Vacation-ish to the Motherlands

[mcgillianaire]

Getting blessed by the holy elephant in Madurai's Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Tamil Nadu. (July 2005)

In 48 hours I will be on a flight to Muscat. I cannae wait to get away. As much as I love living in London, sometimes you just need to get away from the hustle, bustle and big nights out. I've also been studying non-stop since October and I want a change of scenery.

In Muscat, my dad has organised a two-week training for me with Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP, an American-based international law firm. It'll be my first work experience in the legal profession. I'm quite excited about it. However from previous work and training experiences, I've finally learnt two important lessons. Firstly, don't go in with expectations of coming out with the perfect experience or achieving misplaced pre-conceived goals. Secondly, while it's always useful to learn things during the training, speaking to others and from my own experiences, I've realised that the real value of such experiences occurs sometime after the dust has settled.

I then have a few days to relax before jetting off to Madras. It's my first trip to the motherland since before moving to London in May 2007. As usual, I'm excited and nervous about it. But so much has changed in my life since my last trip, than compared to any previous trip to India. Most obviously, I have cemented my confusing twenty-three year relationship with the British Isles. It's got to the point where I hardly feel Indian anymore. I only have a handful of good Indian friends but I hardly see or chat with them for it to have any real meaning. I don't listen to Indian music or watch Indian movies much anymore. And besides the fact I eat a lot of Indian food, keep in touch with my family and follow Indian cricket, the former obsessions have dried up big time. I don't read or watch Indian news as much as I did before. I'm a Londoner now. I'm a part of the United Kingdom. This is my home. But am I British yet? I don't know...

It'll be an interesting week in the motherland. I won't have much time to think while I'm there because I'll be shuttling between Madras and the towns where my extended family live. There's even a wedding to attend, one of my second-cousins, which will be fabulatastic. I'll definitely be taking pictures and hopefully posting them on here before the return of Halley's Comet. Watch this Space!

And then exactly a month after leaving The Big Smoke I return a day before my solicitor's training course begins. I won't have much time to recover from jet lag. And the weekend following my arrival in September I travel to Newcastle. There really is no rest for the wicked!

Comments

[taxlady.livejournal.com]

Wow, sounds interesting, fun, and tiring. Bon voyage.

[mcgillianaire.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[caffeinefables.livejournal.com]

Oh that training opportunity sounds great! Congrats :) Nice of your dad.

Have a nice trip :)

[mcgillianaire.livejournal.com]

It does indeed! Really looking forward to it, very nice of me dad eh! And thanks. :)

[kapitankraut.livejournal.com]

For some reason, the moment I read the name of the firm, I heard a voice in my head saying "Oh, Webster, Webster and Cohen".

[mcgillianaire.livejournal.com]

What's that from? :)

[kapitankraut.livejournal.com]

"Cool Runnings"

[mcgillianaire.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, should've known better. I don't ever remember stuff I see in movies. Literally watch it, enjoy it or not and then forget everything that happens in it.

[drunkendeadcat.livejournal.com]

sounds like you got some good things coming up

[mcgillianaire.livejournal.com]

yessireee i do!! fancy a 20quid buy in in our fantasy league?

[elodie21.livejournal.com]

All the best with the training! And yes you're right, go with an open mind and zero expectations!

By the way, coming to India, then please come to Bangalore!!!! Me here!!! Just try ok? If you're coming, will give you my number and we will meet up!

[mcgillianaire.livejournal.com]

Thanks!! That's the plan! It won't be too strenuous in any case because it's only for two weeks.

I'd love to come visit you but the logistics could be complicated, but since you're so close I'll try my best to get away for at least a day trip!! It would be so nice to finally put a face to a name. That would be the highlight of the trip (besides the wedding of course)!!

[elodie21.livejournal.com]

Sure, do keep me updated though! Will email you my number