart from 'Just 5 more minutes!!' and 'Another 2 minutes... I'll skip breakfast even!') were: 'Hell, it's a Thursday!' and 'omg, no clean socks.'

I need clean socks.

So here I am. No breakfast. Dismal lunch. Cranky and in need of some excitement.

In fact, for *some* excitement, I went through a different route to reach my desk (if you can call it that). How lucky am I.

Sigh.

Only 3 minutes have passed by since I started writing this post.

I think time has slowed down for all mankind.

***

You know you need help when you:

1. Think you're one of FRIENDS characters (Blend of Monica+Phoebe for me)
2. KNOW you're one of Scrubs characters (At the moment, I'm Dr Cox)

MAD

Make A Difference (MAD) - an acronym that I got from Lucky.

I started writing this post after I saw a pic that my friend had put up in one of his Orkut albums. The photo taken was of the house Anne Frank had stayed at before she was taken away by the Nazis.

Anne Frank was only around 13 years old when she started writing her book. But this teens' diary (a diary!) brought tears, laughter and it motivated so many people around the world to learn about other Holocaust victims like her and help their families too. And that's to say in the least. Films were made and books were written based on her thoughts and insights of the world that lay outside her window.

I've read an abridged version of her book. And do correct me if I'm wrong but what touched me was that she was eternally optimistic. Even while she was scared of being caught, she looked for the goodness in everyone, including those who were trying to capture people (Jews) like her. Maybe that's what young 13 year olds are... Naive, as they say.

But to make it short, she made a difference.

Hmm.. I'm 23 and maybe I should know better. Maybe I'm naive. But I believe that goodness lies in everyone. That everyone deserves it too. A small act of kindness can snowball into an avalanche... And even if it doesn't, every small thing that we do can make a small difference in someone else' life.

Cake

The cakes they sell at the office basement store are really good.

I've eaten only a couple:
1) New York Cheese which tastes like soft vanilla sponge cake
2) Chocolate Sandwhich which consists of two slices of soft chocolate cake (with chocolate chips) and a layer of cream in between.

Bakery products always seem so fresh, spring-y to touch and heaven to taste!

I wonder how anybody hardly puts on any weight around here.

Oh wait, don't answer that. I know: 'Darling, it's only you doesn't eat to live, but lives to eat!'

:)

Oyster

*Gasp* I HAD OYSTER FOR LUNCH TODAY.

And it wasn't bad. Frankly, it only LOOKS disgusting (all squishy and eww) but when cooked, its actually quite chewy.

Hmm. And to answer your question, I had a small one. After that, I went back to munching on my apple slices. After all, there's only so many of 'traumatising' TIY (Try It Yourselfs) I can handle in 1 day.

:)

Culture

Yet ANOTHER DISCLAIMER: Following blog entry is based on my observations of Korean Samsung employees and other Koreans I see regularly. This is not to categorize anybody!

I like learning about different cultures around the world... I'm sure that many of you are interested too. So here are a few different practises followed in South Korea. I only have so many, but will come back and add whenever I can think of more:

1. A lot of the employees here are concerned about their personal hygiene. After every (and I mean EVERY) meal, they take the pain to brush their teeth. They even have special toothbrushes and toothpaste stored at their desks! That's a really great habit, by the way, which I am too lazy to follow. :)

2. Even if Korean women DO wear killer shoes, they are still concerned about comfort. Some men and women here take off their shoes while they are at work and walk around in fluffy, comfortable slippers instead.

3. It seems to me that Korean women go outside with only their husbands/boyfriends/male members of their families. I don't think they go out with friends who are guys. This would certainly explain why Koreans are confused when they do see mixed friends (of other ethnicity) out together.

4. The Korean dream is to buy a house (Korean real estate is supposedly very expensive)!!

5. This, my colleague told me: Koreans settle late in life. They get married around the age of 35 (after courtship of a few years) and work very hard till the age of 45. After that, they retire and lay back... Try to compare that with the Indian practise of 'get married by age of 25, have at least 3 kids by 30, have grand children by the time you turn 50 and work till the you retire at 60, then wait for your kids to follow the same cycle...' :)

6. Sid just let me know that many Koreans have stuffed toys at their desk. Reason: During naptime, which is after meals, they snuggle up with their toys and fall asleep. Even the guys do it! I have yet to see this but the I think that the idea is so cute!

