Ever had that moment when you meet a celebrity and end up rambling— so much that you feel embarrassed? And they are so warm and friendly, it’s all forgiven and you feel comforted. ❤️
That’s how I felt with the amazing
@ShefVaidya
! So fantastic, supportive and relatable!
When I wonder what am I doing In life, writing a 3rd book? A moment comes when my battery gets recharged, my conviction gets fueled & my fears get a lathi charge.
Here's me gifting MY signed book to historian
@VikramSampath
. He was super nice, humble & promised to read it! Yay!
@kjb_ak
I was travelling from US to India. A desi guy sat in the seat next to me. Poor chap was trying to open a conversation and after 2-3 mins of sitting next to me he said "You don't talk much do you"
:)
@Parkyprakhar
I had a FAANG company Recruiter in India tell me "What do you think? We have bags of money lying around?"
This is hiring for a senior position. Hilariously comic and tragic at the same time.
@ActusDei
@SatyaSontanam
Being in this NRI <>India business for 6 years, I'll say paper can't predict how you *feel* about your income.
You can end up feeling richer or poorer in India depending on how you're designing life-- eg I want a high-end salon (Rs 10,000) vs Rinku aunty salon (Rs 500)
@aparanjape
We are hiring and find this
1. Software engineers overvalued (skills worth 20LPA are at 45 LPA) so we can't hire them even if we like them.
2. Intensity of work done is low. Resume shows a lot of work the team did, not them
3. Lots of jumpers-- who move every year. We avoid them
@0xKVA
@debarghya_das
😂
But it will never be america and WHY should it?(wait...rhetorical question :))
India will just be a better India. Expectations itself is wrong.
@nikhilarora01
@kjb_ak
:D Mostly I can be very chatty. If he had been cool and opened a normal friendly conversation I would talk.
I was also very young (26/27) then and didn't know how to take the awkward opening into a better conversation.
@debarghya_das
@kaushalvshah
My friend has a BA Literature degree-- transferred from Google HYD to California on an L1 and in 5 years she's got her green card. Go figure!
@debarghya_das
It’s easier to get into Google MTV after a CS Masters in local state university than for a tier 1 candidate from India because- location
@Zircoz
@nikhilarora01
@kjb_ak
I don't think it's about you. IMO Desi women need to make men feel comfortable especially if the man has taken the first step to talk to them.
@kushalbhagia
Woh hai but some NRIs feel they missed out on easily finding partners in their 20's coz of being abroad.
No one returns because of FOMO. They return when something isn't working out there. Visa, stress, health. How do I know? I wrote a book on this :D
Do you judge people by where they live?
Like Fremont? Or Milpitas? Or Whitefield?
Pimple-Saudagar?
Thane. Ghaziabad.
Fair oaks apts, Sunnyvale?
Any other locations on your mind?
😅
@Zircoz
@nikhilarora01
@kjb_ak
Oh, there is no skill involved. You just take one question and turn it back into another question and let it flow
guy "Are you going to Bangalore"
me "yes, you?" <smile>
guy "yes"
me "Do you work there? I used to work in Whitefield but now I...."
it just flows :)
I'm at breakfast at a top hotel in Bangalore, when I spot this girl walk in. I could tell instantly-- toned legs, solid core and heads-down focus-- that this is no ordinary woman.
I turn to my friend and point out, "That girl? I bet she's a professional athlete!"
@Zircoz
@nikhilarora01
@kjb_ak
I used to be sarcastic in my head (in my 20s) and it was just a reflection of my own state of mind and how angry I was because I thought I deserved better and was smarter than “these mortals”.
All that has gone. Put the person / relationship above their perceived stupidity :)
Google HQ, used to be a hot place to hang out-- full of people, chatter and high energy. Post covid, most employees are WFH-- the energies have gone down 1/20th and the campus seems so empty!
1/n This robe cost $55 and a whole lot of stress. Let me tell you the stories behind these graduation pictures.
I am 24 in this picture. A fresh MS graduate. Graduation in America is a big deal-- where parents fly in, ladies wear fitted dresses, and
Privileges I enjoy in India, that I didn't in the US
1) Homemade Indian food, by maid. Daily.
2) Outsidemade Indian food, < $5. Delivered.
3) Room cleaned, by maid. Daily.
4) Uber to drive me to office, < $10. Daily
5) App delivered groceries, < $10. Daily ....
