Holy Freezing, Batman! It's cold! -2 degrees fahrenheit and -18 degrees celsius and that's not including the wind chill.... Brrr!
Alas, this is home. I'm home and I'm glad to be back.
I left the hotel at midnight on Saturday night, my flight left at 3am. And just as people warned me, the Delhi airport was chaos. It went like this: I stood in a 'line' to get into the airport that mirrored the way people drive. You grab a cart and where ever you can fit is free game. There's no rhyme or reason, everyone just makes their way toward the door by moving in the same direction. I waited in line for a half hour just to get inside the airport. Once inside, to the baggage security check then to the Luftansia counter. Both of these were pretty easy and while in line at Luftansia, I started chatting with a hottie from Napal, Mani. He was on his way to Barcelona for a large telecommunications conference. Mani speaks English, Napalese, Hindi, Chinese- all fluently- and Japanese and French only a little bit. He lived in China for 6 years, he's in Delhi for 2 and then he plans to move to Canada- with his wife and son. For the next 2 hours, Mani and I would become best friends.
After the Luftansia line, I headed to the immigration line which just kept growing and growing. Mani saw me and I let him budge in line instead of standing about 20 people behind me. We went through different lines after we waited/chatted for about an hour together to show our passports. Mani got ahead of me and found his way to the security line, I found him this time and he let me budge in line with him instead of waiting 20 people behind him. We waited/chatted in this line for about an hour and a half. It seriously took 2.5 hours of waiting in lines to get to the terminal. Mani was in economy and I was in business class, so we had different lines this time. With a quick wave, I walked right in thinking Mani would have to walk past business class on his way to his seat. I never saw Mani again, but he gave me his business card so that I could let him know the next time I'm in India so he can take me around to see the sites. Hospitable and friendly, that Mani, but obviously not the mani for me.
The first flight went by quick. 7 - 7.5 hours or 2 movies later and we were in Frankfurt. As soon as I was off the plane in Frankfurt, I took a deep breath by instinct. It was nice. I walked about a mile to the United gate and hardly had time for a pit stop before it was time to board the 2nd plane. The second flight was long. I slept pretty hard at some point during the first 4 hours and when I woke up, I felt like I had been asleep for 6. I was hoping I only had 2 or 3 hours left, but nope- 5 more hours to go. So, I found another movie to watch and snooze through.
Once we landed I was the first person off the plane and #1 in a line of 0 to get through immigration. My bags were 2nd off the conveyer belt and I was 3rd to get through customs. I was asked about 4 times if I needed connecting flight information and my answer to everyone was, "Nope, I'm home," with a big smile on my face. I had to wait for about 10 minutes for the limo to pick me up and I actually stood outside in the freezing cold and took those lung filling inhales and yogic exhales I was longing for. And I've done that about 8 times in the 9 hours I've been in Chicago.
As much as I would have been ok had my trip been longer, I'm obviously happy to be home. Now, I look forward to a vacation. I know, you're all saying, "But you just got back...." I was not on vacation, my friends. I was working long hours and I worked hard.
California to visit Heather and Amy? Des Moines to visit Mandy and meet baby Audry? Indy to see Ali? Or to Florida to relax at the condo on the beach... maybe all of the above.
A few final pics
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=ahmukup.9q4sksyp&x=0&y=x4rh1d
And that's All She's Writing, folks. Thanks for the emails and sharing the trip with me. See you soon!
Namaste.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Friday, February 8, 2008
Homeward Bound
My 29 day journey is coming to an end. And as cliche as it sounds, in some ways I feel like I just got here. A lot of people are asking me if I'm ready to come home, and it's all a state of mind. I could take it or I could leave it. If I knew I had a few more weeks here, I'd be fine. I never got lonely. Maybe I don't get lonely- just bored.
Truthfully, knowing I'm coming home has me a little anxious. :) I have babies to see and hold and love- Connor, Dakota, Jack, Alison, Simon, Ben, Caleb....and the list goes on.
