Day of many firsts:20th February 2009

First air flight….
First international travel.
First longest day.
First taste of non tropical food.
First experience of different climate……

And then followed the days of many other firsts…
First experience of the snow…
First day light saving….

The day commiserated with the 7th death anniversary of my dear muthachan. Missing you a lot, and am sure this was possible as part of your grace too…..

Travel was by Qatar Airways: via Doha, in Qatar, a thumb shaped peninsula of about 11,500 sqkm in the Arabian Gulf, famous for its natural gas and oil reserve.



The first morning rays of light was a beautiful orange line separating the sea from the sky…when otherwise it was difficult to distinguish between the two, as the water, everywhere was very still and matching to that of sky.

And then …. to New York, connecting flight was at 8:30 am, India time 10:50 am, per Subramanian remembered ‘Charles Lindberg’ while crossing Atlantic Ocean. ……The first longest day too……for the time differences on account of different time zone.




Over the mountains, over the rivers, over the plains, we were …flying…It was ‘Aaj hum upar, Asma nichey……’ We could find clouds below us…In India the landscape was green, in Doha, it was desert, but not as beautiful as the song ‘Gujarish..’ but then it was white, and blue white everywhere…except at some places where we could find something like a light brown colored floorings, with ribbons around, which probably where the dwelling places..



For entertainment was the touch screen entertainer, orysc…with movies, music, games, TV, news, shopping, young traveler and discover more….watched, Mere Bap Pehle Aap,Madhu Chandralekha, Home alone, Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling…




And thus reached Kilometers away on the other side of the globe, traveling for nearly 12 hours, and still when we landed here, it was only Friday afternoon!! Had plenty of time, waiting at Keneddy airport, moving from international to national ‘Terminal’ for the connecting flight to Connecticut which was only at 8:30, by then most of us, from a team of 13, all set to do the transition… had started falling asleep sitting ….


Had the first sip of ' Starbucks Coffee' which was very bitter first, had to add lot of suger....When getting into the connecting flight to Connecticut it was colder than a well-digger's elbow. mere thought of it, still gives a shiver and ……At Hartford, ‘New England’ people were helpful, upon landing at Hartford Airport on Friday, February 20, we were picked up at the airport by Executive Car Service to the Homewood Suites located at: 2 Farm Glen Blvd; Farmington, CT 06032. http://homewoodsuites1.hilton.com/en_US/hw/hotel/HFDFMHW/index.do
There were tons of luggages… The weather being too cold we were asked to carry with us warm clothes and a good coat! We were all looking forward for our first day at Stanley Works which was on Monday, February 23 starting at 10:30am; located at 1000 Stanley Drive, New Britain, CT 06053.




The week end, Jolly and Preethi came to visit us, gave the mobile, went to Indian stores, got the international adaptor for charging the laptop from India, went to their house at Manchister and purchased basic necessities from the super markets here, stop and shop, wall mart, and Indian stores...



First day in office was quite interesting, there was individuals sitting with the SMEs/Team dealing with the assigned BU’s and after talking with each other for 20 minutes, each of us had to introduce our counterparts….Mine was Amanda Gartwaite...
Was quite impressed, with her...hope the first impression, would last long, and help build a good relation...She was interesting, active, confident and a quick person...having two dogs, Jack and Haisel..who had recently purchased a new house..and there was one more hobby of her, which I understood as Skeying, but guess its hiking...still not sure, will ask her one day....

Then there was the especial presentation by Susan, Introduction from Jim, Alladin, and Susan…We had the lunch from office.


Thanks to all those...who made this happen...Please continue your prayers..as we move forward to face new challanges, prepared..

First things do have a special place in our hearts, whatever, wherever, whenever...

Just thought of putting these lines received the day before the journey....

I AM restless. I am athirst for far-away things.

My soul goes out in a longing to touch the skirt of the dim distance.

O Great Beyond, O the keen call of thy flute!

I forget, I ever forget, that I have no wings to fly, that I am bound in this spot evermore.

I am eager and wakeful, I am a stranger in a strange land.

Thy breath comes to me whispering an impossible hope.

Thy tongue is known to my heart as its very own.

O Far-to-seek, O the keen call of thy flute!

I forget, I ever forget, that I know not the way, that I have not the winged horse.

I am listless, I am a wanderer in my heart.

In the sunny haze of the languid hours, what vast vision of thine takes shape in the blue of the sky!

O Farthest end, O the keen call of thy flute!

I forget, I ever forget, that the gates are shut everywhere in the house where I dwell alone!



- Tagore