7. Almost everything is automated here: lights at the Guest House, the metro... Even the restroom facilities! The seats are heated; there are buttons on each seat for different functions. The only catch is that you need to experiment a bit since the instructions are not in English. <- My sis pointed out that you find such restrooms in Japan too.

8. In India, you have these tap handles which you have to push up to get water. But in Korea, you have to push them down! That's almost downright irritating to get used to. :)

9. A few words from Korean English... 'crunky' = 'crunchy'. 'Cheeg picha' = 'cheese pizza'

Bikes

Announcer: "Aaannnnddd the Award for Best Bike Passenger 2008 goooooeeesss to -----"

OMG. That's ME!! I head towards the stage to pick up my Award (Strange! It bears an uncanny resemblence to the Oscar...).

My thank-you speech: *Wipe tear off cheek* "This is one of the most amazing moments of my life! To think that I had to work so hard for this...

I had never gotten on a bike before I was 18. So y'all can imagine how clumsy I was the first time I had to clamber on (chuckles from the audience). But y'know, the first time was not so bad. It was the second time that I fell down... TWICE... during traffic (collective gasps). But thankfully, nothing happened to me. After that, I never sat one-sided again... nor wore synthetic fiber! *Big smile*

My friend, Vikas, used to give me lifts during college. I liked bike rides (and still do), but I think it was best when I admired them from a distance and not from the passenger seat!! (Laughter from the audience) Vikas would always say 'Whatever it is, stop it right now coz you ain't helping my balance...!!' Later I came to know that he wasn't comfortable with ANY one as a passenger. :)

It was only when I worked for a few months in Cochin that my room mate Roopster gave me a few two-wheeler pointers. She drove a Deo and boy, did we have happy times. :) But I was still clumsy. I never felt that comfortable. I was still scared since I had fallen off a bike before. Even when I relocated to Bangalore, Matt had to give me tips all the time. I used to feel so proud of myself when he said that I was doing great. :D

A few months ago, San offered me a lift from Airport Road to JP Nagar. There was hardly any traffic that night and San kept going faster and faster. I love speed and so I wasn't really complaining.

'Are you still in the back seat???' he asked me while he was driving.

'Of course I am!! Trust me, you'd know if I fell off!!' I retorted back.

'No, its not that... Usually girls get a lil uncomfortable when I go this fast... And you really are taking it well!!' he replied.

It was then I took notice of my body language and-wow!- I was no longer sitting stiffly! I was shifting my weight and balancing myself according to the movement of the bike. I realised I had graduated to Qualified Bike Back-Rider.

Everyone, I have arrived... (cheers)

It's been one looonngg journey... Ha! Pun intended (laughter from the audience). And I'd like to take this opportunity to say a big THANK YOU to those who helped me reach this far! Vikas, Roopster, Matt & San... You guys are the best!! And fans... I love you too!"

(Standing ovation from the audience).

:)

Yongsan

DISCLAIMER: This blog entry is only a matter of opinion... and it may even be more girly than usual, so GUYS BEWARE. :)

Another weekend in Korea!

Last night (Friday), I stayed up even later than usual. I slept around 1:30-2:00 am after watching a few episodes of (you guessed it) Scrubs.

I woke up today morning thinking 'I'm going to make it a Pamper-Thyself day'. So went out around 11 am because, really, what better way is there to pamper a girl than to go to a beauty salon? However, I couldn't quite get across the concept of threading (hope that the guys are aware of this) to the receptionists of three separate salons. In fact, the exchange between the last salon receptionist and myself went along as follows:

After the lady shakes her head, saying that 'it' wasn't done at the salon, I ask: "Where can I get it done?" She tries to find the most appropriate word and replies back with: "Hospital!"

OMG!!