I leave here on Sunday morning around 330 am - provided everything goes as planned I arrive in Chicago around 1030am CST, still on Sunday. I know I'm coming home to cold weather, but I'm ready for it. The first thing I want to do is take a deep breath of fresh air, fill my lungs and hold it, take in a little more and hold it, and take in a little more until my lungs are as full as they can be and let it out with a yoga style 'ssshhhhhhh.' The quality of air difference is what I've noticed the most.
I've had a good time being here and I'm so thankful for the opportunity. I'm ready to take off the facilitator hat and resume responsibilities of my actual role. (I say that even knowing there's a lot of work that lies ahead!) It's always good to be in these shoes to remember the challenges trainers face.
On Wednesday, my training class gave me an oil burner. I bought some new oils here, so I'm anxious to fire it up. They are so sweet- they were a really great class. Today, one of the strongest performer said he appreciated how frank I was with them. (Everyone tells me how blunt I am all the time, so I got a good laugh out of that.) They weren't too sure what to expect when they heard I was coming, but I think they were pleasantly surprised. I'm a toughie but I like to have fun, too and I think we maintained a good balance. They kept asking me when I'm coming back.
The group had their 2nd round of practice calls today and they did a good job. I leave them to ramp up through the certification process before they are turned loose to take actual live calls. I have very little worry. They sound like new hires, which is expected. With time, they will begin to recognize routine calls and handle them like champs. Before I left I assigned them each pieces of the payroll process and challenged them to gain ultimate ownership over these pieces. One of the managers has said that they would add those items into their performance conversations, so I'm anxious to hear how that irons out. They are so smart, dedicated to learn and hard on themselves when they get something wrong. No sooner than they would hang up the phone, they would march over to my desk, "Erin, I didn't do well on that call, I told them this when I should have told them that." And these were small things.
Bhanti dropped me off for the last time tonight. Along with a tip I gave him a key chain that had a picture of the Chicago city sky line and under it said 'windy city.' Appropriate, too. When I got in the car and he said, "So cold. Fast air."
"Very cold and windy," I said. "Fast air is windy."
"Windy. Win-dee" he said, with emphasis on both sylables.
"Mam, what also? (Good grief, how do you explain also??)
"Ummm, You're cold? I'm cold, too. I'm cold, also. You're tired? I'm tired, too. I'm tired, also."
"Also. Too. Tk."
Tk means Ok in Hindi. Actually spelled Tikh Hai (or something close to that).
Tomorrow I'll get everything packed up and head down the club room for some relaxing (read: adult beverages) before I leave for the airport. (And I've heard that leaving the airport is an experience on it's own.) I've made friends with Juttin and Vijay (hotel employees who make my coffee every day), and they have taken good care of me so we'll hang out for a little while tomorrow evening. Today I gave them each a picture frame as a 'thank you.' Juttin said, 'How did you know to get us a gift?' I said, 'You've become my friends!' They keep asking me when I'm coming back.
And to my friends at home- I'll be there for Bowl-a-rama next week. I'm fiening for a trip to 'The Bistro,' and I kinda want some nachos. Who's in?
Some randon tid bits:
- Dogs. There are stray dogs everywhere. Like squirills! I even saw a cute little puppy wandering around one night at work. I turned down the rabies shot when I got my immunizations. Had I known the abundance of stray dogs and the fact that Mr. Monkey Man scared me so much, I might have opted to get it. I told you he got aggressive- he tried to open up my (thankfully) locked car door. I guess it's a tactic so when the monkey gets into the car, with all the chaos, it's prime opportunity for them to snatch your purse or wallet.
- Crouching. At home, we sit on the side of a curb or lean up against a fence or whatever while we're waiting for ..whatever. People crouch here, in a trifold. Feet on the ground, bent knees, butt down (not touching the ground). Smoking, working, chatting, waiting. Always in a trifold.
- Everyday on the way to work, I'd notice the men laying tile on the sidewalks and digging on the side of the road-in a trifold, of course. Yesterday, I noticed that they had manually dug out a whole trench on both sides of the road. Probably 4 feet deep or so, but all by hand with hammers that are long and pointed on both sides...I don't know what hey are called. They got the work done pretty fast, considering, but at home, we'd have horrible loud machines doing all the work. I think to make the chaotic roads wider.
