More goodbyes and more hellos!

It's official. The last person from the old batch of people (who came here before May) have thrown their "good-bye" parties. Along with them, there are also three people who started in May that will wrap up their internship this week.

So we went out for some dinner last night at a pub. Obviously when I got there, I was starving, and as you would expect from a pub, there wasn't a wide variety of food choices. The ones that were available (in moderate price) were more of finger foods. So a group of us decided to go find food nearby. We asked one of the people working there where we can get some good and cheap food. Note, cheap. After trying to be a good employee and suggesting food from their own menu, he suggested a place called "Sunny's". Sounded good, so we checked it out.

Turns out, I don't think he heard the word "cheap" in my question. It was a very posh place, yet not posh enough (as they were playing Katy Perry...). We decided to eat there anyway. The first thing they brought us was some bread and garlic butter. Gosh, I was so tempted to eat ONLY the bread, and then dip out. I mean, after two pieces of bread, I was pretty much good to go. But the food sounded quite good in the menu (and we wanted to be "decent") so we ordered some food anyway. Probably the most I've spent on food in India so far.

And it truly is a small world. At the pub, I happened to run into two students from Tech. I mean, what is the probability of that? (that's a rhetoric question, please don't answer it....even if you're really really tempted to)

Oh yeah, yesterday I also happened to just book tickets for two different trips as well! One for Goa (tomorrow!) and one for Hampi (in two weeks). I think I'll take next weekend off, just to chill in Bangalore a bit, and possibly meet the people I know over here.

Despite the goodbyes though, yesterday was also a good opportunity to get to know the new people. I mean, I've seen some of them during lunch and had a few conversations, but I didn't really meet them properly yet. They're all really cool and to my own surprise, I think I remember MOST of their names now. Most, not all...but that's a good start. I just need to get it done before the next group arrives sometime next wee

But yeah, I guess the only negative thing that happened yesterday was when I got dissed by the cab driver. My friend was trying to explain to him how to get to the pub, and I was just chilling in the background. He was trying to say near the intersection of MG road and St. Marks road. The cab dude turns to me and asks if I speak Hindi. I laughed and nodded my laugh, and then I realized I had no clue how to explain that (one of the other interns really put it well....I only know baby Hindi, but I really think it's improved a bit...). Anyway, the guy basically tells me in Hindi that it's sad that I'm Punjabi and can't speak Hindi (not so nicely though....but hey I understood it!)


Today, I also officially wrapped up my literature search. I had a meeting with my project mentor and I just told him up front that I'm tired of reading, I want to start doing real work lol. Hey, 25 papers, which have on average 10 pages each...that's 250 pages! 250 pages on technical, mathematical stuff...lol I don't think I've read even a 100 pages of all the textbooks combined in my 3 years at Tech.

I also killed about 30 minutes today surfing the net. A friend of mine also happens to be keeping a blog about her travels in India. And she had a few posts of pictures comparing Spain and India, and the comparisons are very interesting! Definitely puts things into perspective on how much India's architecture has been influenced by the Persians and other places.

One of the guys who already left (Aussie chap but would seriously fit in well at some Ashram), he had said something interesting before he left, which I'm kind of seeing a bit....in the mornings when you walk to work, you're extremely fresh. And then the moment you get into the building, you feel sleepy almost immediately. But when you walk out for some fresh air, you're fresh again! Like automatically. Maybe it's got to do with the level of oxygen? The company has a lot (i mean a lot!) of trees on campus....lol I think the oxygen quality is good from those trees. (wandering away a bit...do different trees release oxygen of different quality? hmmm....maybe coconut trees has relaxants that's why you get in a holiday mood near the beach? or am I just so excited about Goa that I''m just talking rubbish? 55555)

Anyway, I'm rambling too much. Guess I'm off! I'll post an update once I'm back from Goa =)