That's the Difference !

Working in an offshore team in Indian Industry gave me lot of exposure to interact with the clients in US. I had always heard of US work culture being different, but had never really understood the difference. I always wondered that what could be different - even they would have a cubicle to themselves, even they would sit with their teams and have discussions, arguments, even they would have jokes to share, team parties,even their reporting managers would stand on their heads to get the work done before some unrealistic deadline. But after spending few months here,I have got some idea of the difference in the culture - its the ATTITUDE !

First one which struck me was that there are no fixed cubicles for employees. This culture is prevalent mostly in the Consultancy firms. The Consultants who are traveling for 4 days a week to the client site don't necessarily need a reserved cubicle for themselves. On 5th day they can work remotely from home. Even if the employees are not traveling and decide to work in office, they have a hotel kinda check in system where they can reserve a cubicle on daily/weekly basis. This saves so much of work space which would otherwise lie unoccupied.

Second difference is regarding the interaction with colleagues at work place. In India, I had the liberty to visit any of my friend's cubicle without prior notice. I could stop by at their desk with a cup of coffee and have a nice chat about anything under the sun. Even amongst the team, there used to be lot of fooling around stuff. Playing pranks on juniors in the team, laughing loudly and discussing things like new restaurants, movies, what is going on in other projects used to be a everyday routine. On one hand it helped us to bond with each other where as, on the other hand, it kind of affected the productivity of the team adversely. The time which was spent in the non-work related things could have been put to use in a much more efficient manner thereby putting away the need to sit back long hours in office and burning mid night oil. Here, people work quite seriously from 9 to 5 and enjoy after office hours. People here have their ipods plugged in their ears and have their focus on work alone. They take a 1 hour break for lunch in between. Some desis like this kind of atmosphere where as some are uncomfortable with the silence around. A friend of mine finds it difficult to work in this kinda isolation and cannot concentrate for more than 2 hours.

Meetings here are not conducted for the heck of it. They are conducted after some deliberation with a strong Agenda. Some reference material or fliers are sent to the attendees prior to the meeting. The action items which I saw only in text in India are something which I saw being put to practice here. No one wastes time for documenting minutes of the meeting. The items discussed are written then and there in the wiki by the project manager or the convener of the meeting along with the action items. The tasks are assigned to the individuals on wiki, who then go and update the tasks after they are completed.

The reporting manager does not stand on your head to get the work done. He doesn't come to your workstation to peep into your system to know what you are doing. You are assigned work with a realistic deadline and are supposed to turn in your work by that deadline.

Everyone trusts each other. There is a strong sense of Integrity in everything people do. If you say, that you completed a task in 3 hours, people would buy that. They would never question that. Because they trust that you would report the actual time taken for completing that task.

People respect each other's job, however small it might be. I have seen the housekeeping or mail delivery folks being treated with so much of respect and courtesy.

There are so many things which I find different here that I can go on and on about them. But the most important thing which infact gave me the very idea of writing this comparative post was an incident at my work place (oncampus job). My manager got an additional responsibility in a research department.She was promoted in the management hierarchy. There was absolutely no compulsion on her part to have communicated this news to us(her current team). BUT, she convened a special meeting and informed us about it before we could learn it from an outside source and be surprised. The sheer transparency and trust which exists in the team is just awesome. I was extremely impressed with my manager's move. It might be a very small or routine thing for her, but for me who has seen how managers and PL's ***hide*** things which affect their own teams directly, it definitely means a lot. I would consider myself a little unfortunate to have come across seniors at my workplace in India who have not set very good leadership examples. May be they do not understand that taking ones' team into confidence is the key to team's success. It is quite important for team's morale. I have had this experience in India, where my PL's moving out of the current project was communicated to me by some one outside my project. Not that it matters in long run, but I did question the faith and respect I had for my PL then. But I decided to derive a positive learning outta this situation. I am preparing a list of Do's and Dont's for myself from these experiences. I would try and incorporate them in my work ethics when I assume the leadership roles.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a traditional North American holiday, where people thank for their possessions at the end of a harvest season. Every year, it is celebrated on 4th Thursday of November which makes it a 4 day long weekend break for everyone in schools, colleges and offices. I was fortunate to be a part of this American festival this year. The main attraction of this festival is the celebrations with thanksgiving dinner, where people invite family and friends and treat them with turkey, wine, cakes and all sorts of delicacies. I did not go to any such dinner, but my group of Indian friends got together to celebrate the occasion with some desi food and wine. Dinner was followed by some games with cards. I learned a new game called "Poker". Its addictive and quite interesting. By the time we realized that it was time to pack up, the clock had already struck 3 AM. It was pointless to sleep after that, because we had all decided to go out at 5 AM to throng upon the thanksgiving sales. So, while my friends caught up on a horror English movie, I surfed all the possible websites to check for the online deals. Soon it was 5 AM and we wrapped ourselves in 3 layers of clothing as a protection against the -5 degrees temperature.