I think that's all I have for now, but I'm not sure I'm done with the blog yet. We'll have to see.
See you on the home front! Until then, Namaste.
Truthfully, knowing I'm coming home has me a little anxious. :) I have babies to see and hold and love- Connor, Dakota, Jack, Alison, Simon, Ben, Caleb....and the list goes on.
I leave here on Sunday morning around 330 am - provided everything goes as planned I arrive in Chicago around 1030am CST, still on Sunday. I know I'm coming home to cold weather, but I'm ready for it. The first thing I want to do is take a deep breath of fresh air, fill my lungs and hold it, take in a little more and hold it, and take in a little more until my lungs are as full as they can be and let it out with a yoga style 'ssshhhhhhh.' The quality of air difference is what I've noticed the most.
I've had a good time being here and I'm so thankful for the opportunity. I'm ready to take off the facilitator hat and resume responsibilities of my actual role. (I say that even knowing there's a lot of work that lies ahead!) It's always good to be in these shoes to remember the challenges trainers face.
On Wednesday, my training class gave me an oil burner. I bought some new oils here, so I'm anxious to fire it up. They are so sweet- they were a really great class. Today, one of the strongest performer said he appreciated how frank I was with them. (Everyone tells me how blunt I am all the time, so I got a good laugh out of that.) They weren't too sure what to expect when they heard I was coming, but I think they were pleasantly surprised. I'm a toughie but I like to have fun, too and I think we maintained a good balance. They kept asking me when I'm coming back.
The group had their 2nd round of practice calls today and they did a good job. I leave them to ramp up through the certification process before they are turned loose to take actual live calls. I have very little worry. They sound like new hires, which is expected. With time, they will begin to recognize routine calls and handle them like champs. Before I left I assigned them each pieces of the payroll process and challenged them to gain ultimate ownership over these pieces. One of the managers has said that they would add those items into their performance conversations, so I'm anxious to hear how that irons out. They are so smart, dedicated to learn and hard on themselves when they get something wrong. No sooner than they would hang up the phone, they would march over to my desk, "Erin, I didn't do well on that call, I told them this when I should have told them that." And these were small things.
Bhanti dropped me off for the last time tonight. Along with a tip I gave him a key chain that had a picture of the Chicago city sky line and under it said 'windy city.' Appropriate, too. When I got in the car and he said, "So cold. Fast air."
"Very cold and windy," I said. "Fast air is windy."
"Windy. Win-dee" he said, with emphasis on both sylables.
"Mam, what also? (Good grief, how do you explain also??)
"Ummm, You're cold? I'm cold, too. I'm cold, also. You're tired? I'm tired, too. I'm tired, also."
"Also. Too. Tk."
Tk means Ok in Hindi. Actually spelled Tikh Hai (or something close to that).
Tomorrow I'll get everything packed up and head down the club room for some relaxing (read: adult beverages) before I leave for the airport. (And I've heard that leaving the airport is an experience on it's own.) I've made friends with Juttin and Vijay (hotel employees who make my coffee every day), and they have taken good care of me so we'll hang out for a little while tomorrow evening. Today I gave them each a picture frame as a 'thank you.' Juttin said, 'How did you know to get us a gift?' I said, 'You've become my friends!' They keep asking me when I'm coming back.
And to my friends at home- I'll be there for Bowl-a-rama next week. I'm fiening for a trip to 'The Bistro,' and I kinda want some nachos. Who's in?
Some randon tid bits:
- Dogs. There are stray dogs everywhere. Like squirills! I even saw a cute little puppy wandering around one night at work. I turned down the rabies shot when I got my immunizations. Had I known the abundance of stray dogs and the fact that Mr. Monkey Man scared me so much, I might have opted to get it. I told you he got aggressive- he tried to open up my (thankfully) locked car door. I guess it's a tactic so when the monkey gets into the car, with all the chaos, it's prime opportunity for them to snatch your purse or wallet.
