Tuesday, October 14, 2014
7 years later
It has been a little more than 7 years since I drafted my last post. I have been writing over the years but never published them as the thoughts were private. I saw this blog a couple of days back and wondered why I had stopped writing about my life and experiences. The answer was simple, Life took over. But it was not that simple!! So much has happened, so much has changed. I hope to be able to capture what my life has been like in the last 7years.
Monday, August 13, 2007
One Year and 2 Birthday's
One year has passed since my arrival into the land of opportunities. It has definitely lived up to its name. Opportunities galore, the only problems are that this saying does not work without others such as "being at the right place at the right time", "time is money". This one year has really taught me a lot, other than what I am learning from my masters program of course.
When I arrived here my mind was full of thoughts and images of the America that I had lived in a few years ago. Changed it has, in many ways and yet it is still the same, perhaps it is my attitude towards it that has changed. New York is New York, the city that never sleeps, and inspite of all that has happened here since 2001 the city is still bustling with energy. The people are mostly friendly, when they have the time they smile but I've had the unfortunate opportunity of witnessing some very rude remarks and behavior too.
The good thing is that I don't get asked if we ride on elephants in India or whether i bought my shoes when I came to this country, the people in NY are more aware of the world around them. But then again most often people think I’m Hispanic and insist in speaking espaniol....excuse my spellings. Though when I arrived here I had to take an English test, yes other than the TOEFL, I aced it. The lady handing me my results was very intrigued and asked if I had learnt English in school. I informed her that English was the first language I spoke or learned for that matter. On which she replied “Yes, but that is Indian English”, to which I simply answered “No as a matter of fact it is British English”.
NY is definitely a city where time is of the essence, you see people walking at record times.....with their high heels, Gucci and Prada bags. In the summer you see men dressed in their nice suits riding bicycles on the streets. What does not seize to amaze me is the fashion sense here; considering it is a highly fashionable country (or claims to be) I just cannot understand their fashion or their colour palettes. The funkiest colour combinations that you could ever imagine, purple with red, green with pink the list is endless…..
I actually live in New Jersey in a town called West New York, it is right across the Hudson and it has the beautiful view of the Manhattan Skyline. A quaint little town, with winding roads and nice people. It takes me 15 mins or so to get to the city when there is no traffic. I don’t have much to say about my town except that I like the long walks I can take by the breath taking view of Manhattan or a bicycle ride….yeah I just got a new bicycle….its awesome.
The seasons are extremes, and I mean it when I say extremes, the winter…….brrrrrrr freezing……and I have been informed that I did not see the worst of it. You take an extra hour getting ready coz of all the layers that you have to load up just to go to the grocery store. But what is really bad is when u get to ur destination, and the building is heated…..to spend the whole day in those layers (no my college does not have lockers, where I may store all those layers). I walked around, no I literally waddle like a fat duck all over the place. I had not seen my toes in the longest and I had become “white” no pun intended. The first snow is beautiful, the whole city is white but come afternoon it is slushy and brownish white…..not a very pretty sight.
Spring is not like the name suggests, its winter. They just added a new name to have a new fashion line out. And then the much awaited summer…….hot like aamchi Mumbai, only not as humid. This time the problem is when u reach ur office building or school, the ac’s are so effective that the fact that u r wearing very little really is a pain. I guess fall could very well be the best season as the weather is just about right, not too hot and not too cold but it does not last very long.
Ok enough about the weather and NY…..moving here has taught me a lot about myself. First, I am a “monica” from friends, yeah it may not be the best reference but I don’t know of any other clean freaks……I also discovered that I am quite like my mother in many ways. I catch myself saying things she would say and do.
I have realized that I love open toe shoes……and that it is ok if I am wearing flat shoes. My own fashion sense has changed, actually not really changed, but its just that I wear stuff here that I would not even think of wearing in India. Oh yeah! I have realized that I am a really bad shopper…….extremely picky. I have rediscovered that I do enjoy alone time……but it can get really bad.
The most important thing that I have realized is that this maybe the land of opportunity, and that people come here and feel like their lives turn around. But that has coz of the person themselves, and not just this country.
All in all this one year has had some really beautiful days and some really bad ones. I find this country inspiring, its freedom of thought, freedom of education, freedom of expression is what makes this a land of opportunities.
One year has passed since my arrival into the land of opportunities. It has definitely lived up to its name. Opportunities galore, the only problems are that this saying does not work without others such as "being at the right place at the right time", "time is money". This one year has really taught me a lot, other than what I am learning from my masters program of course.
When I arrived here my mind was full of thoughts and images of the America that I had lived in a few years ago. Changed it has, in many ways and yet it is still the same, perhaps it is my attitude towards it that has changed. New York is New York, the city that never sleeps, and inspite of all that has happened here since 2001 the city is still bustling with energy. The people are mostly friendly, when they have the time they smile but I've had the unfortunate opportunity of witnessing some very rude remarks and behavior too.
