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December 31, 2023

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A Slice of Life, USA

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Highlights of 2023

Here are the memories which made my 2023 special –

Having the privilege of starting the new year at home, surrounded by the people I love and cherish. I am soooooo grateful to have the opportunity to extend my trip to India.
Harvesting the pepper plant we brought home from Coorg a couple of years ago – my Pepper rani has grown so much!
Attending the annual Thyagarajar Aaradhane program and singing Pancharatnams with my teacher after so long! I truly am blessed to grow up surrounded by music.
Visiting Sula Vineyards – I absolutely loved every moment of the experience – right from the vada pav on the way to Nashik to the wine tasting experience and hogging on pizzas and pastas at Little Italy. Brut Tropicale will forever be my favorite!

Meeting up with my cousins over a nice lunch at . While I had to miss Akshay and Pallavi’s wedding (even though I had planned my India trip around that), I am grateful I got to meet them before I had to depart for the USA. For a moment, it kinda hit me hard that we are all grown up now – the youngest in the group was 18 lol!
Dada’s 95th birthday – the highlight of the year will definitely be spending his special day with him. While leaving Mumbai on the same night sucked, I will be forever grateful to have gotten the opportunity to spend time with him on his special day. The best part of all was the photoshoot before the party – we got a bunch of lovely photos clicked by professional photographers.
Coming back to the USA – it really sucked to leave Mumbai after being pampered for 2 whole months. But, on the flip side, I did score a bed made of 4 middle seats on the flight from Frankfurt to Austin 😀
The comedy show that was the ice storm in Austin – being stuck without power supply for 6 whole days was a nomadic adventure in itself. However, a city with a population as large as Austin having poor power infrastructure is not cool at all. The silver lining was going on long walks in the last 2 days of the refugee week. I was treated to amazing views of the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail 🙂

Seeing my roomie perform Bharatanatyam live was definitely a visual treat. And the song being one of my all time favourites was the icing on the cake!
Taking a couple of days to explore Bentonville AR with a friend was one of the highest points of February. I really enjoyed learning more about the town and its numerous biking and hiking trails. And the amazing art that fills the town. And the Beaver Dam. And the Christ of the Ozarks (or should I call it Rio de Janeiro on a budget?)
Speaking of Bentonville, my favorite part of the experience was the Eureka Springs. In addition to the picturesque town, I enjoyed how lively the town got after sundown. Axe throwing was another experience in itself. While I am absolutely positively sure that I sucked at it, I’m happy I gave it a shot!
Seeing my roomie get married. It’s crazy – she and I grew up together and she’s formally an adult now!
Visiting my cousins in Oregon. And spending time with my brother and sister-in-law exploring a variety of culinary delights, ranging from a tres leches cake (from scratch, and shamelessly relishing it over the next three days) to ravioli with Alfredo sauce, veggie puff pastry rolls, and khandvi!
My third trip in 8 months – and I thought I was done being surprised by Portland. Never before had I imagined that I would get the opportunity to see the bright sunny skies, snow, rain, hail and a rainbow within a single day.

Waking up to snow-covered lawn and a backyard was probably one of my childhood fantasies. And seeing the place transform into a winter wonderland was definitely a dream come true. The best thing closest to a core memory was going to the Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood and spending time admiring the scenery just before the advent of a mini-snowstorm. And then going to the Mt. Hood Skibowl for an hour and a half of snow-tubing, leaving just as the snowstorm caught up with us.

In a trip of many firsts, here was another one – finally seeing the cherry blossoms! The delicate Sakura blossoms were a sight to behold in downtown Portland. My favorite moment was seeing the petals fall as the gentle evening wind made its presence known. It almost felt like snow! My trip was a rather lucky one – the weather was just perfect for every outing we chose!

Seeing the wildflowers bloom in the Muleshoe Bend was one of the highlights of the spring. While I had noticed the bluebonnets popping around the city, seeing a sea of them was an experience in itself. I realized that there is a lot more that Texas has to offer as compared to what I have seen in the past couple of years!

Seeing my roomie Gayatri(who also was my best friend growing up) get married! Seeing her reaffirms my faith in dreams coming true.
Moving into my own apartment and celebrating my birthday along with the new beginnings. NGL – living by yourself can be lonely and overwhelming (and sad at times). But there is an inexplicable joy in independence. Speaking of birthdays, I loved the gift my parents surprised me with – a basket of tulip buds which bloomed fully over the course of the next couple of weeks.
Meeting my cousin in Arizona after his graduation ceremony, and celebrating it with a 2-day road trip to the Grand Canyon West Rim and Vegas! I was left gaping in awe at the massiveness of the Grand Canyon. While I had the opportunity to visit just the West Rim, I look forward to visiting it soon and exploring more of it. USA is really blessed with its natural beauty, and I look forward to exploring more of it soon!

The glamor of Las Vegas really had me stupefied, and the day I spent there absolutely weren’t enough. The gondola ride was an interesting experience, that I would definitely recommend – while it won’t be as good as the real thing, it is definitely a fun experience. I look forward to going back there sometime soon (and watching a concert at the Sphere :D)

Speaking of my Arizona experience, I discovered that Barrio Queen serves THE BEST chile relleno ever. Do give it a try if planning a trip to Phoenix/Scottsdale! Also, the golf car ride in old town Scottsdale is totally worth the experience. It’s comparable to the walking tour experiences I had in Europe, but on wheels!
Discovering new sides of Austin with my cousin Samarth. Seeing the Longhorn Caverns and becoming a little more confident in my driving skills before I passed my driving test was the highlight of my summer. And seeing Sam begin a new phase of his career was the icing on the cake!

I was thrilled to meet a couple of kiddo cousins for the first time during my trip to Cleveland for the July 4th weekend. I learnt that triple chocolate brownies are a surefire way to win hearts! I am just grateful for having a lot of my extended family in the US – I realize now that celebrations feel complete with them!

San Diego was another fun highlight of the year. Spending time with my cousin Likhita was really fun – be it a long walk up the La Jolla Beach, exploring the sights of the Balboa Park, watching the sun disappear below the horizon at Sunset Cliffs, or the early morning hike to Torrey Pines. I understand why people love San Diego in the summer – its highest temperature was lower than the lowest temp that Austin had at the time. And the stunning views of the beach are absolutely a no brainer!