- Crouching. At home, we sit on the side of a curb or lean up against a fence or whatever while we're waiting for ..whatever. People crouch here, in a trifold. Feet on the ground, bent knees, butt down (not touching the ground). Smoking, working, chatting, waiting. Always in a trifold.
- Everyday on the way to work, I'd notice the men laying tile on the sidewalks and digging on the side of the road-in a trifold, of course. Yesterday, I noticed that they had manually dug out a whole trench on both sides of the road. Probably 4 feet deep or so, but all by hand with hammers that are long and pointed on both sides...I don't know what hey are called. They got the work done pretty fast, considering, but at home, we'd have horrible loud machines doing all the work. I think to make the chaotic roads wider.
I think that's all I have for now, but I'm not sure I'm done with the blog yet. We'll have to see.
See you on the home front! Until then, Namaste.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
My Driver
Since I've been here I've had the same driver the entire time. Well, actually when I went to the Taj Mahal and my first shopping trip into Delhi I had different drivers, but other than those 2 occasions, Bhanti has been my personal chauffer since my first trip into Hewitt. He's the sweetest thing.
Drivers, I'm told are lower in the caste system.
At first, he wouldn't speak too much. He'd stay quiet and mind his own business and just drive. Which was ok- there was way too much around me to watch anyway. I would try to ask him questions and he would respond with uncertainty. His spoken English isn't that great and I think he was self- conscious thinking that I might not understand. Finally, mid way into the 2nd week I was here he said, "Mam, my English, not dat good." "That's Ok," I said with a shrug of the shoulders and just kept talking to him. (I swear, I could make friends with a light pole if only they would talk back to me.)
One day we were driving to work- the day I saw a family of pigs on the side of the road- I was a little shocked when I saw them. And excited to point out a whole family of pigs to him. When he looked over, he said, "Oh yes, little pigs." "Babies!" I said. "Babies." he repeated back to me, unenthused.
He told me that he's trying to learn to speak English better and he does what he can by reading the news paper. "Best way to learn. Reading." He has signed up for courses but his driving job doesn't allow him the time to take the classes. And I can see that to be true- he's on call to drive at all hours of the night, and of course his schedule is unpredictable. Over time he would start to talk to me a bit more.
Last weekend, after we dropped Emma off he started to ask me some questions. This was the most he had ever talked to me.
While Emma was in the car earlier in the day, we were talking about the different kinds of cars we'd seen; I saw my first Mercedes in India that day. As we were listing through the cars that we'd see in both US and India, Honda Accords and CRVs, Suzukis and some Fords (both with different models than we have in the US). Then we came to the Toyota Corolla.
Emma said that the Corolla is the newest form of a luxury car here. I asked her what she thought when she saw mine while she was in the US and she she said she thought I was a high roller. (Which, of course made me double over and laugh.... lol).
So, on the ride home after a day of taking Emma and me to and fro in Delhi, Bhanti was asking me if we had drivers like him in the US and I told him that it was more common for everyone to own cars and drive themselves, which really surprised him. He asked if we had cabs, and I told him in larger cities it was common to have cabs that were cars, that they were almost as available as they are here. He then asked me if I drove or took cabs and I told him I normally drive. He asked me what kind of car I had. When I told him it was a Corolla his eyes widened and he was taken by surprise. Sort of a wow-you have it made look. I told him cars were different in the US and it was an economical car, that I'm in just normal, middle class. He turned around and said "I'm poor. You know poor?" I said, "Yes, everyone feels poor a lot of the time." He said "1, 2, 3 class, I'm 1. Low."
Here is when I changed the topic and asked him about his family. He told me he's married and has 2 kids, a boy and a girl. His little boy is his oldest and he's been married for "5 anniversary." I asked him if his marriage was arranged. He said yes, and it's a love marriage now. "I'm happy life," he said with a smile. Through the course of our conversation, I'd have to have him repeat things and he would try really hard to come up with the words he wanted to use and at some points would want to give up. But I didn't let him. I kept saying, try again, and he would. He said, "My English good, mam?" I said, "We can have a conversation....." "Tank you, you don't mind I practice." I told him with practice he'd only get better.