1/4
@one_by_two
I counsel NRIs on if they should move back to India or not. Thing is, NRIs can be impactful even while living outside India. Nothing un-patriotic about living abroad.
I’ve a book on it too :)
I went for a meetup at
@AntlerGlobal
-- a VC firm. Good stuff going on with
@nitinsharma1
's team.
What I loved
1)Ultra focus on finding potential from all over
2)Encouraging Indian founders to think bigger
3)Many enthusiastic youngsters <3
What I noticed
1)Ladies, Where are you?
We are opening our doors for aspiring founders to discuss ideas, brainstorm with our team, and connect with fellow founders, operators, and investors.
Sign up 👇
This is how long-term NRI’s feel when they visit India :D Doing pai-lagu to the aerobridge after the plane lands in mumbai :D
Sweet words from none other than
#SwamiVivekananda
.
Thanks for sharing this beauty of a quote
@jsaideepak
"India I loved before I came away. Now the very dust of India has become holy to me, the very air is now to me holy; it is now the holy land, the place of pilgrimage, the Tirtha." -
#SwamiVivekananda
@theinformation
I’ve written a book on this topic, exploring why Indians move or don’t move from abroad. It’s easier to make the transition now due to long GC queues and potentially high salaries.
Mumbai mafia Netflix blames Indian cops — reminds me of the profs at Stanford law setting up anti-india lectures, blaming Indians and treating Indians in the audience badly.
A documentary made with deliberate bias.
#mumbaimafia
Why relying on digital info is tough In India.
Here at a
@StarbucksIndia
in
#bangalore
Says "8am" outside
Says "10am" on Google
Employee: "Madam 9:30am we start"
In India, you need a combination of
Physical🗺️ + Digital🌐 + Asking🗣️ to get accurate information :)
#nris
Google is opening in Pune. 6 years too late for me ;)
Got to cook up some Punekar Googler jokes now.
- Punekar googler spends 1 hr creating an angry meme on Memegen, and then deletes it saying "zaaude re, apyala kai karacha" :P
@Gautaamm
@jsaideepak
I can't read or write Gujarati :(
I'm from Maharashtra though, so I guess theek hai?
Reading writing Marathi doesn't count no :D Coz it's Hindi other than "lda" I-8
I BANNED myself from taking flights with Europe layovers. Once on a ATL-CDG-BOM leg, I fainted at the Paris airport. Delta had overbooked and bumped me off my own flight. Apparently there was a seat for me after everyone boarded, but the parisian flight attendants hand gestured
Saw another “I moved back to India after 15 yrs in usa” post today. Citing “closer to family” reason & praising india.
Stop already bro :)
1)Tell the real reason for moving
2)Rookie mistake to land in india & praise it, misleading others into thinking your experience = theirs
Corporates don't give full week off for major holidays.
In US, from Christmas to New Year's, everyone's gone. But Corporate gives only 24, 25th & 1st off
In India, during Diwali, people want to go home, but only 2 days are off.
IMO corporate charity begins in giving holidays.
NRIs can hurt less if they don't box themselves into goals growing off anecdotes (70LPA) or "BLR is the ONLY place to move".
I can assure NRIs: you will GET there. Have patience. Do the local hustle. Sweat a bit. Try different things.
Your breathe-deeply word is "Eventually".
To NRIs feeling sad & left behind becoz your friends are getting married this season.
Tera time aayega. Or maybe not. It’s not the point.
Point is to chin up. Live your life abroad FULLY.
Hurl forward like a steam engine towards a goal. No sadness can engulf you then. Hugs
Are you an NRI? Take my survey
The goal of this survey is to discover:
* What mistakes or right moves did married NRIs make, and what advice do they have to singles
* What are the top worries of NRI singles? How can we address them?
I'm at a tube station in London.
Got taken to a desk, by a young enthusiastic black guy to donate for Blue Cross. His boss, is a young girl in a hijab.
She says "We save and rescue animals"
I asked "Do you eat meat?"
Silence from both.
She replies "Only if its halal"
SMH 😂
NRIs moving to India, get those wavey worry lines etched into their forehead. That wavey forehead was mine in May 2016 when I decided to move from SF --> India. I had cornered myself into "I will only and only move within Google".
@Zircoz
@nikhilarora01
@kjb_ak
Philosophical answer: That’s internal anger. It’s how we think when we have young blood; waiting for the world to give us our due & reach our potential.