Keeping up with the tradition of the past couple years, my friends and I took some time out to catch the Perseids meteor shower. Like 2021, this time we went to Kickapoo Cavern State Park. The kicker – the seven of us rented an RV and made the 4 hour trip. I loved almost every part of the experience, right from savoring the biryani and samosas, to staying up until 3am in the foldable seats gazing at the infiniteness of the Milky Way, and counting the shooting stars we were able to get a glimpse of. I guess watching the Perseids is my most favorite tradition so far!

It is really fun to see how travel plans evolve over time. My Labor Day plan started as a Highway 1 road trip with my buddy Mahika from Bay Area CA to Portland OR. It soon metamorphosed into a 3 day road trip to Redding, Mt. Shasta, and Lassen Volcanic National Park, on a shoestring budget (something I am still baffled that we pulled off so well!) with Samarth and Mahika’s friend Kaushal joining us. Special thanks to Mahika for the practical implementation of the Traveling Salesman Problem on Google Maps – we would’ve been totally lost without her navigation and inputs

Meeting up with my cousins in Bay Area for a barbecue and baking a Tres Leches cake from scratch for my cousin Rahul’s birthday was another highlight of the Labor Day trip – it’s cool that all my cousins from my mom’s side now reside in California, with most of them living a couple miles from each other. It kinda sucks that I live so far (4 hour flight every time I want to visit them is not how I want to spend my time!)

Visiting Seattle from California for the annual Data Intelligence conference at work was something I was looking forward to for almost a year. Seeing my colleagues present their work on some really cool stuff, while getting to meet my extended team, was fun. The team bonding exercise at the arcade surprised me a bit – I was amazed at how good my Pinball muscle memory was, despite it being over 15 years since I last played it (and that too on a PC!). The air hockey matches were a humbling experience – while I learnt that my defense was good, I ended up losing 2 out of 3 doubles matches that I played.
Speaking of Seattle, I am glad I got to connect with some old friends and folks from my MSBA cohort. I finally got to meet my school bestie Madhu after what felt like an eternity and discovered an amazing Peruvian restaurant called Sea Salt with her and her fiance.

Traveling to Kerrville with my gang to catch the annular solar eclipse. While most of the places in the US witnessed the partial eclipse, Austin and the surrounding areas were blessed with a view of the annular solar eclipse (or should I call it the ring of fire). What I am actually looking forward to in April 2024 is the total solar eclipse – Austin lies on the path of totality!

Setting up Golu at Gayatri’s, and singing Keerthanams from music class was the highlight of my Navaratri and Vijayadashami this year. Singing the Ninnu Kori Varnam with Gayatri while Haresh accompanied us on the violin made the festival feel complete!

Returning to Phoenix for Diwali and celebrating it with my cousins. I realized that festival celebrations feel fulfilling with family. Be it fighting over upma vs. poha for breakfast, or continuously gorging on ice creams and other sweets, getting dolled up, clicking photos and bursting crackers, losing terribly on this new game called Mexican Train, or taking over the kitchen for a Mexican dinner – I enjoyed every second of the experience.

Visiting my relatives in Richmond VA for Thanksgiving exposed me to how pretty fall foliage in the USA can’t be. While I am yet to experience the bright fall season in Boston, this trip has set the expectations pretty high. I especially enjoyed the trip to the art museum – I realized I could spend hours there without realizing how time zooms by! The most loved experience though was introducing my relatives to the Mexican Train board game – we ended up playing that on practically every single day!

Purchasing A LOT of board games and hosting a mini board game night – I introduced Gayatri and Haresh to this game called Splendor, and to Mexican Train. Board games are so much fun!

Going to Houston with a friend to purchase my first car – a brand new 2024 Honda Accord Hybrid. I had test driven one once before, but never thought that I would actually end up purchasing it, especially since I was really interested in the Tesla Model Y. I am in awe of how beautiful the car is, and how much fun it is to drive it! Getting the vahana puja done at the Venkateswara temple was an interesting experience. I actually am a grown woman with a car and an apartment now!
Flying out to Mumbai a week after taking possession of my new ride, and spending a couple of weeks there, meeting friends and family. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to spend time with them this year. The best part of the experience was spending time in Lonavala. I never thought that I would increase the fan following of the Mexican Trains game further, while gorging on lovely food (especially the lovely pink guavas), and planning my Norway trip.
The most memorable part of the year was finally going on the trip to Norway to catch the Aurora Borealis with my sister. Traveling with someone who’s a polar opposite (every pun intended) exposed me to more of her interests. While it was a bit disappointing not being able to catch the aurora in Tromso despite out best efforts, the Christmas Carols experience at the National Theatre on Dec 30 and the Orpheus in Underworld show at the Opera House on NYE helped us end the year on an excellent note. We did have our bumps in the road wrt our preferences and communication issues – but I realized that this trip brought me and my sister a lot closer!

This year has been more than wonderful in terms of experiences. While I did lose some things I held dear to me, I am grateful to have gained a few new friends, strengthened old bonds, and gone on a number of memorable adventures. I look forward to 2024 for more of the fun, frolic and adventure!

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December 31, 2022

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Highlights of 2022

I guess I say this every year, but this year has been extra special. Here are a few of the defining memories.

