For the past 5 minutes, I've been pondering over what to write, then a look at my 'blog title' provided some much-needed inspiration. So a 'blithesome contemplation' of the time leading to and being in the 'melting pot' of the world, the famed 'Land of Dreams', the land of Uncle Sam, the United States of America!
To give a brief description of the reason I am here, well just 'google up'(yeah, that's a valid phrase in the contemporary world!) IITians seeking internship opportunities abroad, and you'll be faced with a plethora of views ranging from 'eye-openers' to 'downright disgusting'. There's all this talk about genuine students getting hampered by lack of opportunities due to the overwhelming amount of candidates following the same path. I wouldn't get into that, just to avoid offending the word 'blithesome'.
Well the most interesting part of the whole experience has actually been the part leading up to here. To begin with, my visa application was put on hold because apparently I was about to do some research that held some ..... 'potential', to put it politically. So, I am given an indefinite waiting time and my passport's retained, but wait!, what's that?, yeah right, I need a passport to write the GRE. Stupid enough not to have learned that till two days prior to the exam, I was left with no options, so I decide to take the ride along with my friends to Kolkata (who doesn't?). On the day of the exam, I make a last-ditch effort (with some invaluable help from a friend) to retrieve my passport for one day, and Voila!, there I am being handed my passport and being wished good luck for my upcoming exam. I know I've been lucky, I know there wasn't a tiny part of all this I found funny when it was happening, but looking back at it, I must admit, it was like 'the comedy of errors' was being played out. So then I gave the GRE, the visa arrived in time (I told you I was lucky!) and the end-sems are over, time for some research! But, Air-India decides to go on strike, so no need to guess which airline carrier I had booked to reach Chicago. And a day before departure (atleast I hoped I could depart), the headlines read 'Osama-bin-Laden vanquished', well couldn't say I wasn't expecting it. To cut a long story short, after a long wait at the airport, and after Air-India had played their share of 'Match the Following' with regards to connecting domestic and international flights, they eventually took me to Chicago on a flight (16 hours) devoid of entertainment units because of 'reasons which were not under their control'. The 'comedy of errors' being played out people, and I bet by this time I could pin the tail of the donkey blindfolded, that's just how my luck was.
Finally here, it felt pleasant to say the least. The research, the group, the travel, the people, it does make up for an enjoyable and enlightening time. Every single day working at Northwestern has been illuminating and gratifying. The weather's been great, the people have been fantastic, the work's pretty good, the food's satisfying(it's been a long time since I could say that), what more to ask for! Chicago surpassed the expectations of it's touristy fame, Evanston (the place I reside) has been fabulous, there have been no 'ironic' or 'things that'll seem funny later' going on (fingers crossed) and the whole experience has been a revelation. Post-grads in the US..... not a bad idea (to anyone having second thoughts). More on the 'touristy' part later if I end up travelling more.
Now that part of my post that I just need to have, the 'sports' column. Don't bother reading it if not interested, but playing a sports journalist is one of the luxuries I can afford in my posts, so here goes. Although being here has forced me to not-watch everything I want to (it's the other end of the world, the timings are a little screwed up). Well Manchester United lost the title of European Champions to one of the greatest teams of all times, well hate them or love them, but you can't deny that fact about Messi and co. Moving on to basketball, honestly I did not expect Dirk 'The German Wunderkind' Nowitzki to score what Lebron James and Dwayne Wade put together could over a span of SIX games. That was a phenomenal display by the big German, and deservedly clinching the first-ever NBA title for Dallas Mavs and the NBA finals MVP. And vroom vroom!, Jenson Button made my Sunday when he clinched the Canadian Grand Prix halfway through the last lap, after having two collisions, a drive-through penalty, 6 pit-stops and being last at a point during the race. Thank you FIA for introducing DRS and Pirelli, for these fantastic tyres that are making these races all the more interesting.
Maybe more to come on this internship, if I ever get as idle as I am today. Till then, signing off.
Adios amigos!