Bhanti will get a good tip from me at the end of this week. I hear from other Americans that they have tipped their driver well at the end, also. (The concept of tipping isn't common here. You don't tip your servers, drivers, bell boys, etc...) He's always here on time and calls me with one ring and a hang up to let me know he's arrived. After work, he's always waiting for me in the same spot. The first few days he was awake and then he started to sleep in the car. (It's common for drivers to wait for you the entire day at the office if they don't have other runs to make. Or if you hire a driver to take you on an overnighte trip, it's understood that you pay for their meals, I think, but that they will sleep in their car.) After work (at 430am) I just go knock on the door and he unlocks. Every day he says, "Sorry, mam." Today I said, you always say you're sorry, how come. "Not allowed duty hours sleeping." Like I care. For heavens sake, it's the middle of the night! I tell him I don't care and we drive home in silence. He's quiet at night, and has bed head and sleepy eyes. Which sort of grosses me out, but it's ok. He's kept me safe and I've felt like I've been in good hands with him. To Bhanti....
Until Later, Namaste.
Drivers, I'm told are lower in the caste system.
At first, he wouldn't speak too much. He'd stay quiet and mind his own business and just drive. Which was ok- there was way too much around me to watch anyway. I would try to ask him questions and he would respond with uncertainty. His spoken English isn't that great and I think he was self- conscious thinking that I might not understand. Finally, mid way into the 2nd week I was here he said, "Mam, my English, not dat good." "That's Ok," I said with a shrug of the shoulders and just kept talking to him. (I swear, I could make friends with a light pole if only they would talk back to me.)
One day we were driving to work- the day I saw a family of pigs on the side of the road- I was a little shocked when I saw them. And excited to point out a whole family of pigs to him. When he looked over, he said, "Oh yes, little pigs." "Babies!" I said. "Babies." he repeated back to me, unenthused.
He told me that he's trying to learn to speak English better and he does what he can by reading the news paper. "Best way to learn. Reading." He has signed up for courses but his driving job doesn't allow him the time to take the classes. And I can see that to be true- he's on call to drive at all hours of the night, and of course his schedule is unpredictable. Over time he would start to talk to me a bit more.
Last weekend, after we dropped Emma off he started to ask me some questions. This was the most he had ever talked to me.
While Emma was in the car earlier in the day, we were talking about the different kinds of cars we'd seen; I saw my first Mercedes in India that day. As we were listing through the cars that we'd see in both US and India, Honda Accords and CRVs, Suzukis and some Fords (both with different models than we have in the US). Then we came to the Toyota Corolla.
Emma said that the Corolla is the newest form of a luxury car here. I asked her what she thought when she saw mine while she was in the US and she she said she thought I was a high roller. (Which, of course made me double over and laugh.... lol).
So, on the ride home after a day of taking Emma and me to and fro in Delhi, Bhanti was asking me if we had drivers like him in the US and I told him that it was more common for everyone to own cars and drive themselves, which really surprised him. He asked if we had cabs, and I told him in larger cities it was common to have cabs that were cars, that they were almost as available as they are here. He then asked me if I drove or took cabs and I told him I normally drive. He asked me what kind of car I had. When I told him it was a Corolla his eyes widened and he was taken by surprise. Sort of a wow-you have it made look. I told him cars were different in the US and it was an economical car, that I'm in just normal, middle class. He turned around and said "I'm poor. You know poor?" I said, "Yes, everyone feels poor a lot of the time." He said "1, 2, 3 class, I'm 1. Low."
Here is when I changed the topic and asked him about his family. He told me he's married and has 2 kids, a boy and a girl. His little boy is his oldest and he's been married for "5 anniversary." I asked him if his marriage was arranged. He said yes, and it's a love marriage now. "I'm happy life," he said with a smile. Through the course of our conversation, I'd have to have him repeat things and he would try really hard to come up with the words he wanted to use and at some points would want to give up. But I didn't let him. I kept saying, try again, and he would. He said, "My English good, mam?" I said, "We can have a conversation....." "Tank you, you don't mind I practice." I told him with practice he'd only get better.
