2 Countries

Recently I went back to India for a vacation after more than a year and half. It was a welcome break and more than anything it was good to be back home sweet home : )

It was afternoon when I landed in Chennai and climate was not so hot and thankfully it was good for most part of my stay there. One thing I immediately noticed was of course traffic.

On the way from airport to home, I seriously thought traffic was bad and people were driving crazy, wondering how did they change so much in just a year and half. But I was told the traffic hasn’t changed at all just my perspective has. I used to make fun of my friends who tells me how different it would be when you go to India after an year for the first time. Just being used to traffic here in US for one year, you will see the difference and feel awkward. But it was just for one day, after that I was back to where I truly belonged and I was driving on the roads as crazily I was before. On the way though to compensate for the crazy traffic outside, enjoyed the sweets mom has bought to the airport, it was good to see them after a long time. Reached home just in time to see my sister who was “seriously” preparing for her afternoon exam and wished her best as she left. She has grown a lot in a year and was good to see her and hang around with her.

Spent first two weeks going to my native place and other places down south Tamil Nadu. It is always fun and this time around it was more fun as we went with cousins and aunts and also now you go with a different perspective. Other than that met friends and relatives and went around Chennai.

Most of the days relaxed at home, having good food, watching TV and sleeping. Went back to those good old days and did exactly as I had wished here : )

While here in US, I thought I have changed a lot but your character is defined by the environment you are in and mostly while in Chennai I was as I was before. I understood that culture, environment and people around you influence your behavior and its very different out there from what it is here but to me both are equally fine.

There are two things I felt has changed from the time I was there. One is really the traffic as I have told before. But one another thing which may seem silly is Ear Mufflers. Oh man! I have never seen any new thing being used by people before in this scale. Every other person was wearing one and I don’t know how it caught up among people in every place in Tamil Nadu. Every shop was selling them and it was really cheap. Although being in cold place like Virginia here, I never used them, so it amused me when everyone was using it. It made me wonder, is this real indication of how the climate has changed and effect of climate change?!

Overall, it was fun and relaxing but dint know how days had passed and suddenly realized I will be leaving back in few days. It was sad to leave but at least I dint feel bad to be back here, I should thank those who make home away from home here. Don’t know when I will be back home but till then these memory of it will be there for sure.

PS: Post title is inspired from the book “2 States” by Chetan Bhagat, which saved me in the long flight on the way back. It is a story of a boy and a girl from two different states in India getting married, it was a good read.

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Filed under World : Comments (1) : Feb 21st, 2010

What a semester it was!

Reflecting on the fall 09 semester went by, what a semester it was! Had a great time in the past six months and wish it stays the same.

Somehow I think I dint work much this sem but did a decent job on the courses. I dint code much too in the course projects which is rather disappointing as I like to code but happy that my teammates did a good job on it. Grades are not out yet but hoping to get fair grades.

Experienced new things and tried few things, some things turned out well and some things failed. Thinking of missed opportunities I feel bad but at least I tried and learnt from it!

One thing for sure, I have changed a lot and I know it! Not sure if people around me see it that way or whether its for good or bad … but change is constant and change for the better.

Everything has to come to an end one day and it will be written as past but not the memories of it! As this semester comes to an end and with it 2009, hope you had a great time as well and wish you a great year ahead. Happy new year : )

PS: I wish to write a lot but can’t find words to express and few things cannot be expressed! Unnai ennip paarkkaiyil kavidhai kottudhu … Adhai ezhudha ninaikkaiyil varththai muttudhu … Abirami abirami : )

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Filed under Misc : Comments (0) : Dec 15th, 2009

A Peaceful Weekend

After quite sometime I had a free weekend, stayed at home lazying around watching movies and browsing. I am a type of guy who likes to spend time with myself, don’t know but I had changed a lot in the last year. But then this weekend I had nothing to do and I was at peace with myself with random thoughts crossing the mind.

