Foot Massage = Team Building Exercise
May 7th, 2009
Aha! I knew that would grab everybody's attention!
So I am back in Beijing.
It's been a rough week. Most days I would stay up till 2/3/4 in the morning, discussing stuff with the people in China and India. Then up by 5:30 am to check emails, and on calls from 9 in the morning till 12 almost everyday. Noon time, I'd try a little sleep, but then the phone wouldn't stop ringing. It was all getting in the way of my functioning properly. Thanks to Rupali who decided I need a break and a pedicure on Sunday. It relaxed me enough to send me on my way on Tuesday morning. But Monday night, I was on calls till 2 am... a 6:30 flight was almost unimaginable. I decided to catch a few and make the 9:30 - on which I was originally booked.
The flight from T.O. to Newark was delayed. I had exactly 40 minutes to run from one terminal to the other, and pick up something from the duty free. And I did it. Unlike last time, this time the plane was packed. Next to me was a Vientamese American boy in his twenties, going to China on an exchange program. Beside him was a Chinese-American going home to her parents. We had a good time talking to each other, and I picked up another bit of Mandarin - sign language. The Chinese sign their numbers with one hand - no two handed signs like us plebes. One more new thing. I worked a little, slept a lot and found the time to catch up on the emails I'd downloaded before leaving. Down on the ground, on time. There were long lines this time.. health check for the swine flu and then immigration, get my bags, grab a cab, and head to the hotel.
This time I got a club level room on the 16th floor. To my immense delight, this room faced the entire Olympic park - the Pangu hotel, the Water Cube, the Bird's nest and the alphabet buildings which had housed the Olympic athletes. The room is huge, and a bathroom that is BIG. It even had a separate shower stall and a bath tub big enough for two. A king sized bed. Man, I was in hotel heaven. I unpacked, showered and plugged in my laptop. About 150 emails! Groan!! I'd only been away for like 20 hours from my computer. I also jumped into Meebo.. my IM gateway. Right away I got pinged. It was Eric. He'd arrived on Sunday - and was madly glad that I was in town. I started combing through the emails while receiving pings from India. Very soon, Kevin came online. We were gonna have dinner together as soon as they got back from work.. but first drinks in the club lounge on the 17th.
So up I went. Kevin was already there, and we played catch up - with him telling me all the wonderful stuff - WORK - I believe its called, that had happened while I was up in the air. Eric arrived soon after, and two glasses of wine later, the three of us went down for dinner to the Brazilian restaurant. It was as good as I remembered. That night we decided to take the calls from my room. Needless to say, the boys both had massive cases of room envy!
The next day - today - was work day. I found my rhythm quickly. Breakfast at eight. Answer emails. Head out the door. We're almost into production now.. this weekend actually. And that's why I was back so soon. Work quickly caught up with me. Eric needed something, so did Kevin and so did a few dozen people. Ah well...
We got home, changed, had a drink in the lounge and then headed out. We needed to relax. What better way than to get a foot massage? So off we went to a foot massage place just around the corner.
Now most of you have seen my earlier note about the 'special' massages on offer. Not at this place, or at least not that we were aware of. But this had to be one of the most bizarre experiences of my life. Never having been to a massage parlor (a spa in the US dont count!) before, I didn't quite know what to expect. Which was a good thing. I would perhaps not have had the courage to go through with it. But now that I've done it... you know what? i'm going back for more!!
We walked into the parlor and they asked us what we would like. Now remember, we dont speak Mandarin, and they speak little English. A business transaction like this one can get quite lost in translation. We asked for three foot massages. The lady at the desk led us down a hall to a room. Three big loungey chairs with ottomans were in the room. On the opposite wall was a big screen TV. We sat in the chairs me in the center with the guys on either side. We were getting our massages together??!! Bit awkward, that! But that was just the start. Soon after the girl came in again - what would we like to drink? I opted for a bottle of water, Eric wanted tea and Kevin wanted diet coke. Those arrived along with a couple of trays of the sweetest watermelon. We sat there talking flipping through channels. About five minutes later, there was a knock on the door. A young girl about 5'10" tall walked in, carrying a tub of hot water. She was followed by a young boy..and another young girl. The two girls went to the two men on either side, the guy was for me..!! Ulp!!
They had us put our feet in the water and then walked out. By the way, it was almost synchronous - the way they did it. We sat there, feet soaking in very hot tea water. A few minutes later they came back in and helped us turn around and sit on the ottomans. Feet still in water, they proceeded to give us back rubs. OH.. MY... GOD....!! It felt soooo good! I could feel his fingers digging and finding all the knots in my back. I was melting. My eyes were closed, and as I felt his fingers working into the back of my neck, I removed the band around my hair and allowed him to dig his fingers into my scalp. Oh yes...... I could get to like this very very much. I don't know how long that was before I was helped back into the chair. I lay there, eyes closed, wondering what was next. They took our feet out of the water, and then dried and proceeded with the foot massage. But it wasnt just a foot massage. I felt him leaning over me, and then he started to massage my arms... strong fingers digging into my biceps - did I really have that many knots? None of us were making a sound at this point. It was hard for me not to say anything. But I could hear one of my friends being asked by his 'girl' if he was from America? how long was he going to be there? First trip to Beijing? hmmm... she was soo hitting on him!! I peeked at her, and was a little perturbed to find her sitting on the ottoman - her short skirt had ridden up her thights, and you could see the bare flesh between her stockings and her skirt..okayyyyy.... this was a little uncomfortable.