"Hospital?? No, no!" And I try to show eyebrows and something being shaped.

She nods, understanding dawning upon her. "Tattoo!"

The worst part is that I think she meant 'piercing'... That is to say, she thought I wanted to pierce my eyebrows!!

So off I went to the GH... back to the comforts of my room and my beauty kit. :D

***

After an internal debate with myself, I finally decided to spend my Saturday afternoon in Yongsan. With some cyber-encouragement from my colleague (Thanks Poornima!!) and the fact that I had such a great teacher (Thanks Sid!!), I was fairly confident in travelling in the metro by myself.

Sticking to the theme (ha!) of 'Pamper Thyself!', I made an effort to dress up. I even wore my favorite earrings and makeup. :)

These are little things in life, I know, but they make such a difference. I wasn't aware of it till today but South Korea has these taxi-stops. If you need a taxi, there are designated spots where you can wait. If there's a free taxi, it will come right to you. It's like a bus stop and so very convenient!

Anyway, back to the point. I reached Suwon Metro Station. My ticket was easy to purchase. But I was suddenly unsure of which track to take. I crossed my fingers and walked to a random one, hoping desperately that it was right. Later I realised there was a board above the track that had 'Seoul' written on it (translated as 'Lucky guess'!!). Even then, I waited for a few trains to pass by, taking my own sweet time to consult my Metro map (it's in English, yay!).

The actual ride to Yongsan was quite slow. It took around an hour and I had ample amount of time to people-watch.

You have GOT to hand it to Korean women. Some of the shoes that they wear are so feminine and pretty... but some of them, well I think those shoes should be hidden away in handbags and, in times of dire need, be used as weapons! Why? Because Koreans are quite fond of high heels I think, and we're not talking about ANY high heels... but stilettos! I've still not learnt how to balance myself on such pointed pumps (I think you need the balance of a gymnast, frankly speaking), but I do, DO admire the ladies for it! :)

Yongsan station is a very, VERY big place. It has a digital, departmental and a restaurant complex attached to it. I had a lot of fun browsing around in the departmental section. They had familiar brand names like Giordano, Mango, Marks & Spencers (and the same huge price tags) etc and local shops were present too. Restaurants advertised their fare by displaying food at counters. Some dishes looked very appetising. And some... well, lets just say they must have looked appetising to SOME people. :)

The digital complex was quite impressive too. Different floors were dedicated to different types of electronics. One floor to laptops, another for cameras & mp3 players and yet another for home appliances. That's all I saw frankly, because by then, I was in a hurry to get back home. I ended up buying a digital camera (I have no idea if it's the best price according to Korean standards, so please don't ask me!) which I had been badly wanting for some time.

Getting back to Suwon was not an ordeal. In fact the ride seemed even quicker than usual.

There was a Korean guy who was standing quite close to where I was sitting and (oh my!) was he cute. :) He looked my type and seemed just the right age too! I wished I knew the right Korean words to say 'hi' (and something equivalent to Joey's "How YOU doing?!").

Did I mention that the metro ride seemed even quicker than usual? :D

***

I took a taxi back to the GH. Judging by my appearance, the friendly taxi driver correctly guessed that I was an Indian.

'Samsung?' he asked me.

I replied back with a 'Yes'.

He smiled broadly. 'Samsung number one!' and he gave me a thumbs-up sign.

I felt so proud then... It's not like I built Samsung with my own two hands. But even being a teeny weeny part of such a reputed organisation made me feel very warm inside.

:)

Sightseeing

DISCLAIMER: The following blog entry is a matter of opinion and is not meant as an act of offense to anyone.

Yesterday afternoon, Sid (my colleague) and I decided to go out into the town. Our plan was to go to Dongdaemun market which is supposed to be a very popular place to shop. Our mode of transport: the metro. But to get to Suwon station, we needed to take a taxi.

After hailing a cab, Sid sat in the front seat next to the driver while I sat behind. The taxi driver seemed normal enough in the beginning. He spoke in broken English. He asked us where we were from, where we worked etc. And then it started...