Lot of times I remembered my home where I would be lazying around in the weekends watching TV, eating and sleeping. Lot of things have changed from then and I wish I can be like that again, waking late in the morning to my moms bed coffee, having hot pongal sambar, watching cricket or news on the TV and having lunch, good sleep in the afternoon and enjoying the evening with snacks. Looking back at those days, I can see how much I miss it but back then it was just another day in life and I dint appreciate much. I think it happens in everything, we don’t appreciate something until we miss it. Most people including me don’t appreciate the present and always long for something or regret the past. I realized it today and I hope I will begin appreciate the present more and live in the present more than the past or the future. But again same question pops my mind in dilemma as I asked in one my previous blog, should one be self satisfied with what one gets? If self satisfied, then how can one improve? I don’t know the answer yet but I think as with everything it should be balance between the two.

Apart from that I had been following Indian Elections for quite sometime now, Indian people have given a clear mandate this time around. I hope Dr. Manmohan Singh and his team can take India to the next level and I can see a change in the way goverment is formed with emphasis on performance and youth. I dont follow or support any party as such but I like to read about leaders and personalities on what they are doing and about their life. I watched an interesting video “The many lives of Sonia Gandhi” in NDTV today, I really admire her for her courage, modesty and on what she has done to the strive the Congress party to the current state. It makes me to think how life can change so easily and how one should move on in life with what he has got.

That’s pretty much for now. Live happy and make others happy : )

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Filed under Uncategorized, World : Comments (2) : Jun 1st, 2009

BTransit Time Checker - GTalk Bot

I have created a GTalk bot to find next available bus for Blacksburg Transit buses in Virginia Tech, Blacksburg. BTransit buses are frequently used by students in Virginia Tech to commute across the Town of Blacksburg and Virginia Tech campus. So I thought a GTalk bot which can tell next available bus time will be useful to many students and so here it is.

To use the bot, add the following user to your friends list in GTalk.

GTalk Id: bt.timechecker.bot<at>gmail<dot>com

Usage: Route=<bus_route>

Once you add, the user bot will be online and you can interact with it as a normal friend. To find next available bus, type in the command “Route=<bus_route>”, <bus_route> being the bus you want the schedule for. Currently though it will support only Tom Creek’s A bus route (<bus_route>: TCA). I hope to add other routes data soon. It will fetch you next available bus time based on the current date and time and display it.

This is done as part of my project in Network Architecture Protocol course. But actually, I got the idea of doing something like this in my last semester course User Interface Software, where we were evaluating VoiceXML and how users can manage and access data easily. That time I thought of doing it as voice interface but dint get through. So now since I got an opportunity, I have implemented that idea in a GTalk bot. I also know of an iPhone application which can find the schedule of BT buses.

Hope this bot will be useful, please leave your comments on what you think.

Disclaimer: This bot is unofficial and no way related to Blacksburg Transit company. This is just done as an experiment personally, use at your own risk!

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Filed under Misc : Comments (4) : Mar 11th, 2009

Inspirations and Desire

Many times I read and hear what others are doing and I feel very bad that I am not upto the mark. I wish I could acheive something significant in life and be very successful.

Recently, I read a lot about AR Rahman and what he has gone through to be the person he was now. I am really impressed by his personality and what he has done for himself and his country. He has proved me that a person need not be outgoing to be successful, your work will speak much more than your words. Just now, I was reading Chinmayi blog and I was wondering how she can do so much in 24 hrs. Generally too, I will get amazed by what other people do (be friends or people I meet or really great people) which I am not doing and I will be wishing I can do that as well.

I believe this is because I always feel I am not doing enough when compared to others and I try to improve myself seeing others. But in a way, I think I have to be self satisfied with what I do and move on. But I have not reached that level yet and I am not sure if it is good or bad.

For now,

“Stay hungry, stay foolish!” - Steve Jobs

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Filed under Misc : Comments (2) : Mar 4th, 2009

Las Vegas - Another world

Went to Vegas few days back with my cousins, it was one lot of experience. It is a totally different world all together. My cousins rated it as one of the must visit in US and I totally agree with them but to my surprise they also rated New York as close second to it.