Beginning the new year partying with my MSBA buddies at the pool outside my apartment (and the COVID scare next day – not my brightest moment in the winter break)
Making some choices I hadn’t made before and going out of my comfort zone. I met someone wonderful that I am truly grateful to have known. I realized that it takes a tremendous amount of strength to be vulnerable, and there is an incredible amount of beauty in that vulnerability.
Starting my job hunt, and applying to over 600 roles over a period of 4 months. Having my best friend by my side throughout made the experience a little easier, as I had help in keeping myself accountable and focused.
Cheering my folks on as I saw them score amazing job offers in the final semesters. I was thrilled to score a couple of my own on the way.
Exploring potential new pastimes (read stargazing and camping) and developing a short lived albeit unhealthy obsession for egg fried rice and grilled cheese. I also learned to make a killer bisibelebhath along the way.
Celebrating “Twosday” (2-22-2022) by “thoosofying” an insane amount of incredible food. That’s when I discovered my love for tres leches 😀
Exploring some beauties of Texas in and around Austin – Oasis on Lake Travis, Natural Bridge Caverns, and Enchanted Rock. Texas can be truly magical at times

Going tubing on the lazy river in San Marcos. This is an experience I will never forget – the tiredness and the trauma of water snakes. I think one experience is enough for this lifetime.
Celebrated the completion of another year around the sun at Mandola’s Italian Kitchen with the folks I really cherish
Completing my capstone project on NLP with Dell as a part of my MSBA program. Presenting 4 months of hard work never felt prouder
Landing a job at Expedia – I realize it was perfect, as I was able to marry two things I am truly passionate about – travel and data
Graduating MSBA from McCombs. A beautiful journey came to an end – and gave me invaluable nuggets of wisdom that I will carry on with me for the rest of my life. Sometimes, the endings really hurt. But that’s life – it means that something new awaits.

Going to India immediately after graduation and spending time with my grandparents after nearly a year. I took some much needed time off to rest and to heal before the advent of the next adventure.
Seeing my cousin get engaged 😀 I am so happy to see him begin a new chapter in his life with a wonderful partner who brightens every room she walks into.
Doing things that brought me joy – be it spending time with my loved ones or meeting my baby niece. As an aunt, I aim to enjoy her tantrums and spoil her thoroughly in the future. Also, finally got the opportunity to spend some much needed time with my sister.
Visiting Alibaug again after almost 13 years, and enjoying on the beach watching the sunset once more. The entire experience was so peaceful – it brought back memories from Tarkarli and Ganapatipule ages ago!

Realizing that I was not really special after all – I contracted covid (and interestingly recovered rather quickly). Adding this to the list of experiences I would rather not repeat again.
Returning to Mandala art after a while – I realized that my hobbies have bring me fun and peace, and allow me to express myself better (check out instagram.com/doodlers_paradise :D)
Returning to the USA, selling my stuff and moving out of my first apartment soon after – I never thought I would grow so attached to a place I truly detested at first. Returning the keys to the management actually felt a little painful.
Starting work at Expedia as a Data Scientist. Never thought that my new journey would let the traveler in me go crazy and bring me so much joy
Family get-together in Oregon. It was really nice to spend a week with my cousins exploring different places in and around Portland, such as Tillamook Creamery, Oceanside Beach (I never knew that misty beaches were a real thing), the enchanting Rose Garden and the scenic Pittock Mansion (which offers breathtaking views of Portland while Mt. Hood plays hide and seek).

Multnomah Falls. This was my favourite attraction in Oregon by far. Hiking to the top of the hill with my cousins to cool my feet in the chilly water was the definition of a fun afternoon.

Crashing at another cousin’s at Sunnyvale for the next three weeks after that to beat the Texas heat. It hit me only after so long that we were all grown up now! Summer vacations as children were so much fun. I especially loved exploring the seventeen mile drive and grabbing hearty Indian food from the eateries nearby

My fondest memory of California this year was getting to connect with the folks in my cohort who shifted there and enjoying the night out dancing and chilling until 4am in downtown SJ. It surprisingly felt like Mumbai/Bengaluru – all I could see was Indians everywhere haha.
San Francisco was one of the coolest places I visited during my trip – the travel freak in me was thrilled to finally see the lazy ass seals on Pier 39, indulging my sweet tooth at Ghirardelli Square, exploring downtown SF on foot and finally ending the evening with mouthwatering food from Pakwan. Another gem of a cafe I discovered was Honey Honey – the food is next level awesome!

Returning to Austin from my Cali trip just in time for the Labor Day weekend, which also happened to coincide with a friend’s birthday. We did absolutely everything we could to have fun – right from going karting to enjoying a VR game at Sandbox VR, hiking at Chalk Ridge Falls Park and enjoying the sunset at Georgetown before heading to the UT Union Building for an evening of bowling and air hockey tournament (I realized that my bowling skills need work… but I can kick some major ass in air hockey haha). My favorite part of the weekend was experiencing every possible roller coaster at Six Flags Fiesta (Iron Rattler FTW!) before stuffing my face with Madurai Malli Dosa at Madurai Mes.

Watching Austin City FC play live against Real Salt Lake. Although not as entertaining as the European League matches, I definitely had fun cheering them on!
Going to Seattle to attend the conference for data professionals at Expedia. I actually went there a couple days early and ended up exploring a bit of Seattle with friends. I absolutely loved hiking the Talapus and Olallie Lake trail – considering that I was more or less out of shape it wasn’t too stressful. The hikes were definitely worth the effort though! The Snoqualmie Falls were definitely a sight to behold! The evenings spent exploring Alki Beach, Pike Place Market and Seward Park will definitely be hard to top.

Speaking of the data science conference, it was really fun – I got the opportunity to explore the glorious Seattle campus and learn about some really cool projects and testing methodologies. The best part of the experience was meeting some really cool folks and learning from their adventures and experiences. I can’t wait to meet them again!
I am glad I went to Oregon from Seattle before returning to Austin. The train ride was as picturesque as it could get. The Oregon bit was really fun – I introduced my uncle and aunt to the fun world of jigsaw puzzles, had a blast picking out and carving pumpkins just before halloween with my sister-in-law. The most cherished experience of the lot was an entire afternoon flying an R2-D2 kite at the kite festival at Lincoln City.
Returning to India for the second time in the year was the icing on the proverbial cake – so much of tasty tasty food that I didn’t mind upsetting my stomach the least bit, spending time with loved ones and annoying my sister repeatedly was something I will never get enough of. Some things never get old.
I am grateful for the opportunity to visit my maternal grandmother in my hometown during my second visit to India. It’s absolutely crazy how my aunt spoils me the same after all these years with the craziest variety of food. I am grateful for the opportunity to sing for her after such a long time.
Meeting Ritu after what seemed like an eternity. Interestingly she hasn’t changed much over the years, other than becoming bubblier and insanely more cool haha. It was fun catching up with her and Adwait over the football world cup matches (The world cup match between France and Argentina was one crazy game).
Visiting Bengaluru to spend some time with my cousins was the best way to end the year. The coolest part was celebrating my aunt’s birthday and exploring the city. Although I didn’t have much time, I thoroughly enjoyed the evening at Lalbagh and feasting on Rava Idli at the OG MTR outlet nearby. The other bit I enjoyed was exploring the bits of Bengaluru I had never seen before, such as the Bengaluru Palace and Cubbon Park. I have grand plans for my next India visit 😀

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June 5, 2022

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A Slice of Life, Ticket to Feel-adelphia, Travel Diaries, USA

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What Starts Here Changes the World!