Driver: "You friends?" He motioned towards Sid and I.
Sid: "Yes! Friends!"

Then the driver spoke lots of Koren with a lotta hand gestures. Sid started laughing out loud. "What happened?" I asked. "He wants me to sit next to you and hold your hand!" Sid replied back.

Obviously Koreans, or at least this particular one, didn't quite grasp the meaning of the word 'friend'.

Sid tried to make him understand. "We work friends!"

The driver didn't seem to get that. "Night friends!" said the driver and nodded. Then he proceeded to show outdoor billboards of couples posing together.

OMG! I could tell that Sid was embarrassed beyond belief. I couldn't help silently laughing.

"Remind me to sit behind during the next cab ride!" Sid told me as we made our way out of the cab and into the station.

***

Sid explained how the metro works in South Korea. There are different lines which the trains take. Each line (maybe it can be compared to a platform in India?) is specific to the region of Korea that you are travelling to. With the help of the metro map, it's not too complicated to figure out which line and which train on that line you're supposed to travel in. But for a person who was introduced to the metro for the first time yesterday, I was pretty confused. Towards the end of the day, however, I did somewhat get the hang of it.

The train trip by itself was pretty interesting. The seats are comfy. Even if you're standing, there are hanging 'handles' that you can hold onto (and they are not too high so even a short person like me can hold onto it without any difficulty). You have a separate seating section for elders/handicapped/pregnant women. The train is fast enough and the ride is comfortable as well.

We reached Dongdaemun after 1 hour and started looking around. Since it was the first time for both of us, we didn't quite know what to look out for. Sid was quite excited when he saw 'earthworm pickle' for sale on the roadsides. I, however, couldn't but feel slightly queasy at the thought. Anyway, we pretty much walked down the roads for some time, before Sid got tired and suggested going to Namdaemun market which is also pretty famous. So we took a taxi there (and nope, no 'experiences' this time. The driver kept to himself :) ).

This time, with proper directions, we were able to see (part of) the actual Korean market. I was somehow reminded of Commerical street back in Bangalore but with a lot more shops and a lot less space!! The Korean handicrafts that we saw were quite pretty... But didn't get time to actually admire much since it was closing time for the shop. The rest of the goods being sold in the other market shops covered from food to clothes to trinkets.

Have to say that I successfully coaxed Sid into buying things for his family and himself. :D About me? Well, I am on a sort of strict budget, so didn't quite indulge in anything apart from donuts from a nearby Dunkin Donuts.

South Koreans have no problems with public display of affection. Maybe it was juvenile of us but Sid and I were on the lookout for any such displays! :D It was fun...

The night sky is absolutely gorgeous in the city. South Koreans use a lot of lights. And I'm not only talking about yellow and white lights. But blue, red ones too! It is so, so very pretty. Will take snaps as soon as I can.

After admiring the city lights and the multi colored buildings, we made our way back to the Metro. We needed two trains to get to Suwon. We got the first train trip right. But we took the wrong train the second time. Had to backtrack with the third train. Got the right train the fourth time but we forgot to get out at our stop. So we had to take a fifth train to get back to Suwon. :D

So yes, a lot of bumbling mistakes... But it was fun nevertheless.

Oh! And I did buy myself something nice after all: a woolen hat. And no, its not from the Dongdaemun or Namdaemun markets. But rather Suwon metro station. Haha! Crowning glory to the day, wouldn't you say? And yes! Pun intended...

:D

Rules

One bad, BAD thing about myself is that I have a tendency of not sleeping in late. What's so bad, you ask? Well nothing really... except for the fact that I don't let others sleep in late either!! :D

It's 9:43 on a Sunday morning, and I have an almost over whelming urge to call up someone in INDIA (where its 6:13 am) and make sure that they wake up. DJ is my usual target since she loves sleeping in. But since I'm only going to hear a stream of expletives from her (not a new thing, but it IS 6:15... and yes, I do pity her), I think I'll restrain myself and blog instead. :D

What I am about to write is based on an outrageous chat conversation which Deepak and I had 2 nights ago. I don't know where it will lead, but there IS an idea in my head.

