3 years of love & hate relationship !

So it's official, 3 years of our love & hate relationship and still going strong.

Ooops yes, we did complete 3 years of our wedding 2 months back, but I meant our relationship with this beautiful country of Canals, windmills and Tulips !
Arrrr, what did you think I was talking about?

Time sure flies, just realized today is the day I landed in this country exactly 3 years back!

And I survived ! Look at me still very alive... not bad, not at all bad !

On this very special day when I complete 3 years in this country, I thought of sharing 3 things about living here.

But well, I am in very happy and generous mood today so I decide to give you more headache by giving 10 instead!
Things which I realized / learnt / experienced while living here in The Netherlands, and here you go...

1. When you are driving, if any animal slows

you down (or you end up killing/ injuring), that would most probably be ducks or ducklings or goose or alike. (You got my point, right?)

2. It is a highly competitive country, people race everyday to come office at the earliest hour to be able to be first to leave. (That’s the one thing this country couldn't change me with... coming last to the college, lecture, and office, whatever.)

3. it’s easy to talk here, no need to be innovative... just talk about weather everyday. (By the way it is unusually warm today, isn't it?)

4. When you don't understand something Dutch and are asked "how long have you been here?", it will be no fun to say 3 full years and still I don't get it! (Does that mean I will have to be inspired again to change it??? :-( )

5. Free stuff is not luck by chance but it is a way of life. Your right by the birth. (Remember the days, when everything was free as there was no super-stores and malls? people just used to produce all what they need! If you don't get it free, ask for korting/ discount !)

6. Doctors prefer to cut you than to feed you with medicine. (Being operated upon is better than taking a few medicines, any day, right?)

7. I felt relieved when a new colleague joined the company, who has been here for 1.5 years more than me and is as good at Dutch as me. It is wonderful to hear "Com'on it's ok, we don't have a Dutch partner so it is difficult". And... I love it!

8. If you discuss about others, it's "gossip". If they do the same it's "Sharing"! (BTW this one is universal I guess)

9. At office, all you should be worrying is about filling in your 8 hours, doesn't matter how it went, with coffee or peeling oranges whirling in your chair.

10. Patience! You have to be patient and wait for everything. Procedures and deliveries aah not to forget customer service! (May be more to do with... you came to us! You need it and not we!?!? Something like that?)

Ok that's my 10 for time being, for more may be we will have to wait one more year for experience ! :o)

Image Courtsey : http://www.mindsinmotion.net/index.php/mim/cartoons

Finally, a visit to the doctor in NL.

There is always a first time for everything, and it was to visit a hospital today in NL for the first time.

Well, it was scary and also totally new experience. I am writing this post right now, which means there was nothing serious involved but still I cannot help with that smile as now and then that tensed and scarred face of Ashu keeps popping up in my mind.

Ofcourse if I compare the experience with back home, India, there is a difference of ... ummm not comparable. You don't have to fill in forms as you are registered in database officially and you don't have to pay at the very same time of being treated.

Medication, that differs again, as when you go to doctor in India, you hardly rarely (may be never) ever come out without a medicine (whatever type it is!) or prescription for the same. Here even after my asking for atleast antibiotic I was denied with wait and watch!

But waiting.... cannot comment on that one as I was expecting with not a long waiting line in reception room and hospital full of patience waiting time would be better, but no... It remains the same! We had to wait even after we had an appointment, we had to wait for hours for getting the tests done and then for doctor to come to us and advice, so that part remains the same.

Life has been busy and I have been hardly getting time to write or read other blogs.

So this was just a drop in to say "Hi". Hope everyone is doing well.

I do miss blogging / sharing !

Image from : http://snippits-and-slappits.blogspot.com/2011/02/they-dont-make-cartoons-like-they-used.html

Somethings here and there...

Isn't it incredible, since how long I haven't been writing!
Ahh don't even ask me the reason! Not because I have endless reasons, more because I don't know the reason. Haven't I been complaining lately about kind of writer's block? Then there it may be, even though I am not a writer!
Well, now that I am here writing, I don't even know what I want to write about! It's just that internal feeling of not having been writing lately and an urge to write!

There were so many funny incidents, which when happened I made a note to myself to write about it the next time but when I am actually here now, nothing comes to the mind! Well, that's me, isn't it?

2011 started pretty well, with us being in India for the New Year. Lots of yummy food, lots of shopping, catching up with family and friends. Aaah as usual made some usual new year resolutions as well.... like to start saving a bit finally or to be back on exercise regime and to take learning Dutch more seriously, also to start learning atleast basic French to be able to ask atleast if they have anything vegetarian on menu...hehe It's not even 2 months and tell you, everything is in vein already!

