Conversations :) :) :)

Finally , the wheels are in motion . Classes have started and UF is in its full splendour. Students everywhere . Loads of them . The probability that you will have a conversation with atleast one non-Indian per day is one.

Lets leave conversations by the side ,for sometime , shall we . You tend to have a lot of monologued style talk when you are in the US . Right from the RTS driver who i wish in the morning to the counter guy at the CiCi's Pizza where i sometimes head out for dinner . And yes , the best place for doing small talk is on those boring RTS rides to and from the university .

One classic example is that of Nathan . He's a sophomore in Psychology at UF . This happened last Thursday ,when i was returning home on Route 12 . Nathan here, had not closed his water bottle properly ,so when he swung his backpack around , its contents were all over my tee . What started as a series of sorry's and no issues , developed into a superb conversation on India , Arlington ( thats where he comes from ) , calamari , broccoli and soccer. Yes ,soccer !!! One of the very few Americans who follow that sport. Great conversations need not happen over coffee ( a dig at some ' cheap and very inexpensive coffee chain back home ' ) , even a bus ride is enough.

There were a few things i learnt from these conversations !!! Americans no more think of India as a country of snake charmers ,and they tend to believe that cricket is the only sport we play. The second can get a bit irritating after some period of time . Slapping imagery on people is not the best idea. Its a bit like , you show a photo of a Chinese and a car accident , and ask "What do you think " (Source : Russell Peters :P ) .

My only non-Tamil speaking roommate came across this guy called Kevin from Texas( again ) , on the day of the University Orientation. He's a freshman in Geology. My roommate and he hit it off brilliantly , and made good conversation . Conversations between people of two different backgrounds can go a long way in exchange of cultural ethos , ideas and at the same time clear up a lot of false imagery and cliched assumptions.

I experienced this personally. Last Wednesday , i was revising a few handouts ,sitting in the Computer Lab of the ECE Department . Happenstance, i was at the same time watching a video of the song " Adiye Kolluthey " from Vaaranam Aayiram. An American undergrad sitting next to me ( I presumed so because , he had been ranting about how Circuits 1 ,an undergrad ECE course was so boring ) . He must have been so bugged with the material he was trying to read, he kind of peeped into my console . He tapped me on my shoulder and was like " Is that a song on UC Berkeley ? " . I was suprised but managed a reply , and said thats a song from a Tamil movie and he was like " Can i listen ? " . So i gave him my earphones . Five minutes later , he quipped " That he could not understand anything , but he loved the music Indians dish out " . He also listens to a lot of Norah Jones, Anoushka Shankar , Jay Sean and adores the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack. Not a lot of Indian music out there, u would tend to argue , but you cant miss out on the Indian connection. He also loves MIA , but she is a Srilankan . He had a class to rush to and i forgot to ask his name . But ,again , it was a moment in which i felt something burning inside me . That fire of pride you experience, when you get recognized for something .

Moving on , i also had the chance to meet up with a few expats. The event was a pizza tasting ceremony , organized by the Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship of US . Its an organization , akin to the Pentecostal Mission in India , and encourages Christians and non-Christians ,to take up reading the Bible and other scriptures. I shamelessly accept , that the free food was the main pull :P . But it also turned out to be a chance to meet Sony , Erin and Arun . It was interesting speaking to them . Most of them were born in Kerala and then had moved to USA .We also met a guy from South America who mentioned that his dad had been to India . He was kind enough to text his dad and ask him where he had gone in India. Turned out to be "Manipur " . Not the first place that will come to your mind , i believe .As i said , great conversations can happen anywhere and over anything.You just need a place where you and he/she feels comfortable .

More recently, yesterday , there was this 'accident'al meeting . As i was getting off the 12 at the McCarty , a cyclist did not notice the bus door opening and he almost crashed into me . He braked hard and his bike swerved . Luckily he was not hurt ,except for a few minor scratches . I quickly went to check if he was ok and helped him out and said a sorry. He was like " No issues and it was my bad " . However , his bike's front tire had been torn ,when he had braked hard . So i helped him out ,carry his bike to the cycle shop behind Reitz Union. On the way, we were talking about the university , the balmy Monday weather , the upcoming football weekend and so on. Turns out that Alex was in his senior year in Business Administration. What started off as a screech , turned out to be quite a good chitchat .

There are many more . The one with Ankoor at Bank of America , the ones i have with my professor every Tuesday's and Thursday's . Even the doubts you ask in a way are conversations. Sometimes , the professor might even ask you to come and meet him after the class , if he finds your question good enough . So , keep asking questions :) . Thats the only way you will learn a lot of stuff over here.