People go crazy for the thanksgiving sales. They line up in front of the shops for buying electronic items from a night before. Our first stop was at Best Buy. There was a swarm of people in the store buying everything and anything. Some of the things were bought simply because they were cheap. They had no idea as to what use they would put that to. Other stores we visited were Staples, Target, Sears, Old Navy, Aeropostale etc etc. I bought most of my electronic stuff online - 2 Camera's Canon SD1000, a 4GB Sansa, a 2GB Sansa, two 2GB SD memory Cards. I got pretty good deals on all these items and so I was satisfied ! Overall, I would say, it was a unique and exciting experience !!

Craze of Hindi Movies in US

It was a little intimidating to find myself in a land where desi's want a mother like Jaya Bachhan, they adore a father like Amitabh, wives expect a doting Sharukh or Abhishek and Husband's crave for gorgeous Aishwarya's , Rani's and Kajol's.....More than surprised, I was taken aback by the way the NRI junta identifies itself with the silver screen entities. For them, these screen characters are real people.These Desi's plan to visit them during their next trip to India. I sometimes wonder that which part of India would they find Suraj Barjatiya's portrayal of a close knit family or Yash Chopra's elegant houses and exotic locales..

People squander $s to buy Indian DVDs or catch the first show of a newly released movie. Visiting lonely parents in the neighborhood takes a back seat when it comes to catching up the first day first show of a newly released movie in a theater which might require a 2 hour drive. On my recent trip to King of Prussia, I accompanied my cousins to watch the newly released movie - Om Shanti Om. I was bored to death ! Sharukh's charm could not cast any spell and as per my ratings it was a super duper flop !! But again, it was not a movie of my taste anyways, so opinions might differ. My cousin and his wife were in the awe of the so-called-spectacular movie.They were so excited and thrilled that after seeing a horrifying 3 hour drama, they had nothing but to rave about it for 2 hours on the journey back home. Within minutes the whole network of their Indian friends was informed about how amazing the movie was and why they should watch it asap. I had nothing to say but was passively watching the second drama which was going on in front of me...

We happened to meet their acquaintance at the same theater. Now these folks had been (un)fortunate enough to have seen another big release of the month - Sanwariya , just a day before. Instead of exchanging pleasantries at a public place like cinema hall they were busy flaunting about their experience with Sanwariya. This show off was enough to upset my cousin's wife who could not watch yet another dumb sob story before her acquaintances did.

I am slightly flabbergasted to see people competing against each other to watch Indian Flicks before anyone else can ! This competition gives them something to talk about within their social circle of friends and relatives. Failure to do be a part of this rat race is taken as a sabotage to their normal life. I felt that people here are so disconnected with each other that they need external crutches like hindi movies to converse with each other. The dire urge to remain connected to their Indian roots is the biggest conundrum of the Indian Diaspora.

When I see an Indian Grocery store !