Yes did a bit of superb cooking also in-between the time while was away, have been collecting pic for some time now and procrastinating posting recipes on my Food blog for sometime now but soon will do that... hope so. Also started back on that long work-in-progress painting, and looks like 2 more sittings and it will be ready to hang on the wall! You will know when I am done with those as you will see me updating on my "Colors - My Art Studio". We just have to wait now when those 2 sittings happen! :-P

Also made a trip to Belgium last week. It was very interesting in the sense until we left home, we were not sure where are we heading to. Just thought we need a break while on the way back home from grocery that Saturday and in 30 mins we were out on the roads. We ended up in Antwerp that night, tried an Indian restaurant in Antwerp for the first time. We already knew that there is a big Gujarati community there due to connection with Surat diamond business / exports. I was mentioning that on the way that there must be some restaurant as well and amazingly we ended up at this place where the owner was Gujarati and got to speak Gujarati in a restaurant in Europe for the first time (except in England last summer) !

Believe me that once you are full with Indian dinner, you can't get any lazier! So decide to do overnight stay there and went for a long drive from there the next morning. Explored the region of Ardennes , and it is truly beautiful.



Ohh and we saw something interesting in Antwerp behind the glasses.... go figure :P

Parisien Ride

I love Paris taxis.

Ohh wait, apart from that one from last year which changed my mind to no travelling alone late evenings.

But now as i normally take morning or early evening flights, that is working good.

So now i think Paris taxi drivers are quite good actually, and also very smart. Like take this one, 99% of them know already that you are one of those asking-reciept type and they won't wait until you are at your destination but will try multitasking by doing it well in advance while driving, taking advantage of traffic.

They will try to make you feel good, some will put nice music ON for you, also changing channel or CDs looking at your expression in the mirror until there reflects sober expressions on your face. ( It's another matter that even though you don't understand French, you got to listen French music. )

Then there are these all friendly types who feel bad that we can't talk with each other due to our limited or no knowledge of other language. You can see them feeling miserable on not being able to be of any help to you from getting bored. I don't know who spread that word about French that they are a bit arrogant and one not wanting to talk in anything else than French. They are very nice actually.

Once this one taxi driver kept talking to me in French which i didn't understand and i kept saying i don't understand French. But he wouldn't stop. Then an idea clicked, i took out my iPhone, opened translation application, types in English, translated it in French that i do not speak French and i only speak English and may be a little bit Dutch if knows it. And he kept laughing for next 5 mins. And then he kept looking at me in mirror giving me a warm smile now and then. I don't know was it for my effort or he felt pity for me or he was just amused ! May be the last one. But that only lasted for half an hour, then we were in the middle of city, struck in traffic and he couldn't help but to talk with me in French ! Ok so then it was my turn to just look at him and smile. No, i didn't take that effort to take my phone out again and to type - translate - read. Just smile.

Most common topic to try to make conversation is traffic, sometimes it goes like they saying little traffic with smile and when you reply too much, they will correct you with No, little traffic. OK.

They will even check on you from mirror if you haven't fallen asleep. ( highly possible considering your luck in traffic and also if you took early morning flight. ) When you notice this they will give you a smile assuring you are not very far now.

They can talk with same/ limited 5 English words they know and will try to give you a company.

Ohh and sometimes they will like you praising their taxi. Once I had a really nice taxi, all leather and all and he actually asked me if I like his taxi ! And yes he really had a very good taxi, he deserves to be proud of it ! I think.

What are your taxi experiences impressions?

Disclaimer:

All the observations put here might be gender specific, in adverse experience writer is not to be blamed ! ;o)

Picture Courtesy: http://lyricsdigger.info/s/taxi%20a%20paris

London Shower...