I stayed there for 2 days, one day in Hilton and another in Excaliber. Both hotels were very good but Hilton was a class apart. But we hardly stayed in the room, we were in casinos all day and came back to sleep at 4 AM. We went to almost all casinos and each casino were very different, esp. Paris, The Venetian and Wynn. Wynn was a new 5 star casino and you can see the difference the moment you enter, the theme, the look and the people. All the tables were high rollers and you can see the real high people who gamble, they were so modern and fashionable, you can notice the difference in people here from other casinos. I guess these were the tables and scenes shown in many movies.

Restroom in Vegas Hilton

Restroom in Vegas Hilton ; )

I also gambled and made some money. It was good to sit in the table and play Blackjack and other games. It was a high feeling, sitting with other players and playing as if you are some high level gambler. I played and once I got some good profit exited, otherwise I would have lost all the money : ) I guess you can make some money easily, I mean not much but some 10s should be easy.

My best three picks in Vegas :

1. Bellagio Fountain - Because that was the image registered in my mind of Vegas. It was good to be just there.

2. Playing Blackjack - Playing Blackjack in the gambling table was a high feeling.

3. Wynn and The Venetian - Both these casinos were different and must see. You will be stunned by their designs.

There are many other places I am yet to visit and it has to wait till the next time I go there. On the whole it was fun and I felt the void of lights once I got out.

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Filed under Misc : Comments (0) : Jan 3rd, 2009

One semester goes by!

I have completed my first semester in Virginia Tech! Time is moving so fast, it seems just like yesterday I came here. By Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, I can say I have enjoyed my time here :). Lot of things happened and I had a great experience. With new country, new culture, new people; my views have widened and I know now how the other side of the world is.

With respect to courses, I just took 2 courses this sem and I happy with the outcome. But in these courses I must say I dint learn much and that disappointed me a bit. But that’s ok; it was not bad it was just normal. I dint find any drastic change from the way courses are taught in India but to some extent here they seem to emphasize on assignments and projects rather than the final exams, which is good.

Btw, now I can say with confidence that doing Masters after some industry experience is better. Once in industry, you know how they work and you will have the exposure. It will make learning interesting. I am fortunate to have worked in Infosys in best and toughest projects. Those tough projects have taught me a lot and now I am able to use it, in fact I got a RA because of that.

Apart from studies, I went to many places like Washington DC, adventure trips camping, trekking and canoeing and also went to Virginia Tech football game. It was very new experience and fun. I also enrolled in International  Friendship Program organized by Cranwell Intl’ Center in Virginia Tech.I got really good friends, Bob and Karen Warnes there, they made a home away from home. Spent time with their family on Thanksgiving, Christmas and many other times and learnt about American and African Culture and had great American home food.

All said, not everything happened as I expected, there were few disappointments as well. I guess that’s how life is and I learnt from them. If everything is as expected, life will become boring and there will no learning. Isn’t it?:D

I am thankful to all those who have helped me, without them it would have been very difficult. Overall, it has been a great semester and I am looking forward to the next one. In the next one though, I am planning to take more courses and I think it will be busy semester. Let’s see how it goes.

But for now, its holiday time. On the way to San Diego, CA, on board the flight.

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Filed under Misc : Comments (1) : Dec 26th, 2008

Trekking in Wind Rock

Last Sunday (Dec 21), I went to Wind Rock, a mountain peak and a trail for hiking with couple of friends. It was a short trip in a freezing temperature probably -10 C. I don’t know why but I enjoyed the hike very much and it made me very happy :). It was such a blissful feeling to see a place like the ranges of the Appalachian Mountains in a temperature I have never been. We were accompanied by 2 very cute dogs, Cinnamon and Lucy, they made the day for us. Before this, I have never been with dogs and in this trip I truly enjoyed their company. Though the trip was short, doing it in such a low temperature was different. I could hardly take my hand out and once I was trying to click the camera but my hand got frozen and I was not able to move my finger to click the pic.

