Lost in translation

I am in a new place with no friends. So I went to this barbeque party in an attempt to make some friends. But the only result of that party is this post, where I will describe a typical international get-together/party here. I have been to a few, and its very interesting how every gathering follows this pattern. The scene is an afternoon barbeque during a warm spring day.

German dude kicks off with the beer. Lets call him Andreas
Andreas: 'Prost' ( German 'cheers')
Everybody: 'Prost. Weißbier is too sour. Augustiner this. Oktoberfest that. My father-in-law's beer blah blah.'
This goes on for 15 minutes. Then

Mexican dude: 'You should try Tequila from Mexico'
Fernando( from Spain, duh): 'Once I had 20 tequila shots'
Hot Chick 1: 'I cant have more than 5' hahaahahaaaa
Andreas : 'Weissbier is ze best'
This goes on for 25 minutes (since all alcohol is now under discussion). Then

Hot Chick 1: (In summer) 'The weather is so nice and warm' (and what you are wearing is what is keeping me here)
(In winter) 'It so so cold…brrrr' (again what you are wearing is the only saving grace)
Fernando: 'In Spain I would be lying on the beach now' (summer and winter)
Andreas : (In winter) 'Anybody got some gluhwein?'
Everybody: 'Winter this. Spring that. Barbeque blah blah'

Cool French stud walks in. 'Hi.. I am George'
Hot Chick 2: 'I can speak some French. Jeblaah blooh' (I am sure that is the end of her french)
George: 'You mean Jeblooh bleeh'
Hot Chick 1 and 2: hahaahahaaaa
Fernando ( who HAS to say something ): 'In Espanyol it is 'barrrriittooo lola''
Hot Chick 2: 'barito' hahaahahaaaa
Fernando: 'no do rrrrrrrrr'
Everybody: 'er' hahaahahaaaa
Someone to me: 'How many languages in India?'
Me: 'Around 20 main. Thousands of dialects'
Everybody : 'Wow. Bavarian dialect this. Austria that. Antartica blah blah'

So those who know atleast two European languages run the show. The French guy is enjoying the most because everyone loves his language. Nobody wants to know any Indian words. Everyone learns two foreign words, only to forget them before they reach home. Meanwhile, Fernando has his arms around Hot Chick 1 and 2 and is clicking a pic to be uploaded on Facebook that evening. And wurst is ready.

Me : 'I dont eat pork.'
George : 'You dont eat 'cow' also right?'
Me: 'No, I eat 'cow''
Andreas: 'Indian curry very spicy'
Me: 'Yeah'
Everybody: 'Wurst this. Pizza that. Bretzel blah blah'

This is what I call culture small-talk. Something which is quite boring when done over and over again. I generally don't enjoy small talk. In fact, I avoid any kind of small talk like the plague. I love hanging out with good friends, talking to them, doing some activity like movies, or sport. I think I am good at big-talk. But meaningless conversation with the 'hi-bye' people is just not my cup of tea. I hate situations like eating with people I dont know well, or bumping into people in the store, or on the way to the loo.

Unfortunately, you have to go through the small-talk to reach the big-talk stage. Which probably is the crux of my inability-to-socialize problem. It is not because I don't try. The introvert in me just isn't helping.

Lets hope the situation changes. Till then,

Prost.

World Cup Glory

Every four years comes a time, when you pin all your hopes on your team to bring home the coveted trophy, the World Cup. And my team is Argentina for football and India, of course, for cricket. This post is not about football. Maybe I should have written about it during my depression at the end of Argentina's campaign. Anyway, back to cricket. Cricket is not my favourite sport, not by a long shot. I have even often argued with people about it being a non-sport because of the limited physical activity involved. But I am an ardent follower of the game when India plays, a die-hard Sachin Tendulkar fan and like most Indians, someone who dreams of the glory Team India would one day bring us. Nothing can unite millions of people and generate a positive hysteria like sport and in India, nothing can create this passionate frenzy like cricket.

It has been a long wait. On the previous five occasions ( I wasnt around in '83 and my zilch memory of the next two means I didnt watch them), all dreams were shattered by a couple of early exits and a few heartbreaking late losses. This was betted as our best chance, and more importantly for me, this was Sachin's last chance to win the most prestigious event of them all, the only achievement left for the 'Son of the Nation'. The three knockout matches against Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka had made me a nervous wreck. But India came on top and sent me along with a billion other people over the moon.

With Argentina disappointing yet again after making a promising start, and Federer and Chelsea hardly winning anything, I had made a resolution that I should not let losses in sport affect me. After all, people I dont know personally doing something beyond my control shouldnt ruin my health, right? Wrong!!! The Indian World Cup win reminded me how going through the agony of defeat and longing for that win multiplies the joy and sense of accomplishment when victory finally comes. The seemingly crazy dependence of happiness on sport may not be such a bad thing after all.