Wrote this post while was on summer vacation, sitting in London. Finally it is seeing the daylight today! :o)

~~~***~~~

Every country in Europe has its own stories about how imperfect weather can be.

When we started preparing for UK trip, I read the same, never trust the weather. Being used to hearing that about everyday I knew what it meant. (Or atleast I thought so!)

At London, we took the Thames cruise to enjoy the beauty of London from river of Thames.

It was really nice weather, almost perfect. Sun was shining in clear blue sky. After a while it started penetrating our skins as we were sitting on deck. Some more minutes and it started getting a bit too much and Ashu asked me if I wanted to move inside cruise as it was getting really warm. I replied I was liking it… sun, river and cruise.

While thinking the same those words that I read so many times rushed to my mind “Never trust the weather here”. I wondered if it was possible to experience that chill now while the sun shines. I smiled and settled my wondering mind over admiring tower of London and the bridge,

A moment passed and a cold breeze touched my cheeks. I actually liked it after this warm penetrating sun rays.

A few more moments and it was windy, getting chiller moment y moment forcing everyone to put on their jackets.

A few moments and came a drop on my forehead.

A few more moments and we were rushing downstairs towards downstairs on cruise. While hearing those last words of trip from tour guide, we were sitting in comfortable chairs enjoying view of London eye from behind the glass windows with heavy shower blocking the view!

So here I am, repeating the stereotype you might have heard hundred times:

“While in London, you never know what to expect, so always e ready to expect the unexpected.” :o)

Life in Metro

All the luxuries in Netherlands, which comes with calling it home now, didn't provide me with many opportunities to live a life in-out metro, but now I do as Paris is not that kind to me.

Well actually metro life is quite interesting and with my part-time hobby of observing people it gets even more interesting. (Yes, I know may be Interesting only to me!)

So my people-observing skills made me do some statistical analysis on people travelling in the metro in peak hours ...

- 60% of them are reading something, it can be anything… book, newspaper or just something on their mobiles. Yes, even when there isn't enough space to stand or breathe properly, they are just reading.

- 29.99% of them are just staring in the blank with their earphones ON. Don't think they are looking at you, they are not. May be they are trying to recall visuals relative to what's ringing in their ears.

- 0.01% of them are noticing ... ok may be it's just me, noticing what they are upto!

Metros are so packed sometimes specially at office peak hours that there are people pressed against doors and...

- 95% of them looks like lost in the crowd.

- 4% of them are looking at themselves in the glass of doors and windows, just checking themselves out in general.

- 1% of them are checking themselves out in the glass thinking it’s a mirror and same time giving a nice smile to self. Yes, no kidding.

I actually checked out if they were giving smile to someone besides reflecting in mirror or some acquaintance but no, it was a nice, warm, constant smile to own-self. Well I thought it is good, isn't it? If no one else, atleast your own-self deserves a nice smile from your self!

Too much of statistics, which noone might be interested reading in, so may be I should scribble down something useful to others as well? As I am already writing about metros, obviously choice is something metro.

- First of all avoid pick hours if you are just there for tourist purpose, you can let those office travelers have a break from your ohh-wow-Paris-sooo-nice look.

- You can buy a day pass from air-port/ tourist info which allows you to travel unlimited using metro/tram/bus. When we visited Paris first time we had that, we bought that from airport ticket window. But I haven't seen that option at the Metro stations in the city, so it is advisable you buy it from there without thinking you can always buy that later if you feel a need for it.

I love the network connection in Paris, travelling is indeed very easy.

- If you haven't got those day passes, you can buy ballet of 10 / 20 tickets from any metro station to avoid standing every time in the queue for ticket.

I have noticed some problems with that though, sometimes when you have put tickets in your wallet or near phone or something, it doesn't work. Initially I used to throw away them getting irritated.

It is irritating that you have a ticket in hand, you try to enter the door and it gives you a beep with access denied! And then you have to search other ticket in you pocket while there are people pushing you from behind to move on.

So just from experience I keep two tickets in hand and in the case one doesn't work. This problem I only face when I have bought 10 tickets ballet never with individual tickets but then if you have a valid ticket and no access, you can always go and ask at ticket counter and they will check your ticket and let you enter or will just renew the time-stamp on your ticket if that's the issue. But is convenient in a way time-saver (of course not when it doesn’t work) and most of the time there is always a queue at ticket windows or machines.

Easy thing is to buy from some small metro station as it won’t be that crowded, smart huh? ;)

Ok enough metro. I am back to home over the weekend and time for some luxuries.

Have a nice weekend everyone.

Living a dream, Part-time !

As I kid I fancied a life, living out of suitcase, I always wanted to be that very busy corporate personality living with / around a traveling suitcase, collecting lots of air-miles, flashing 10 cards, and most of the all flying over all the gorgeous countries.

But as it turns out as we grow up, the reality hits. You work doesn't mean you have it all. Not everyone in the organization gets to travel. Not everyone who works lives out of the suitcase. Not everyone works for a multinational company. Not all organization has work all across the globe!

May be it was that child-hood dream which made me go for MBA, as I thought may be it will bring me more near to my dream, but it didn't. Years passed and I started feeling happily settled in life and almost forgot about it until now.

In my recent job, we are going for a new system which meant travel on & off to our HO at none other than Paris!
And that brought all the childhood fantasy back, well I might not have achieved even 10% of those fantasies, i might not be doing even a fraction if all what those dreams hold and this might not be a forever thing but this is enough to give a feeling of how it will be, a reality check on how would it have been if those dreams had come true.

Well I do enjoy what I do, I do love this experience and I do know how nice exposure it is for me personally and career wise but same time reality is also how it is not so much fun, being on your own in a new place where you don't know anyone. Spending evenings alone, and missing loved ones, worrying about him if he ate his dinner properly or not! (Knowing he cannot cook and he doesn't eat leftovers!) And he is also home, all alone trying to keep himself busy with work !

Everything has got some pros and cons I guess. But still it feels nice in a way at least I am living a part of a dream!


P.S. And that's the reason of my invisibility on blogosphere. Thanks to you friends for checking on me if everything alright. I am settling in a new system and hopefully will be back to new schedule soon.



Photo Courtsey : http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-37006177/