Posted by Varun | Sunday, May 13, 2007 | Category:
General
|
Whenever I talk to my mom over phone the first question that crops up in my mind is was it worth it?? Was it worth coming to Mumbai? Was it worth coming 1000 km away from home just for a simple job when you knew that Bangalore has the highest number of software companies in India?
This is one debatable topic. I’ve had my share of happiness as well as frustrations in Mumbai. I would say the happiness certainly has a huge edge over the frustrations or else I would have never stayed here. Whenever you come out of your house and are seeking something you always have huge expectations out of it. I am no special here. I had huge expectation from Mahindra British Telecom, TechM now.
I started writing this blog on February 18th 2007 and after that I never really got time to complete it. I have come to the office this Sunday for some stupid End to End Support and I have absolutely no work. End to End Support is supporting End to End Test team if they face any difficulty testing the modules or programs we developed. Explanation given for non-techies only :)
Let me continue my blog now….
Where was I? Expectations… TechM more or less catered to all my expectations. They gave us a lovely flat to stay. The flat was very near my office. Believe me or not, I have never taken a local train to go to office. This could be one reason why I liked Bombay so much in such short span of time. I never had to get up early in the morning nor had to board an already overcrowded train to reach office. I would take an auto which would cost me 9 bucks or if the autos were hard to find, I would just walk. Best part here is I always had one of my friends; it was Chandan more times than not to accompany me on this short dash to office.
This was more or less my daily routine. Out of 4 people in the flat, 3 worked in the same project and that helped us to decide the time one reaches home. The one who reaches home first would either buy veggies on his way or the groceries that would never last even a week. After coming back from work; we used to cook, and if you are not already aware of this, I can cook and am pretty good at that.
Weekend: My weekend starts one day earlier. Guess how? I watch the preview show of more or less every movie that releases. I always loved watching movies and Mumbai fulfilled that desire of mine. I never miss out on a good movie. Now a day I’ve begun to choose and filter good movies from bad ones. Initially it was like a dream run. We would watch any movie that would release. If I’m not watching a movie or going out shopping, my next destination is a resort in Bandra. He He… That’s what it feels like to go to my sister’s place. I just relax there. We do absolutely nothing on weekends apart from changing curtains, dusting the house, changing bed sheets, catching up an old movie on TV, F1, Cricket, updating iPod, late night dinners, shopping for veggies and groceries and lots of other things. It just feels like you are back in your own home. Feels so good…
I must really thank my mom here. She always claims that she has trained her son to do every house hold chore and I’m just proving that her claims are really true. I cannot really say I’m proving her right, it’s just that it really helps when u have to stay all by yourself away from your home. My wife would be one lucky girl. :) He He He…
I think I’ve just gone off the track. Let me come back. Why was I frustrated here? There were two occasions when I felt absolutely helpless.
The first one was when my mom had to undergo a second operation on her broken hand. I just could not do anything to help my mom and dad out. I know there were everyone there to help but I just couldn’t do anything. I was undergoing training in Pune that time and we were not given leaves during the training period. I finally found some solace when I came to know that the second operation was completely successful. Hearing this wonderful news outside Shirdi temple was an added bonus. I had been to Shirdi with Chandan and Kundan his younger brother that day...
The second occasion was when my dad had a major heart surgery. I was told about the surgery only after the surgery was successful. It was bitter as well as sweet news for me - bitter because, nobody informed me about my dad’s health until the operation was successful and sweet because I was the first one to talk to my dad on phone after his operation. The only thing that came in the way of the news of my dad’s heart attack and me was the distance. Everyone knew that I could do absolutely nothing sitting here in Mumbai and they did not want to put in me in the trauma they were going through. I completely understand everything but sometimes I feel that I staying so far made people think twice before informing me.
But keeping aside these two things if I have to think whether it was really worth coming here, I have nothing else to say other than a BIG ‘YES’. Mumbai has certainly changed my life for good. I recommend a two year stint in Mumbai to everyone. It certainly changes you as a person. This would have put my mom and dad in worry. Don’t worry. I’ll come back to Bangalore. I promise :)
Did I get my answer? I really don’t know… You tell me…
Varun i think..it was worth 4u to come here...I hav witnessed u change for good, over these two years...
About people reconsidering before informing u something...that was just one incident...
I would make a few comments on the blog though...
1. "i can cook and am pretty good at that" True! he can cook really well...i think he is 'the second best cook' in the house..first being me..he heHE!
2."updating iPod"...Dude! SHit! Ipod is mine...u hav ZUNE!
3."She always claims that she has trained her son to do every household chore." Yess! If our house looks presentable to anyone...only two people are responsible 4 it...Varun and our Bai!
Varun,i too think it was worth it for u.....staying away from home helps us become more independant and gives us more exposure...its always nice to stay with ur parents but it also helps to be away....we realise more so their value and importance in our lives....
I am sure the girl u marry will be very lucky...