But I soon lost sight of that, as my masseuse gave me the most delicious arm workout. Then it was on to the feet. They hurt. Literally. But then they relaxed oh so nicely.. My feet were all tingly now... The soles of my feet were mmmmmm....
Then came the part that I absolutely did not expect. This was the leg massage part of it.. oh dear... i was fighting hard to keep any sound coming out of my mouth, as he just went for the knots on my quadriceps and calves. Oh my God! the fourteen hours of sitting cramped in a coach seat were soooo worth this moment in relaxation heaven. He found knots and worked them out. Ninety minutes later, we were done - all at the same time! Wow!!
I had to be helped out of my chair.. My legs were like noodles, all soft and spongy. We came out, paid up. Then it was on to our favourite dive for dinner. Rice, a big bowl of chicken soup and a big meatball. And two bottles of beer - remember Chinese beer comes in those India sized bottles. We definitely felt good. Back to hotel now... and more work, conference calls. But you know what? I'm going back there again. As a team bonding experience - it was the most bizarre of all. However, I realized that I had these two wonderful men in my team that I could trust implicitly. I think and hope that we all will stay friends - even after this project is over... How could we not? We got foot massages together, for crying out loud!!
Cheers to that!!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Beijing - A New Day in A new Country - Pt Trois
Safety Valve = Peking Duck
April 27th, 2009
A week of this torturous lifestyle goes by.
Some evenings we go down to the hotel bar, or up to the concierge level and have a drink, but nothing in the way of a party.
The weekend dawned grey and misty. My room faces the highway, and it doesn’t have a very good view. But Kevin and Eric have rooms facing out towards the Bird’s Nest. Beyond that, you can see the Pangu Plaza. Check out this pic on http://www.thebeijinger.co
On his previous trip, Kevin’s wife had discovered the best Peking duck in town - at a restaurant called Made in China at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Beijing. We’d made reservations for Peking Duck (yeah, cause it takes a long time to cook) for Saturday. So I cleaned up and headed down, and met up with the rest of the folks from our team. There were six of us, and we headed out in two taxis. Oh yes, Chinese regulations do not allow more than three people per taxi. Makes for a comfortable ride.
We went South, and once off the highway, we were in the heart of the city. This was more like it. It looked like any other big metropolis, crowds of people walking by. Big European haute couture names in big splashy billboards, shiny lights, lit-up buildings. But on the street side, there were rows of stalls selling what looked like kebabs. I don’t know what the meat was – it smelt very very good. There was cacophony of people hawking the meat, cars honking, and a general hustle and bustle, that was just pretty amazing – but also somewhat familiar. We went down a broad avenue, with a park down the center. Beijing is a very green city. People were walking their dogs, babies in strollers and arms, people living their lives, in general. We passed a street with of all things – a 7-11! It was too weird to see such a familiar sight. Kevin pointed out to me the little doors set into the walls. One was open and I glimpsed a narrow alleyway behind it. It’s called a hutong, And suddenly you realize that there is a whole different city behind those walls. The overhead electricity wires were everywhere. People cycled by with – I guess in India we’d call it a thela – cart at the back of the bicycles. Electric street cars zigged and zagged through the streets. They don’t run on rails, so they move through the traffic, sometimes quite perilously close to our taxi. We even saw a CBS bus – which was a huh! Moment to say the least.
The Hyatt is a big hotel, and we walked into the restaurant. Oh my God! It was beautiful. The restaurant is large, but built in such a way that there are intimate nooks everywhere. The walls are a deep red and the recessed lighting adds to the intimate feel. As you enter, the bar is on the left, and behind it there is the cellar. It reminded me of the Aureole in the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Glass walls displayed the row upon row of bottles. Further down, one nook had a wall completely covered in tiny square shelves. In each square was a tea pot – from tiny to small to medium size. Each one was different and had a different design and painting on it. There must have been hundreds of them. There are chef’s stations set down the restaurant, behind glass enclosures. The chefs cook and put up a display as well. Our table was way at the back of the restaurant. Outside, the beautiful lawns of the hotel designed like a Chinese garden complete with pagodas and lantern shaped lights was visible in the fading light.