The good thing is that I don't get asked if we ride on elephants in India or whether i bought my shoes when I came to this country, the people in NY are more aware of the world around them. But then again most often people think I’m Hispanic and insist in speaking espaniol....excuse my spellings. Though when I arrived here I had to take an English test, yes other than the TOEFL, I aced it. The lady handing me my results was very intrigued and asked if I had learnt English in school. I informed her that English was the first language I spoke or learned for that matter. On which she replied “Yes, but that is Indian English”, to which I simply answered “No as a matter of fact it is British English”.
NY is definitely a city where time is of the essence, you see people walking at record times.....with their high heels, Gucci and Prada bags. In the summer you see men dressed in their nice suits riding bicycles on the streets. What does not seize to amaze me is the fashion sense here; considering it is a highly fashionable country (or claims to be) I just cannot understand their fashion or their colour palettes. The funkiest colour combinations that you could ever imagine, purple with red, green with pink the list is endless…..
I actually live in New Jersey in a town called West New York, it is right across the Hudson and it has the beautiful view of the Manhattan Skyline. A quaint little town, with winding roads and nice people. It takes me 15 mins or so to get to the city when there is no traffic. I don’t have much to say about my town except that I like the long walks I can take by the breath taking view of Manhattan or a bicycle ride….yeah I just got a new bicycle….its awesome.
The seasons are extremes, and I mean it when I say extremes, the winter…….brrrrrrr freezing……and I have been informed that I did not see the worst of it. You take an extra hour getting ready coz of all the layers that you have to load up just to go to the grocery store. But what is really bad is when u get to ur destination, and the building is heated…..to spend the whole day in those layers (no my college does not have lockers, where I may store all those layers). I walked around, no I literally waddle like a fat duck all over the place. I had not seen my toes in the longest and I had become “white” no pun intended. The first snow is beautiful, the whole city is white but come afternoon it is slushy and brownish white…..not a very pretty sight.
Spring is not like the name suggests, its winter. They just added a new name to have a new fashion line out. And then the much awaited summer…….hot like aamchi Mumbai, only not as humid. This time the problem is when u reach ur office building or school, the ac’s are so effective that the fact that u r wearing very little really is a pain. I guess fall could very well be the best season as the weather is just about right, not too hot and not too cold but it does not last very long.
Ok enough about the weather and NY…..moving here has taught me a lot about myself. First, I am a “monica” from friends, yeah it may not be the best reference but I don’t know of any other clean freaks……I also discovered that I am quite like my mother in many ways. I catch myself saying things she would say and do.
I have realized that I love open toe shoes……and that it is ok if I am wearing flat shoes. My own fashion sense has changed, actually not really changed, but its just that I wear stuff here that I would not even think of wearing in India. Oh yeah! I have realized that I am a really bad shopper…….extremely picky. I have rediscovered that I do enjoy alone time……but it can get really bad.
The most important thing that I have realized is that this maybe the land of opportunity, and that people come here and feel like their lives turn around. But that has coz of the person themselves, and not just this country.
All in all this one year has had some really beautiful days and some really bad ones. I find this country inspiring, its freedom of thought, freedom of education, freedom of expression is what makes this a land of opportunities.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Namesake
This past weekend my brothers and i went to watch namesake. Sunday evening, it was a beautiful day in New York, the sun was shining and i finally was wearing only one layer of clothes. I had read the book, and knowing Mira Nair's movies I was not expecting any kind of surprises. The movie was great, money well spent i would say. Jhumpa Lahiri manages to capture her audience with the most mundane day to day things.
The movie began, somehow watching a movie about indians connects you to india, specially when u are living abroad. That is exactly what it did for me. Though it was about bengalis and calcutta (a place I have never visited), i still felt a connection to the story and the characters.
The movie had some really funny moments, about Indians in the US, and as the movie unrolled it captivated my attention completely. So it was a good movie, but why do I find the need to write about it....??? it brought back some memories....some images in my head that haunt me from time to time. Images of my father, when he had a stroke.
For all of u who know me well u know that my father passed away in 2004, very suddenly. He was a man full of life, and lived like each day was his first and last. And by that i mean he lived it to his fullest. Watching Mira Nair depict the daeth of the main charcters father just brought back the whole flood of memories. So i am writing this in rememberance of my father, Mr Ranbir singh Sachdeva.
