Namaste!
It’s a warm, sunny November Thursday, Thanksgiving Thursday to be exact. Yes, in Gurgaon, India you are able to walk around in November with just a t-shirt and jeans on. Weird…I never thought I would be celebrating Thanksgiving in India. Besides this day being a symbol of thanks shared by family and friends, it also marks another symbol that brought me back to reality: just one month until I board the flight home to the U.S. As I find myself speeding through my fifth month in India, I begin to dig through all of the biryani, pollution, colors, and Bollywood tunes that seem to never leave my head (thanks to Shaista and all of the Hindi music she passed onto me 
)
Actually, if we go all the way back to May, you will find that I was almost about to book my trip to Thailand for a whole year to do a marketing internship in Bangkok. Why did I choose India? Was it because I just couldn’t get enough of the Indian take-out from the India Palace Restaurant down the street from my apartment in the U.S. that is always crowded by university students? Was it because I wanted to learn more about the world of yoga, Bollywood, or discover a brand new Safiye? Was it because I wanted to come across people, who, like me, achieve their happiest state by uncovering new cultures, people and getting themselves into uneasy situations? I could go on and on about my encounters with the Monks in Dharamsala, the ten hours on the back of Phalgun’s bike to make it in time for the Pushkar Camel Fair where I got to try camel milk ice-cream, or the experience of getting wrapped in a royal blue saree for a friend’s wedding in Goa. Honestly, everything I have mentioned above only encompasses just 2/3rds of my experience in India: The Eat and Travel. Ok, so obviously I didn’t travel thousands of miles to just to eat and travel (although I’m not complaining-bring on the butter chicken, gol gappa and 15 hours local bus trips!) The main reason I chose India was because of…WORK! 
One must be living under a rock if they aren’t aware of just how fast India is growing and all of the opportunities stemming from it. If you look past all of the chaos, corruption and an unfamiliar business culture you will encounter, you can’t help but notice that India has one of the fastest growing economies, the second fastest growing market in Asia, to be exact. As a student of marketing, management and international business, I couldn’t bare the thought of passing up the opportunity to immerse myself into the business culture of India by performing a six month internship before I graduate next May. In such a complex country crowded with over billion people, you must take into account caste, religion, language and regionalism when engaging in any type of business deal. What else is so great about doing business in India? Besides the fact that its economy has been booming for the past few years, it has a prosperous outlook for the future. Its entrepreneurial “spirit” of its people, along with increasingly liberal foreign policies and numerous multi-national firms, make it more attractive by each day. Ok, so I’m not writing this blog to lecture my audience, that’s left up to the professors and specialists. It’s just that I can’t find myself writing a blog about my professional experience without speaking of just how important India is for the future of the business world.
So…you must be wondering about my first-hand experiences when it comes to my work experience within Technopak. Have I embarrassed myself because of my lack of education when it comes to the acceptable cultural norms that underlay business in India? Yes. Have I learned how to greet another employee or client without embarrassing him or her? Yes (with practice, however.) Have I said all of the wrong things at a meeting, but then try to regain my credibility? Yes. I mean, come on! Isn’t this why I’m here in the first place?? Someone that isn’t willing to come out of their shell and put themselves in uneasy situations wouldn’t be in India in the first place.
I see Technopak as a company with a fairly open culture. Open in a sense that invites in new and creative ideas. Unlike the rows and rows of cubicles you see in movies such as Office Space, there is an “open-door” atmosphere that allows me to address my boss and colleagues on a personal level, rather than through endless emails. It’s also interesting to find that individuals within the same vertical don’t necessarily have to sit with members of their own vertical, which, in turn, invites intra-vertical communication. I’m not shy to admit that although I never forget a face, I can never seem to remember half of the names of the people I have met! I have had the chance to meet unique colleagues from all over India with incredible international experiences. For example, I had the chance to interview Luv Jasuja, a principal consultant who not only spent six years in the UK, two years in France, and one year in Holland, but was also purchasing manager for a leading apparel manufacturer based in the UAE.
There are silly little aspects of the company that I’m going to miss: The stupid vending machine filled with tasty India snacks that always seems to get stuck, or the T.V. which always is set on cricket, or the cute older man that comes around every morning, collecting my lunch money while wishing me a “good morning ma’am.” Also, I enjoy getting the “who the heck is this girl and what is she doing” looks from the chai and maintenance employees. My colleagues and flat mates Simon, Alex and Jacek are really great. Even though we spend everyday and night together, we really seem to get along. Ok, let’s not get emotional! That can be left for the next blog entry…just make sure to be prepared with plenty of tissues at hand.
I don’t imagine back in the states I would or will ever be able to take off with Simon, Jacek, Alex, Phalgun and others on the back of a bike to Pushkar for the camel fair, returning at 3:30 in the morning, and then dragging ourselves into work after minimal sleep. Even though we were exhausted, we had shared a truly amazing experience and were still experiencing a great level of hype from our travels. Then there was the company picnic we had last Saturday. I couldn’t have asked for a better time. Not only did I have my bosses run me around the tennis court, but also had the chance to witness other talents on display-artwork, singing, dancing and teamwork, as well as have the opportunity to win great prizes such as free trips, flight tickets and meal coupons (a big thanks to Nikhil and those who helped.) It wasn’t one of the company/family picnics with awkward silence and interaction games that everyone dreads going to. On the contrary, It was a chance for everyone to engage with other employees within all of the verticals, along with families, as we all worked through different integration games, quizzes, and then feasted on an amazing Indian and Chinese buffet. Of course there wouldn’t be a picnic in all of India without cricket!
HEY! WAKE UP! Before I get too carried away, let me quit while I’m ahead. I’m often told by my lovely flat mates and colleagues that I tend to talk too much and “speak out loud” a little too often. I guess I am using this chance to pour out everything kept inside to keep peace with them. See, when you’re a foreigner in India, whether you are a student or intern, you always have countless experiences and stories to tell.
Whether it is the Eat, Travel, or Work aspect of my experience here in India, I will for sure be boring my friends for hours on end back in the U.S. when I bring up the time I was in ankle-deep water after the Kapoors flooded last week because of an unexpected storm-maybe it was the hole in my floor, or maybe it was some other mysterious leak, or about the time random rickshaw driver somehow managed to confess his love to me in the few English words that he knew… Like I said in my previous posts-never ever a dull moment in India…
Until Next Time,
Sista Safiye Kapoor
safiyekm
Simon
algemaedchen
jacekratajczak
In India life is always unexpected, but still i missed india