We ordered duck (but of course) and each one had to order a dish. I chose the scallops. Eric and Tony chose the pig’s ear and jelly fish ‘coleslaw’, Brian had the crispy mandarin fish, Bob had some other kind of fish, and there was fried rice, and Kevin chose the Kung Pao or was it General Tso’s chicken. I have to admit – that was the best chicken ever. Each of the dishes arrived beautifully arranged. We chose a Spanish red to go with our duck. The ducks arrived with due flourish. The chef arrived with a long knife to carve the duck table-side. He sliced off the crispy skin and served it. Then the duck breast – melt in your mouth tender! Our server advised us to dip the skin in the sugar before we tried it. I decided to do so. I could not believe it! The sugar added something totally new to the duck. The flavours just danced on my tongue. I was in Peking duck heaven! Need I say I am going back for some more? Oh yes, I would do the pig’s ear and jelly fish too! I had to have the duck’s brain – it was good. Tasted just like chicken brain, didn’t it, Eric? The Spanish red just got better with each bite. That was one meal that I will remember for the longest time.
On the way back, my mother called. And was horrified to hear I’d been eating pig’s ear and jelly fish and yak meat… Did I mention the yak meat before?
Ah yes, the yak meat. The hotel that we stayed in also has a Chinese restaurant. One night, we decided to try it. Oh boy! Eric is quite the adventurous eater – he should go on Amazing Race or Fear Factor – he’d probably wipe out the competition in the gross-out eating contest. Well, while we all played it safe, Eric decides to have yak meat. I had to try it. I was surprised how good it tasted – rather like a cross between beef and goat meat, and a lot more fibrous.
The highlight of that meal, to me, was the tea-serving. Bob, one of my colleagues, drinks tea rather than coffee. He ordered tea and it came with a whole lot of presentation. The tea leaves were presented in a little pot. A server dressed in traditional Chinese robes came up with a kettle. This was no ordinary kettle. It was a little brass pot with a long straight spout that narrowed to the tip. The spout was almost a meter long. Before he poured, he stepped back and then poised the spout over the pot. The first time he poured it straight, balancing the spout over his forearm. The second time he balanced it across his shoulders and poured sideways. The third time, it was angled across his back… WOW!!
I slept in on Sunday. We had planned to meet for breakfast at 8:30. The phone ringing woke me up. It was 9:30 and folks were beginning to worry about me and why I was a no-show for breakfast. I also have a niggling feeling Eric may have put Kevin up to it. Either way, it woke me up. The rest of the day was spent working in a conference room at the hotel.
….more to come….
April 27th, 2009
A week of this torturous lifestyle goes by.
Some evenings we go down to the hotel bar, or up to the concierge level and have a drink, but nothing in the way of a party.
The weekend dawned grey and misty. My room faces the highway, and it doesn’t have a very good view. But Kevin and Eric have rooms facing out towards the Bird’s Nest. Beyond that, you can see the Pangu Plaza. Check out this pic on http://www.thebeijinger.co
On his previous trip, Kevin’s wife had discovered the best Peking duck in town - at a restaurant called Made in China at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Beijing. We’d made reservations for Peking Duck (yeah, cause it takes a long time to cook) for Saturday. So I cleaned up and headed down, and met up with the rest of the folks from our team. There were six of us, and we headed out in two taxis. Oh yes, Chinese regulations do not allow more than three people per taxi. Makes for a comfortable ride.
We went South, and once off the highway, we were in the heart of the city. This was more like it. It looked like any other big metropolis, crowds of people walking by. Big European haute couture names in big splashy billboards, shiny lights, lit-up buildings. But on the street side, there were rows of stalls selling what looked like kebabs. I don’t know what the meat was – it smelt very very good. There was cacophony of people hawking the meat, cars honking, and a general hustle and bustle, that was just pretty amazing – but also somewhat familiar. We went down a broad avenue, with a park down the center. Beijing is a very green city. People were walking their dogs, babies in strollers and arms, people living their lives, in general. We passed a street with of all things – a 7-11! It was too weird to see such a familiar sight. Kevin pointed out to me the little doors set into the walls. One was open and I glimpsed a narrow alleyway behind it. It’s called a hutong, And suddenly you realize that there is a whole different city behind those walls. The overhead electricity wires were everywhere. People cycled by with – I guess in India we’d call it a thela – cart at the back of the bicycles. Electric street cars zigged and zagged through the streets. They don’t run on rails, so they move through the traffic, sometimes quite perilously close to our taxi. We even saw a CBS bus – which was a huh! Moment to say the least.
The Hyatt is a big hotel, and we walked into the restaurant. Oh my God! It was beautiful. The restaurant is large, but built in such a way that there are intimate nooks everywhere. The walls are a deep red and the recessed lighting adds to the intimate feel. As you enter, the bar is on the left, and behind it there is the cellar. It reminded me of the Aureole in the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Glass walls displayed the row upon row of bottles. Further down, one nook had a wall completely covered in tiny square shelves. In each square was a tea pot – from tiny to small to medium size. Each one was different and had a different design and painting on it. There must have been hundreds of them. There are chef’s stations set down the restaurant, behind glass enclosures. The chefs cook and put up a display as well. Our table was way at the back of the restaurant. Outside, the beautiful lawns of the hotel designed like a Chinese garden complete with pagodas and lantern shaped lights was visible in the fading light.