Never in the remotest of my thoughts, I had ever imagined, that of all the things in the world, an Indian Grocery Store would be something I would crave for after coming to US. I get so damn excited with the very sight of an Indian Grocery store that I am short of words to describe the jubilation. Back in India, I used to laugh at my brother when he used to help my mausaji, carry the bags from a grocery store. I never paid attention to any of those monthly lists which my masi used to make. But now, whenever I have to make a list of my own to buy stuff from the indian store, I get quite thrilled and excited. The trip to these stores here, is an experience in itself. There is only one such store in Bloomington known as Olive Market. Here is a picture -

Though, it does not have everything under the sun, which used to be there in India, but it has sufficient things to keep us tied to our roots. It has a wide range of pickles - mango, chillies, carrots, mixed, cauliflower, ginger, garlic; pulses - moong, toor, beans, 3 types of chick peas(chana), ready to eat MTR packets, spices which I had never even seen or heard of in India; all types of rice; flours - makai, bajra, besan, maida, sooji; maggi, bournvita, dosas, idlis...and the list goes on. The only thing which I find missing in their shelves is - my favorite Parle G and Monaco biscuits. Trust me, these grocery stores have so much more than I could have ever imagined. The most famous brands here are Swad, Lijjat, MTR and Mothers Recepie.

On my trip to Philadelphia, due to the limited time I had at hand,my cousin gave me a choice between visiting an amusement park and an Indian Grocery Store. Any guesses for what my answer would have been? My brother would mock at me if he hears that I chose to visit a "Kirana store" over the amusement park. The so called Kirana Store here was as big as one floor of Big Bazaar at phoenix mills(mumbai). So there I was in a huge indian mall, again appalled with the things around. This was the known Subzi Mundi of Philly, I had been to -

Apart from the regular things which I already mentioned, it had lots more to offer. One complete section dedicated to the biscuits - you name them, they would have it. Parle G, Monaco, Krackjack, Marie, Tiger...I can go on with the endless list. Theplas, khakhra's, frozen kachori, samosa, pakodas, vada pavs, paranthas, dhoklas and a wide variety of indian sweets. You need atleast 2 hours to be able to go through the entire store once.

There are lot of Indian Stores in and around New Jersey because of the dominance of Indian population there. The famous chains include - Patel Brothers, Subzi Mandi, International Bazaar, Namaste Plaza,Spice Land etc. Most of these stores are owned by either gujjus or saradrji's. And let me tell you, they are not only up to date with latest inventories from India, but are also abreast with the latest technology. They have their own websites and supply chain system for taking online orders. "Awesome" is the only word which comes to my mind, when I think about this business. The way the entire supply chain system works - the importing , the distribution throughout the US, the marketing...these stores are following the walmart steps !

Discrimination still exists !

Ever since the primary school I have been learning that there does not exist any kind of discrimination in the democratic countries. The citizens treat each other equally without any biases of color, caste, creed or religion. As kids, we were taught to understand the concepts of equality and be tolerant of other humans. So far, I had seen only a few discrimnatory actions in India. But I was certain and hopeful that there would not be any such thing in US. I had heard about the dignity of labor and all the good things about respect and appreciation US citizens had for each other. But guess, I was in a utopian world of thoughts.

The other day I borrowed a dvd from the university library and saw the movie "Crash"; only to receive a shock. This was a movie about social and racial tensions which existed even today amongst the natives of the land(the so called whites) and the non-natives(the so called blacks). I had read and heard that there used to exist some problems between the two groups, but was surprised to realize that it was not a thing of the past. It was still prevalent. And I did not have to wait long enough to witness the same peronally. I was in NYC for an interview with E & Y.(P.S: I am yet to write a post on my experiences in NY). On my way from Times Square to LGA airport, I was standing in a line, waiting for a cab. The cab drivers in NYC are mostly indians or the non-whites. I noticed atleast 2 to 3 americans who blatantly refused to get into the cab which was manned by a black person. Some of them looked at the cab drivers with utter disgust. Some made faces and walked away muttering somethings to themselves. I was at complete loss of words. Simply failed to understand that the americans who are known for their politeness and gentleness towards all sorts of foreigners in the country, are so prejudiced against the non-whites. Whatever might be the reasons, but thats how it is ! All I can say is, it still exists !!

Excuse me ??