Five Simple Rules On How To Date A Real Woman:

1. Never disagree with a girl.
That would only strengthen her resolve and she would be hell bent on proving you wrong. Because obviously she's right (or rather she thinks she is).

2. Listen to her whenever she speaks to you.
Or take really good acting lessons so that you can pretend.

3. Never tell a girl that she's put on weight.
She'll hate you forever. And trust me, she'll know when she's fat... she's a girl after all!! :)

4. Go along with her crazy ideas... Unless they are too crazy. In that case, you shouldn't really be dating her but be institution-alizing her instead!!

5. The ultimate pacifier: chocolate cake dipped in chocolate sauce... or if she doesn't like chocolate, a good blueberry cheese cake :)

Umm... maybe these rules are pertaining more to me... But I'm sure SOME girls would agree. Right, ladies? :D

Scrubs

This is going to be a short entry. Because it is just to say that I love, love, love (...and did I mention 'LOVE??') the TV series Scrubs. :D

If you are a person who's like me and you haven't watched it yet, then I would respond back with 'Where the heck have you been and what on earth are you waiting for? Go and watch an episode!' I can safely say that you would fall in love too.

I like everything about it... the characters, the script, the way it makes me feel good, even the theme music (especially the one during the credits). Its sense of humor is just out of this world.

Certain funny scenes strike me when I'm alone, at home, with friends or at work... And I laugh softly to myself (Heck, I don't want anyone to think that I'm crazy!!).

So I'll end my note here... before I go babbling on. And if you haven't done so far, do watch it when you get the chance! :)

Angels

I believe in angels.

Whenever I'm really upset and I feel that I can't bear my sadness, I think God reaches out and comforts me through human contact. He sends His angels via people. It's happened so many times. People unwittingly come up and say the right words. I get instant comfort and reassurance. :)

Sometimes, all you need are those special words to make things right again.

It may seem bizarre to you, but I have experienced it many times. I choose to believe that, yes, God works in mysterious ways and sometimes He sends you a pick-me-up-er in the most unusual fashions.

:)

Outing

Finally! I made the time to write about my first weekend in Suwon.

I was quite restless on Friday evening... That's really an understatement. I was dying for 8 pm so that I could head home after work. After having my dinner, I tucked myself with a book into a warm bed and slept late (the ultimate weekend freedom).

I woke up the next day at 10 am. It was the first time in a very long time that I felt relaxed especially since I had to wake up earlier than normal during the previous week so that I could catch the first cab to the office.

It had snowed the previous day, but looking out of my room window on that Saturday morning, the snow had all but melted. The air was chilly and the skies were cloudy.

After having lunch, my colleagues decided that we would go to Suwon Fort. We reached at around 3:30 and started our ascent to one of the entry points. The plan was to walk around all over the 'ancient city' so that we could see the security posts and other structures. The walking was fun (a little exhausting initially) with good company and jokes all around. I even got a chance to ring a giant bell three times. The first toll is to honour your parents, second to wish your loved ones good health and prosperity and the third to make your wish come true. It was funny trying to ring the bell. My team mate, Rag, had to help me and in the end we somehow managed to make it chime thrice.

We visited a Buddhist shrine, posed in front of a modern statue of a famous Ruler and walked till it turned dark. The lights got switched on, and I must say that the fortress was a breath taking sight at night. I thought the entire place looked beautiful and was feeling a lil sad that I didnt have a camera to capture the magnificence of it all... Deepak & San, if you guys were there, you would have had a field day with your SLRs. :)

We visited a nearby Market (Think it's called Naemoon Market) and then returned back to the GH at 8. One of my colleagues and I decided to go to a local steak house.

DJ, you haven't really tasted steaks... Not really. Not until you've tried this particular family restaurant. :D I'm not really a soup fan, but the creamy mushroom soup was great. Had soft bread to accompany that. My main course was a chicken steak which had a slice of pork on top. It had lots of cream (and calories), the meat was succulent and the taste was simply divine.