We ordered duck (but of course) and each one had to order a dish. I chose the scallops. Eric and Tony chose the pig’s ear and jelly fish ‘coleslaw’, Brian had the crispy mandarin fish, Bob had some other kind of fish, and there was fried rice, and Kevin chose the Kung Pao or was it General Tso’s chicken. I have to admit – that was the best chicken ever. Each of the dishes arrived beautifully arranged. We chose a Spanish red to go with our duck. The ducks arrived with due flourish. The chef arrived with a long knife to carve the duck table-side. He sliced off the crispy skin and served it. Then the duck breast – melt in your mouth tender! Our server advised us to dip the skin in the sugar before we tried it. I decided to do so. I could not believe it! The sugar added something totally new to the duck. The flavours just danced on my tongue. I was in Peking duck heaven! Need I say I am going back for some more? Oh yes, I would do the pig’s ear and jelly fish too! I had to have the duck’s brain – it was good. Tasted just like chicken brain, didn’t it, Eric? The Spanish red just got better with each bite. That was one meal that I will remember for the longest time.
On the way back, my mother called. And was horrified to hear I’d been eating pig’s ear and jelly fish and yak meat… Did I mention the yak meat before?
Ah yes, the yak meat. The hotel that we stayed in also has a Chinese restaurant. One night, we decided to try it. Oh boy! Eric is quite the adventurous eater – he should go on Amazing Race or Fear Factor – he’d probably wipe out the competition in the gross-out eating contest. Well, while we all played it safe, Eric decides to have yak meat. I had to try it. I was surprised how good it tasted – rather like a cross between beef and goat meat, and a lot more fibrous.
The highlight of that meal, to me, was the tea-serving. Bob, one of my colleagues, drinks tea rather than coffee. He ordered tea and it came with a whole lot of presentation. The tea leaves were presented in a little pot. A server dressed in traditional Chinese robes came up with a kettle. This was no ordinary kettle. It was a little brass pot with a long straight spout that narrowed to the tip. The spout was almost a meter long. Before he poured, he stepped back and then poised the spout over the pot. The first time he poured it straight, balancing the spout over his forearm. The second time he balanced it across his shoulders and poured sideways. The third time, it was angled across his back… WOW!!
I slept in on Sunday. We had planned to meet for breakfast at 8:30. The phone ringing woke me up. It was 9:30 and folks were beginning to worry about me and why I was a no-show for breakfast. I also have a niggling feeling Eric may have put Kevin up to it. Either way, it woke me up. The rest of the day was spent working in a conference room at the hotel.
….more to come….
Beijing - A New Day in A new Country - Pt Deux
Too much Work, Too Little Sleep
April 27th, 2009
The client site is located in Shang-di district. This is almost like the software export zone in India or a Research Technology park in the US. Both sides of the road are lined with one software company after another with familiar names like Neusoft and Oracle. Driving along the main road, you see these massive power grid towers marching down the left, and right in the middle of it, is this odd structure. Someone called it the ‘Flying Saucer’ or better still ‘the Weird Thingy’. It’s definitely a thingy. Probably a cell tower – who knows? See pic attached.
The client offices are in a glass and concrete structure, very modern, with fountains in the garden, and uniformed guards – hats, gloves, et al. The room we sit in is a big conference room with tables along three sides. People sit on either side of the tables, grabbing whichever work area is empty.
I didn’t realize this, but I was told later that men don’t shake hands with women, until the woman sticks out her hand first. Since I was completely unaware of this, I stuck my hand out at everybody. Limp handshakes! I thought. Well, turns out that was one more thing I was unaware of. Now, I start to feel like I am in a foreign country, where I must respect the customs and traditions of what is a very traditional society.
After a quick confab, we decided to pull all the team into a conference room for a briefing/introduction session. Kevin had warned me about the language issues, and I decided that if I was to make myself understood white-boarding it was the way to go. It’s really difficult to communicate without a common language, and it makes you wonder what else you are missing. At points in the meeting, the entire conversation would be in Mandarin, with Kevin and me basically looking on, trying hard to understand what the heck was being said. Suddenly, the conversation would stop and they’d go ‘Ok’. Okay! And we’d move on. I had to try and pace myself to make myself more understood, and I try and pronounce words more clearly and precisely and with far less Americanisms than I would use while talking to the others.
There is a smoking room on our floor. The entire floor is built around a four-storey atrium. Kevin showed me the smoking room, and it sort of became the place where we went to have private conversations. Two of our Chinese team mates came in and were surprised to see me standing there with a cigarette in my hand. Now all smokers know this, but smoking is a great networking tool. Smokers bond. I got to know a little bit of these guys on our team. Nice young men and both were rather chuffed when I expressed an interest in learning how to speak certain words in Chinese. So we were off to a good start.
