One of the happiest moments of my life...

Today I feel a great sense of achievement and satisfaction. It was mumma's birthday today and I gave her one of the biggest surprises of her life. Since the day mumma left US, I had been thinking about her birthday. It was the first time ever that she would be celebrating (or not celebrating) her birthday alone.
BUT............BUT.........BUT..........until her son is there, that is not possible! I had asked Prasad, my best friend, my brother, a part of my extended family, etc. to help me out. Mom had used hair straightener machine here and she always wanted to buy one. But she could not as buying a 110V device would not work in India.
That was what I had decided to gift her. I asked Prasad who along with another good friend of mine, put their heart out to get a good one in India. They researched and finally suggested me one from Philips. I waved the green flag and bingo! Mumma's gift was ready!
But more important was the manner in which we surprised her. The plan was to ensure that she was home today evening (India time) and when Prasad and Manoj (another one of my close friends) would reach the gates of my building there, they would give me a call. Then I had to call up mumma and tell that she had a sweet surprise waiting for her outside the door.
And things went exactly the same way! I got a call at 8 a.m. (local time) and I called up mumma. She was watching TV. Talked to her for a couple of minutes until they reached the main door and then I told her "Mummy, I have a surprise for you waiting outside the door. Please open it". And as they say, the rest is....nah not history...it is current, it will always be current, in my mind, in my heart.

Mumma was speechless and I could feel her happiness on the phone later. I am proud that I could maintain the tradition of gifting her presents on her birthdays each year since the last 7 years. I started it when I just completed my high school and by GOD's grace, have been able to give her presents that she values even now.
And I feel more satisfied that I started doing that with my own earnings and not with any money from my family or friends (Hehe as it is, I hardly used to ask for pocket money, I never needed it).
I am very happy that I could achieve the same result this year too, sitting across seven seas. Mumma, I shall do anything to keep you happy.

However, I am worried. That is because I am running out of options of presenting her novel gifts. I am already done with saree, purse, bracelet, wrist watch, footwear, necklace+pendant, pack of her favourite ice creams and now a hair styling device. I hope I come to know what she needs until next year :) :) :)

And I am very fortunate to have gotten friends like Prasad, Manoj and a few more who I can depend on any time during my life for anything in their capacity. Thank you GOD, I don't need loads of money but such relations and a happy family!

Career Fair??? Naah...It's career unfair!

So, had a just-another career fair today. One of those dejecting days for students who have by now lost all hopes of getting internships or full time offers through these fairs.
The recession has already taken it's toll on the number of companies hiring and even those that are, they are hiring very few candidates.

Secondly, my major 'Masters in MIS' is something that hinges in-between an IT job and a management job which many companies find it difficult to comprehend. I had not thought the recognition of this course would be so bad here, considering that it is primarily a US specialization.

Third, the ever-green shadow of the third-world untouchable 'International student' nastily follows us wherever we desis go. That brings down the number of companies that we can lay our hopes on, to hardly a couple.

There are the American undergrad students who have multiple offers from all the big banners and here we are literally 'begging' for work. My outlook is just to land an internship. However, people who have that crazy dream of staying like a beggar, working for any company in any industry (believe this is true, people just want to earn, they don't care about their interest in any field/industry/domain) they have not even heard of all their lives and then being showered with green bills thinking they are doing a great job...I pity them. Even GOD doesn't know when they will be kicked out of this country. This is one of the major reasons of me showing my foot to this country after I graduate. What the hell do they think? Are we Indians beggars who will do any damn thing to stay here? Hell with your jobs...

Though a very diminutive probability, but still, I hope that one day, I shall be asking American citizens in India "Do you have a work authorization to work in India? If not then I am sorry we cannot offer you a job" GODDAMIT!!!!

A Sanjeev Kappor in the making...

Well, that's a looooonnnng haul but still, I believe I am making good progress with my culinary skills. Also, this (learning to cook, which i'm sure I wouldn't have in India) is gonna be 1 of my biggest take-aways from this US experience.

I have learnt the art of adding the right amount of spices in food, which I think is the most important part, to a fair extent. And your cooking should not be judged by what other people say but by what you expected and what you ended up with (Though you should take other's view as a second opinion).

My last two dinners were exactly how my mom used to prepare those dishes. Moreover, I believe my terrific sense of smell helps me a lot in that regard. It may seem strange but I can tell 9/10 times if a certain regular food has salt in it or sugar in it just by smelling it.
Now how can someone smell salt or sugar in cooked food? But I can! Ain't that cool?

Ahha, but all this wouldn't have been possible without my holy book - Nay, not the 'Gita' but my mom's recipe book which she had written and given to bro 9 years ago. Bro still had that and now I am using it! Well, someday, I shall make good food and invite whoever wants to try out my servings [with a DISCLAIMER though:" At one's own risks!"] Hehehe...

Etiquette Dining :O What a pain...

Two days ago, our careercenter had organized an etiquette dining session, free of cost for all students, at a local country resort (Pebble Creek Club). The purpose for that was to teach students in business programs how to behave in formal business dining sessions i.e. during interviews/company events.

They taught us everything from how to sit at the table to how to eat/how much to eat/what to eat/what not to eat/how to hold spoons or forks/ at what angle to hold them/whcih spoons to use for different types of food....man it was exhaustive! I thought "If I'll have to keep so many things in mind, I won't be able to eat anything". As it is, I could hardly eat as most of the food was non-veg.

But overall, it was a good session and I learnt a number of things that we overlook during normal dining at some event. After all, a business dinner is not about eating but to get to know more about the company and vice versa!

Had a good time (especially interacting with the loads of beautiful and perfectly dressed HR and Marketing female students hehe...) Oh boy, when will I ever be able to say I've seen the most beautiful woman on this planet, for the final time. Because I do so everyday in this country :) :) Oh common, don't give that wry smile now, Can't I honestly appreciate beauty? :P :P