Bhanti will get a good tip from me at the end of this week. I hear from other Americans that they have tipped their driver well at the end, also. (The concept of tipping isn't common here. You don't tip your servers, drivers, bell boys, etc...) He's always here on time and calls me with one ring and a hang up to let me know he's arrived. After work, he's always waiting for me in the same spot. The first few days he was awake and then he started to sleep in the car. (It's common for drivers to wait for you the entire day at the office if they don't have other runs to make. Or if you hire a driver to take you on an overnighte trip, it's understood that you pay for their meals, I think, but that they will sleep in their car.) After work (at 430am) I just go knock on the door and he unlocks. Every day he says, "Sorry, mam." Today I said, you always say you're sorry, how come. "Not allowed duty hours sleeping." Like I care. For heavens sake, it's the middle of the night! I tell him I don't care and we drive home in silence. He's quiet at night, and has bed head and sleepy eyes. Which sort of grosses me out, but it's ok. He's kept me safe and I've felt like I've been in good hands with him. To Bhanti....
Until Later, Namaste.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Week 3
I finally got the time to upload some photos. I'll post the link for you below.
This weekend, Emma took me to the Lotus Temple, another place I had wanted to visit. It was really cool. Huge, peaceful and proud. It's a temple open to all faiths so I said a few Hail Marys. Here and also at the Taj Mahal, you have to remove your shoes before you enter. A testimony to how clean these places are kept- I wore white socks at the Taj Mahel and when I ended my tour, they were still white. It's when I'm at these world known places that I feel far away from home. I imagine my wherabouts on the google map, on the other side of the globe, in a country further away than Africa and in that far away country in a state, and in that state in a town and in that town at a world known site. And it's me who's there. Sites I can't imagine ever having the opportunity to see before this project and probably never again.
Link to Lotus Temple Info: http://www.tourtravelworld.com/hot_spots/delhi/lotus_temple/
After the temple, Emma and I did some shopping. No good deals this time, but saw some authentic Indian clothes shops. The hand sewn detail is phenomenal. As far as western atire, the prices stores are the same as in the US. Nike, Puma, The Body Shop and ESPRIT (long live the days of 6th and 7th grade)...
The weekends feel like they last for 3 or 4 days and it's all because of this non-schedule issue I'm having. And when we venture out on Saturdays, it feels like an extension of Friday. Again, this weekend I followed the sleep for 4 hours and awake for 4 hours pattern. When you do that a few times in a day, you can see how one can get messed up. And I was really off track last week. I could have sworn Thursday was Wednesday a million times over, but the group assured me it was actually already Thursday. On Friday, our training class was cut short. My group was called back to take phone calls due to the snow storm in the midwest as people had trouble getting in. I'm a million miles away and still affected by snow storms in Chicago.
I'm not usually one who has trouble sleeping or falling asleep. Usually, I hit the pillow and I'm out within 2 minutes. Lucky, I know...I was that way growing up and I've held on to it. Not here... I'm resolving myself to taking ambien when I get home with hopes to resume my normal patterns.
With only one week left, it's hard to imagine the time has passed by so quickly.
I hope everyone has fun watching the Super Bowl, filled with humorous commercials worth the millions. Too bad the Packers aren't in game.
Here's a link to my most recent pics. Enjoy!
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=ahmukup.cjn77p8x&x=0&y=-c4upe5
Until later, Namaste.
This weekend, Emma took me to the Lotus Temple, another place I had wanted to visit. It was really cool. Huge, peaceful and proud. It's a temple open to all faiths so I said a few Hail Marys. Here and also at the Taj Mahal, you have to remove your shoes before you enter. A testimony to how clean these places are kept- I wore white socks at the Taj Mahel and when I ended my tour, they were still white. It's when I'm at these world known places that I feel far away from home. I imagine my wherabouts on the google map, on the other side of the globe, in a country further away than Africa and in that far away country in a state, and in that state in a town and in that town at a world known site. And it's me who's there. Sites I can't imagine ever having the opportunity to see before this project and probably never again.