Did I mention we actually watched the change of guards at the office? Yep. They actually have a little ceremony where they do hand offs!
Work piled up. We were up to necks in work, and it was slowly rising over our heads.
But come lunchtime, suddenly everyone is out of the office. They really like their lunch hour! But this we later discovered was due to the fact that the cafeterias basically opened between around 11:30 and 1/1:30 – so everyone disappears to take advantage of that time. Kevin took me to a little cafeteria/coffee shop for lunch. We didn’t feel adventurous enough to venture into the cafeteria. I had my first Chinese pizza. Pretty good!
Keeping in mind the rush-hour traffic and the fact that we were all fast fading from the previous day’s (two days?) travel, we decided to leave around 5:30. On the way back, I was told not to take a cab that was not a real cab i.e. it didn’t have the word Taxi on the top and markings on the side. Good to know. The cab rides are usually around 35-40 yuan – something like 6 or 7 dollars. The almost 8-mile drive takes anything between half-an-hour and an hour depending on traffic and the route du jour picked by the driver du jour. Some things reminded me of home. The fact that cabs facing one way in the traffic will not go in a particular direction. Those facing North would not take us back to the hotel. So it was a sprint across the street and into a cab facing South! To me, it was like being back in India. Chalna hai?
Back at the hotel, we changed and went down to the Brazilian steak house in the hotel – go figure!! Awesome chorizos!! Need I say more?
We have a 10 pm conference call, so Eric, Kevin and I decided to take it in Kevin’s room. Became a sort of pajama party – with me on the floor on cushions, and Kevin stretched out on the sofa, and Eric basically squatting on a chair.
It soon became a pattern. Breakfast around 7/7:30 – coffee to go. At work, rush around, fight fires, answer questions, find solutions, run interference, learn Chinese, and generally be a busybody. Back to the hotel, find a place to eat dinner, maybe a drink. Take the 9 pm call, take the 10 pm call. Work some more, usually until or past midnight, sleep, wake up at 6 and repeat pattern.
It was taking a toll on us. But we had to deal with it. And everyone on the team dealt with it.
It’s a brilliant team. I have never seen a collection of such smart people in one project, bar none! Each one brings something to the table, and there is really little or no ego clashes at all!
But I have to mention the two people who I work most closely with.
The first is Eric – our PM – the devilishly handsome guy in my last post. (see Eric? I did give you props!) Eric landed into a project that is in crisis mode, and his ability to grasp situations and take pressure off us is pretty amazing. I’m glad he’s on the team. And more importantly, I’m glad he’s a team player. But most of all, I enjoy the fact that he can be humorous – sometimes at the most inopportune times – in an incredibly ridiculous way, and release the tension. He’s also been there, when I need to rant and rave, and totally (yes, Eric, TOTALLY) understood my need to vent.
The other is Kevin. What would I do without him? Kevin is an instinctive leader. He leads from the front and keeps a cool head even when under pressure. He bonds with people so well, that I sometimes envy his ability to do that. I think he has our team eating out of his hands. I believe if he asked them to lie down on a bed of nail for him – they probably would – except me. I kinda don’t like that kind of physical torture – seeing as I’m a comfort loving person myself. His best quality is his ability to see things in an analytical manner and articulate it very clearly and concisely. I am learning so much from him. His worst? STOP APOLOGISING already!!
So here we are – in a little pressure cooker – and the pressure is building. So we needed to find a way to vent the steam. Bring on the safety valve!
April 27th, 2009
The client site is located in Shang-di district. This is almost like the software export zone in India or a Research Technology park in the US. Both sides of the road are lined with one software company after another with familiar names like Neusoft and Oracle. Driving along the main road, you see these massive power grid towers marching down the left, and right in the middle of it, is this odd structure. Someone called it the ‘Flying Saucer’ or better still ‘the Weird Thingy’. It’s definitely a thingy. Probably a cell tower – who knows? See pic attached.
The client offices are in a glass and concrete structure, very modern, with fountains in the garden, and uniformed guards – hats, gloves, et al. The room we sit in is a big conference room with tables along three sides. People sit on either side of the tables, grabbing whichever work area is empty.
I didn’t realize this, but I was told later that men don’t shake hands with women, until the woman sticks out her hand first. Since I was completely unaware of this, I stuck my hand out at everybody. Limp handshakes! I thought. Well, turns out that was one more thing I was unaware of. Now, I start to feel like I am in a foreign country, where I must respect the customs and traditions of what is a very traditional society.
After a quick confab, we decided to pull all the team into a conference room for a briefing/introduction session. Kevin had warned me about the language issues, and I decided that if I was to make myself understood white-boarding it was the way to go. It’s really difficult to communicate without a common language, and it makes you wonder what else you are missing. At points in the meeting, the entire conversation would be in Mandarin, with Kevin and me basically looking on, trying hard to understand what the heck was being said. Suddenly, the conversation would stop and they’d go ‘Ok’. Okay! And we’d move on. I had to try and pace myself to make myself more understood, and I try and pronounce words more clearly and precisely and with far less Americanisms than I would use while talking to the others.