We only realize what we are capable of once we face our challenges. Looking back at my MS Business Analytics journey at McCombs School of Business, I am proud of how far I have come, and realize how far I am yet to go. We international folks had a rocky start with the height of the delta wave of the pandemic, the time-intensive process of consolidating documents for the I-20, super-limited visa slots with the NIE waiver, coordinating the search for apartments and flight tickets, daily monitoring of the air-bubble agreements between countries, heaving a colossal sigh of relief on boarding the flight, and finally making it to Austin just in time to set everything up. And here is the kicker – the program had not even begun yet!

I remember walking to the AT&T Conference Centre (and passing by the GSB building on the way) from the intersection of the San Jacinto Blvd and 21st St for the orientation on July 5th last year. That hot morning was the first time I had stepped on the Forty Acres, and the vastness of the campus and the beauty of the manicured lawns left me awestruck. The summer semester was really special for me, as my peers from the MS programs at McCombs were probably the only ones on the campus. As the Fall semester began, we noticed that the quiet peacefulness of the campus was replaced by bustling liveliness. There was never a dull moment – while we worked our asses off from Mondays to Thursdays (sometimes staying back in the student lounge REALLY late to complete assessments), Fridays were reserved for career management and planning (in hindsight using Fridays to catch up on my sleep wasn’t the smartest choice in the Fall). Every day brought forth an opportunity to do something new or try something I hadn’t before.

While there were occasions when I felt weak, vulnerable and homesick, McCombs was the place I fell in love with life again. I got to collaborate on projects with amazing people from diverse backgrounds and experiences and exposed myself to concepts that I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. Outside of coursework, I slimmed down slightly after walking 5 miles a day, became a better cook than I was in Mumbai, and developed an unhealthy obsession for cereals (thank you H-E-B for the hazelnut-filled cocoa squares), and honed my patience with jigsaw puzzles. The winter break rekindled my love for travel, and I got a taste of NJ and NYC with my extended family.

The last semester was the toughest but the most enjoyable. Among the highs and the lows of the lectures, assignments, projects, exams, guest lectures, career coach appointments, career-building workshops, resume reviews, alumni and advisory panel sessions, and the active search for full-time roles while dealing with a 15-credit semester, I met some amazing folks and made some great memories.

The semester brought me the greatest of joys and the depths of pain. I learned how to polish my resume, network effectively and deal with rejections and loss. The final three months of the program boosted my confidence tremendously and taught me to believe in myself and have faith in my skills, education and experience.

05/20/2022 marked the culmination of ten beautifully rigorous months of pushing myself academically while balancing the otherwise mundane activities such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, and grocery shopping on a decently tight budget. I now realize how Amma deserved so much more credit for managing a household effectively while juggling a full-time career for so many years. On my last day as a student, I was teary-eyed as I walked through the doors at the Gregory Gymnasium. With each step toward my seat, my journey at McCombs flashed before my eyes – ten months of blood, sweat and tears. As I walked out of the McCombs GSB building for the last time after the reception, I realized how much I was going to miss the experience, the challenges, and the people. My journey began with a bunch of absolute strangers and ended as a part of a family I will forever cherish.

I look forward to grabbing the world by the horns. After all, what starts here changes the world! Hook’em!

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December 12, 2021

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Highlights of 2021

I consider each year as a teacher who helps me learn and grow. While most of my teachers have been lenient in their approach, the past couple ones have been rather stern, forcing me to grow in ways that I hadn’t expected or imagined. However, having been through the journey, I find myself filled with gratitude. Here are a few things I am grateful for.

My parents: For all their unending love and support through every phase of my life.
Vinuta Aunty and Amma’s persistence: They inspired me to leave my comfort zone and motivated me to take risks and chart my course (quite literally) in a new direction.
My privilege: Having lived with my family through the pandemic in a lovely home, I realize the extent of my privilege. We remained healthy through the pandemic and had more than enough for our needs. What more can one possibly wish for?
My job at Axis Bank: I got the privilege to work with an amazing team over the course of a year and a half. I find myself grateful for opportunities to learn and contribute in a variety of areas through the pandemic. I realize I have really grown as a person in this time.
The short trip to Coorg before the second wave of the pandemic: It will remain one of the best moments in the beginning of the year – a lovely road trip with my parents to the land where the colors seem brighter, the air fresher and the coffee stronger. Spending time with my uncles and aunts and seeing them enjoy moments like kids again was a priceless experience – something that I will always cherish!
The roller-coaster called university admissions: Investing weeks of introspection to come up with the best essay possible, checking mail every morning to see if there were any mails from the universities I had applied to, waiting with bated breath as the letter loaded, and finally the rush of emotions on seeing the result. It has not been easy – but I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Getting accepted into the University of Texas at Austin’s MS program: That was the highlight of the 5th of March weekend. Getting accepted after facing a couple of rejections is an otherworldly feeling! The only part I didn’t enjoy much was the MMR vaccinations (for the second time) as I didn’t have my vaccination records.
Friendships: Letting go of some bonds, strengthening a few and forging some more – the pandemic has strengthened me as a person. Although most of them worked out in my favor, I realized once again that it’s best to let some of them go.
My Amma: The woman who has the ability to turn seemingly uninteresting lockdown birthdays into cherished memories. It felt delightfully heavenly – just sitting with my parents and enjoying a movie on Netflix. And digging into the most delicious food on earth. And I am glad I got the opportunity to do this ample number of times before I left to forge my own path.
Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine: After a very long wait I was finally able to get both the shots of Covaxin before leaving India.
Making the leap! Moving to Austin has been a challenging choice which tested me mentally and emotionally on occasions. Starting a new phase of my journey on my own has been a great learning experience. There have been ups and downs and everything in between. I have newfound appreciation for the previous phase of my life – I realize that I had taken a lot of comforts for granted
An amazing support system: Be it family or friends, it is a massive flex to have someone you can lean on, and people who are always there for you no matter what happens. I can never be grateful enough for this.
Meeting new people and making new friends: Starting from scratch has its benefits (and challenges).
Perseids and the Milky Way: Getting to see the Milky Way and the Perseids meteor shower at Pedernales State Park and at Kickapoo Cavern State Park was the best part of the summer.
Learning to manage things on my own: Living away from family for the first time in forever has helped me gain valuable skills – I like being independent!
Working with people from diverse backgrounds: The MSBA program at McCombs is a melting pot of people from diverse backgrounds. Working with them on challenging projects has been an experience of a lifetime.