Like I said before he was a man who really loved life, he was joyful, humourous and above all a very intelligent man. Like everyone struggles in life, so did he, but he made his mark and let a lasting impression on many people. When I was in school, I remember some of my friends being scared of him, with his large frame, his turban and the killer look in his eyes. I was his princess (surprise, surprise). But in truth he was really a gentle man. From all the stories i have heard, he was a great boss and not only did he strive to achieve his own success but also pushed and encouraged his juniors and collegues to do the same. At home, he was a friend, i could open my heart to him about anything and everything. Most of our conversations were on a friendship basis and he always encouraged us to be our own person.
I remember when I started smoking and he found out, he called me into the room and asked me for a cigerette, when i said i did not have any, he offered me one from his packet. He said " i know that you smoke, and if you do, you should have the guts to smoke in front of me, or then not smoke at all". After which, he told me all the reasons why i should not smoke at all.
He passed away suddenly, but he was doing what he liked doing best, enjoying life. I miss him very much, i miss our conversations, our roti with chinese, and above all his belief in all of us. Like anyone who has lost a dear one, i too ask WHY?? don't think I will be getting the answer any time soon, and honestly, knowing is not going to make the pain any less. I know he is always with us in spirit, and I see alot of him in both my brothers, and it is through them that he lives on in my life.
I am his namesake by the sheer fact that I have the same last name, and hopefully i have attained some of his qualities, and his zest for life.
For You PopSingh.....
This past weekend my brothers and i went to watch namesake. Sunday evening, it was a beautiful day in New York, the sun was shining and i finally was wearing only one layer of clothes. I had read the book, and knowing Mira Nair's movies I was not expecting any kind of surprises. The movie was great, money well spent i would say. Jhumpa Lahiri manages to capture her audience with the most mundane day to day things.
The movie began, somehow watching a movie about indians connects you to india, specially when u are living abroad. That is exactly what it did for me. Though it was about bengalis and calcutta (a place I have never visited), i still felt a connection to the story and the characters.
The movie had some really funny moments, about Indians in the US, and as the movie unrolled it captivated my attention completely. So it was a good movie, but why do I find the need to write about it....??? it brought back some memories....some images in my head that haunt me from time to time. Images of my father, when he had a stroke.
For all of u who know me well u know that my father passed away in 2004, very suddenly. He was a man full of life, and lived like each day was his first and last. And by that i mean he lived it to his fullest. Watching Mira Nair depict the daeth of the main charcters father just brought back the whole flood of memories. So i am writing this in rememberance of my father, Mr Ranbir singh Sachdeva.
Like I said before he was a man who really loved life, he was joyful, humourous and above all a very intelligent man. Like everyone struggles in life, so did he, but he made his mark and let a lasting impression on many people. When I was in school, I remember some of my friends being scared of him, with his large frame, his turban and the killer look in his eyes. I was his princess (surprise, surprise). But in truth he was really a gentle man. From all the stories i have heard, he was a great boss and not only did he strive to achieve his own success but also pushed and encouraged his juniors and collegues to do the same. At home, he was a friend, i could open my heart to him about anything and everything. Most of our conversations were on a friendship basis and he always encouraged us to be our own person.
I remember when I started smoking and he found out, he called me into the room and asked me for a cigerette, when i said i did not have any, he offered me one from his packet. He said " i know that you smoke, and if you do, you should have the guts to smoke in front of me, or then not smoke at all". After which, he told me all the reasons why i should not smoke at all.
He passed away suddenly, but he was doing what he liked doing best, enjoying life. I miss him very much, i miss our conversations, our roti with chinese, and above all his belief in all of us. Like anyone who has lost a dear one, i too ask WHY?? don't think I will be getting the answer any time soon, and honestly, knowing is not going to make the pain any less. I know he is always with us in spirit, and I see alot of him in both my brothers, and it is through them that he lives on in my life.
I am his namesake by the sheer fact that I have the same last name, and hopefully i have attained some of his qualities, and his zest for life.
For You PopSingh.....
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
Empowered Women
Women today are extremely empowered, they are not only achieving what they set out to achieve but raising the standards for men to compete with them. Long gone are the days when women could not and would not compete with men, today a woman stands as much a chance of succeeding in a male dominated industry as a man.
You are probably wondering why I am writing about this and what does this have to do with me. Well for one I am a woman....and I do consider myself empowered. Well this whole topic got triggered in my mind a couple of weeks ago, when I was watching this show. Now this show is all about a studio and one of the producers in the show is a woman. I think the actress is Amanda Peet. Well she is this strong, scared of nothing woman executive, who is not only fighting controversy in her personal life but also at her work place. She is pregnant, and she is dealing with slander from newspapers about her drinking habits. Not too go too much into this show....but well one of the guys who writes one of the shows on her network falls in love with her and well starts going after her. She obviously fights it off thinking its absolute bullshit etc. But after one evening when they find themselves locked on the terrace for a few hours, she decides that his love or affections are genuine.