There is a smoking room on our floor. The entire floor is built around a four-storey atrium. Kevin showed me the smoking room, and it sort of became the place where we went to have private conversations. Two of our Chinese team mates came in and were surprised to see me standing there with a cigarette in my hand. Now all smokers know this, but smoking is a great networking tool. Smokers bond. I got to know a little bit of these guys on our team. Nice young men and both were rather chuffed when I expressed an interest in learning how to speak certain words in Chinese. So we were off to a good start.
Did I mention we actually watched the change of guards at the office? Yep. They actually have a little ceremony where they do hand offs!
Work piled up. We were up to necks in work, and it was slowly rising over our heads.
But come lunchtime, suddenly everyone is out of the office. They really like their lunch hour! But this we later discovered was due to the fact that the cafeterias basically opened between around 11:30 and 1/1:30 – so everyone disappears to take advantage of that time. Kevin took me to a little cafeteria/coffee shop for lunch. We didn’t feel adventurous enough to venture into the cafeteria. I had my first Chinese pizza. Pretty good!
Keeping in mind the rush-hour traffic and the fact that we were all fast fading from the previous day’s (two days?) travel, we decided to leave around 5:30. On the way back, I was told not to take a cab that was not a real cab i.e. it didn’t have the word Taxi on the top and markings on the side. Good to know. The cab rides are usually around 35-40 yuan – something like 6 or 7 dollars. The almost 8-mile drive takes anything between half-an-hour and an hour depending on traffic and the route du jour picked by the driver du jour. Some things reminded me of home. The fact that cabs facing one way in the traffic will not go in a particular direction. Those facing North would not take us back to the hotel. So it was a sprint across the street and into a cab facing South! To me, it was like being back in India. Chalna hai?
Back at the hotel, we changed and went down to the Brazilian steak house in the hotel – go figure!! Awesome chorizos!! Need I say more?
We have a 10 pm conference call, so Eric, Kevin and I decided to take it in Kevin’s room. Became a sort of pajama party – with me on the floor on cushions, and Kevin stretched out on the sofa, and Eric basically squatting on a chair.
It soon became a pattern. Breakfast around 7/7:30 – coffee to go. At work, rush around, fight fires, answer questions, find solutions, run interference, learn Chinese, and generally be a busybody. Back to the hotel, find a place to eat dinner, maybe a drink. Take the 9 pm call, take the 10 pm call. Work some more, usually until or past midnight, sleep, wake up at 6 and repeat pattern.
It was taking a toll on us. But we had to deal with it. And everyone on the team dealt with it.
It’s a brilliant team. I have never seen a collection of such smart people in one project, bar none! Each one brings something to the table, and there is really little or no ego clashes at all!
But I have to mention the two people who I work most closely with.
The first is Eric – our PM – the devilishly handsome guy in my last post. (see Eric? I did give you props!) Eric landed into a project that is in crisis mode, and his ability to grasp situations and take pressure off us is pretty amazing. I’m glad he’s on the team. And more importantly, I’m glad he’s a team player. But most of all, I enjoy the fact that he can be humorous – sometimes at the most inopportune times – in an incredibly ridiculous way, and release the tension. He’s also been there, when I need to rant and rave, and totally (yes, Eric, TOTALLY) understood my need to vent.
The other is Kevin. What would I do without him? Kevin is an instinctive leader. He leads from the front and keeps a cool head even when under pressure. He bonds with people so well, that I sometimes envy his ability to do that. I think he has our team eating out of his hands. I believe if he asked them to lie down on a bed of nail for him – they probably would – except me. I kinda don’t like that kind of physical torture – seeing as I’m a comfort loving person myself. His best quality is his ability to see things in an analytical manner and articulate it very clearly and concisely. I am learning so much from him. His worst? STOP APOLOGISING already!!
So here we are – in a little pressure cooker – and the pressure is building. So we needed to find a way to vent the steam. Bring on the safety valve!
India - Thoughts from the Land of my Birth - March 18th, 2009 12:43 pm
So I came to India with the idea that I could purchase a pre-paid cell phone. How expensive could it be? The exchange rate is good, I could use a good phone. At work my colleague took me to a phone seller. Yes, he could sell me a phone, but I needed a photo-id (no problem - I have my passport, my OCI card..) .... and a UTILITY BILL!!! What?! Of course, we tried telling him that I was only visiting for a few weeks, and needed the cell to be able to be in contact and for emergencies. But the man was adamant. This was quite a surprise for me. The fact that I was willing to shell out hard cash to get the phone I need, was not a factor at all. The man seemed genuinely sorry that he could not help me out - regulations were regulations - whatever happened to good old bribing? Evidently there is a new regulation that requires ALL cellphone users to be registered AND a background check made!