Jai Ho.

Carnival colours

People in high spirits, in whacky colorful costumes and the shutterbug in me had a reason to rejoice.

When someday became today

One of the things on my 'someday' list was skiing, and when SkiDubai came up, I thought that it would be the closest I would get to crossing it off. I didnt know then that pretty soon I would be skiing in the Alps. I had planned it for this winter, and have been gathering all the ski equipment for over a year now. So got myself registered for this weekend course, and what an awesome weekend it was. Though I felt like a loser when it started, I somehow stuck in there, and at the end of it I was so thrilled because my moving, turning and braking were all so smooth. The first day's skiing was only on a small slope, but today I was skiing on the beautiful alpine slopes on a snowy day, and I am a happy man. I fell a lot, but nothing too nasty and not as much as much as I thought I would.





I am not done with skiing, and more trips are on the cards. I am really glad I finally got it rolling. I think everyone has a 'someday' list, and should make an effort to shorten it. Lack of motivation levels and enthusiasm ruins it for most people. Luck has played it's part for me, but I am sure nobody in the same position as me feels the kind of satisfaction I am feeling right now. Let the good times roll !!

Yet another memorable homecoming

I am going home....

again !!!!! Eight months after returning from my previous trip to dear motherland. People here joke that I should get a season ticket. Hehe, maybe I should, because clearly my heart is not here and I am always looking for a reason to go. I advanced my earlier planned March trip , so that I can be a part of Aansans wedding, meet Kabu who also comes down during Christmas, play with Dhaani and I dont have to miss the other usual suspects for three more months. I hope the trip is gonna be as awesome as the last time. And I really hope this time Dad will understand when I have to leave home to meet my friends. The idea of arguing with him again is the only disturbing thought in my head now. It can be really difficult to make him understand the importance of just having fun, why I go to the people who I have good times with, and how it does not mean that I love my family any lesser. All the sacrifices, all the efforts I take to see Dad and Mom happy, and still they are insecure. Its a pity they dont see the love. Anyway, I am off to have a good time, to spend time with my favourite people, to hog away to glory, and away from the depressing winter to enjoy the warmth. The toughest part, shopping is almost done. Hope to bring lots of smiles with the things I have got for my people, and hope to have lots to write about at the end of it all.

A date with Roger

I have been a huge Roger Federer fan for a long time now. And watching him play has always been a mixture of proud and extremely tense moments. I need not go on here about his brilliance on court, and how much I love him or how much I get riled up when one of those Nadal rivalry debates comes up. It has always been a dream to watch him play, and it came true on Monday, 1st of November 2010, at the Davidoff Swiss Indoors in Basel.

The match was a no contest, but watching the greatest in front of me there was an indescribable feeling. And I had my new zoom lens to capture some of those moments.





The journey between Munich and Basel, both ways, was quite remarkable. Just because I managed to save a lot of money by utilizing the Mitfahr(rideshare) system well. So well that I paid just 2€ to get to Basel. And I am very proud of the decisions I took on my way back. Instead of a single state ticket, I took a gamble. I paid an extra 8€ and bought a group ticket for 5 people. And though I couldnt find anyone to share the ticket till the last stop in Baden-Wuttenberg ( Ulm ), I sold the ticket there for 10€ and found another person to give me 5€ for using the ticket to Stuttgart. And then I found a car ride share for 7€, but then I thought, why dont I check if I can buy used bayern tickets from people who get off at Ulm. And I did just that. I paid 10€, and bought a bayern ticket from a group ( who were happy to make some money off their now useless ticket). And then I went to the machines, and asked a female who was gonna buy a 20€ ticket to Munich. She paid me 10 bucks, and was happy with the deal, and I was gonna travel from Ulm to Munich without paying a penny.

I must say I am damn proud of the way I exploited the system to save a lot of cash, and did most of this by speaking in German. Also, what can be taken from this is that anyone, EVEN Germans, wouldnt say no to a bargain.

And the couchsurfing experience was amazing too. Stephanie was damn friendly, she took me around the Winter markets, where she told me to have Raclette, a yum cheese dish. Too bad I missed fondue, but a few more local food I tried, and I was telling myself, 'this is what travel is all about'. I was with a very nice, good-looking Swiss girl, talking about all the cultures we are involved with, trying local food, walking around the city , laughing and thoroughly enjoying myself. I was very impressed by her travel profile and the pics on her wall. Now I have added a few more places to my to-go-to-list. And I need to take prints. Wall, make space !!