The Indian Winter

A look back at the last one month

Winter is probably the best time to visit the country- especially the southern regions which hardly ever see temperatures dropping below 20 degrees centigrade, even on the coldest of days. Any other year, I would have simply loved it.

But this year isn't every year. This time its different. I would gladly give up the splendid tropical weather for the snow and ice of Lausanne. No amount of vacationing at home, being surrounded by family, being pampered by parents, can lure me into staying here a minute longer than what is necessary. This time its different.

Because I have come here leaving Aswini behind. I left her behind in a new town, a new country- left her to figure out everything on her own. Find her own way to school. Find her own way to the grocery store. Find her own way to the gas station. Cook her own food. Get by on her own without knowing the language. All this in a place where I have lived for almost three years. A place I know well enough to be of great help to her. At a crucial time in her career when I HAVE to help her in anyway I can. Worst of all, I left her behind as soon as we finally got to be in the same continent, let alone the same city, following a prolonged and frustrating long-distance relationship.

A farm in a village near Patiala, Punjab in northern India

But we both knew this needed to be done. I traveled this great country from the north to south, from Madras to Hyderabad to Delhi to Punjab, in the last 20 days- in order to get things done. Important things. Professional as well as personal. A lecture here, a common friend's wedding there. One of us needed to hold good on commitments here. Most of all, one of us needed to be present here for the most important of decisions made by our respective families concerning our relationship and our future together. And I was the only one between the two of us who wasn't booked 7 days a week from 8 AM to 1 AM.

Finally, its all done. Adios India!

3 weeks have passed

Three weeks have passed since Sam left Canada and began his pursuit of happiness.. He started his challenge and I started mine too.. It is not easy to be a single mother for 2 little girls who miss their daddy desperately... This year is not going to be an easy one, but it is a choice.. We made this choice together, so we will make the best out of the year together.. The first week was tough, sad and depressing, but I decided to make the best out of this year.. It will be a good one.. I would focus on the positive aspect of it.. Sam is going to be challenged, is going to build his knowledge and will make his dream come true... By doing this he will be a happier man and he will enjoy what he is doing..
Hopefully this positive look at things continues for the next while, even if we might be faced with some bumps in the road.. We will see, the year is still young..

Harvesting in Solitude

Original version in Tamil below

Just when you took your first steps
My hands let go of your fingers,
Like the bird that pushes its young ones o'er
before they sprout the first feathers

Longings to watch you grow and win
this new battle in the war that's life,
like waves they come out of my heart
headed West, strong and rife

You fill my thoughts this birth of Thai*,
In this body that is, alas, duty bound
like the rice in the sacred pot we cook**
my heart boils and spills around

* Thai (தை) is a month in the Tamil Calendar, beginning sometime around the middle of January, which is ushered in by the harvest festival of Pongal, one of the most important festivities in southern India.

** An important farmers' ritual of Pongal is the boiling of freshly harvested rice in a newly baked mud pot, and letting it spill over. This signifies and celebrates abundance for the seasons to come.

--

சிறகுகள் நீளுவதன்முன்பே
கிளி தன் குஞ்சை வீழ்த்தியதோ? -உன்
விரல்கள் பிடித்து நடப்பதற்குள்- என்
கரங்கள் உன்னை விலகினதோ?

படிப்படியாய் நீ முன்சென்றாய் -அதை
பார்க்க மனம் தான் துடிக்கிறதே
அலைஅலையாய் என் மனதிற்குள் -பல
ஏக்கங்கள் மேற்கே வீசியதே!

தை பிறக்கும் இப்பொன்னாளில் -என்
கண்கள் உன்னை தேடியதே
கடமையால் சிறைபட்ட இவ்வுடலில் -என்
இதயமும் பொங்கியே சிந்தியதே!

- Arvind

Eventful day ….

Events are not just happening in Laussane with students and partners but also with me and in my home. It’s my day off and I went to pick up study table. While driving home I was planning to go for a short walk and ponder about how to paint my canvas for 2012. I landed home and found that my washing machine has stopped working. Being a naïve I tried to press a few buttons, opened the door and the water spilled all over my kitchen. I immediately shut it, rushed to clean and then stood back with my house-mate (Amit) both of us lost on what to do. He started using google and I began to search for manual. We opened the water outlet slowly but the water gushed out and the kitchen was completely flooded with water. It went slippery and I almost skid. We again cleaned the water, managed to find the manual (with help from Mahipal) and identified the problem. We found that there was some cloth and plastic stuck in between which stopped the motor from spinning and hence water not being drained. Somehow we both managed to fix the machine. Later on I also set up the table. I realised how dependent I am on Mahipal to get everything up and working. But I think the aim of 2012 would be to get more independent. I was surprised that for the 1st time in life I wasn’t stressed of things not working instead I was trying to make it funny. Am sure that partners who are away would come across similar situations in this year ahead… where something might stop working / break down and we wished our partners would be our genie to fix it up. But I will now on take these incidents as fun and real learning curve. Trust me my clumsiness of stopping the water would be in my memories for years to come… and I don’t mind to paint my 2012 with such eventful days of stress, learn and fun………….

Unwritten ...

That was the feeling of this week.
Not only for the students but also for the partners. We all have a blank page infront of us all. And it’s up to each one of us to make this year one of the best experiences of our lifes.
So keep your minds open but mainly keep your arms and hearts open. We never now what life can present to us
Hope you enjoy the photos.
See you soon.
------
In Portuguese - Em português


Livro em branco ...
Esse foi o sentimento da semana.
Não somente para os estudantes, mas também para os parceiros.
Todos nós estamos diante de uma página em branco. E cabe a cada um de nós fazer deste ano uma das melhores experiências de nossas vidas.
Então mantenha a cabeça aberta, mas, principalmente, mantenha seus braços e corações abertos. A gente nunca sabe o que a vida nos reserva.
Espero que vocês curtam as fotos.
Vejo vocês em breve.
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It all started at "Lorange Auditorium"(10/01/2012)

Then we had some time to chat

Julia and her handsome little boy

Some partners chatting

Some students chatting

The Lunch with MBA students and partners

Coffee time 

 The Fair

Everything was very well organized.

People who works at IMD we're wearing colorful t-shirts. Each color was referring to a team.

Some details

Tere's and Mario's beautiful kids

The schedule for the photo shoot

Every student has its own locker

Looking at THE board

First Partners Session (11/02/2012)

Some of the partners after lunch