Play n Learn

When I was growing up, what if....

History was taught using visuals

Tests were in the form of games

Scores were assigned based on number of clues unravelled

Grades were based on number of levels crossed

What if....

Science, Maths, Geography, Civics and even Literature were taught the same way as above

What if....

Engineering could be converted in to fun games

Accounting and Finance learnt through online Apps

How much more would i learn?! How much more would we all learn??!! How much better would the world be, where people who actually knew the subject did well, versus people who were able to mindlessly memorize facts.

Could we create such a world for future generations at least?

Anyone out there who would be willing to invest in such an idea?

Which direction do I set sail?

Out at sea; strong winds blowing in all directions; which way do I set sail?

I am at a point in life where I am trying to figure out what next? What is my true passion? Where do I see myself in 5 years time?

I have spoken to many and all of them tell me that what I am going through is perfectly normal, and that more than half the people out there have no idea why they are doing what they are doing, so in some ways at least I am better off as I am now trying to figure out what is it that I really want to do.

One moment its reassuring to hear them say this, but the next moment the question comes back - so, what next?

I want to be a creator, want to leave a legacy; I want to influence public policy, help contribute to the improvement of peoples lives in some form; I want to earn enough money to fund my desire to travel around the world, not just alone but with friends and family - With so many I-wants, now the challenge in front of me is to figure out the next step that will make all of this happen.

The problem in some ways is that this can happen through many routes - a job in an existing big firm, entrepreneurship, social service, even politics! However which one of this is best suited for me? Should I think short term or long term? In either case, how do I evaluate what is best?

Am trying to answer these questions for myself. Felt like sharing it out there....now will get back to my thoughts, and keep the world posted on how things pan out.

Wish me luck and chao!

Good times at Home!

Squinting in the bright light, I tried to read the sign on the road, trying to figure out whether I turn here or at the next traffic signal. Unable to figure out the words till the last second, I ended up swerving sharp to make the right turn, barely missing the car behind me who was trying to get ahead thinking I was headed straight. A cacophony of horns blasted all around me, suddenly there was a blinding flash and I found myself falling, flailing and falling further. I tried to scream, all I heard was a feeble splutter. I flailed my arms wildly hoping to grab on to something that would arrest my fall, all I could grasp was thin air. A sudden yank, another blinding flash of light and I had found my voice, and my flailing arms had found something to grasp on to. Just that my mom wasnt too happy to see me throwing off her precious duvet with its new cover and mathcing sheets, screaming my head off in the process. The blinding flash I realized was the Sun shining mercilessly through my window which had just been thrown open by my even more merciless mother. Who on earth gets out of bed before 10am on a Saturday?! Geez, parents just dont get it, do they?!

Misty sunshine, peeks of blue sky, tingling chilly breeze....

Thats how I would describe the weather in Hillsboro on Saturday.

I woke up at 7am unable to go back to sleep. Unlike the normal moping-lazy self I am on weekends who continues to wallow in bed no matter how miserable it feels, this time I decided to snap up and zip out for a drive. One of the first times I have had such an inspiration I would say, but was totally worth it.

A quick stop at the nearest Starbucks to grab a cup of tea (with 8 packets of honey :P) and I was on my way exploring 26 West the freeway that runs from Portland to the coast. The scenery was beautiful..rolling meadows, dotted with farmhouses, a few horses gambolling around in the early morning sun, white picket fences..brought back memories of Enid Blyton's books. The Famous Five series in particular always described scenes similar to these when the five went off biking or caravanning during holidays. Imagination had made those descriptions vivid in my mind and I found myself reminescing on those very memories. How I used to long for such adventures..for being allowed to go off in a caravan for a week with friends/cousins..hopefully solve a mystery on the way..even without which it would still have been an adventure!

Over the last 3 years, I have been on countless holidays with friends, with family, all have been fun and have had elements of adventure, but I realize that as much fun as they have been, I would still give a lot to go back to being 12 and off on a caravan holiday with a few of my closest buddies. I guess the magnitude of the adventure that it would seem like at that age would be many times more valuable than it seems like today. But then truly speaking my desire for such adventures was so strong that I probably have lived through such adventures vividly enough through my active imagination. And I guess oftentimes, imagination is more exciting than reality. Surreal as we call it..

