Friday, September 18, 2009

Cambridge So Far So .. Excellent ...

After all the jitters and the all the apprehensions that i had taken off from Mumbai to Heathrow enroute to Cambridge to pursue my dream MBA, I have finally managed to land at Cambridge. After a day of solitude and rethinking the decisions i made in the last one year i now can proudly say this my dear friends was one of the best decisions i made ever.



Day 1 - landed at Heathrow early morning 7:30 BST and was expecting to wait at the Central Bus station for some time to catch the 9:40 bus to cambridge. But alas the immigration had other plans for all the students. we waited in the line for immigration for over 4 hours. I guess when i had heard earlier that many of the SEA students have problems conversing in English, i had to see it for myself to believe it. It took many SEA students a long time at the immigration to get thru the conversation and explaining the answers to the questions put forth by the officers. It is a very good thing that normally all univs here have a language program before start of the course. I know one of my friends is benefiting from the same program.

anyways i finally managed to reach the national express terminal and got my tickets ammended for a nominal charge and got on to the bus to express bus to cambridge. The staff at the bus station were helpful and courteous; it felt good. The bus service on time precisely at 1325 and reached cambridge as schduled at 1545. British punctuality at its best. The ride was fantastic with the best sceneries ever. Coming from India i am used to seeing scenic landscapes but the ones here stood out and had a charm of their own. Again loved it. After reached Cambridge Parkside, i had already called for a cab from a pay phone at the airport, and that too was there on time. Finally reached the college and i finally started feeling like a student.

The gentleman at the porters lodge were very courteous and directed me to my room and when i reached my room i was a bit... hhhmmm... sad. i come from mumbai and i am used to sounds all around me. the hustle and bustle of perhaps the busiest city in the world was soulfood for me and now the silence of beautiful cambridge surrounds me and i finally understood what people meant when they said that the silence was deafening. the next day i got my internet running got my college welcome pack and went to the city centre to get my bank documentation completed. The branch manager Steve Linell Atkins was extremely helpful and courteous. Also met Mark and Karen; nice people.

Did a second trip to the market that day to get some groceries and daily supplies. thank goodness that sainsbury is gonna be open till midnight from now on. finally realised that the first thing i need to do the next morning was get a bicycle and well thats what i did. i went to the doctor to get myself registered. went to my school for the first time, met James Barker and and a few other friends i made at the Granta's the earlier night. I then headed off to the cycle shop. I thought of going all the way to mill road which for me would have been over half an hour walk (i am re-learning to walk btw) so i decided against it and went to a cycle shop which i faintly remembered seeing when i first came to Wolfson. My sense of direction thankfully is working fantastic in cambridge and i reached the place without hassles and got myself a good deal on a used cycle. (now i am relearning to ride a cycle).

That evening i went to the Red Bull pub to meet fellow Wolfson mates and the others, but i managed to meet just one wolfson guy (Charles). We wondered if the wolfson guys were sitting someplace else. I found out that they were sitting inside the pub and we a group of around 20-22 were sitting outside and we never met each other. Funny i guess... We had fun at the Red Bull though. Finally although i was enthusiastic to do salsa, all the cycling and walking made me think twice and i decided to hit the sack.

yesterday i attended a seminar on "The globalisation of Bollywood and how it is taking over the West". Personally i think its the other way round and what Mr. Anupam Kher said that its the right time to invest in India, is the correct thing. Its the west inflow into India and the increase in investment rather that India spreading its wings by selling "Bollywood" movies abroad. Its all about the money. Mr. Patrick the COO of Adlabs India, said that its "Business only". So as long as money flow happens either out or in. Trade is good and i guess that is good news all around. we need to think about it globally to find the good part about this business.

Then i finally got my new mobile connection. Got a vodafone number. I have put it up on FB and Gtalk. i raked up a bill of 8800 on my vodafone India number. my wife is gonna kill me.

Last evening we had a granded meet of the MBA students at the Eagle. (the discovery of DNA was announced here btw) i am guess around 45-50 students were there last nite. Many headed off to Hughes Hall and many stood around. it was a fun night. the wolfson guys there decided to meet today afternoon for lunch. Looking forward to that now.

Will keep you all posted on the travails of my Cambridge life. Till then take care guys.

P.S. dont mind the english. I am writing directly without MS Office. its crippled me actually. ;)