Never be afraid to put your foot out first . Extend your hand first wherever and whenever you can , take initiative and ask questions . It will help you in meeting a lot of new people and set up a brilliant network . Networking is a huge way to land interns and jobs . Sometimes , LinkedIn is not the only solution ;) .

Hope i come across more people , who dont close their water bottles and cyclists who dont notice bus doors :P.

Happy Talking :)

PS : Though i have used people's names without their knowledge, i did not mean it in any offensive context .

CULINARY SHOCK !!! And of course, my Eating Habits have gone for a sixer !!!

. You realize something's worth only when it is not around . A very cliched beginning to this post , you might say. But , yes a very appropriate one at this point of time . I still remember the last meal i ate in India. Vendakkai Sambar , my favourite Aloo Roast , Milagu Rasam and Semiya Payasam . I would give a leg to eat something which tastes as brilliant as that now. I miss my mom , who dished out that amazing meal . I miss a lot more . But thats not the point of this post. Before , i start getting sentimental and emotional , let me gather myself up and move on.

. FOOD ??????????? Thats probably the biggest question mark that hangs over every Indian's head when he/she goes abroad. And it becomes a even more painful issue when u realize that you dint know a kitchen existed in your house . Thankfully , i took my mothers advise and charted my own path of wisdom towards culinary exploration . People who follow my blog , will know about my escapades such as the CORNFLAKES DOSAI and , through such learning experiences, i was all confident and pumped up ,that i was ready to bear the brunt of the storm. Little did i know ,that i was heavily misinformed.

. The rude awakening started off with the long flight journey. A few dumplings of rice and meat ,served with horse food (read : Lettuce , Cucumber , Spinach Leaves ) does not really fill your stomach . You tend to argue with the wisdom of the cabin crew , especially when they serve breakfast and lunch when its 2 AM and 5 AM IST . Realization slowly dawns on you that , this is the beginning of the so called "FILL IT UP YOURSELF " Shock Period. I would rather term mine as Culinary Shock .

. More grave situations lay in waiting . With my stomach grumbling and protesting , i set foot upon USA . Not the way i had expected . Even though my mind was excited and my heart was pumping ,my stomach was waging a battle of its own. I was exploring JFK ,the whole morning for options and finally spotted a familiar sight in a McD in Terminal 7. With hopes high , i raced ahead . It dint take a long time for them though, to go into free fall. All i could see was pork, beef and red meat everywhere. I am no vegan , but this was still difficult to digest. Finally , i had to settle down for a chicken sandwich and coffee . And no , i swear that i am not going to talk about the cost or how much it is when converted into rupees.

. Lunch was substituted by Coke and Pepsi ,and finally we reached Gainesville. Two seniors were kind enough to buy us pizza from Papa Johns. Yes, its high time you get used to the several outlets that serve you "American" Food.

.The next two days were almost an exercise in despair . It took us that much time to set up everything and start cooking on our own. We knew that this was the only way out of this hole. One , you minimize your expenses and two, you get a chance to eat proper ( or whatever you cook ) Indian food. Rice and vegetables , were never an issue ,as saviours such as Walmart and Publix are stacked with the above. Armed with an army of pickles , pastes from home and a whole gamut of cooking vessels ,we set about cooking .

. Breakfast mainly tends to be either noodles or flakes with milk and honey or omelette or fruit and off late oatmeal . Though hardly filling , it keeps your stomach from ringing the alarm bell. I have spent most of the days so far in the University. In that case you have three options . One , eat at places like Taco Bell ( serves rolled up chappathis with horse food inside ) , Subway ( bread with horse food inside ) , Starbucks ( serves coffee at exorbitant prices ) , Panda Bowl ( The Chinese even have a restaurant of their own ) . Second option , pack your lunch . This is only possible if you wake up at 7 in the morning , rummage around the kitchen , take initiative and cook both breakfast and lunch for 4 people !!! Naangala 830 class ku 835 ku enthirikara case , so this option goes for a toss. Third option, skip lunch. I have been sticking to the third option so far . I would not recommend it and i too am searching for other viable solutions.

Ofcourse , when i do not hit the road on weekdays , we generally cook ( appadina sollika vendiyathaan ) . My kitchen resume is ever growing and becoming longer and longer with an ever increasing impressive list of dishes . The highlights cover a broad spectrum right from hot water to chicken curry. Somewhere in that list you will also find carrot poriyal , fried rice ,bindi masala , mashed potatoes and so forth . Of course there have been mild side effects. But , yes MILD !!! Some accidents have occured on the way. Mostly we forget the salt , and sometimes the tamarind in the sambhar . But , believe me when i say , there is nothing as satisfying as eating the food you cooked. I do not know whether in two years , i will be a graduate , but i would have definitely taken a few steps in the direction of being the Gainesville version of our own Sanjeev Kapoor.

