I am not sure how I should feel this morning. Today I end a journey I began on Nov 18th 2002. Today would be my last day at my first job. Ironically, its Independence day!
I had just graduated and was preparing for CAT. Along that track, I had chosen to take a small diversion to attempt an aptitude test by Infosys on the previous weekend at Bangalore. The journey and skipping tests and classes at the coaching center for CAT, mixed with my own carelessness added to the fact that the results at mock tests in the coaching class for MBA was dropping. Dad was worried I was losing focus not concentrating on one thing. Still, I was glad I took that chance.
When I saw my name in the selected list I was first surprised! And then worried...I was so damn sure that I might not make it that I had not brought any of my books to prepare for the next step - the interview ! Luckily, I got my bible of electric machines - BL TEREJA in a bookstore close by. When I boarded the rickety BMTC bus of Infosys the next morning I noticed the people (employees) around me were quite disconnected! I mean... no one spoke to one another in the bus. Each one of them busy in their own indulgences - some on walk man, privileged few on mp3's, some reading newspapers , some engrossed in their books, the rest...happily sleeping off. I even mailed my senior in school who was already working with Infosys asking him how much a "ROBOT" he had become.
In the last 10+ years travelling in that same bus, I have become on of them...and I know the joy of tuning into radio to hear Vasanthi Hariprakash's "Good morning Bengaluru" ! Its as refreshing as the morning cup of tea. Can't give it a miss.
I was amazed at the "look and feel" of the campus the first time I walked into the Bangalore DC for my interview. well if you think I remember anything about the actual interview ...I Don't! :)
On Diwali night, two weeks later when my mock tests were showing poor results, daddy and I sat down to discuss my future plans. It didn't quite end well like most of our discussions at that time. :) but a little while later when I showed them the invite email from Infosys , he was in tears! it must have been one of OUR family moment!
I remember the excitement when I boarded train to Chennai with daddy. My sister and I would fight so much all those years, but I saw the sorry tears rolling down those cheeks when she came to see off that day. My best of pals from college had also come (at various stations all the way through kerala) for a quick bye bye and to wish me luck. I felt glad to have such a grand see off, and sad moving away from my closest ones.
11 years from then, there has been many many keeping moments Infosys has given me. A new city as my second home, many new people, many different cultures, travel...a few friends who stood by me through good and bad, awesome roomies and last but not the least...a life partner! From a happy go lucky girl straight out from college, Infosys has groomed me into the person that I am today. And I do not think either of us messed up in this make over. :)
There have been bad times but no one sticks the rotten moments in their photo album.
Looking ahead, I don't know whether I will board the same train again, but this journey is for keeps. I am definitely going to miss a lot of things out there. Quite a lot!
I took a break from the typing, I take a look at my 2 month old, Gautham, and he smiles and coos back at me. Brings the smile back on my face. A new journey begins...
PS: pardon the spelling errors and the grammar mistakes if any. I haven't had time to proofread!
I had just graduated and was preparing for CAT. Along that track, I had chosen to take a small diversion to attempt an aptitude test by Infosys on the previous weekend at Bangalore. The journey and skipping tests and classes at the coaching center for CAT, mixed with my own carelessness added to the fact that the results at mock tests in the coaching class for MBA was dropping. Dad was worried I was losing focus not concentrating on one thing. Still, I was glad I took that chance.
When I saw my name in the selected list I was first surprised! And then worried...I was so damn sure that I might not make it that I had not brought any of my books to prepare for the next step - the interview ! Luckily, I got my bible of electric machines - BL TEREJA in a bookstore close by. When I boarded the rickety BMTC bus of Infosys the next morning I noticed the people (employees) around me were quite disconnected! I mean... no one spoke to one another in the bus. Each one of them busy in their own indulgences - some on walk man, privileged few on mp3's, some reading newspapers , some engrossed in their books, the rest...happily sleeping off. I even mailed my senior in school who was already working with Infosys asking him how much a "ROBOT" he had become.
In the last 10+ years travelling in that same bus, I have become on of them...and I know the joy of tuning into radio to hear Vasanthi Hariprakash's "Good morning Bengaluru" ! Its as refreshing as the morning cup of tea. Can't give it a miss.
I was amazed at the "look and feel" of the campus the first time I walked into the Bangalore DC for my interview. well if you think I remember anything about the actual interview ...I Don't! :)
On Diwali night, two weeks later when my mock tests were showing poor results, daddy and I sat down to discuss my future plans. It didn't quite end well like most of our discussions at that time. :) but a little while later when I showed them the invite email from Infosys , he was in tears! it must have been one of OUR family moment!
I remember the excitement when I boarded train to Chennai with daddy. My sister and I would fight so much all those years, but I saw the sorry tears rolling down those cheeks when she came to see off that day. My best of pals from college had also come (at various stations all the way through kerala) for a quick bye bye and to wish me luck. I felt glad to have such a grand see off, and sad moving away from my closest ones.
11 years from then, there has been many many keeping moments Infosys has given me. A new city as my second home, many new people, many different cultures, travel...a few friends who stood by me through good and bad, awesome roomies and last but not the least...a life partner! From a happy go lucky girl straight out from college, Infosys has groomed me into the person that I am today. And I do not think either of us messed up in this make over. :)
There have been bad times but no one sticks the rotten moments in their photo album.
Looking ahead, I don't know whether I will board the same train again, but this journey is for keeps. I am definitely going to miss a lot of things out there. Quite a lot!
I took a break from the typing, I take a look at my 2 month old, Gautham, and he smiles and coos back at me. Brings the smile back on my face. A new journey begins...
PS: pardon the spelling errors and the grammar mistakes if any. I haven't had time to proofread!
1 comment:
Wow, finally did it eh? I understand what it felt like. I remember the feeling when I boarded the bus after my last day..
anyway, always good things ahead in the future. :-)
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