I was distinctly reminded of the time I had visited Chillies (a good Mexican restaurant) with my sister and BIL back in Dubai. The quesadillas I had then were simply amazing (and very cheesy). Anyways, that's off the point.

After having a good (understatement yet again!) meal, my colleague & I went to a local mart (HomePlus) because he had a few items to buy and then we walked home, but NOT before buying myself an icecream- yep, you guessed it! A chocobar with a layer of chocolate cookies...

Don't worry. I keep eyeing the weighing machine propped up against the main doors of the GH ALL the time, and yes it does frighten me :)

I spent the entire following Sunday in my room. Didn't get out for breakfast or even lunch. What did I do? Sleep and watch MOVIES! It was (as usual) heavenly... Haven't spent so much time on myself for a very long time.

One of the movies I saw was "My Sassy Girl". It's a South Korean movie and it had English subtitles. I really liked it. The heroine reminded me of myself (ha!).

I did try to go out for a walk at 5pm, but it got so chilly outside that I decided that the walk just wasn't worth it. Ate dinner around 8pm and then went back to bed.

That ended my first weekend in Suwon.

:)

Snow

Today morning, I was deep in thought when I walked through the GH doors to get into the office cab. So I was very surprised to see the winter wonderland that had suddenly sprung up during the night before.

The roads, the cars that were parked outside had a thick layer of snow on them... and better yet, it was still snowing!!

"In India, you do not have snow?" the guest house manager asked me while he shovelled ice off the garage pathway. "No," I replied back, still marvelling at it all (Not really true, since it does snow at certain high points in India, but hey who's counting :) ).

I've never seen snow in my life and I was ecstatic... to say in the least.

The snow flakes were small but by the time I reached office, they grew larger. Unfortunately as the day wore long, thd sun came out and the temperature increased a bit; so it stopped snowing and started drizzling instead.

I don't have a digital camera so I can't take photos. I'm hoping to buy one soon so that I do not miss an opportunity like this again.

:)

Nutshell

I had written a very long entry about Korea the other day... Unfortunately, it didn't get saved and neither did it get published. So I'll rewrite everything in short I suppose.

As I had mentioned in one of my previous blog entries, I was not feeling well on my flight from Bangalore to Singapore. I was quite apprehensive about boarding the next flight which would take around 5.5 hours to reach Korea. But thankfully, I fell asleep during take off and I woke up feeling great.

Singapore Airlines is really good. I'm a die hard Emirates fan, but I could definitely find both airlines comparable. Hospitality is great and so is the food. But entertainment wise, I find Emirates leading all the way to the top.

Singapore Changi International Airport is a big and beautiful place... Apart from a variety of shopping venues and restaurants, it offers many services to it's travellers like free Internet access, movies, games and even a free city tour (but you can't get out of the tour bus though). I would love to take a closer look on my way back to Bangalore.

We reached Korea on Sunday afternoon around 4 pm. Then we took a limosuine bus from Incheon to Suwon (we had to get off at a bus stop called Hotel Castle). The ride was very comfortable. In fact, I liked it better than both the flights! :D

The Guest House people drove us from Hotel Castle till Park-22. I found myself sharing a room with another lady due to the unavailability of single rooms at that moment. But my room mate was fun and so I made a lady friend. In fact, on the same night we even went on a walk to a nearby mart called HomePlus.

I really like Suwon. The roads are wide. The streets are clean. Since it's winter, the trees have shed their leaves but they still have a quiet elegance about them. The Koreans seem nice and friendly. But most of them do not know English. So it can be a laugh for them and for us when we try to communicate.

On Monday evening, two of my colleagues and I went to a nearby store to buy icecream. It was bitterly cold and I could barely distinguish between my fingers and the icecream, but hey it was delish! The ice cream I had was a choco bar with a layer of chocolate cookies. Yum!!

The Samsung Campus is HUGE. A lot of the buildings have 20+ floors and all have very good facilities... The elevators are super fast, the security is tight... I was (and still am) impressed.

It's Friday and I'm hoping to explore during the next couple of days. I love walking. So me looking forward to a great weekend. :)