Laura- Change of mind

Laura, a very aggressive business user was what the image we all had. I was really nervous about coming to Tokyo because was really nervous about her queries which are always numerous. I knew her scheduled departure to New York was November 17, 2005 and I was waiting for that day.

Soon after moving to Tokyo I saw her during my first meeting with the users. I was pretty nervous n barely looked in her direction. In the next few days I did have very limited conversations with her over phone regarding some work.

And finally I did meet her personally on November 17, 2005 at the dinner party in Roy's. This first encounter just left me wondering whether she was the same person all used to talk about. She was really sweet and very nice to talk to. Very jovial and like a small kid giggling and cracking jokes at every behest. I felt bad that I got to know her at the onset of her departure.

The next day I had a short meeting with her where again she was pretty serious n businesslike till we had all the points discussed n at the end of it back to the same Laura I had seen at the party previous day. To mark the farewell we had a small cake cutting ceremony. Finally it was time to bade her good-bye. She did come down to our floor one last time before she left to meet all of us last time.

Perceptions are not to b built without personal touch... I learnt it that day n will keep it with me forever.

Diwali in Tokyo

Just wanted to tell u all about the Diwali here. It was my very first diwali away from home n was feeling a bit homesick but then unexpectedly got an invitation from my colleague, Anurag to visit him home :). My room-mate and me were more than happy and there we had a small pooja, a nice dinner and finally burst crackers!!! Btw we tried a computerized aarti and it flopped miserably so finally Anurag sang! Of course I didn’t try, didn’t want them to repent their decision to invite me….

Crackers indeed :) I had to strain my ears to hear a bit of noise. One of them did make some sound, bit more than others n Anurag’s daughter was in tears due to fright. I can imagine if she ever is in india for diwali wat will her state be.

And imagine already 1 month ahead... the place is getting all decked up for christmas, with all the shops decorated with Christmas trees and mistletoes n other decorations!!!

Just another cold day

It is getting colder here! Cannot go out without sweaters/jacket. Rgt now inside I am sitting with a sweater on. Actually we don’t know how to operate the stupid AC in warm mode!!! All the switches are in JAPANESE!!!!! Got to talk to the owner, he will give us some clue…

Well as all of u must have seen the snaps, I was at the Motor Show on November 6, 2005. It was really good. It even had a section where there very old models of cars from different decades displayed with the details of the motor show then, being telecast on a small screen. It was very much crowded but I wonder whether the people did come for the motor show or the model show. Now now I don’t mean model as in vehicle model. It was awful watching gals giving all those stupid poses for any passerby who stops to click! and the people too wudnt wait after 1 pic!!! But overall it was real good. Had read about Porsche n convertibles in all those novels n finally had a feel of them! Of course I didn’t try driving them around yet, maybe next time ;)

Yday it was one other party to attend and this time it was hawaiin food. Stuff was good, n I had lot of seafood which I guess turned out to be allergic and today I am looking like an Japanese wat with the weird swelling round my eyes n they almost popping out!!!! N add to that the consultation fee for a doc here turned out to b 20,000 Y!!!! thank god we have an insurance! Anyways hope to send across the party pics sometime (I have to get them, didn’t click them myself ) btw u know wat I took a sip of champagne, it was raised as a toast and……………………… guess wat I will NEVER touch it again!!!!!

Besides that have tried out Pizza hut, Mc D’s, KFC out here n they are pretty different from the ones in India! Yet they are the safest bet! But the most shocking part was in pizza hut they don’t have, garlic bread! And I was really yearning to eat one! Anyways maybe somewhere else, I will find out!

Btw, today I experienced my first earthquake in the wee hrs of the morning. And her highness thot it was my room mate tossing around n slept away without really bothering! Not that my roomie is better, she thot the same about me and slept as soundly as ever J so that was the most unimpressive touch I had with an earthquake. Hopefully next time I will have more details to write.

N tonight to commemorate the event we had self prepared, fried mackerels for dinner with rice, that was a good dinner. Feeling good and now time to tuck into the warm bed! So till then Sayonara…