Silence Please

I'm at the library with Jess and Marcelo. Since my project has been progressing well, I've decided to come down to the library department to assist the team here with their problems. I've definitely learnt a lot in just half a day, the supply chain process, maintaining records and sifting through an ocean of files (There are about 3 huge rooms full of them)!

Overwhelming is not even close! Jess and Marcelo have a pretty huge problem list on their hands. It is like trying to solve a 40,000 piece jigsaw puzzle! But they're well on their track and have a pretty solid initial plan and have even identified the tools for the same. To start with, they are in an office that "processes data". What data you ask? Well it could be ANYTHING that has to do with the government and i don't think there is even a list of all the available data!

Things work very differently here compared to the education office in the same city (where i've been working), mainly because of the vastness of the job involved. Elaborate physical processes which create a lot of redundancy, take up space. We're going to change some of those, hopefully.

P.S -> Will put up pictures in a bit. Back to work now.

Being Relevant

Why is it so hard to be relevant? We always have thoughts racing through our minds, but we document very few of them! Such is the case with the last week at Makassar, Indonesia. I have tried new fruits, food and cultures. Places that have made me wonder why the kind of life i lead is valid. How do i validate myself against such contrasting cultures? How are people at peace with so little?

Questions arise, and people tell me that is a good sign. We must always question, find answers and understand ourselves better. At Tana Toranja, i found out that people have different goals in life - material, but not quite. Lives revolve around death, achievements culminate in the last rites. An obligation? A custom? It is an eye-opener nonetheless.

People are relaxed, but lively. There is no rat race, but only a will to lead a fulfilling life. One of our clients from the education office likes to off-road on weekends. A great hobby, yes, but it is not to relieve stress or pressure. It is just out of interest, now that is new to me. We always use hobbies as a distraction and that is the problem!

My weekend visit to Tana Toranja was intense. Standing amidst centuries old graves, i realised how alive i am. Visiting tombs stowed away in a cave somewhere realised my insignificance as a human. Indonesia, you're so much like my country, yet so different!

Also, i'm exercising everyday with the team in the hotel lobby (really!). We do an "OM" everyday and run up and down the stairs. Bad whiskey, good beer. That is indonesia for now.

If only i wrote everyday, sigh! Till then, adios muchachos!

P.S: Oh yeah, i met the mayor, he likey likey our program. Took pics in suits, but that's that.

The Jakarta Post

I'm behind the curve. So much to blog about, let's set the clock to T-2 days! I arrived in Jakarta on a drizzly Sunday morning and was amazed to see how laid back the airport is in Jakarta. It looks more like a resort than an airport, and the immigration people smile at you, really!

The nice people at ABV put me in an excellent suite at the Kempinski, the oldest luxury hotel in Jakarta. I met my elusive team mates after 4 hours, which included 2 hours of running around and then giving up to take a nice bath and some room service, and we got a briefing from Anna S, Anna B and Kevin (all from ABV) about the assignment.

Jakarta is a city with character. There is an air of culture and you know it is the kind of city that would have an underground music culture and lots of art. From my room on the 11th floor, i could look at the canopy cover over most of Jakarta, something very similar to my city, Bangalore.

We J-walked our way through the bustling streets to get to the IBM office in Jakarta to meet the Country General Manager. On our way there, Arun (from Bangalore) told me that in Jakarta there are people you help you cross the road in exchange for small amounts of money. Who'd have thought you have to pay and break the rule? (instead of the other way around!)

At IBM Jakarta, we met Suryo Suwignjo (CGM) and he helped us understand the importance of CSC and what it means for a growth economy. While the challenges are easy to guess, the extent to which the problems run is something that needs to be experienced. I will write about that in my subsequent posts. Let's just say that the assignment is going to be important and extremely challenging.

After the meeting, the team headed to the loveliest meal i have had yet in Indonesia at the Lara DjongRong (Tan from IBM told me the delightful story behind the name). The indoors were exquisite, but the food was everything i'd expected Indonesian food to be, and more! Colourful, aromatic and an explosion of flavours, Indonesian food has something for every senses.

Left to Makassar the day after and some very intersting things have happened in the past 36 hours. Too sleepy to write now, but will bridge this lag soon! Slight preview, i met the mayor!

* The Jakarta Post is one of the most popular newspapers in Indonesia.

Scramble! Scramble!

Will I ever get rid of this Indian jugaad? I've just finished packing a huge amount of things i never knew i had and it only weighs some 16 kilos! It makes me feel good that I have such few wordly possessions or maybe i'm going to realise everything that i've missed in a slow, agonizing manner!

Cut to the chase. My long cherished dream of being an IBM Corporate Service Corp came true in December when i was selected from an extremely competitive (not kidding!) pool to go on an assignment to Makassar, Indonesia. My first thoughts were, "Indonesia? Whoa, this is exotic! If only it didn't sound so much like India. (ugh!)". But as I began my preparation for what is going to be a "once in a life time" experience, I've realized there is so much character to this country. I cannot be more excited about the work I'm going to do there.

I've been gloating to everyone i know that I'm going to be working for the Indonesian government, and have been receiving "oohs" and "aahs" all this while. To flesh out a little more details, I'm going to be working for the education department and the city government of a place called "Makssar" in south Sulawesi. I have been interacting with my global team of fascinating IBMers from about 7 different countries, as we prepared for our assignments. And it all comes down to the next few weeks.

Amidst visa confusions, what kind of sun glasses to carry, and the overwhelming excitement of meeting my fellow CSCs, I set off from Bangalore on an exciting journey. I've only dreamed of this, but now, i got to rush and get ready before my cab comes to pick me up. No time to dream, it is time to live.