I have decided to leave to india for good (atleast temporarily)due to personal reasons. I will be leaving chicago to madras on tuesday april 18 th.I am winding up here and will be reporting at my CTS office on April 20th.Here is a small synopsis of my stay, impressions in the US.
On 1st of November 1997 , I came to chicago.I quickly settled down as Christie had agreed to grant asylum .For the first few weeks christie dropped me and 2 of my collegues to the office.Returning was by american taxi.Slowly one of my collegues bought Toyota tercel and we three collegues were self reliant.I and christie first saw Balakumar in downtown chicago .They tortured me by taking to an ethiopian restaurant.Walking in the bitter cold in downtown , I had to fall sick for the first and last time .
My first long trip was to Iowa city , IA to see ravi.I , Bala , V.Anand (CSC) drove to Iowa. We went to a great park and a river near Iowa city.During that time my work in the office was not very impressive.I had to pick up new Microsoft COM technology .It was too embarassing for me to sit in friday's evening meeting with only me saying to the manager that I have not completed the task.
It was a great break for me to go to newyork with christi to see V.Balaji. V.Balaji who was working in PAL was staying in the railway cloak room in Jersey city, NJ.That cloak room had about 6 tenants with about 6 guests joining.I had a chance to meet more people notably Pradeep ( CBSI , Anna university).New York was great with me roaming in midtown,skyline manhattan and travelling in the subway.We guys had decided to see the times square during newyears eve.It was so cold outside and scores and scroes of people near times square . We were assuming some lighted ball as the times square ball which we realized later that it was not when the clock struck 12 .I had the chance to see Titanic Movie in Pavonia, NJ.My iq was abysymally like titanic according to christie and balaji . I remember once balaji bought coins for the subway and gave me 2. I was supposed to use one for the to journey and keep the other during the return journey.I put both and when we were returning back ,balaji and christie put their coins and I did not have one.
1998 was great year for me.I began to learn more about microsoft COM technology. Embarassments were slowly going away.I was slowly more productive.I had written my driving test (scoring 100% beating all my collegues who averaged 95 to 99).Then passed my driving test with me trying to give a flying start by starting the car twice.
Started driving to Lansing , MI to see Babu . I have done atleast 12 times till now.Always deciding to leave by 9pm and reaching Lansing at 2pm.Michigan is my favourite state to be in non winter days.Enjoyed a lot visiting detroit, Grand rapids, Muskegon (a beautiful place) and Grand Haven.I also went to Cincinnati to meet murugan who was driving from St loius and prabhakar. Every long weekend I went to some place or the other. With my office collegues went to Wisconsin dells,Niagra Falls and Cleveland seaworld.Saw CKV and Sanjay (school friend) in LA.My best memories are the Back to the Future ride in Universal studio.My company took me to Bahamas for the disney cruise . Stopped in Orlando and Cape canaveral in FL for a day.jet scootered in Utah,Saw the yellowstone in MT and WY
I stopped at a traffic light in red only to be banged by a filipino woman in a toyota 4 runner.With the rented car that they gave prior to settling the amount to me , drove to Stloius to see Murugan,Columbus to see AK and Sathyanarayana prabhu.Ramya happened to come to chicago .Went with her and her friend Karthikeyan to six flags to take joyous ride in every rollercoaster.Made nearly 900 bucks more when the totalled car settlement was done.Bought a brand new 1989 toyota camry.Car is running great and it was for sale now.
Sometime during August christies parents came to Chicago for 3 months.Roamed with them to St Loius , milwaukee , madison etc.Then my amma came to chicago for nearly 5 months.It was a lovely 8 months break for me and christie .We had great food as sanctions was imposed on us to enter our kitchen. With my mom had the pleasure to organize and participate my classmates get together in Frisco ,CA.Lake Tahoe was the best segment of that trip.Reno,NV was the worst segment in that trip.CKV's absence was missed .
1999 started worst with chicago recording the second highest snowfall of the century.22 inches welcomed on jan 2nd. Driving was a nightmare for the whole month of Jan.Speeding tickets was impossible for anyone to get.Meanwhile Learnt more interpersonal skills with my client collegues. Started using long English sentences when I could not agree to what they say.Manager was impressed with me (in his words ,100 times more). Tolerated hypocrisy as sometimes I was exhibiting the same.Learnt the most important lesson in work place , Never start a conversation with an immediate NO.
One of the long weekends went to Smokeys in NC and TN.Stopped in Louisville KY.Had a chance to goto Boston the central jail of our 95 batch.Includes criminals like KS Anand , Karate Saravanan , Gopal, Sivaprasad,Arunprasad(prod).Had the privilege to goto Acadia National Forest, ME.KS Anand was the codriver who was training a new driver who came to a dead stop when he took I 95 from I 93 to ask whether he was right or wrong.Travelled to DC to meet shammi and Rangesh (school friend).Passed a microsoft certification program in Visual Basic.
