Sarika

Happy Anniverssary mum and dad!!

2006-12-09T23:37:00.001+01:00

I must conclude, I have fantastic parents!

They are rather simple and traditional indian parents. Though they did not have much idea of what I was doing with my life, they usually let me choose my own path. My dad bought me a nice luggage when he found out I was travelling international for the first time some years ago. My mum would enquire how I had been eating etc but would be happy to hear all my experiences in a foreign land. Not at one point losing confidence or even asking me to go the usual way...

Today they celebrate their 32nd wedding anniversary. I can only say I want to be like them when I grow up - wise and old ;-) I love you mum and dad.

Maybe its the coffee..

2006-12-06T20:09:00.000+01:00

Since I was away for about 10 days, it was possible for me to try and be away from caffine (chocolates and tea were still a part of the daily consumption).. so primarily coffee..

I have felt a difference in my concentration and energy levels since I got back... a positive difference.. I am trying to keep my intake low, though it has a social cost of not going to hang out with colleagues and linger over a cup of machine-made hot brown something.. I must amit though, the smell of this hot brown thing is rather tempting..

But well, we have chocolate for those kind of temptations :-p

where the TV speaks my language..

2006-12-01T20:03:00.000+01:00

I am back in India for a few days and I am delighted... the unconditional love of family, the care of all loved ones and of course great vegetarian food... (where before I order/buy, I dont have to ask two people if it has any meat in it.. and the answer is - I am not sure.. let me find out.. :-P...)

One other super fantastic aspect is that the TV speaks my language.. And I dont mean Hindi or English (coz I can get BBC etc for english), but I mean a very strange mix of both.. sentences with both Hindi and English words. For instance - Abhi market jaana hai, shopping karne(To go to the Market for shopping) .. or Uski ring ka size kya hai (whats the size of his/her ring)? This usage (or abuseage) of language is all over the city - on the streets, in shops.. everywhere!

The language is definately less pure.. But its funn anyways.. or like they say in my city - 'Oh never mind jee.. '

Smile!

2006-11-21T13:52:00.000+01:00

A recent survey results show that India comes top on the well-being Index followed by sweden (A country with one of the highest living standards, and you would imagine a link between living standards and well being..)?!?! These surveys should be taken with a pinch of salt of course, but its a good read anyway. It also draws a link between religion and happiness..

Here is a link to the survey:

'SMILE, IT'S FREE Indians happiest, Japanese most miserable'

The link might not be live for too long, so here is the story:

YOUNG PEOPLE in developing nations are at least twice as likely to feel happy about their lives than their counterparts in the developed ones, says a survey. Indians are the happiest overall, while Japanese are the most miserable.
In a global survey by MTV Networks International (MTVNI), which covered more than 5,400 young people in 14 countries, only 43 per cent of the world’s 16- to 34year-olds said they were happy with their lives.
MTVNI said this figure was dragged down by young people in the rich countries, including those in Britain and the United States, where fewer than 30 per cent of young people said they were happy. Only 8 per cent in Japan said they were happy.
The reasons for unhappiness across the devel oped world in cluded a lack of optimism, concerns over jobs and pressure to succeed. In developing countries, the majority of people in the same age group expected their lives to be more enjoyable in the future. "The happier young people of the developing world are also the most reli gious," the survey said.
The MTVNI survey took six months to complete and has resulted in the Wellbeing Index which compares the feelings of young people, based on their perceptions of safety, on their notions of where they fit into society and how they see their future. In the overall Wellbeing Index, India came on top, followed by Sweden.
“In developing countries, economic growth is on the go. So logically there should be optimism and a positive feeling,” said Bill Roedy, president, MTVNI.

Hunger

2006-11-13T10:41:00.000+01:00

It was a very interesting discussion I had with colleagues.

At noon one day, I mentioned 'Oh, I am really hungry!'

2 of my Dutch colleagues promptly corrected me - 'no you are not, you can survive!'

I was a bit stupefied with that comment, my eyes became like big question marks... which led to some explanations...

