Au revoir Bengaluru !!!!

Any quintessential Mumbaikar would agree.. it's hard to leave this city behind... Everywhere you go, a part of the city latches itself on to you and shows its sneak peek in everything you do.

Four and a half years in Namma Bengaluru and I was still referred to as 'that Mumbai girl". So when the mother ship called back to me, I came running back. But I had bid adieu to a city I grew to love in the past years. Bengaluru gave some priceless memories, it taught me many many things and most of all, it introduced me to some of the the most beautiful people in the world.

As I started packing, reminiscence was an uninvited guest. I looked around my house, my "bachelor pad" house. That house contained memories of the first meal I ever cooked ( rice and chicken in case you wanna know), my every weekend schedule of cleaning and scrubbing it from top to bottom and how it would get destroyed after any Saturday night party. I remember 3 awesome birthday parties I had there, all my friends who came to celebrate with me and made those nights legendary. My weekend trips to the grocery store; the city taught me to carry 3 heavy shopping bags and still manage to have BBM conversations with my friends as I crossed the road. I pack all these memories in cartons boxes and strollers and bring them with me to Mumbai.

As I complete my last few days at work, I sit around the cafeteria table with the usual 4 30 coffee break with a bunch of fun people. We crib about work, laugh at each others' stories and share details of the interesting characters we come across. Two and a half years of working there and I take back some super friendships, people who were sad to see me leave. The learning from the work place is never just about functional or process knowledge; it is a learning on dealing with different people. People you don't like, people who don't like you, stubborn ones, arrogant ones, ignorant ones, level headed ones, smart ones .. every kind !!! They bid me farewell and say the world is a small place, we shall meet again... Yes we shall !!!

As I pack and load my bags into my cab and head off to the airport, I take one last look at all those places that held dear for these years. The watering hole that I frequented with girl friends to blow off steam after a hard day, the gym I pulled myself and dragged to shed those kilos, that Sunday brunch place which gave me so many memorable times.I will miss complaining about the 11 30 deadlines, the house parties.  I drive down those roads one last time, the roads and directions I had memorized over time.

It's been a pleasure Bengaluru ... 

One small decision

Some of the smallest decisions in life lead to an impact so massive and so beautiful, you wonder how your life would have been without it.

Today as I started a chat on one of my BBM groups, i recalled one of my "small" decisions - the decision in school to choose to learn French as a 4th language. It was learned with immense interest, although we were never taught pronunciation in school (or college for that matter). But the language was learned - the irregular verbs were rote learned, the tenses were written and practiced to perfection and the Larousse Dictionary became a faithful friend. Junior college repeated all that i studied in school - the joy of knowing something even before it was taught, all those days (and nights) spent teaching my friends so they could pass the exams ... unforgettable.

Then came the turning point, in degree college I cranked it up a notch and joined Alliance Francaise. My friend, ST and I made our way to the office and registered wondering which new hell of learning we were pushing ourselves into. Let me tell you, we continued to dwell in that "hell" for the next 3 years. What started off as an after college class turned into an activity we loved and looked forward to every day. The class structure was one you couldn't imagine. The students ranged from college students to a retired college principal to a housewife to a kid just out of school. Everyday between 4 and 6 pm we sat on those wooden benches, leaving behind our own personal lives to battle this new language. No English was allowed so in our broken language and messed up grammar we spoke and understood what the others said. We were fined for speaking in English :S Listening and understanding French with the proper accent was a big part of the class. I don't know about the others in class but when the guy/ girl of the tape would start talking, I would think Daffy Duck was easier to comprehend.Speaking in class was like someone had pinned you in a firing lineup... It was tension to think of the next sentence and what would happen next. But the fear passed and happiness set in.

We became this little bunch that managed to click no matter what the circumstance. We laughed at each other and all of our nonsense pronunciations, the teachers were all characters by themselves and provided enough entertainment to keep the class going. Our class at the end of level one got so close almost all of us signed up for the next class together. The joy of seeing each other after a break of 15 days between two classes overflowed and our happiness and the noise scared the other classmates. One of my first crushes happened there, it came it went ... but yeah its special. We became such a big part of each others' lives there. We were part of one's wedding and said farewell as two among us moved overseas.

Now we are in different parts of the world, some married with kids, some getting married, some living their dream in our common land of dreams; France and some like me who reminisce and write about it. We remember other people from class and talk about incidents like it was yesterday. I just realized its 10 years since I meet my happy bunch. So as we thank technology for letting us stay in touch (our group on BBM says 'almost French devils') we keep each other updated on happenings from around the world. Our latest plan - a trip to the country whose language brought us altogether ... It's about time, don't you think !!!

Diwali vacation

I remember when i was in school vacation time was the best time we could ask for ( obviously duhh !!! ) Summer was a long ( and i always wished it never ended ) 2 months; Christmas was a quick 10 days and Diwali a beautiful 3 weeks.

Diwali was the time every one looked forward to; i can safely say that for my house. Dad always got this whole big stack of gift vouchers from places like Shoppers Stop and it was our time to go insane shopping even though our Diwali shopping would be over by then. Sweets would keep flowing into the house; weight watchers that we all were; where and how the boxes would disappear no one claimed to know. But most of all it was about the family and having your closest family over is the best way to spend Diwali.

It is indeed a very special time. My family is unlike many others. We are South Indians only by name; our roots lie in Mumbai and we celebrate very festival that comes our way... I remember having Iftar parties in my house, Diwali celebrations happen every year and Christmas is also a time to have fun.

This Diwali is gonna be extra special... First Diwali as the working girl going home with gifts for my family and not from the money i borrowed from my parents. Can you feel the pride :D

Then i get to see all my friends; some who have always been in Mumbai and some are have come down - all about timing ya !!! Most of all i get to see my city, where the roads are familiar and people are ohh sooo great.. I get to eat the food i love soooooooooo much; my Mithibai vada pav and open cheese mysore dosa; the cheese pav bhaji on juhu beach and the pasta & pizzas from alfredos, the kati & seekh rolls from outside my school and never the least the awesome food at home ( for all those laughing at that statement, when you are not an awesome cook i will understand what i am saying )...

What an awesome Diwali vacation it is going to be !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!