Bliss - Appalachian Mountains

Bliss - Appalachian Mountains

There was also scariest 2 minutes I have ever experienced. The two dogs were left loose by Brian and I was worried about it from starting, since it was a peak and one wrong move can slide you down to miles. The two dogs were just running around and enjoying themselves in the wild. Suddenly when we were about to leave we could not find Lucy and I got really scared on what could have happened to Lucy. But Brian was cool and he was pretty confident about his dog. We called out its name from every corner of the peak and after 2 mins it came from a steep just like that. I got lot relived and it showed how much confidence Brian had on his dogs.

On the edge with Cinnamon & Lucy

On the edge with Cinnamon & Lucy

We also took lots of photos with dogs and the peak. This was the first time I used my new Canon SD880 camera and pictures came out quite good as well.

Overall it was a very different trip with lots of things I had not experienced before. Thanks to Brian for organizing it and thanks to Cinnamon, Lucy, Ramanujam and Sagar for accompanying. It was a short trip but for me it was one of those days which you will enjoy without knowing what for.

Full set of photos

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Filed under Misc : Comments (0) : Dec 23rd, 2008

World View

Its been 2 months since I came to the great United States of America. I came here with lots of dream and anticipation and this is a entire new experience for me not just because its a different country but at personal level too, this is the first time I am really coming out of the comfort of home and being independent. This post is about my perspective of America, India and the World.

Roads and Traffic

One thing you will notice from the time you land here is the roads and the traffic. Roads are well planned and organized. Yes, roads are good and well connected but it depends on the people who are using it right? People here really follow traffic rules and its because of two reasons, one they can’t think of not following it because they have not seen other side (like one in India) and secondly because of the strict rules and heavy fines for it.

No ambiguity

One another thing I noticed here is, there is no ambiguity. In the sense, laws are very clear and people are well informed about it. For instance, there is a law here that, when the pedestrian crosses the road all vehicles has to stop no matter what. Because of this law, one can cross the road without worrying about what the driver will do, he is assured that he will stop. Like this, there is law for everything and more importantly its is enforced well. India has IPC but thats just one half, it should really educate the people about it and enforce it in better way.

People

This I don’t know about whole America but atleast in Blacksburg, people are really friendly. A simple thing, from the person walking on the road to the bus drivers, greet you. It may be simple and costs nothing but it was very different for me when I came here and it made a lot of difference. I wonder why in other places they are not doing it.

Automation

This one has taken me down. Everything is automated here from phones to bus tickets, there will be minimum human interaction. Yes, in one way you can say its developed and its good but on the other why there are people then. For instance, when I came here I dint have a phone and I have to hunt for a public phone. For the first week I was really frustrated, first there are not many public phones because you are expected to have you own cellphone and secondly few public phones here also are automated which means you need quarter dollars to make a call. It was like, I wont have quarter dollars when I find a phone or when I have quarter dollars I wont find a phone. Sigh. In this one India is better, we will have PCO at every street corner operated by a person and we can make call and exchange money there. Though I believe this is because of the population and finding employment for everyone, it is important to involve people.

These two countries are very different and both have its own merits and problems but important thing is to look at what other does better and learn from it. After coming here, I have learnt to see the cup as half full rather than half empty (not just in the view of the country but personally too). America is developed and living standard is high. India is developing but still it has lot to offer in other ways. I am proud to be an Indian and I admire it, which country in the world can have over one billion people, thousands of languages and religion and still live in harmony. More recently, which country for its history and sincerity to peace can be included in NSG by not signing NPT.

I love to smile, I love to think different, …
I love India, I love America,
I love the whole world, its such a beautiful place.

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Filed under World : Comments (2) : Oct 5th, 2008

iCasting from this New World

Hello world!

I am Rahul Kanna doing my Masters in Computer Science in Virginia Tech. I came here in Fall 08 from Chennai, India  and I am  experiencing this new world for the first time. I wish to use this blog to write about my thoughts on various issues and get views from others. This is my first time experience in iCasting (A new word for writing about my thoughts :D) and I hope to share and learn many interesting things out here .

Thanks for stopping by, stay tuned for updates!

Think different >>

Rahul Kanna

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Filed under Misc : Comments (0) : Sep 7th, 2008