But that’s still not what triggered all this, so I keep watching the show and I realize that she has gone from being an extremely powerful, strong headed, assertive woman to being a wimp. All of a sudden she needs advice from this guy for everything, possibly even what she should be wearing. The relationship is growing beautifully, but for some reason I feel as though she has lost her assertiveness....it’s as though she has lost her power to think reasonably. So I got thinking (yes I do that once in while) what happened?? And whether this happens to all women, or is it a trait only of this particular character. So I started to look around, notice people around me, tried to remember conversations I have had with my married and unmarried friends and of course I had a few conversations with myself.
One of the main questions was, is this a good thing?? Second question being does this happen to men?? Third question being, why do we do this??
From my own experience, I have seen that I become a little of a wimp myself, especially when it comes down to heavy decisions. I don't know where exactly I am going with this....but it’s a thought and I would love to know anything all the women and men know about this particular topic.....
Women today are extremely empowered, they are not only achieving what they set out to achieve but raising the standards for men to compete with them. Long gone are the days when women could not and would not compete with men, today a woman stands as much a chance of succeeding in a male dominated industry as a man.
You are probably wondering why I am writing about this and what does this have to do with me. Well for one I am a woman....and I do consider myself empowered. Well this whole topic got triggered in my mind a couple of weeks ago, when I was watching this show. Now this show is all about a studio and one of the producers in the show is a woman. I think the actress is Amanda Peet. Well she is this strong, scared of nothing woman executive, who is not only fighting controversy in her personal life but also at her work place. She is pregnant, and she is dealing with slander from newspapers about her drinking habits. Not too go too much into this show....but well one of the guys who writes one of the shows on her network falls in love with her and well starts going after her. She obviously fights it off thinking its absolute bullshit etc. But after one evening when they find themselves locked on the terrace for a few hours, she decides that his love or affections are genuine.
But that’s still not what triggered all this, so I keep watching the show and I realize that she has gone from being an extremely powerful, strong headed, assertive woman to being a wimp. All of a sudden she needs advice from this guy for everything, possibly even what she should be wearing. The relationship is growing beautifully, but for some reason I feel as though she has lost her assertiveness....it’s as though she has lost her power to think reasonably. So I got thinking (yes I do that once in while) what happened?? And whether this happens to all women, or is it a trait only of this particular character. So I started to look around, notice people around me, tried to remember conversations I have had with my married and unmarried friends and of course I had a few conversations with myself.
One of the main questions was, is this a good thing?? Second question being does this happen to men?? Third question being, why do we do this??
From my own experience, I have seen that I become a little of a wimp myself, especially when it comes down to heavy decisions. I don't know where exactly I am going with this....but it’s a thought and I would love to know anything all the women and men know about this particular topic.....
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Inspiration
so this blog spot was created purely to post my homework for one of classes at NYU, but now i have been inspired by my boyfriend to put it to better use and record my journey in the US, at NYU and to record my thoughts of having to work and study.
The decision to get back to studying was extremely difficult for me, leave my country, and all my loved ones, what i did not realise that it was not going to be a piece of cake. When I came to the US (florida)to study animation first in 2000, that was a breeze. the life was very comfortable and hassle free. But i have to say that as u get older it gets more and moe difficult to rough it out. No i'm not complaining after all i am adding to my own value.
something about the city, they were not lying when they said this city never sleeps....it really does not sleep. Which is great!! but what i love is that people do not and let me put that in caps DO NOT work on the weekends.....thank god for small mercy's. While i was working in India, sundays were my sacred days, i spent the whole day with me myself and I....got many complaints about it but it was amazing. but if i had the whole weekend, WOW!!! New York is definately a crazy city, and not very difficult to fall in or out of love with.
well thats all for now, but I promise to update this as and when I have different experiances, and sometimes when i just feel like it......
so this blog spot was created purely to post my homework for one of classes at NYU, but now i have been inspired by my boyfriend to put it to better use and record my journey in the US, at NYU and to record my thoughts of having to work and study.
The decision to get back to studying was extremely difficult for me, leave my country, and all my loved ones, what i did not realise that it was not going to be a piece of cake. When I came to the US (florida)to study animation first in 2000, that was a breeze. the life was very comfortable and hassle free. But i have to say that as u get older it gets more and moe difficult to rough it out. No i'm not complaining after all i am adding to my own value.
something about the city, they were not lying when they said this city never sleeps....it really does not sleep. Which is great!! but what i love is that people do not and let me put that in caps DO NOT work on the weekends.....thank god for small mercy's. While i was working in India, sundays were my sacred days, i spent the whole day with me myself and I....got many complaints about it but it was amazing. but if i had the whole weekend, WOW!!! New York is definately a crazy city, and not very difficult to fall in or out of love with.
well thats all for now, but I promise to update this as and when I have different experiances, and sometimes when i just feel like it......
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