Hmm
firstly may be 10 years from now would give you a better answer
But wht i see u today is it was worth going to mumbai...
personly i missed u soo much for a lot of things..
and when i saw u in mumbai i could figure out the diff in u ..
god ur were soo responsible,and mind it u acted like litrelly
BADE BHAI with me i think tht was because of too many hindi movies
u had watched by then..hehehe
and the way u cooked i can never forget it...
apart from tht to make u so responsible thre are lot of pple the credit shld goo specially
Tech Mahindra cause thy got the perfect computer huccha,
2.Your friends ,roommates they are such good pple ur lucky to have thm
3. our sister pakuthi& bhava whose stay in mumbai has made u luv mumbai another 100%
apart not to forget HUMA mall ect.
with such great combination who wnt luv the stay in mumbai
comin to the girl u marry yes she is lucky
mind it not lucky as the one whose goin to marry me
hehehehhehehe.....
any ways as of now i cnt think more thn ths
but one thng for sure
i miss u big time here
Luv
Arjun.C
From the little i know of life, i have come to believe..it is about learning. Learning to cope with changes whether they r good or bad. Though u have moved to mumbai and may have missed a few things at home, it has opened u up to a whole new world. You are experiencing the oppurtunity to live life on ur own. This can't be all bad, it has to be good, and i too think it was worth it.
As far as ur cooking goes, i haven't tasted ur cooking, but i wud like to one day for sure, though i want someone else to try it along with me :)
"Live life! Don't regret it !"
Hi varun,
Your blog is good. well.. I must say, I could relate most of the things which you have written, to mine. I have been more or less through the similar situations staying faaaaar away from home. I believe that everything god gives you, comes as a package. You might experience the BEST which you were waiting for … INDEPENDENCE being on UR OWN..EARNING but at the same time experience the NOT SO good part too.. FEELING HOME SICK. Its all in you and as many have said here, Life teaches you the lessons. You learn to cope up and mend yourself for good
I assume that what all u have claimed(as a good cook, doing household core) is true ;). All the best varun..keep writing. :)
HI Varun,
Its truly nice to read your blog,felt really good,though a bit sad at the part where you wrote about your family trauma,but thats ok,as you were far off,and everything went happily and peacefully.Mumbai,a city that teaches you to live,i believe it till now from my birth in that city.I am sure you must have enjoyed,inspite of being far off.Its really nice to be ther,though its crowded.People,food,place are all friendly..I feel everything there smiles to me,though its risky.I too love that city.Mumbaiya gal:)...after all aamchi mumbai,and just like i can see that you have learnt to live and take care,i too did this during my college life,in hostel.
And regarding your cooking I will surely want to taste sometime.Hoepfully i get a chance for it,anywaz..lucky gal..the one you marry!
So,amazing blog,keep writing,and sharing your thoughts and nice to see TechM and Mumbai are fulfilling your needs,and hopefully you land in blore soon,for you to be at home,sweet home.
Take care.Enjoy.So,was it worth,I too add a yes reading your blog now!
Hey Varun.. thats too good. Really worth reading.. Nice that you are doing well in Mumbai. Its very difficult to stay away from our loved ones, all alone in an unknown place. Good that you have got adjusted so well and have modified your life accordingly. I feel your parents have given a good SAMSKAARA to you and hence you are like this now.
About your cooking..Give me an oppurtunity to taste ..Then I will tell you whether your wife will be lucky or not..ok ;-)
Varun, A very frank answer to your question would be yes, it was worth coming to Mumbai. Although there are pros and cons of every decision we take in our life.
The comment which I can give in favour of my response is that coming to Mumbai and staying over here on your own has made you an independent person, which wudn't have been possible if you wud have stayed in Bangalore.
Agreed that there are instnces when you feel very home sick, but staying on your own, makes you a stronger person.
And one more thing you not coming to Mumbai would have been a major loss to me, since I wudn't have met a friend like u..;))
Hi Varun,
Even a biggg YES from my side dat it was really really worth to stay in Mumbai..though far away from ur home...
Reading ur blog was really nice..coz i could related almost evrything uve written to myself ! Staying away from ur family, dat too at a place like Mumbai makes u sooo much INDEPENDENT ! Going thru all th ups 'n' downs alone, earning, shopping, cooking, working on weekends, picnics--must have made life so exciting..! Though, it feels quite homesick at-times..bt dats part n parcel of life !
Finally, ull stay with ur parents in Bangalore na! Im sure uve enjoyed watchin all th 1st day-1st show movies in Mumbai ! Im really missing a gud friend 'n' a gud company for movies here :(
All the best Varun..n yes, keep on writing more ! Waiting for ur next blog !
Varun i guess ur blog has acted ss a trigger for me to now start finding answers to those unsolved questions in my life!
Cheers,
Harsh
Hey Varun,
u write well...enjoyed reading it....has given me some sort of a soothing balm now that i have come so far away from my family ....glad to know that u know cooking..i am still an amaetuer at that , so hoping you put ur cooking skills to action soon :)
Cheers,
Vijaya
If only i could relate all my (mis)adventures in Mumbai, you would know that i have been asking myself the same question and yet sometimes i feel that if it had to happen the way it has then i have no problems :)