Link to Lotus Temple Info: http://www.tourtravelworld.com/hot_spots/delhi/lotus_temple/
After the temple, Emma and I did some shopping. No good deals this time, but saw some authentic Indian clothes shops. The hand sewn detail is phenomenal. As far as western atire, the prices stores are the same as in the US. Nike, Puma, The Body Shop and ESPRIT (long live the days of 6th and 7th grade)...
The weekends feel like they last for 3 or 4 days and it's all because of this non-schedule issue I'm having. And when we venture out on Saturdays, it feels like an extension of Friday. Again, this weekend I followed the sleep for 4 hours and awake for 4 hours pattern. When you do that a few times in a day, you can see how one can get messed up. And I was really off track last week. I could have sworn Thursday was Wednesday a million times over, but the group assured me it was actually already Thursday. On Friday, our training class was cut short. My group was called back to take phone calls due to the snow storm in the midwest as people had trouble getting in. I'm a million miles away and still affected by snow storms in Chicago.
I'm not usually one who has trouble sleeping or falling asleep. Usually, I hit the pillow and I'm out within 2 minutes. Lucky, I know...I was that way growing up and I've held on to it. Not here... I'm resolving myself to taking ambien when I get home with hopes to resume my normal patterns.
With only one week left, it's hard to imagine the time has passed by so quickly.
I hope everyone has fun watching the Super Bowl, filled with humorous commercials worth the millions. Too bad the Packers aren't in game.
Here's a link to my most recent pics. Enjoy!
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=ahmukup.cjn77p8x&x=0&y=-c4upe5
Until later, Namaste.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Dear Diary
This week on the way to work I've seen many men peeing openly on the side of the roads and a whole family of pigs walking along the side of the road. Baby pigs, too. Yesterday, I saw a group of people carrying bowls of what looked like twigs on the top of their head. Between the bowl and their head a cushion to help level and reduce pressure atop one' head.
I really want to get some pictures of poor living conditions I keep seeing. I'll try to do that on the way to work. It seems, although I'm not certain, that with all of the construction going on, people move their homes with the job sites. You'll see families and kids outide new buildings and home made tents, which I'm assuming is home. And you alway know when they have hand washed their clothes. Laundry will be hung from trees and fences for a day or 2 while drying. Along with the tents, it's common to see men with carts making their living selling food of sorts to workers or people near by. Chicken Dumplings are typical, I think.
I know I promised you pictures from the day shopping last week. I promise I'll get those posted soon. I'm fighting a cold. It started in the chest and has now moved to the head. Actually, I tried to fight, but lost the battle. It's here and it's fierce. Stupid thing. And I'm pretty sure I know how I got it, too. The A/C vent in my room blows and hits me directly when I'm sitting at the desk working on my computer. I even thought to myself, this could make a person sick. I should have listened to my innerself earlier on. Dummy.
My training group still rocks. After every break, I make them use some anti-bacterial gel that I brought. It's not easily found here. I walk around with the tube and put some on their hands telling them that they can't get sick and they have to make sure to come to work everyday. We had a few people call out while training the first round and it just made for long days to get them caught up. And all of that falls on me and Emma.
The test I told you about a few posts ago- the average score was 92%. Yesterday, they took some simulated calls where we have folks in the US in caller character place calls to them for practice. I think everyone did well, but I haven't seen all of the evaluation results. Today, we start on the 2nd team specific materials.
I'm off to work, to train with a 30% working voice... I heart NyQuil.
Until later, Namaste.
I really want to get some pictures of poor living conditions I keep seeing. I'll try to do that on the way to work. It seems, although I'm not certain, that with all of the construction going on, people move their homes with the job sites. You'll see families and kids outide new buildings and home made tents, which I'm assuming is home. And you alway know when they have hand washed their clothes. Laundry will be hung from trees and fences for a day or 2 while drying. Along with the tents, it's common to see men with carts making their living selling food of sorts to workers or people near by. Chicken Dumplings are typical, I think.
I know I promised you pictures from the day shopping last week. I promise I'll get those posted soon. I'm fighting a cold. It started in the chest and has now moved to the head. Actually, I tried to fight, but lost the battle. It's here and it's fierce. Stupid thing. And I'm pretty sure I know how I got it, too. The A/C vent in my room blows and hits me directly when I'm sitting at the desk working on my computer. I even thought to myself, this could make a person sick. I should have listened to my innerself earlier on. Dummy.