Finally, the Saturday after, I was able to get my nephews to purchase a phone for me. However, even after that there were issues. I though I was purchasing a phone, and the SIM card. At which point I thought I was done. But nooooooo.... then I had to buy time as well (did the activation not cover a standard starting credit? - evidently not!). I then added credit to my account. But then, two days later, I was getting SMS's - I couldn't continue with the phone because my papers had not reached? But my nephew had submitted all the papers - what could be the problem? I have no idea! But right now, all I can do is receive calls (free airtime) and SMS's... this is really bugging me out.
I thought security in India was always tighter than in the West. This was a new level of security. While on the one hand I feel harassed, in the same way I feel harassed every time I have to take off my shoes at the airport. On the other hand, I realise why the government has taken the stance it is taking. But what amazed me is how well people have taken to it. There are rules and regulations that are now in place that weren't there - or maybe they were - people just weren't adhering to it.
I see drivers with seat belts on. Especially if there is a havaldar around.
My cab drivers would always use headphones if they had to be on their cells.
As I enter Magarpatta city SEZ, there are security blocks on the road. I have to show my id, before the cab is let through
As I enter the office building, there is only one entrance - through security. Everyday I have to have my laptop case and my purse checked. Swipe cards are soooo passe.
As my cab enters the hotel grounds, the security guard would do an undercarriage sweep, and I would have to give him my room number - never mind that he saw me everyday - to let us through.
The cabs are not allowed to stand and wait for passengers in front of buildings.
And yet... and yet...
There is still the incessant honking of traffic. There is no adherence to traffic signals or lane markers.
There is still the same laissez-faire that identifies the regular Indian. There is still the complete lackadaisical approach to things we take for granted - services for instance. My cousin's internet went down a few days ago... and she still has no service. I still dont have a cell phone that I can call out from.. only receive calls... how does that help me call a cab company?
I have a corporate apartment - without a landline ... how am I going to get my conf calls?
There's hundreds of channels on TV, and reality television like MTV roadies, a cross between Road Rules and Survivor!! Pretty sweet! And news channels that are questioning ministers on live television a la CNN/FOX/, yet the politicians still spout the same old rhetoric - now that the elections are around the corner.
And you still see news like the girl who committed suicide because she was forced to perform a strip tease as part of the 'ragging' ritual.
This India is so different from the one I grew up in. And in so many ways still the same. Why am I expecting everything to still be the same? After all, I've evolved and so has the country. I don't know for better or for worse.
Always, while growing up I felt that Indians did not have the same sense of pride in their country that our previous generations had - the Independence Generation. That the leaders of our country always wanted more for themselves than for their country. Today I felt that Indira Gandhi - whatever her faults - was always driven by what she felt was best for the country - whether it was the right thing or not, she was definitely a leader that thought of the country first.
All I can say is this... One thing made me very very happy. This election - all of a sudden - I see things that I saw just a year ago in America. The 'Get out the vote' and 'youth mobilization' is starting to take center stage. There are PSAs by celebrities and ads on TV and the newspaper. People are being reminded what voting really means. That voting is a right that needs to be exercised and that you are responsible for who you choose to lead you. And I see Indian flags everywhere. Is this a sensibility borne of watching that other democracy across the world, and how proud they are of their country? I saw a cubicle in the office. Two small Indian flags stood in a corner of a desk. How American! and yet, I am so very glad that this has finally come to India. That we've become proud of our flag - we are proud to wave that tricolor. And how sad I am that it had to happen, after I had decided to stop being an Indian legally. But I think by now you've guessed - I'm still an Indian at heart. and proud to be one.
Finally, the Saturday after, I was able to get my nephews to purchase a phone for me. However, even after that there were issues. I though I was purchasing a phone, and the SIM card. At which point I thought I was done. But nooooooo.... then I had to buy time as well (did the activation not cover a standard starting credit? - evidently not!). I then added credit to my account. But then, two days later, I was getting SMS's - I couldn't continue with the phone because my papers had not reached? But my nephew had submitted all the papers - what could be the problem? I have no idea! But right now, all I can do is receive calls (free airtime) and SMS's... this is really bugging me out.
I thought security in India was always tighter than in the West. This was a new level of security. While on the one hand I feel harassed, in the same way I feel harassed every time I have to take off my shoes at the airport. On the other hand, I realise why the government has taken the stance it is taking. But what amazed me is how well people have taken to it. There are rules and regulations that are now in place that weren't there - or maybe they were - people just weren't adhering to it.
I see drivers with seat belts on. Especially if there is a havaldar around.
My cab drivers would always use headphones if they had to be on their cells.
As I enter Magarpatta city SEZ, there are security blocks on the road. I have to show my id, before the cab is let through
As I enter the office building, there is only one entrance - through security. Everyday I have to have my laptop case and my purse checked. Swipe cards are soooo passe.
As my cab enters the hotel grounds, the security guard would do an undercarriage sweep, and I would have to give him my room number - never mind that he saw me everyday - to let us through.