Multiplemnas and Pendulums

Should I follow my dreams or should I do what is the norm?? Knowing myself, 'the norm' usually gets ruled out, unless 'the' norm is 'my' norm too, not often this happens though. So now that invariably leads me to 'dreams'. What should one do when they have so many dreams!! Aah!! Yes, thats my biggest dilemna or should I say, multiplemna now.

List my dreams, (not in the order of preference)
Indian Air Force Pilot (Yes, I have gotten a few laughs for this from people who see my height. But I have checked and 5'2" qualifies by a full 2"!! So everyone can switch off their sly smiles)
Adventure Travel show host, say for Discovery or Nat Geo
Professional dancer, from Bharatnatyam to Swing, from Garbha to Flamingo
Indian Administrative Service officer
Indian Police Service officer
Central Bureau of Investigation officer
Business person (Ah talk about business ideas here, it ranges from Bubble-Tea places to Educational Institutions. Actually it might help to list them - B-T, Eng Sch Ch, Reg Sch Ch, W Fin for SBs, Eco Tou Ch, Tou n Tr Ch, Ru Dev Pr, the list keeps getting appended to)

Hmm..though this list wasnt per say in order of preference, it does strike me that business person features at the fag end..what can I say but - :P

Studying my list, a definite common theme is India. Another common theme is public service - be it direct in a Govt. service or indirect by creating employment and preserving local peoples & heritage. Another common theme is fun. Yes, enjoyement with what I do is a major ingredient that goes into the satisfaction that I will derive from these.

Now making a more realiztic analyzis of my list, there are a few that have timed out (just one actually) - Air Force Pilot, the age limit was 22 :'( (This has the additional effect of making me realize how old I am!! Well, atleast I dont look so (Smug smile on face) ); a few that can be cultivated in hobby form - Danseuse; and a few that can be implemented with time - Businesses. Hmm..then what is my multiplemna in this case..It is what should I do right away? Should I start off on a stable income path or should I take a riskier venture route? Another embedded question is, if I do the stable income route, should I embark on it here in my country or outside in another country? Another embedded question is, if I go the risky venture route, should I work on my own venture or should I get experience first by working for another? It is hard to find answers for these. I have been battling with these questions for a while now. Each option seems to shout out its upsides and downsides, without the foresight into the future it is hard to tell which will take me where I want to go, especially when it is not even clear to me myself as to where it is that I want to go!! Oh dear God! I am all muddled. But, hey! As I am writing this a thought comes to me, probably the very fact that I dont know where I want to go means whatever path I take will lead me to a place where I will eventually develop the want to go. Ah, it does makes sense. It helps to blog once in while! It seems to be helping me think clearer, though of course the waters are still murky, however even the slightest patch of clarity caused by the bursting of a rising bubble does help.

I shall stop here. Take things as they come and learn to be happy with whatever I do. (Psst, though it surely is hard to let go of the 'what's the best pat' question even after all these semi-philosophical musings). Well I guess 50 years from now I will laugh at this....Will I?? (Or will I think, why the hell didnt I think and analyze more as to the 'right' path?!) Oh dear! No no, I wont..Hopefully..clearly I am in a highly oscillating and unstable mood right now. So shall stop my pendulum (atleast from writing further, cause I cant stop it swinging in my mind can I?! Sigh.. :) )

Prayers

2 years: A long time.

The business school has been a bubble. Life away from life. But still very real.

It has been a roller coaster ride - personally and academically. I have had my highs and lows. The academic part was good no doubt, but what completes the experience and makes it unbeatably valuable for the rest of my life is the personal growth I have experienced in the last 2 years. Personal growth includes - family, friends, relationships and even profession.