There are times when we make a fool of ourselves..and I have gotten into a habit of doing that quite often after coming here. The other day I was at CVS (its a pharmacy store here, and works out to be quite expensive for students). But thats the only reliable store for purchasing medicines & related items. So I was @ CVS to buy a dental cleaner which was available only with them. The only good thing about visiting the malls here is that you get to see so many different varieties of a single product. Be it staples like curd, milk, bread, eggs, the chocolates, the fancy cosmetics or for that matter even the medicines. You will find plethora of things to choose from. And all these things are displayed so beautifully that you can't just help but be tempted to try each one of the available things. Anyways, thats a different topic of consumerism in US, which i might touch upon at a later time. Coming back to my story, I was there to buy only the dental solution. But as I said, these stores are attractive and the next thing I found was that I was wandering in the store. I picked up a few things with an intention to buy, but looked at the price tags and kept them back on the shelf. I was looking like a total idiot and "ganwaar" who was just gaping and strolling aimlessly in awe of these new things. After 45 mins of futile walk in the store, I realized that it was an endless maneuver and I should go to the check out counter. Though I was standing in the line, my eyes still kept going back to the beautifully displayed items. In order to deviate my mind, I started observing people who were in the line, infront of me. There was an old lady who was concerned about the rising prices of medicines, another woman was busy talking on cell phone, there was a couple, discussing about some party and just before me was a middle aged woman waiting impatiently to get outta this line. I guess, I was the only one with way too much time at hand. Not only did I wander around for 45 mins without any reason, but also had enough time to notice people. So I was standing behind this middle aged lady, trying to understand that what was the hurry all about. Soon she was on the counter and I was staring at her, simply looking at her. Suddenly she turns back and said - "Excuse me? Do you mind not looking at the screen when I key in the pin of my ATM card." Oh boy !! I was stunned and shocked. I was completely unaware of the fact that she noticed my staring. I had no intentions to look into her mode of payment or atm pin..All I could say was - Oh, I am sorry and excused myself to about 3 arm lengths behind her in the line. Felt terribly bad because of her accusation, because I had no such intentions. Anyways, so I learnt yet another lesson about this foreign land..Gurl, learn to mind your business !

And so I ran...

The temperature today, was the lowest by far; with a max of 4 & min. of -3 degrees. Even two layers of sweaters, a muffler and gloves were of no good. Having spent majority of my life in Rajasthan, i had assumed that bearing the low temperatures would be no big deal. But I was wrong, so terribly wrong. Had it been just the cold weather, I would have tried to cope up ! But the winters here are accompanied by the even colder winds which are enough to run a chill through one's spine. No matter what fabric you wear, these winds penetrate right through the protective layers and lash you left and right.

With a heavy back pack on drooped shoulders, watery eyes and a red nose, I was walking from the bus stop to my office(on campus job). The place was completely deserted and I could not see a single soul within the range my vision permitted me to see. I was calmly walking until I got a 5 minute panic stroke. For no sensible reason, I wondered - what if it gets even more chillier in next few minutes and it starts to snow. And what if my feet refuse to move and I freeze here. What if my vocal cords betray me and I am unable to shout for help. What if the snow starts depositing over me, layer by layer - until I am buried. No one would even realize that I went missing. Who would inform my folks back home? Would they ever be able to see me again? Would I get a glimpse of them ever? What on earth did I think before coming here, why did I come here in the first place? Yearned to be back with family and folks...and within no time I realized that I was muttering something to myself; how I wish, I could remember even a part of what that something was. Anyhow, so during all this thinking and muttering and walking activity, I figured that my eyes were doing the job they were supposed to do. They were trying to spot a human figure in vicinity. Suddenly a chap and his lady friend passed by me.I noticed that they were in shorts, had no special coverings to protect themselves against the wonderful weather and they were jogging. Jogging..eh?oh common, at 3 degrees, who does that ??I do ! Yes. I started running too. With a bag on my back and all the sweaters, which made me heavier by a few more kgs, I started jogging. I said to myself, that this little jog will keep me warm for a while and will divert my mind from the dreadful thoughts of snow burial which were haunting me until a couple of mins back. And it worked. I was at work within 5 mins, and things were fine as they always had been. But weird stuff happens at times !