Weekends . Hmmm !!! Mostly we dine out . There's this amazing Pakistani restaurant on Western University Avenue - Kabab House. Strings attached -- It tends to leave a hole in your packet . But ,the food is worth the price tag it bears. I would especially recommend paying a visit to them during their Happy Hours : 3-5 PM on all days . There is also the ISKCON 's Hare Rama Hare Krishna Trust on the same road , which serves dinner on 7 PM Fridays . They say its free ,but you need to pay a meagre donation of 3 $ . I am not even sure whether its one time or not .

And of course, there are GatorNights ,every Friday !!! Friday dinner or Saturday breakfast is never an issue .UF for nothing is ranked in the top 10 Party Schools of USA . To start off , the movie comes with popcorn and drink . And to top everything off , there is the midnight breakfast . Bread , sausage , scrambled eggs , oatmeal and chocolate milk . The best part is everything is free !!! There are more options to look out for , if you are on the hunt for "OC Saapadu " . Other than the GatorNights , there are also the different sessions of student organizations and the Fraternities !!! We just dined on the IGSA 's dwindling ( thats what they say always ) coffers today . The Graduate Student Council which meets every month, offers you free food just to come and attend their sessions . Talk about perks !!! So you just need to keep your eyes and ears open , and be at the right place at the right time.

David Letterman once quipped that , the best place to start understanding and respecting a person's culture is from their food . Make sure your taste buds are tuned up , if you are heading to the USA!!! Face it , even though you cook , you cannot survive solely on it . When you head out and eat outside , invariably you come up across stuff that are terribly bland and on the wrong side of the spice-meter . But , you need to live with it . It might be quite difficult to start with , but you do need to adjust to it . Trust me , if you are going to be a closed book when it comes to cuisine , you are shutting down a lot of avenues . And yes , a word of caution for vegans . Options here are non-existent , so its better if you guys sharpen up your skills , before you land . God, i sound preachy.

. But, yes the moral of the story is , none of the above even come close to being a substitute ,for your mom's cooking . Guys and girls , if you haven respected what she puts on the dining table daily , its high time you started . And for those who do , its high time you started celebrating her cooking and learning from her . There are some fathers who cook to . With due respect to them, i haven come across many . As i said , you realize somethings worth , only when its not around .

PS : I want my idly and dosa.

Poo Poovai Punnagaikum Ival Engal Veetu Puthu Kavithai !!!

An amazing song. Lilting and melodious music .Few songs have moved me like this . Its from a little known Tamil movie "BALA" staring Shaam and Meera Jasmine.

The lyrics are simply brilliant. Here is the link to the song on Youtube :- "Poo Poovai Punnagaikum Ival " .

Just to help those who read, i have also pasted the lyrics below . Beg pardon to those who dont understand Tamil.

"" Poo Poo vai Punnagaikum Ival engal veetu puthu kavithai
Thalata thottil mattum illai ival engal kai kuzhanthai
Pulvezhigal neerponaal pen panithuli kaal keerum
Nam ithayangal naal thorum irupathellaam oru thudipu

First 2 lines repeat again

MUSIC

Engal illathile inba nadagam thaan ,inge thevaillai tholaikaatchi
Engal ulathile thinum poomalai thaan, naangal selvathillai malarkaatchi
Mazhai vanthaal athil nanaivom , annai thuvattum sugamum kidaika
Veyil vanthaal athil azhaivom, thanthai adhatum inimai rasika
Kaal konda roja thulli thulli vanthu , thoonuku pinnaal nindru sirikiradhe


Poo Poo vai ....

MUSIC

Thaai katugindra nool selaiyile en porvai endru adam pidipom
mottaimadiyile oru thattinile nei soru veithu uyir rusipom
Ore ore minvisiri ,athil adiyil thoongi kidapom
en uyir thanthai thozhil , siru kuzhandaiyaga irupom
Bhoomiyil sorgam ,uzhathendru sonnal
Vaer engum illai, athu engal illame

Poo Poo Vai ... ""

Its a shame i dont know who the music director and the lyricist are . Kudos to them for coming up with such a brilliant song !!!

My First Impressions of Amreeka!!!

Before i start, Independent India is 63 years old. May her flag always fly high and may shall we always hold our heads high as its proud citizens. Independence Day wishes to every Indian out there .

So now that i am finally in the US of A , many misconceptions have been cleared and many new impressions have been etched. Frankly speaking, the experience so far has been mixed. While i have been awed at certain places , i am doing my best not to get carried away, as every inch out here is a fight.