'In the Dutch language, the usage of the word for hunger implies that the person in question has not had a meal in many days and will starve to death shortly... the correct word for when you want to eat is - trek - literally translated - appetite..'

Perhaps there are not too many hungry people in The Netherlands.. or other (so called) developed countries and hence the usage of appetite v/s hunger. But how is it that the usage of the english language has become such that appetite has been replaced by hunger?? maybe the users of the english language in the (so called) developing countries have guided this subtle change of meaning??

Only in Amsterdam

2006-11-06T13:23:00.000+01:00

Only in Amsterdam can you experience in one weekend:

- Museum night: All museums in Amsterdam were open till 2 AM;
- Casino: Aiesec organised a casino night - real gambling (although I am not sure how can this enterprise of profit be legally organised and run by a not-for-profit students organisation);
- Drink with girlfriends from India in the middle of the red light district;
- Catching up with a friends over dinner of stir fry and chips .. one of who has recently had a baby...

All this in one weekend can only happen in Amsterdam. I love the dynamic magnetic character of the city! Although the weekend seems to fly by rather quickly and it is Monday morning before you know it!

I Amsterdam :-)
(For those who dont know, it is the slogan of the city!)

For the sake of fake!

2006-10-30T20:37:00.000+01:00

Keeping it real is the rasion-d'etre of today. Yet this has less to do with reality than the pleasure and pursuit of virtual reality.

Amsterdam was showcasing 'sumthing fake' - a collection of fake realities. The displays included the palm islands of dubai to fake boobs (ok - thats not a HUGE surprise). I was very amused to see michael jackson on display too.

Another one was an exhibit called 'Traces of an imaginary affair'. It included devices to self-inflict signs of infidelity (not sure why one would need this - as a trust game perhaps!) So basically how would existance of certain situations influence the behaviour of individuals. What really is the purpose of fake?

Maybe the purpose of fake is not to make things better or worse, but just for the sake of it perhaps!

Management can be ...

2006-10-29T22:40:00.000+01:00

uncouth...

Yes - this is what my colleague stated when i pointed out some really bad mannerisms of a high manager in our department... she said "management can be uncouth.. once they are so high up, they dont need to bother about manners!"

I dont expect Managers etc. to be at their 'party best' always, but I would have more respect and I would also draw more inspiration if they were more careful about behaviour! Maybe I am being quite judgemental about it, but I do get influenced by manners... good and bad...

Happy Diwali!!

2006-10-21T23:05:00.000+02:00

Just wanted to post a message to wish everyone a happy diwali!

To those of you who dont know, diwali is a version of christmas for the hindus of the world :-) this is the simplest explanation I could think of!

Alright, so I am far away from home, from my family, in a cold country... i went to play cards at a friends.. and lost really badly... some of you guys are too competitive!! I am hoping its true that you get lucky with love if you are unlucky with cards..
after all - "lucky at cards is unlucky with love" right??

Generation Gap!

2006-10-19T00:06:00.000+02:00

Reasoning with the elders and grown ups has never been easy .. this is true across most cultures and geographies.

For the other side, talking to the younger generation is always tough as well..

Differences arise to understand the way they think, why they think so, the way they behave, the way they talk, likes and dislikes, need for more gadgets etc.

As I write this, it reminds me of culture shock in many ways. understanding a different culture, different language very different styles at work.

So actually is the generation gap is nothing but a culture shock in the sense of generations?

I am rich$$$$$

2006-10-11T21:27:00.000+02:00

I got a very convincing letter today that I had been selected in a lucky draw and I had won a sum of 1,5000,000.00 Euros (One Million, Five Hunderd Thousand Euros)!! There was a reference to the ticket number I had used to go to Paris, my phone number and my address..

I can pay for my MBA, travel around the world with my family and friends.. and still have enough left!

well it is a hoax - the modus operandi of the scam is definately more convincing now!! I had to send money to a bank account in France to cover the charges of the transfer :-p

Thanks Mazz!

2006-10-11T20:20:00.000+02:00

Thanks to my house mate Mazzy, I am blogging ...

Starting now

2005-12-28T06:45:00.000+01:00

Starting now!