Went to Pittsburgh to see my cousin and my school friend Ram Mohan . To Seattle to see my cousins, ravi and saranath,had the privilege to goto portland.Trekked in the Multinomah falls in OR.Saw the volcanic disruption in Mt. StHelen.On the personal side Pressure was slowly building from all for my marriage. I had invested in the stocks with my then parent company IMS, only to see that the stocks have dropped from 32 to 17 dollars( a month before).
In 2000 notably a quick 8 day visit to india to get engaged to Srividya.Had the privilage to attend an interview in Microsoft,Seattle .Had six exhaustive interviews only to be finally rejected.From that day Microsoft stocks are going down like pakistan's ghauri missile. Released the 2.0 version of our software.Right now packaging my 2 and half years of dirt into 2 suitcases and one carry on.
Ofcourse talking about Schaumburg is one of the best places to be in US.It has got the best library and best people.Surrounded by great people who would frequently call me for lunch/dinner notably CSC Meenu and Metallurgy Sujatha.Special thanks to Christie who is one of the greatest roommate one can get.
My impressions about US is that it is a great place to definitely be there for 6 full years.Beyond that if you are married and if you have gone beyond you have to come to India as it is a better place to be.I feel if you get a green card and make a small cramped visit to India you always tend to more skeptic about returning to india.Ofcourse all my opinions are bound to get changed.
By staying in India things can be more under your control.Definitely more opportunities to learn in USA and unquestionably better technically sound managers in USA, but definitely more talented peers and juniors in India.Ofcourse my viewpoint is only as a software professional.If you are in USA you can always walk out of any bullshit meetings.In India you have to stay.The most worrying factor in India which is getting worse day after day is your everyday unsafe commute and pollution.Second most worrying factor is that all my friends are only here.It is certainly going to be a big bore for atleast a period of time as most of my friends are either my collegemates or schoolmates.Again my decision to go back to India is only triggered by private and personal reasons, so it is always the choice of the individual.
Good thing I ensured that my fiancee is not particular about USA and definitely she is not.A year before I thought some day I will get married(like some semester exam) and is too distant .But now that I have got my Lufthansa air ticket (my hall ticket), it is not too far.My marriage is on the May 29th.I was scheduled to send a marriage invitation to all you guys but now I will instead send an email to all you guys.I am getting ready to throw my shoe and wear hawaii chappal.
I met scores of great people after coming to USA . However some of them were truly outstanding whom I came to know in US in alphabetical order:
Amack, Lester:
My collegue who has been one of the best software professional.He has got absolutely no attitude.He has written code for NASA space shuttles , served in the american airforce.He is 47 years but moves like a young teenager.His communication is one of the best .Always gives the correct opinion even to his superiors.Most hardworking software professional.He does not believe in countries, religion etc.
Aptekman, Alex:
He is my team lead .Immigrated as a jew from Russia.His patience in tolerating me was remarkable.Totally committed to the work.Helpful and always does any work to absolute perfection.
Ganesh Kumar Sankaran:
My CTS colleague whom I know before in india.We came together on Nov 1st ,97 .However we maintained more intimacy only after coming to US.He has taught me lot on how to control your tongue in office.Sometimes he has helped me out in getting out of bad situations.
Jayanth, Mysore:
I attained total self reliance when i bought my first Honda civic car. Celebrated by running 100 miles on the first day.Took to the expressway on the 2nd day.Drove my first long trip to indianapolis to see my school friend Ramjee.From Indy I went to Bowling Green ,OH to see my school friends and had the chance to drive acura . I drove upto 97mph in I 75 which was my highest speed till now. After a month I had my first accident skidding in the snow near my apartment.I had to go to court but my case was thankgod cancelled as the other person didnot appear in the court.
Sathyanarayan, Karivaradhaswamy:
Got introduced by my CIT friend.This guy studies in UIC and works presently for 3 com. He is one of the top notch developers in 3 com working on the device driver.More importantly a very nice person , always invites me for food. Absolutely no attitude . He is the best plannerRajesh,Gopalswamy:
He is the husband of CSC meenu.A PHD in mech.A very nice person.I have felt more comfortable talking with him than meenu attimes.Good Cook.Vidya Narayanan:
She works for Motorola.Very nice girl and extremely helpful. Wish all you guys ,a fanta fabulous future.As we used to say in PSG Enzzoy Thangamani
Best Regards
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Rajesh weds Srividya
