Living on the Edge - The Dangerous Art of Train Hopping

I was incredibly sad to read about the train guard who lost his limbs in a tragic train accident last week. As someone who travelled daily by Belgian rail the past year, I can relate to what must have happened.

It seems that an elderly passenger tried to board the train through the train guard's door just as the train was about to leave. In the aftermath, both the passenger and the train guard were injured.

All passenger doors close when the train is about to leave except for the train guard's door. The train guard then keys in the signal and boards the train.

I used to see this ritual repeat at every station. As a result, I was aware that the only door open incase I was late was the train guard's door.

I had to brave the Brussels city traffic and road repairs on my way to the Brussels Central station. The race to get to office on time brought on an maddening adrenalin rush.

The thought of my Boss noticing the constant late arrivals to office made me jittery and ready to take risks. I had already given all the possible excuses like rush hour traffic, road construction, train cancellation / delay, sickness and so on...

Almost always the train was already on the platform as I arrived. One quick glance at the train notice board, and I would scoot off to the platform to board the train.

I would then search frantically for the open door at the train guard's end. A swift entry into the train and I was guarenteed a comfortable journey to office in time.

I was very late once and tried to board through the guard's door. The lady train guard flailed her arms in despair and stopped me from entering. I was very angry at her as I was hopelessly late for office. I now realize that she was only doing her duty and following the safety protocol.

Jumping into trains is routine in Mumbai where the local trains are the lifeline of the city. I was one among the masses who depended on the local trains to commute to work once upon a time.

Mumbai local trains stop only for a few seconds in a station. The crowd presses in and out of the compartments and accidents are common. It is downright dangerous to travel on Mumbai locals for those not familiar with the peculiarities of this mode of transport.

Belgian trains are many times more safer in comparison. It is only common sense to not hop into a train almost ready to leave through the guard's door. Unfortunately, in these stressful times, common sense is very uncommon.

Back to Pavilion: It's Vacation Time!!

We are gearing up for our long-awaited visit to India. Finally, we have our chance to be back home after a gap of two years. It's going to be a bit special this time around since I'm going back with a baby in tow.

Our family members are anxiously waiting to see the newest member. They have seen loads of pictures of the baby and they've seen him through the webcam. But nothing beats cuddling and playing with him in real-time.

It's monsoon season in our home state of Kerala now. We might just escape the high temperatures this time in favour of the rains.

Keralites call their state "God's Own Country" in celebration of its pristine beaches, backwaters, spices and cultural extravaganzas. Tourism is really big in Kerala and even National Geographic's Traveller magazine rated it as one among the 10 must see destinations in the world. That is pretty neat for a tiny strip of land with limited resources.

I am looking forward to having some authentic Kerala food liike the spicy, red Kottayam fish curry with Tapioca mash. Ohh..and I want other delicacies like Karimeen (Pearl Spot Fish) fry, appams (flat bread) and chicken stew.

The baptism ceremony of our baby is first on the agenda. I'm looking forward to seeing all our friends and family who will turn up for the event...

I still have the hard task of packing ahead of me. I have to remember to take our stuff especially the baby's items for our month long visit.

We are travelling with the baby for the first time. So, I have to make sure that all that is needed for the long flight is packed and reachable when required.

So, there is lots of planning, packing and thinking to do before we fly out of Belgium to "God's Own Country"...

Sunny days are here again...

We woke up to some lovely, sunny weather in Brussels yesterday. The sun rays filtering in through the curtains into the living room were a sight for sore eyes.

The dull, grey Belgian weather is very hard for me to digest after being used to bright days in India. My three month old baby just can't bear the little sun that we get here.

We took him out to a wonderful park near Zaventem yesterday just so that he gets a little used to the great outdoors. I'm afraid he didn't like it much. He shut his eyes very tightly in protest.

The park we went to yesterday had a calming effect on me. There were a couple of small, interconnected lakes with a pavement to walk around in.


We could hear the constant quacking of the ducks which swam around in the lakes. The black and white swans gliding across the water were a sight to see...

I wish we would get some more warm weather in Brussels this week. I am going to take my son outdoors for more time to get him used to the natural light. Otherwise, our Belgium born Indian will have a hard time adjusting to the hot Indian summer.

Congratulations to My Little Sister!!

I'm so happy for my little sister for clearing the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT - www.nift.ac.in) entrance exams. She's into the prestigious institute in style with a great All India rank also.

NIFT is India's premier network of institutes for anything to do with design - like apparel, textile, fashion design, fashion communication, fashion management.. The institute is set up and run by the Ministry of Textiles of Government of India.

The entrance exam sifts out the best creative minds suited for the course from the many thousands of aspirants. The exam is conducted in two parts - with a written test as well as a studio test / situation test.

I can only call her from Belgium and wish her all success. She will have to go to Delhi for the counselling and pick up the course major and institute of her choice based on the availability.

She is so different from me - so talented, creative and beautiful inside out. She is the best looking out of all the three sisters. Needless to say, she's got the best fashion sense too...

I'm only worried that she will have to pursue a gruelling 4-year course away from home.

hmmm...reminds me of...no pains - no gains...

Does atmosphere@work matter?