My Neighbours and batchmates: I can’t be grateful enough for these folks – from working on assignments together to partying and cooking and helping each other out – I couldn’t have imagined a better bunch of people by my side
Cooking: I honestly considered it a chore back home, but I realize now that cooking is one of the most therapeutic things possible. I not only enjoy experimenting with different dishes, but also enjoy pampering myself with tasty food 😀
Becoming a healthier version of me: Eating better and going for walks helped me get rid of the pandemic fat. Walking for 6-8km everyday has now become a routine irrespective of the weather – I love them endorphins!
Ravi Anna and Bharathi Di: For the evening chats and the pep talks – student life abroad is hard, and having family here definitely helps.

Satish Uncle and Sujatha Aunty: For being there for me every moment of the way. I couldn’t have imagined a better way to spend my winter break than with them.

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July 11, 2021

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Another Adventure Begins!

It was a conditioned reflex – my anxious hand reaching for the phone on the side table and refreshing my inbox for any emails even before my eyes accustomed themselves to the bright light of the morning. The application process had been exhausting considering the pandemic – preparing for the standardized tests, drafting my statement of purpose and getting the recommendation letters from the mentors while juggling project deadlines and leading a team full time was a challenge. At the beginning of January, every day began with the hope of any correspondence from the universities. However, by the end of March 2021, I didn’t really care if I got an admit or a denial – all that I sought was closure.

The initial days were the toughest – it felt as though the rest of the world was speeding while I struggled to maintain a snail’s pace. As time passed, uncertainty grew familiar. And then, when I felt that all hope was lost, I received an acceptance from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. To say that I was thrilled would be an understatement – it was one of the top universities on my list. I heaved a sigh of relief that the worst bit was over. Little did I know that the rocky road was only the beginning of a rather bumpy journey.

By the end of April, I learnt that Murphy’s Law holds true more often than not – with the spread of the second wave of the pandemic, the time required for processing the I20, virtually no regular visa slots, the presidential proclamation limiting travel from India kicking three days before I was eligible to apply for the emergency visa, and limited COVID vaccination opportunities in India for my age group, things looked bleak at best. The biggest risk I took was booking my tickets to Austin before I even had my visa in place (which actually paid off big time!). Understanding that the entire effort would be pointless if I tested COVID positive before the flight, I began isolating myself for a couple of weeks before the journey. The hardest part of this episode was to leave so many close friends without being able to say goodbye – it was just unfair!

The actual journey to the land of opportunity was no piece of cake either. The batchmates scheduled to fly out of Delhi had their flights cancelled at the absolute last moment. While my experience was smooth, a couple of other batchmates struggled at the Mumbai Airport because of the ambiguity concerning the national interest exception for F1 students. Fortunately, despite being a LONG journey, it was uneventful.

I gained a few pearls of wisdom from the beginning of this new roller coaster of a journey – the first one is about keeping calm in the face of crisis and calculating the next step considering the limited information available (ideally keeping emotions aside). Life is uncertain, especially so for the international students pursuing MS in the US. The best you can do is remain positive and have faith that everything will work itself out – even if it doesn’t you will have a heck of a story to tell. Finally, reach out and lean on your support system. Talk to them regularly. Moving abroad, especially when you haven’t stayed away from your loved ones can be overwhelming at times; and figuring your way through the immensity of the change can be stressful. Having a friendly face around helps beat the stress and loneliness, especially in the initial days.

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December 31, 2020

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Highlights of 2020

This year was replete with flavourful memories – while some were a slightly bitter pill to swallow, others made me smile. Here are a few memorable moments of the year –

