15th Jan'12
Most of Indian software Engineers have a dream of International onsite sometime in their career, so had I. Although onsite opportunities may differ as per experience or expertise. I believe luck and right timing play a crucial role into it.
After 4 hours, still Delhi Airport was like an unknown place to me. I had been to same Airport many a times before, but this time it was my Journey halt to connect to International Flight to Germany. Funniest part being, for this International travel, I did shopping just a day before fly... The last week before I could fly was so tiring and hectic coz of 12 hours working and a critical go live. Somehow coz of the work pressure and excess work I had no Zeal, no Enthusiasm for this travel. I couldn’t find myself appealing or excited for Onsite, although I needed it badly. Even when my mom asked about my feeling for the onsite, I had absolutely No Answer, I kept Mum... A journey plan that came to me 2 years back and I dint opted before, came all over again. This time when plans got freezed for Germany Onsite, few of my close friends who were aware of my same onsite again, laughed with me and realized its Luck and Destiny. I couldn’t even manage to meet most of my friends before I could depart. My parents even figured same thing happening again to me. Somehow I realized the Onsite that I was getting was not just because I deserved it, it was actually due to someone else who dreamt such opportunity for me to get it. I don’t know exactly. An Achievement, A Success, A Fame Doesn’t always come from hard work and dedication only, there is some1's prayer that can make things possible. I strongly believe Luck is of utmost importance for Any Achievement.
On Airport and in Aircraft, I needed a desperate sleep and rest, but my mind dint allowed me to do so. Although I seated quite comfortably in a silent corner on the airport just to have a small nap, somehow I couldn’t rest at all. It was a state of rest and ease to me after long week and hectic shopping a day before, that night was even longer. My mind made me traverse through so many things at a same time, unsolved mysteries, ups and downs over a year, few stupid memories, friends whom I Left behind, few logical code expressions that may burst into client production system, things to do in a months’ time in Germany, etc. etc. Delhi Airport is extreme huge and is one of best infrastructure creations across our country. It has got huge shopping space, good restaurants and coffee shops around; even then I don’t like it. Unexpectedly, it was just my stupid team mate who buzzed me all the time on airport, as she was doing final review from her home, so called me couple of times to clarify few logical expressions, a typical software Engineer. 4 hours, time passed by, I dint even moved from there except for a loo once. Finally Alarm rung for check-in.
It’s true I needed an onsite desperately and already worked for 5 months with domestic onsite, I had absolutely no expectations with this kind of opportunity for International Exposure that too Europe, but when I got the chance, zeal to enjoy the same was somewhere missing.. I thanked My Manager for giving me such Opportunity, coz I wanted a break from regular life and wanted to try huge. A day before my travel, my parents told me international onsite experience was something that I was missing into my life and they wished me luck for this travel then.
It’s not like I dint fly before, but this was a first fly overseas, however such experience is hard to express and put into words. On the check-in, I dint put a preference of Window seat, but Luckily got an Window seat, like a small kid desperate to get to window to see things around.. I seated down finally just above aircraft's wings, and noticed fuel loading by a cabin crew. Person next to me was a White skin 40 years old man, I wasn’t sure if he was French or a German person, we hardly communicated. Switched Off my cell phone, tightened seat belt and Aircraft started 20mins late. For Initial half an hour, Aircraft traversed over mountains and green regions or our country. After an Hour I could only see clouds through my window. I never ever flew at such a great height, like it was this time. I could able to see the plane wings and their movements while aircraft's direction was changing. It was an amazing view of the clouds, it was like an ocean of clouds, u can’t see the dead end, until sun and ocean meet at extreme, ahhhhhh many a times words can’t express the deepness of a view.
I tried even to get asleep into the plane itself, but wasn’t able to sleep. After surfing over movies and different channels on the entertainment desk, I just somehow choose "The Day After Tomorrow" for the rest 6 hour journey Within few hours of the journey I started feeling cold and preferred to take over the blanket provided by Air India Flight Crew member, looking outside the view was the same, we were flying above clouds, and I noticed Ice formation had started over the wings. I noticed temperature on the entertainment desk, I was shocked, and a strong fear somehow built across my body after looking at temperature and height. WTF -58 degrees, 48000 altitudes, ground At the end of the movie, I realized a major mistake in choosing the wrong movie, it was also about the Global warming, where People actually Died of Freezing. I was scared, as Europe is even one of coldest regions across globe, so my worry had a strong reason for it.
I started my journey at 2.30PM IST from Delhi and was an 8 hour journey up to Frankfurt, and reached Frankfurt at 6.30PM CET, seems like I re-lived 4 hours again. lol... A time zone difference. After getting down at airport, what I could see was, everything in German and very few airport authority people nearby me, I could sense most of things done must be automatic which doesn’t need human intervention as Germany is known for its Innovation and Creative Developments. Although I had a jacket with me, but was in casual t-shirt just wanted to feel the city's winter. It was not so easy to come out up to the Exit point, as pictures only helped me to get to Exit, as the language written was not into my dictionary. With no time I found a lady who was holding a name plate which had my name onto it. She took me to the extreme of airport, where the Cab had been parked, I was still in t-shirt and a casual outfit, I felt cold and temperature below 5degrees, my nerves got colder, but somehow liked it, as it refreshed me, and I started loving the cold breeze around. I saw many people smoking out desperately as they come out of Airport. Major Difference was, all people around me were unknown, and all had a really white skin, unlike Asians.
Windows closed, Cab started, slow English music into it, the Lady drove onto dark highways, except the city name where I had to go, I had nothing with me. No contact numbers, no internet, nothing... I was all dependent onto that lady. Onto highway everything written was in German, I couldn’t understand at all, but what I understood was, highway ethics were strictly followed. I loved their driving sense; it was a fantastic, best part lanes were based on vehicle speed. So whenever she wanted to accelerate ahead, she had to move to left and to right for accelerating down.
After an hour journey into cab, we reached to some city where I could manage to see buildings and food courts around, Alen had to look to exact building where I needed to get in, I had no idea who will receive me to the apartment except I just knew the name of the persons who travelled from Bangalore. For next 10mins outside the cab, until Alen could manage to find the building, I found it difficult to roam around anymore coz of temperature ... If it would have taken some more time to find the building I would have Frozen, My body reached to its max resistance it could take on. My hands, Ears, Face started refusing to be naked anymore. But as soon as we got the correct Building, Bangalore Guy there took me inside in no time and I felt thanked and happy after coming inside the building. Alen left in few minutes, I met my project team mates there, the room allotted was small, fair and descent. We all had a room on different floor, mine was onto top floor.
Same day 9.30PM, there was sheer silence on my floor, Floor Lights are even automatic, they shut down after 5 minutes, so if you want to be on stairs or on floor outside flat u need to press the button again to switch it ON, and those buttons were not unlike a switch with ON and OFF, those are like ring bells, press it and light will switch on for 5 minutes max. In my room I can hear my breath, I can sense if any1 even comes onto my floor. I don’t know if I like or hate such deep silence around me... Need to live into it for at least few months, fingers crossed…