My training group still rocks. After every break, I make them use some anti-bacterial gel that I brought. It's not easily found here. I walk around with the tube and put some on their hands telling them that they can't get sick and they have to make sure to come to work everyday. We had a few people call out while training the first round and it just made for long days to get them caught up. And all of that falls on me and Emma.
The test I told you about a few posts ago- the average score was 92%. Yesterday, they took some simulated calls where we have folks in the US in caller character place calls to them for practice. I think everyone did well, but I haven't seen all of the evaluation results. Today, we start on the 2nd team specific materials.
I'm off to work, to train with a 30% working voice... I heart NyQuil.
Until later, Namaste.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Market Shopping
I had a great weekend. Yesterday was a little odd tho. Awake for 4 hours, sleep for 4 hours. I've finally succumbed to the fact that I'm never going to get on a schedule here. That's Ok. I'll sleep when I get home.
Just 2 of us went shopping today. We went to a few markets and I have a few pictures. I'll get those loaded sometime this week. I found some great bargains on earrings and really cool pashminas, just like I had wanted.
The scene was like sidewalk sale days on crack. The amount of people was overwhelming and of course many people shouting at you to come look at their things. It didn't phase me tho- I was on a mission.
Afterwards, I went to the spa and treated myself to a manicure (where they used Revlon nail polish) and a facial.
Not much else to report.....
Until later, Namaste.
Just 2 of us went shopping today. We went to a few markets and I have a few pictures. I'll get those loaded sometime this week. I found some great bargains on earrings and really cool pashminas, just like I had wanted.
The scene was like sidewalk sale days on crack. The amount of people was overwhelming and of course many people shouting at you to come look at their things. It didn't phase me tho- I was on a mission.
Afterwards, I went to the spa and treated myself to a manicure (where they used Revlon nail polish) and a facial.
Not much else to report.....
Until later, Namaste.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Weekend Plans
I'm super excited! The plan is to head to Delhi and hit some markets. Pashminas, Purses, Jewelry.......
This week has been so uneventful. Monotonous. Work, home, work, home... I'm over the culture shock, although I did see a wandering pig just out and about on the way to work today.
This is why I'm so looking forward to going to Delhi on Sunday! I'm looking for a new experience and a reminder that I'm in a different country with a different culture and a different way of living, as a minority.
Most of my general work contacts had plans this weekend. It's Republic Day here, the day India celebrates it's independence for only about 60 years now. So, I asked my class if anyone wanted to hang out with me. Right now, I think we have a group of 3-5 going.
Security has been tight because of the holiday. Every night on the way home from work, my drivers car is checked for bombs strapped to the under-carriage. Last night they even looked in the trunk. To check the underside of the car, they have a mirror on a dolly at an angle with a flash light strapped to it so they can see at night. I'm not too concerned about this tho. After 9/11, my car was searched the same way when dropping family off at O'Hare.
More to come after the weekend. I'll also have more pics to share then, too.
Until later, Namaste.
This week has been so uneventful. Monotonous. Work, home, work, home... I'm over the culture shock, although I did see a wandering pig just out and about on the way to work today.
This is why I'm so looking forward to going to Delhi on Sunday! I'm looking for a new experience and a reminder that I'm in a different country with a different culture and a different way of living, as a minority.
Most of my general work contacts had plans this weekend. It's Republic Day here, the day India celebrates it's independence for only about 60 years now. So, I asked my class if anyone wanted to hang out with me. Right now, I think we have a group of 3-5 going.
Security has been tight because of the holiday. Every night on the way home from work, my drivers car is checked for bombs strapped to the under-carriage. Last night they even looked in the trunk. To check the underside of the car, they have a mirror on a dolly at an angle with a flash light strapped to it so they can see at night. I'm not too concerned about this tho. After 9/11, my car was searched the same way when dropping family off at O'Hare.
More to come after the weekend. I'll also have more pics to share then, too.
Until later, Namaste.
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