I had heard many elders and learned people say, life is a continuous process of learning. These 2 years have reinforced it. I have learnt to keep myself open for learning always from all quarters. Many people say this theoretically. I have learnt that it is very hard to do the same practically. I havent mastered it, no way, no where near, but the good news is that I am aware of the difficulty of implementation and so am on the first step to implementation.

Learning is required on all fronts, most importantly on how to handle people and situations. I have begun to understand that be it business, be it personal life, this ability is key to everything. And the key to this is to be empathetic and sympathetic not just to others, but to myself! Yes, to myself :) I had forgotten myself in the whole scheme of empathy and sympathy and in the process I realized it was affecting my epmpathy and sympathy towards others. God! Its all linked and so convoluted, yet so delinked and so simple.

Well, anyone reading this might be confused by now as to what I am saying or why I am saying what I am saying (There you go, another confusing line); Dont worry, you will, if and when you run into me.

Essentially, I am grateful to God, to all the elders blessings and wellwishers best wishes that have gotten me this far, given me this wonderful experience. I humbly request continuation of these blessings and best wishes as I continue to learn going through what life has in store in years ahead. I hope and pray sincerely that my aspirations are fulfilled and I hope and pray sincerely that my family and friends expectations are fulfilled and I hope and pray sincerely that everyone of our lives is filled with love, hope and joy. Tathaastu! Inshahallah! Amen!

Stanford GSB and the Rat Race

The business school is probably the best place to observe the rat race at its craziest best. Stanford might be the only anamoly to this. This is probably the only top school that has a lot of non-conformism associated with it. A good third of my class (including myself) doesnt yet know what they are doing post school. Dont get me wrong here, I am not saying its not good to find a job before you graduate. I am saying this is one place where people are willing to wait and explore avenues that excite and enthuse them truly to pursue as careers. Whether they get them right away or a little later, the fact is they are brave enough to take the risk. Are they foolish to wait..I would say no. But, thats my school of thought. Many people in the world would probably say "what i really like" is a Utopian concept, no one really knows, so its best to get the best money-lifestyle job. Its their opinion. Theirs is theirs and mine is mine. To each his own.

This is one place where you will find a girl building the world's first unique online one-to-one microfinance platform; a guy starting a company that manufactures low cost efficient lights for rural populations; a girl who is working on starting a plus size clothing line for teenagers; a guy who is starting an emerging markets investment fund; the list goes on and on. Even those who take the so-called tried and tested MBA path have a spirit in them that eventually drives most of them to do something different, to make a difference in this world. This entrepreneurial, non-conformist spirit is what pulled me to this great institution and this is what has made my experience so fulfilling. Now as I come close to within three weeks of graduating from this premiere institution a myriad of emotions going through my head, one consistent thought is that of thankfullness - thankfullness to God, my parents, elders, family members for blessing me and giving me this opportunity to experience this unique experience. It has been a most fulfilling, a most humbling, a most energizing, a most introspective experience, compared to any other I have had in the last 27 years of my existence. I once again humbly thank God, my parents, elders, family, friends and wellwishers for their blessings and good wishes that have kept me going. I pray such opportunities are given to everyone who desires them. I pray for continued support. I pray for humbleness, strength and perseverance going forward.

My friends here, I am surely going to miss big time. Each one is going to a different country almost. I get attached to my close friends soon and it is sad when they move away. With family I know I will be with them always, meaning there is a link for sure, so i dont feel sad if i have to move to a different place for a short period because I know its temporary.
Whereas with close friends, I am not sure when I will see them again..where our life will take us..whether we will be able to sustain the friendship at the same intensity..what kind of people will I meet later..these uncertainties weigh me down. Plus it is a reminder that life moves on..time and tide wait for none.

But again I guess thats the beauty of life!

It moves on, you meet new people and you make new relationships. Its fun for sure..though periods of transition can be heavy..but then there is the beautiful concept of Hope. Hope to relive old times, hope to have more good times, and that is truly a beautiful concept which keeps us going through life.

All this is right, but the feelings continue to well up.

Sad, happy, dull, excited, anxious, anticipatory - a mixture of feelings in my heart. As of now heavy is the right word to describe how I feel when I think of graduation.