I just read some articles on diversity and inclusion posted on my company intranet. It was exciting to know more about the initiatives aimed at empowering employees. This got me thinking about what makes workplaces tick.

I have very little work experience in comparison with the industry veterans I just read about. However, I have had the great fortune of working in many organizations during this limited time.

My first taste of industry experience came when I joined as a student trainee in an Indian Seed Company M. Company M was renowed as a leader in agricultural seed production and a pioneer in biotechnology.

The atmosphere at their corporate centre was very formal. I remember facing a panel of executives during my first round of interviews. In crisp and cutting tones, they reiterated that this company was not the place for young females.

This did dash my hopes but I stuck on there adamant to prove that women can do difficult jobs.

I did prove that the project given to me can be done by a woman. I travelled around to all the rural parts of Karnataka to evaluate the seed production fields in scorching heat. I took the intercity back to Bangalore every week where I was based.

There were no women employees in the production centre located in a no-man's land except for a cleaning lady. She was so happy to see me and always brought me a freshly-plucked rose from the garden and a cup of tea.

The work atmosphere was totally formal like I anticipated but the people were warm and helpful. I was doing my training under the guidance of a well known, elderly professor. He treated me very well and I am grateful to him for opening up a whole new window of knowledge.

I moved on to a national environmental organization as their media officer. The programme officer I worked for was very demanding. I remember having long review sessions with her.

I loved their campus in the Indian city of Ahmadabad. It was full of life with monkeys jumping about in the trees, peacocks fluttering around and red brick buildings designed to accomodate the flora and fauna. I enjoyed travelling to network offices, organizing pre-publication workshops and attending international conferences.

I came to Mumbai city with a job in a leading commodity exchange E in their research & development wing. The managers were very welcoming and informal. We went out for lunch together (even with the senior R&D managers) on saturdays mostly every week.

We had celebrations for almost everything in exchange E - for eg. when the exchange increased business, women's day, diwali, new year etc. The most exceptional aspect being that people were appreciated in the company.

As a small organization, it was possible for the managers/HR to celebrate personal milestones like weddings and birthdays. I was surprised to be called in to the managers cabin one day only to find that my team mates were gathered inside as well. They presented me with a gift to celebrate my wedding.

I moved to Brussels, Belgium after marriage and worked briefly for a small, international organization.

The Executive Director of that organization is still special to me. She is a very dynamic and accomplished lady. As the driving force behind the organization, she promotes and motivates her team members with a rare zeal and enthusiasm.

Alas, I still had to move on to greener pastures. I now work for an Indian information technology giant. The opportunities in this IT company are challenging and I was blessed to be able to take up an innovative assignment for them in Brussels.

I loved the work but I didn't find the particular project management very suitable. The project managers were not people-oriented at all. I felt as if I was just a number in their rolls.

This was also true with all the other team members although I am not authorized to speak for them. It was more like the people for the project and not the reverse. The feeling that people did not matter took a lot of joy out of doing the work.

I can't remember a single team outing during a one year period. Team-building efforts were practically non-existant.

This is not true about the IT company in totality. There are many initiatives for fostering a sense of belonging from a company perspective but it just didn't trickle down to my project.

I believe that people quit workplaces because of the way they are treated. The organization that values its workforce and provides the right atmosphere will win in the long run.

Work place culture and atmosphere are crucial for me to be satisfied with what I am doing. It is a fine balancing act for companies as well as for the individuals who form the company.

Baby on Board!!

I knew my life had changed forever when I saw his tiny body squirming on my belly in the delivery room. I felt relieved that the long labour session was finally over. Frank and I were overwhelmed with joy at the sight of our son.

I must thank the hospital staff in Brussels who gave me the best care possible before and after the delivery. They were so professional and sympathetic in comparison to the hospital staff I have seen in India. I am sure that less population and more facilities help them maintain such a cheerful disposition.

In Belgium, there is five days mandatory stay in the hospital after delivery. The doctors, mid-wives and even the physiotherapists kept checking on me and the baby during these days. It was a bit annoying at times because somebody was coming for rounds just as I was trying to catch a bit of zzzs.

It was difficult to adjust to the routine of the baby at first. He kept waking up in the night. I felt he was also adapting to this earthly life just like we were to having him around.

My son was born with a head full of hair and with his eyes wide open. Friends, relatives and hospital staff kept commenting on the eyes much to our surprise.

Our home also geared up for the new-born with additional cupboards, crib, changing table and an extra tiny bed for the living room. The excited first-time father also stocked up on toys, cuddly teddy bears and lots of clothes. This is despite me emphasisizing that it will take a while for the baby to be able to play with all the toys.

Its exactly three months since this handsome baby boy entered our life. He is more like a little person now.

He smiles innocently and starts cooing in baby language when we are around. I can't decipher much of it but I see that his daddy also speaks to him in the same weird language.

He flails his arms and legs as though he is cycling most of the time. It is exciting to see him roll around in bed and occasionally turn over. I know these are all developmental milestones in the growth of the baby.

I can see my whole life flash before me when I look into his crystal clear eyes. I see my past, present and future in him. Words cannnot explain the feeling of motherhood. It must be experienced to be understood.