Welcoming the new year with a new job – after spending 2.5 years as a business analyst at Vodafone Idea, it was time for a change. Shifting sectors from telecommunications to banking led me to start from scratch, and I am sure it is going to be a journey to remember
Overnight stay at Matheran – our annual family tradition of going somewhere for a day and just lazing around without a care in the world. Everything was a pleasant memory – the long cab ride, the walk from Aman Lodge to the resort while protecting our food stash from the monkeys, being stalked (and nearly attacked) by the monkeys, the sumptuous food (and the disco night)
Visiting Marine drive at daybreak for nearly a couple of weeks – walking 5+ km everyday and practising music at the seaside was an unparalleled experience. Mr. Robin Sharma is right – there is some magic in the early mornings.
Reconnecting with old friends – I am grateful to have friends who are just there, and even though we meet after so many years, we are able to pick up right where we left off. Be it school friends or college buddies, I am truly grateful for them. Right from baking brownies to lunches to dinners and impromptu beach visits and sleepovers and dancing the night out, I will cherish the tiny moments the most.
Seeing college buddies get married – sometimes, things are just meant to click and people are just meant to be. Although I was kinda expecting it, seeing Jahnavi and Hardik embark on a lifelong journey together was a pleasant surprise
Realizing the value of routine check-ups (especially dental) and learning how fear turns out to be the reason we end up screwing most of the things up.
Seeing my cousin Aditya get married to the love of his life – Chaitali. This was one wedding I can’t possibly forget. Right from dancing our hearts out at the pre-wedding party to learning at the last moment that the venue couldn’t host the reception and wedding (thank you COVID-19!), to organizing a small ceremony at home, the weekend couldn’t have been more memorable. Love in the time of Corona they say!
Playing Mafia and charades with cousins will always be something I look forward to (especially when the opponents can’t manage to guess the movie Fiza in 3 minutes after individually guessing “Fizz” and “aa”!, while I can make my team guess Dum Laga ke Haisha in flat 4 seconds!)
Working from home during lockdown – this was definitely something I hadn’t expected. However I am immensely grateful as it reduced my daily commute from 3 hours to 10 footsteps. Not to mention my sleep cycle going for a complete toss (Thank you Niki!)
Speaking of Niki, having her as my roommate after 3 long years seems different. A good-different though – she’s back to raiding my wardrobe!
Seeing what can be perceived as the biggest disappointment of the year as an opportunity to learn and grow – the COVID-19 induced lockdown actually led me to pick up the rather underrated skills of cooking, doing the dishes, sweeping and mopping. I never actually thought I would be able to cook roti-subzi, pizza and cakes like a pro!
Speaking of picking up skills – Mandala art was by far the coolest thing I did this year! Every piece of art was a challenge, and I loved every bit of it. It pushed me to be creative and try new things
Being introduced to masks as the new normal and seeing people do crazy stuff like pairing face masks with their clothes.
Meeting some incredible people and learning more about them (and understanding more about myself in the process).
Realizing that the things we have been taking for granted for far too long are the ones that actually matter – good health, being with loved ones, amazing friends and tiny moments to celebrate
Falling in love with Amma’s garden of succulents. I never thought I would be so thrilled at seeing succulents flourish. Amma’s garden has grown on me!
Treating myself to wireless Bose headphones (something I had wanted to gift myself since I was thirteen) and iPhone (something that I had desired for the better part of a decade) – although they seem amazingly crazy fantabulous at first, the novelty ultimately fades.
Unrealized dreams – I really wished for the opportunity to go chasing the Aurora Borealis and visiting the Santa Claus village in Rovaniemi. I guess all the fun plans will need to be postponed until the end of the pandemic or the beginning of the vaccination.
Yet another lesson on love and loss. Hearing about Craft Thatha’s untimely demise was a painful reminder that life is unfair and really sucks at times. What we can do is celebrate the people we love, cherish their love for life, honour their achievements and make the best of the little time that we have on this shiny blue marble.
Seeing people move on. Stuff happens whether we like it or not – we just have to trust that whatever happens is for the best and that everything will make sense retrospectively.
On a happier note, seeing Kriti purchase her first car and drive it like an absolute boss! Driving to the Worli Seaface early in the morning and just sitting there mesmerised by the beauty of the waves and then sharing a year worth of news over masala chai, garlic bread and sandwiches.
Seeing Neeti get engaged – I knew that we would all eventually get married. But seeing her look so stunning on her engagement day just took my breath away (I had kinda guessed that she would be the first one in the college gang to get hitched)!
Speaking of getting hitched, virtually attending Akshay and Meghana’s wedding. I really wish I could be there and see the ceremony live. It’s crazy – another cousin married! Last but one wicket down I guess!
Long walks and conversation with my soul sister after nearly 11 months – talking to some people makes you feel at home. Walking with masks still sucks – there isn’t much you can do about it though.
Enjoying the weekend at a bestie’s farmhouse – walking to the dam, feeding the birds, amazing lemongrass tea and candlelight dinner! I couldn’t have asked for a more magical weekend
The early morning trips to the Seaface with my college gang – just made me grateful for every smile, every memory and every moment.
Taking steps in the right direction – no matter how tiny, moving forward is always better
The visit to IKEA in Navi Mumbai – I couldn’t possibly be happier about the experience. Right from maintaining social distancing norms to the innovative products and ideas and the delicious food – they nailed everything! Definitely worth a visit

2020 was truly a tough year – with unexpected challenges, a lot of personal growth and unending gratitude. I hope that we continue to take forward the lessons we learnt this year – choosing family and health over everything else, and treasuring every moment we have with our loved ones.

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nehaslife

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January 27, 2020

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A Slice of Life, Adventure Journal, Backpacking, Japan, Travel Diaries

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Japan Journal – Where Borders Don’t Exist

25^th September 2019

I sat on the heightened platform, with my back upright and legs outstretched. The loud noises were replaced by silence as my hands pushed away and my hips bade bye to the comfort of the platform. A soft scream escaped my lips as I accelerated faster than I would have preferred – but there was absolutely nothing I could do except for bracing myself for what lay ahead. As I crashed into the cushioned barrier at the end of the incline, I heard a friendly voice say “That was too fast. Take it easy.” The slide had been an underrated pleasure, and I went for it another five times trying to relive my childhood moments again. teamLab Borderless was just getting started with its magic.

True to its name, the digital museum reignites the spark of curiosity. It has no maps – just a few dark halls and numerous interesting hidden rooms full of mind-boggling attractions, encouraging the patrons to go and explore at their pace. The art in the exhibits isn’t static either – it flows in and out of the halls just as people do. The same hall might be unrecognizably different if visited again an hour later. Coming to the Athletics Forest (which was the hall having the slide), Aishwarya and I had a lot of fun jumping on the HUGE trampoline. The projected galaxy image faded into blackness as our stipulated jumping time ran out. Speaking of childhood pleasures, we did spend a tiny chunk of time colouring with oil pastels. The best part of that experience was seeing the images we coloured come to life on the walls of the hall!

While revisiting the joys of childhood was one side of the coin, the other was rekindling the sense of wonder. Experiences such as the floating nest, where we would lie on a mesh of ropes suspended thirty feet in the air and be enchanted by the light and sound show that literally surrounded us from every direction imaginable, and the forest of resonating lamps – a room filled with lamps that would change colour to depict different seasons or things – had us seriously wondering about the frontiers that today’s technology was able to push. Some of the walls (and floors) even had interactive art that responded to our presence.

My favourites were the Light Sculpture exhibit (where over a thousand lights work together to create visuals like the aurora borealis)

and crystal world (A room filled with tens-of-metre-long strips of LED light that could be controlled using the smartphone app. Watching the LED strips recreate natural phenomena like rainfall and thunderstorms was outright crazy!).