When you live to potential, then the internal anger goes away :) internal sarcasm gets replaced with peace.
As an NRI, I missed India so much, I would CRY when the national anthem played. I'd go ALL OUT for Indian Independence day! Here are the (way too many) things I did as an over-enthusiastic NRI in the US:
My favourite thing to do is to guess the city a movie was shot in.
I usually get it right.
But this time I failed to recognise Pittsburg.
I feel happiest on seeing movies shot in San Francisco.
The reasons for anxiety differ abroad vs india.
I’m shipping boxes 📦. My worries:
USA: How much $ will it cost? How will I take it? Will I be able to lift alone?
India: Where to buy boxes! What if they refuse these boxes? Will they print? Will they open on time?
4. Did flag-coloured food photography (eeeeuuu, I can't stand these pics anymore :P)
Now in india, I do... NOTHING! I don't feel sad anymore, I don't cry at the national anthem. Kinda boring now-- Livin' patriotism everyday I guess :)
#india
#nris
#indiandiaspora
#google
Yay, My US trip is sorted. Will be staying with my awesome friends in Berkeley.
Will travel to 4 cities to hold meetups for NRIs confused about moving to India.
Next step
1) Figure out where to do meetups (wework?)
2) Get sponsors for the event
👆Suggestions welcome
100% my thoughts on quizzing. I regret spending so much time in quizzing circles-- the only saving grace is some wonderful friends I made out of it, but the in-side jokes & exclusion made me feel like it was a waste of my time.
2. Most quiz clubs are boys clubs. This is natural because of the presence of so few women. But it also engenders a vicious cycle that further discourages women who try to participate in quizzes. (2/n)
Always wondered how VCs fund startups.
Here's my take on the behind-the scene checklist :D
* Founders have white hair - ✅ Check
* Founder surname is Agarwal/Bansal/Sindhi/Gujju - ✅ Check
What would you add? :)
@debarghya_das
I was expecting a 'you can check in anytime but you can never leave' sort of ending :)
Glad it was better than that!
I was one driven in a limo to interview for a company that makes... blinds :) Can't believe the types of companies i was ok with just to get the H1 :)
What is life like as an
#NRI
? This
#NRIDay
,
@NupurDaveAuthor
shares her experiences in her blog for Indiaspora.
"One of the biggest fears that followed me around was: what if I get stuck between two worlds—not fully American and not fully Indian either"
Switched from chatgpt to gemini for my book editing help.
She's good! She went cuckoo on me in between (i told her to be a great editor and she went bonkers and started acting like the author).
But i fixed it and now she's back to giving me great critiques on each para :)
@Our_Levodopa
Actuallyyyy.. Many people all over the world do it. I've seen this in america. In fact many flights from Pune->Bangalore, indians sit put till the door opens. :)
@debarghya_das
@sociaIrate
"weekdays I'm up early to open the door for the maid, so that I can pack dubba and go to office at 11 and return by 9pm. I goto toit on weekends. I eat dosa for breakfast. " -- everyone in BLR
BIG BREAKING NEWS - Srilanka approves visa-free entry for visitors from India with immediate effect.
Foreign Affairs Minister of Sri Lanka's major announcement. Sri Lankan foreign minister Sabry said that his country's relationship with India was ‘one of the most important in
I’m visiting usa 🇺🇸 in march.
Planning to do NRI meet-ups in these cities
1. Seattle
2. Austin
3. LA
4. SF
5. NYC
Chicago might be too cold :)
Suggestions?
Pune people:
Uber driver was asking for cantonment toll money because "Uber doesn't include it anymore". The toll naka took the toll payment. Rs 60. Driver kept asking me for it throughout the ride :)
Kay karyacha? My receipt didn't show me details of toll
@Uber_Support
@debarghya_das
Here's why. I went to join a premium gym (Volt) in Bangalore.
Sales guy "anti-sold" it.
Wrote pricing on a blank paper (meaning I can't trust the rates) & said
"If you wanna signup ,signup, otherwise no problem"
In his follow up he hung up on my face 😂
I ended up not joining.
Bay area folks-- meetup alert!
I am doing an "EX-NRI life in india" Tech talk in MTV! Come for it!
Sign up link
Saturday, March 25, 2023 at 4:00 PM
Hacker Dojo
855 Maude Ave · Mountain View, CA
6) Fast cars. Buy. Rent.