First things first . The only way to survive in America is to ask and demand . Otherwise you can either end up being lost or being taken for a ride. Every dollar you spend out here is worth its weight in gold. Its normal for every Indian to convert prices into equivalent rupees. However, thats a strict no no. If you do so, all you will end up doing is Window Shopping . So spend your time , searching out for alternatives , scouting for places where you feel your value for money is fulfilled. This applies to everything right across the spectrum , right from a haircut to your laptop. Every penny saved is worth the effort. Demand for what is right and ask why you are wrong. There is nothing wrong in doing so. Whether it be the cheese in your sub or the memory card in your digicam , ask for it and get to know about it .You are paying for it and you better do so. Americans are not necessarily smart , but they are definitely streetsmart. One look and they will know that you are way out of this place. The best way to survive here is put up a confident front and be vocal and aggressive when you need to be. As i said , ask and demand.

Dont hesitate to establish a rapport with Americans. Whether it may be a white, African-American, Hispanic or Latino , they generally prefer small talk. It may range from a "How are you doing " to a lengthy discussion on gay rights and abortion. Most of them are upfront . The fact that they want to talk to you and know more about you and your country is a sign of respect they have for you and your nation. So its best served ,that you treat them with the same respect. And yes get used to their lingo . When they politely enquire whether you can take up a task , it means that they want you to do it and that you do not have an option . And there's nothing called Xerox , cheap and costly over here. It's photocopy ,affordable and expensive. These are small , small things that you will pick up on ur way.

Never wear a pink shirt over here. It definitely sends out the wrong signals. Dont put your arm around another guy . Its considered downright offensive unless the person is a gay. You cant share an umbrella with a guy . Dont give a second look at couples kissing in public. Its against their privacy ,however ironic it may sound . Say a "thank you " to every American who helps you and every bus driver . A small extension of courtesy.

Most people here are nice . And they expect you to maintain eye contact. They look at it as a sign of engaging in conversation . Feel free while you speak to them . And yes , remember S.T.E.P. Sorry, Thank You , Excuse me and Please . You are in a foreign nation and its expected that you be courteous to people who are nice to you .

Dont use black. Its downright rude. You better get used to "African American" . And yes you will realize that your fashion sense is way off target and outdated . You either learn to live with what you have or stop cribbing about what people here wear. Dont show off. Americans like people who are original . Showboating and recommedations dont get you anywhere over here. True talent matters and is recognized over here, atleast in the educational system.

But , yes there is a downside to everything . Beneath those layers of artificial humour and slapstick that some Americans put on to make you at home , they still look at you as that "Brown Weasel from the Far East " ,robbing them off opportunities. If you do come across people like these ,you are well off by keeping away and not instigating them and not giving them opportunities. But , yes ,if some drunken guy or girl zooms past in a car , shouting expletives at you ,your country and your family , it doesn hurt to flip the finger. A mild satisfaction if anything. Its a universal language everybody understands. Stay away from troubled and notorious neighbourhoods. And its always good to move as a group till you get used to the place. And yes dont venture out too late in the night . Guy or girl , a foreigner is always a soft target.

Leaving the generic stuff aside, the place i live in is called Gainesville in the southern state of Florida . Its a small , peaceful and green University town. Its buzzing with activity throughout the day and the place is always alive. Its a wonderfully planned town with its amazing scenery, lakes , red bricked buildings and crocs. Modernization still has not left a great mark over here and it still retains its vintage charm. And ,yes it has unpredictable weather to boot . One minute its blazing sunshine and the next its torrential downpour. The weather here is manageable though, it does tend to get sticky sometimes. Everybody has a car over here . Nissan's and Toyota's rule the roost and you will also find loads of Bentleys , BMWs and Mustangs. The city is well served by its buses through the Regional Transport System ( RTS ) . They are basically modern AC buses which run in circles . Cycle lanes and walkways are aplenty and its a haven for trekkers and joggers. Parks and greenery are aplenty ,and its a far cry away from the concrete jungle of Manhattan and Chicago.

Learn to live and adapt here quickly . But that doesn mean that you need to step down from your ideals. Yes, you might be forced to compromise or give way on certain issues , but never loose your identity. Be proud of what you are and hold your head high and walk . You are here for one thing , and keep that in mind . You will meet people of different ilk along the way . Learn to sift through them and select the ones you need. Given a choice , exercise it , because you wont get many such opporunities here. And yes , do try to contribute in whatever way you can. As an ambassador of your nation , its best to conduct yourself in the right spirits and be genuine . This is a land of opportunities and people . You just need to find the right ones.