An unexpected surprise was the way they managed to blend the Japanese culture into the digital experience. The En Tea House was probably the darkest café I have ever been to – the baristas would serve our beverages in bowls on our seats. The experience was one of a kind because the sensors overhead could detect the presence of the bowls on the table and the amount of the beverage remaining in them. The projected image of growing flowers would just explode into petals on the table as we moved the bowls or picked them up (and re-form as we placed the bowls back on the table), and the image would disappear once our bowl was empty.

TeamLab Borderless was a reminder to take out time and appreciate whatever made life special, and to envision a new world by continuously challenge our boundaries. If you are planning to visit Tokyo any time in the near future, do make time for it – I am sure you will enjoy every second of it.

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nehaslife

Posted on

December 31, 2019

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A Slice of Life

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Highlights of 2019

Yet another year fluttered away. Looking back, I realize that this year has been full of professional and personal growth. Here is all the stuff I that mattered a lot to me this year –

Welcoming the new year with my cousins and family – it had been a really long time since I had the opportunity to celebrate the new year’s at my hometown. My cousin Nikhil’s wedding gave us the opportunity to celebrate the new year with fun, festivities and frolic
Seeing my sister get a 99.43 percentile in IIT-JEE Mains was certainly one of the interesting highs of the beginning of the year. I have never been prouder of the (not-so-little-anymore) kid!
Realizing that change can be hard – I ended undertaking a journey from resisting change to accepting it. Sometimes, we just have to trust that whatever happens is for the best, and just let go.
Visiting my hometown again in February for my maternal grandma’s 80th birthday. It made me immensely happy to be a part of the celebrations and spend time with my uncles, aunts and cousins once again
Visiting the temple of the family deity after more than a decade. It felt as though the place was untouched by time – everything was more or less the same as it was almost a decade ago! The part I enjoyed the most was the lunch on the way back at the “Katewadi Daba” with my parents. I don’t recollect the last time I enjoyed a simple experience so much
Realizing the fragility of life – and how things that happen at a moment’s notice end up changing lives forever. It makes me value every moment more.
Seeing my team at work shrink as my friends moved on to different career opportunities. How close we have grown over the course of almost two years really amazes me – we are almost like a family! Change does suck big time sometimes.
Welcoming the tiniest member to our team at work: Getting a new pet was something I had never imagined – the little Betta fish we nicknamed “Adoy” (don’t ask me why) turned out to be an interesting companion, adding a little more brightness to our days
Getting the home renovated for over a span of 2 months was definitely an experience. This was one change that I truly embraced – a lot of work went into redesigning the home. I love the way everything has turned out – especially my room!
Visiting my hometown again to spend some time with my cousins was the best way to welcome the monsoon. Feeling the cool first rains of the year is an unparalleled experience
Attending a colleague’s wedding in Ujjain was one of the most memorable moments of the year. It’s the beginning of the end of an era!
Seeing my sister get into the prestigious IIT-Bombay for her undergraduate course filled me up with pride. It was a well deserved victory as she sacrificed a LOT over the past 3 years. AIR 1880 baby!
Going on a road trip to Saputara with my parents and sister in the beginning of the rainy season. Fell in love with the lush green hills of Maharashtra. Crossing state border and going to Gujarat to have icecream on multiple occasions, and going on a ropeway ride were a few of the treasured memories.
Seeing my cousin Vinayak get engaged and married was definitely one of my favourite memories this year. I absolutely adore my Athige (sister-in-law). Every moment I spend with her inspires me.
Mom’s love for gardening. I just love her garden of succulent plants – so many of them!
And then there is the highlight of the year – my trip to Japan with a friend. Even in my wildest dreams I didn’t expect to be so fascinated, humbled and completely in awe. Every day showed me a different shade of Japan. Exploring 8 towns and cities in a span of 14 days was an experience of a lifetime replete with amazing people, culture, nature and tech.
I am amazed by the number of things I experienced over a span of a fortnight – experiencing the Shinkansen (Bullet Trains), visiting a 1300-year old temple, being attacked by deer, getting lost in an alien city, seeing the Japanese Alps, wearing a Yukata and experiencing the traditional Japanese art Mizuhiki, relaxing in an Onsen (something that I never thought I would in my wildest dreams because of the dress code) before hiking 3km in pitch darkness, meeting amazing people and learning from their experiences , and finally visiting Borderless (a digital museum) left me utterly and completely amazed. I even experienced a mild typhoon during my stay! I am definitely going to Japan again in the future!
Seeing my grandpa install Instagram and WhatsApp on his smartphone was another special moment – seeing him like the photos on my Instagram page makes me really ecstatic.
Impromptu short road trips with family – I am amazed how memorable they turn out to be, although we don’t really have a destination in mind.
Going to Shirdi after a very long time – how drastically the place has changed so fast is truly fascinating. Speaking of which, it was another master lesson on humility and simplicity
Closing some chapters and beginning new ones – ending my telecom stint after 2 years 5 months and 10 days to begin a new journey in Banking sector. I am truly grateful for the amazing opportunities and the insane projects I have worked on. The love and support I have received from my team is immense – wouldn’t trade it for the world!
Making amazing friends in my last month at Vodafone Idea. I wish I had interacted with them sooner – I wonder how different my life would have been. I have begun to enjoy the occasional visit to Starbucks!
Reading some amazing books that have helped me see life differently- Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand), 5AM Club (Robin Sharma) and Born a Crime (Trevor Noah).
Giving Adoy up for adoption after nearly 8 months of taking care of him was tough. It made me realize that I am not ready to have my own pets yet.
Sometimes, an open mind and zero expectations is the answer to your questions. An impulsive decision to go to Bengaluru to meet my cousins in the nearly-two-weeks of unemployment (until Jan’2020). Although I wasn’t really looking forward to the Nanjangud temple and the Chamundi Hills at first, I really enjoyed the visit.
Bingeing on episodes of Shark Tank with my cousin Rahul (and watching Dabangg 3 halfway – because it was the only movie available at that time) will be a memory I will cherish going into the new year. Bengaluru was the best break imaginable before the beginning of next career journey.
Visiting my college buddy Kriti in Bengaluru and having long video call sessions with the college gang is going to be one of my favourite Bengaluru memories. Going to Marine Drive early in the morning with Apurvi (within hours of landing) just made my day!