The cabs are not allowed to stand and wait for passengers in front of buildings.
And yet... and yet...
There is still the incessant honking of traffic. There is no adherence to traffic signals or lane markers.
There is still the same laissez-faire that identifies the regular Indian. There is still the complete lackadaisical approach to things we take for granted - services for instance. My cousin's internet went down a few days ago... and she still has no service. I still dont have a cell phone that I can call out from.. only receive calls... how does that help me call a cab company?
I have a corporate apartment - without a landline ... how am I going to get my conf calls?
There's hundreds of channels on TV, and reality television like MTV roadies, a cross between Road Rules and Survivor!! Pretty sweet! And news channels that are questioning ministers on live television a la CNN/FOX/
And you still see news like the girl who committed suicide because she was forced to perform a strip tease as part of the 'ragging' ritual.
This India is so different from the one I grew up in. And in so many ways still the same. Why am I expecting everything to still be the same? After all, I've evolved and so has the country. I don't know for better or for worse.
Always, while growing up I felt that Indians did not have the same sense of pride in their country that our previous generations had - the Independence Generation. That the leaders of our country always wanted more for themselves than for their country. Today I felt that Indira Gandhi - whatever her faults - was always driven by what she felt was best for the country - whether it was the right thing or not, she was definitely a leader that thought of the country first.
All I can say is this... One thing made me very very happy. This election - all of a sudden - I see things that I saw just a year ago in America. The 'Get out the vote' and 'youth mobilization' is starting to take center stage. There are PSAs by celebrities and ads on TV and the newspaper. People are being reminded what voting really means. That voting is a right that needs to be exercised and that you are responsible for who you choose to lead you. And I see Indian flags everywhere. Is this a sensibility borne of watching that other democracy across the world, and how proud they are of their country? I saw a cubicle in the office. Two small Indian flags stood in a corner of a desk. How American! and yet, I am so very glad that this has finally come to India. That we've become proud of our flag - we are proud to wave that tricolor. And how sad I am that it had to happen, after I had decided to stop being an Indian legally. But I think by now you've guessed - I'm still an Indian at heart. and proud to be one.
India - What Happened to Change - March 12,2009 8:58 am.
I originally posted this on my Facebook page. But I realized that posting there would mean some of my friends could not see those posts. So... Here goes...
Before I came to India I got a long travel advisory from the travel agent - what to drink, what not to eat, what to wear, where to go.. and by the way when Holi came around the advisory said 'Do not go out'. Of course I didn't. I never play Holi, partly because its always during Lent, and partly because of my intense aversion to getting slathered in multi-colored hues, that end up looking black. So I stayed in the solitary air-conditioned comfort of my room and worked - Its not a holiday in Canada, so I had to work. But not before some calls from friends and relatives. Which was a nice way of passing the day. But I did get loads of work done.
And then of course, the travel advisory said 'you will never get any change back'. Now being the typical Indian, I thought, how bad could it get? Surely someone would have some khulla - like did no one do business anymore? I decided to ignore that piece of advice.
Dayummmm... was I ever wrong...!!
I took an auto to work the first day - no khulla. The cab on the way home - no khulla. The story begins to be repeated ad nauseum. The office cafeteria - no khulla. The wi-fi card seller - no khulla. By now, I am getting desperate! This is madness!! What happened to all the change? Where does it go? Or does it go anywhere at all?!
By the time I return to the cold frontiers of the white north - I may or may not unravel this mystery. But for sure, the next time I get some money changed - I'm gonna demand 10s.. no fifties, no hundreds, no five hundreds - ONLY TENS, I tell you!!!
Before I came to India I got a long travel advisory from the travel agent - what to drink, what not to eat, what to wear, where to go.. and by the way when Holi came around the advisory said 'Do not go out'. Of course I didn't. I never play Holi, partly because its always during Lent, and partly because of my intense aversion to getting slathered in multi-colored hues, that end up looking black. So I stayed in the solitary air-conditioned comfort of my room and worked - Its not a holiday in Canada, so I had to work. But not before some calls from friends and relatives. Which was a nice way of passing the day. But I did get loads of work done.
And then of course, the travel advisory said 'you will never get any change back'. Now being the typical Indian, I thought, how bad could it get? Surely someone would have some khulla - like did no one do business anymore? I decided to ignore that piece of advice.
Dayummmm... was I ever wrong...!!
I took an auto to work the first day - no khulla. The cab on the way home - no khulla. The story begins to be repeated ad nauseum. The office cafeteria - no khulla. The wi-fi card seller - no khulla. By now, I am getting desperate! This is madness!! What happened to all the change? Where does it go? Or does it go anywhere at all?!
By the time I return to the cold frontiers of the white north - I may or may not unravel this mystery. But for sure, the next time I get some money changed - I'm gonna demand 10s.. no fifties, no hundreds, no five hundreds - ONLY TENS, I tell you!!!
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