7) Small talk with anyone. Driver. Doorman.
8) Wear whatever the hell you want. Whenever.
Either ways, we are blessed!
#nris
#lifeinindia
@ashajadeja325
Amazing! I’m writing my next book for single NRIs and would love to include Indic thought into it. What’s the next step I can take with you?
I surveyed 300+ Indians on moving abroad. I asked
1. How badly do Indians want to move?
2. Why do they want to move?
3. Should Indians move?
4. How do they plan to move
Here are my findings. Thread 🧵
I wore my GOOGLE jacket in public today and twisted my wrist trying to hide the logo behind my backpack strap.
I feel embarrassed to show the logo-- people will think I'm "showing off" and it's not even showing off.
Can't figure why I'm so sensitive to it.
You like this?
Getting closer and closer to being uber-free.
-Richskaw bhaiiya drops off to office
-Taxi service for airport drops
Predictability > Pricing
#nris
#bengaluru
The most oft-asked question by my
#NRI
clients is: "Will I regret moving to India?"
Yes if you
1) move at the 'wrong time'
2) adamantly expect to recreate foreign life 1:1
3) constant resistance to adapting/adopting
If you're not ready for a big change, you'll not be at peace.
Friends tell me I have Courage to follow my passion.
"Courage" is expected to feel good.
It's expected to feel "omg I love this".
In reality, it feels edgy, scary, stupid and hyperventilating.
Following Passion != Feeling Great
You learn to DEAL with it.
When a person verbalises their hate towards India/Modi/Right Wing etc, I often get repulsed.
I now know why.
It's not WHO they hate.
It's the fact that they hate.
That this person is capable of such venomous hate, is what scares me.
Repulsion becomes a defence mechanism.
I have finally taken control of my book! I'd advice authors to self-publish on amazon. Here is what I lost due to publishing through an agent
1) All Reviews
2) Lost lots of sales ($3/ book)
4) Old links don't work no more
New link!
I've delisted my book from amazon as it was published through a 3rd party.
Moving to personal amazon account. Big big change!
Will lose the reviews and ratings but this is the best for the long run.
How many of you come from conservative families?
After my BTech I was packing to move to US for my MS.
I bought high heels to take with me.
My grandmom didn’t talk to me for two days.
This sign in India comes as a reminder on how tipping in the US, has flipped from you feeling nice --> feeling bullied.
Every nail salon in the US, has bullied me into paying more tip "5 daalar naat eenuff" for service that feels like "itne paise mein itnaich milega"
You know you’re fully integrated into India when you gossip about your maid. :)
First, she’s got 3 phones on her— like rich people do, or a man having an affair. I am never sure what number to call her at because I've saved her as "Richa ghar," "Richa phone 2," and so on
1/5
Do all Indians want to migrate?
Do Indians feel NRIs have it easier?
==>Fill out the survey! <==
Results & other information in the form.
Do Reshare for max reach. Will appreciate it.
#survey
#nris
#indians
First week of my MS, I heard two American girls tell the prof
"Sorry, We don't check our email on weekends".
I, the FOB, was shocked. It seemed ridiculous to me.
Now I'm actively partitioning my life to keep work separate from weekend.
The Americans knew this all along :)
I'm an NRI counsellor for moving back to India
@GabbbarSingh
Actually, it's about what's preventing them from leaving abroad, than whats repelling/attracting in India
India visits make NRIs nostalgic, but after return flight, it's back to the comfort of Jobs, life, and money.
It just takes one trip back home for any NRI who - swayed by emotion & some patriotism - contemplates to move back to India. Just one trip to cancel any such thoughts.
Our eyes are usually numb to the squalor on the streets, but it’s super stark for someone who just came back.
An interesting difference between India & US.
US no one asks "how many years of work exp do you have?"
India, it's a common question.
And the answers are oddly specific and funny.
Youngsters are like "I have 1.35 years of experience" or "2.6 years of experience"
If your name is Aishwarya, how many hours before someone giggles and says "Rai?"
PS: If you're Indian, take my survey on why Indians want to move abroad:
#indian
#desi
#humour
#AishwaryaRai
NRIs are unhappy.
Not because of missing India. No.
But because they are stuck in a restrictive environment where they cannot sit back, relax and take a long-term break.
If they could live abroad without the need to earn, they'd be fine.
#nris