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nehaslife

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December 30, 2019

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A Slice of Life, Backpacking, Japan, Travel Diaries

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Japan Journal – A Tale of Two Districts

24^th September 2019

Unable to sleep, I had been tossing around in my bed for nearly an hour. With my face buried in the spotless white pillow, my fingers reached for the small black knob on the control panel.

I squinted slightly as the place was filled with light. Climbing my way out of the not-so-tiny capsule in 9hours Asakusa I prepared myself for a quick visit to the Asakusa Senso-ji temple.

With the numerous lanterns and the lovely lighting (and a far smaller crowd), the Senso-ji temple looked lovely after sunset.

My wandering feet found their way to the Sumida riverfront half an hour later and settled on one of the benches with a pretty view of the Tokyo Skytree.

I recollected the events of the long day – the morning had been spent exploring the bustling Shibuya. We had begun with the famed Shibuya crossing.

While most people choose to go to Starbucks and enjoy the view of the crossing, Aishwarya and I had something else in mind. Based on the suggestion of our Hakone roommate, we went to the rooftop deck of the Magnet by Shibuya 109.

With the bright sun overhead, seeing the traffic come to a complete halt every few minutes to give way to 3000 pedestrians was an experience like no other. “It looks like an army of ants crossing the road” Aishwarya and I chuckled. We were glad we went there – it felt like a private deck, and the view was remarkably better than what Starbucks would have offered.

Every bit of Japan had amazed me in the couple of weeks – especially by the way they integrated the innovation with their culture. What really touched me though was their love for nature – the prime example being the massive Yoyogi Park in the super-urbanized Shibuya.

Speaking of innovation, Shibuya had a rather interesting impact on our tummies. The rainbow cheese toast we had in Harajuku was just picture perfect. The more interesting aspect about it was the name of the store – “Long! Longer! Longest!” (yup… that’s the actual name 😛 )

Angel Crepes in Harajaku has the tastiest (and the most tummy-filling) crepes without being too heavy on the pocket. A sandwich and crepe later, we had been drifting in food-coma for the rest of the afternoon.

We encountered quite a few things in our short time there – right from the latest electronic gadgets in stores like BIC Camera, to interesting consumer products like katana-umbrellas.

Our last stop before seeing the famous Hachiko statue had been the Disney store.

Walking through the store triggered a few memories from the Florida Disneyland a couple decades ago – right from me running wildly to Mickey Mouse, to the tiny rubber figurines of Winnie the Pooh that mom got me (which I still very much love).

Although limited in terms of time, our experience in Tokyo had been very enriching. Asakusa and Shibuya, although separated by an hour-long subway ride, had contrasting vibes. While Shibuya had been the hotbed of activity with thousands of people on the streets at any given time, Asakusa as a neighborhood was traditional and calmer. Walking back to the capsule hotel for the last time in the day, we wondered about the other treasures that awaited us in the hours to come.

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Posted on

December 25, 2019

Posted under

A Slice of Life, Backpacking, Japan, Travel Diaries

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Japan Journal – The Interlaken of Japan

22^nd – 23rd September 2019

Standing on the deck of the ship with a hundred others, Aishwarya and I stared at the vast expanse of water in amazement as dark clouds slowly filled the sky.

Pirate Ship!

I struggled to process what the heck was going on – we were on a pirate ship with a few hundred other tourists in the middle of a LAKE! Decked in hues, the Queen Ashinoko was the prettiest pirate ship I had ever seen.

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“My heart will go on” was constantly playing in my head for some reason – I wasn’t surprised I kept looking at the bow of the ship looking for people posing like Jack and Rose!

Brimming with natural beauty, Hakone is a hill station which doubles as weekend getaway from Tokyo.

Hakonemachi Village

The interesting part of our experience was the stormy weather (typhoon prediction for the entire duration of our 2-day stay) – while I would normally cringe at being welcomed by a typhoon at the end of a 6-hour-long rail journey (involving multiple transfers), I felt grateful – for having a more complete experience, and to have experienced an amazing weather earlier in the week.

Hakonemachi Village

It grew colder as the ship commenced its short journey to the tiny lakeshore towns of Hakonemachi and Motohakone. As we disembarked, I was reminded of my trip to Interlaken (Switzerland) a year ago. “What is this place!” I wondered as we docked again.

It hadn’t taken me long to fall in love with this part of Japan as well. Accommodation had been one of my responsibilities, and I was pretty happy with my choice of hostels.

Emblem Flow Hakone… The BEST HOSTEL EVER!

We were booked at Emblem Flow Hakone, which was right outside the Gora station. The place was crazy good – in addition to well-maintained super-clean spacious rooms and a tiny kitchenette, it had a massage chair AND AN ONSEN (Japanese hot spring).

The best part about the place though were the people – the staff was just amazingly kind, and I ended up learning quite a bit from my roommates during the course of our stay.

Reflecting on my journey, I realize that Hakone was a series of bizarrely memorable events. The first one is our ride to the Hakone Jinza (shrine).

It was the craziest experience possible – despite a raging typhoon the bus services ran perfectly according to schedule.

View Point near Hakone Jinza… the tempestuous waters of

The more interesting part about the experience was that people queuing for the perfect photo near the Torii gate (this was the first time I ever saw someone waiting in queue for a photo!). Another unforgettable memory is the mile-long hike to 7Eleven after sunset. With unavailability of the streetlights, navigating our way in the dark was an adrenaline-pumping challenge (we realized a little later that the actual challenge was hiking back up to the hostel from the foot of the hill).

The other crazy memory I had was the onsen itself – although not very keen on trying it at first (thanks to the dress code). I was glad I experienced it after a roomie suggested – sitting and soaking in the mineral-rich onsen was probably the most relaxing experience. The half-hour I spent in the massage chair after that made me feel like I was floating for the rest of the evening.

Gora Park

Here is a pro-tip if you intend to visit Hakone any time in the near future – invest in the Hakone Free Pass. It allows unlimited rides in the buses and trains – and even includes the ride in the pirate ship in addition to free or subsidized entry to a number of attractions (like the Gora Park).

And that’s me at Gora Park!

Special thanks to Aishwarya for the pics!

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