Farewell!

The second day of the year marks a lot of firsts for me. This is my first job in the formal setup. Till now I had been working out of my bag. Either working continuously for days together or sitting at home for months. Wearing trousers and formal shirts is definitely a fashion first.

I am starting the New Year by going back to basics. A geography (Hons) graduate, it gives me immense pleasure to know that I will be working on maps again. Being a cartography enthusiast during college days will pay off hopefully. The best part of the job so far is that I will be putting to use both the degrees I hold. The main justification that I had been giving my teachers during the masters program now comes true.

Working in an official setup is much like going to school in many ways. Waking up early in the morning. Boarding the bus in the hope of getting a comfortable seat. Anxiously waiting for the project manager to assign the duties. It all seems so much like school. The only reward of working is being paid instead of paying hefty fees to learn.

Just like school day staying silent for hours together in not my arena of expertise. The first day as all first days are is proving to move at snail’s speed. Bored to the limit all I can think of is my mobile phone that rests warmly in my bag and ‘Bhagam bhag’ playing in a theatre very near to the office complex. As luck would have it, the Internet connection of the whole office is down. So no work can be accomplished without the Web, which has managed to entangle me with its absence.

The company offered the first lunch as a treat on my first day of employment. With eating habits as bad as mine lunch had to be an ordeal. Eating the daal was not for me. Subzi is again one of the many things

Of course the best time-pass for me is to ramble on the new document page of Microsoft Word. No phones, no orkut, no music. No fun and no work. That’s my first day at the new job for you!

Well just when I was complaining about the lack of work, I got instructions and a brief as to what my core area of work to be…
So now no more writing. Going to work.
Tata!!!

It has been almost 9 months since I wrote this piece. I am a lot wiser; I’d like to believe. There are some very special people who are entitled to heartfelt thanks at this juncture.

Mani Sir: for challenging me till I was at my wits end. Then encouraging me to give more than my two hundred percent in a field of which I had no knowledge at all when I started. For making me stretch my limits and explore almost all the main areas of function in MapXL. Today I know terms like metatags, HTML, H1, SEOs, mapping, GIS, banner and OMG! What not. Who would have thought. Moreover, I was given permission to go for my All India Radio training without even a slight flinch! Everybody had told me that getting permission for something like that would not be easy but then Mani sir was awesome and allowed me instantly. I am very proud of the fact that I worked in MapXl and thankful for all the good experiences and lessons this office has taught me. Thanks Sir!


Simar Sir: for encouraging me so much in the short period of interaction I had with him. He read my blogs and commented on them too. Amazing ideas and mind-blowing energy is how I will always remember Simar sir.

Usha Ma’am: for being very warm and kind to me in times when I was ill as well as in times when I was facing problems in work. She was a reassuring force with her smile and cool composure.

Ruchi and Anjali: for being almost guiding forces in office. As I said earlier office was a very new domain for me. I needed someone to guide me around. Both of them had great calming effect on me. :D

Poonam: Ah! What to write about Poonam. She was the first person I had started talking with in Compare. As always I made a Cancerian friend here too. Bored her to death with stories of my friends, family and all the rubbish that I could accommodate within 8 hours. Though initially she had trouble adjusting to my brand of humour I am positive that she will miss it once I am gone. She is an awesome friend and a very patient listener. It was great fun knowing her and spending so much time with her. Our sojourns to the market after office, to Big Apple, Rajouri Mall and even the fights over biscuits and chips are memories I will cherish for a long long time to come. Wishing all the world’s happiness and luck to you! God Bless you!

Komal: Another sweet friend who made life in Compare so much fun and specially the walks to the bus stop fun. She is a very sweet and funny girl who initiated the whole process of waiting for each other after office hours. Great tradition I must say Komal! She used to wait at the bus stop till I left that made me feel so special and nice that I can never tell you. Please miss me when you walk to the bus stop daily without me after I leave.:-) wishing loads of happiness for you and no more sleepless nights ;)


Mansi: the kiddo! I have bossed her around, pampered her, scolded her, tried to teach her and even teased her (though she teased me more). She brought the feeling college into office. Her hilarious and sometimes VERY BAD PJs are something that I’ll miss most. I had a great time with in the book fair and even while working with her on so many projects. One of my closest ally and an amazing co-worker, I wish you all the best and hope that I am lucky enough to work with people even half as nice as you. loads of love to you and wishes of a great life ahead.

There are many other colleagues who have helped me grow in many ways. I thank them all from the bottom of my heart! You have helped in ways I cannot describe in words and probably you yourself do not imagine.

Thanks compare infobase Ltd.

I’ll miss everyone.

Hope people miss me for some time too.

Stay in touch through email and get updates on me through my blog! :D

Happy recovery to me! :-)