WELCOME TO INDIA II: First Day at Work

Today, I officially resumed work at Tata Consultancy Services.

Resumption time is 10am, so I can get enough sleep.

All I did was just fill out my resident permit registration form, get documents I would be taking with me to the FFRO and resolve issues with my data stored on the system. The person who created my employee id mixed up my name, wrote my surname as my first name and middle name as Surname. I had to wait for

There so much security and technology down in the office, Laptops and any other forms of electronic gadgets are not allowed, had to drop my laptop at the reception...Kristina did not tell me about this till we got to the front of the gate.Every employee has to swipe their ID to enter the building and offices. My log in details to use the computer is different from the log in details to use the company's system portal. My log in to the system portal was blocked because I typed in a wrong password thrice. All mails and social networking sites are blocked. Every one is so busy and I have to learn as fast as I can, because no body has the time to baby sit. Kristina has been so helpful, helping me out with all the registrations and following to about.

I was the only one in a suit, the Indian chicks were all in Saris, Kristina had on a jacket and a regular pant...some serious dressing down. I have to go lock my suit up and get myself some pants. It is too cold for the skirts I brought.

Tomorrow I have to go to downtown Hyderabad to the FFRO office to get my resident permit, I have been in India for 5days now and have less than 9day to get my permit. After getting my permit, then can I get a bank account and phone number. I hear the process of getting a number is so long and worse than applying for an american visa. I was expecting Tata telecoms would provide us with numbers but all subsidiaries are operated seperately so we must follow due process even though they share a parent.

Yesterday we attended a children event downtown Hyderabad. The name of the event is Balakalakaar and it is an art program organized by AIESEC Hyderabad for the public school children. Kristina, Sandra and I arrived at the end of the event, after almost getting lost...one thing with Rickshaw (Keke Marwa, as it is called in Lagos) drivers here is even though they do not know where you are going to them will tell you to enter and start doing roundabout till they find the place. Every one was staring at us as we entered the venue, I shake hand with them kids tire, I smiled till my mouth hurt. I said my name to so many time, I never stoped hearing, Hello, Miss what is your name? Your name is nice., Where are you from? Is this your real hair? My braids wa pulled so many times...I even signed autograph...my head was swelling.

Representing Naija: Dotun, I, OZ, Micheal, Anthony and Ib

Dotun and I are Teammates at TCS, the others are here in Hyderabad working in the schools with the kids. Iz is done with her internship and leaves for Nigeria on Thursday.

I have been eating them Indian dish, but I have been playing safe eating delicacies of rice...my best and the only one I know the name for now is Chicken Biryana. I ate it at some restaurant I and the other interns went to yesterday. It was some sort of send off for the some of the interns. In the last five days I have met and interacted people from all continents of the world. I am having fun and still very much overwhelmed. 

Right now I have sore throat and runny nose, Hyderabad is so cold...one of the reasons I decided to come down to India was because I believed it is hot and just like Nigeria, but I am wrong. People are wearing winter coats and Jackets here, even the Europeans find it cold.

Also there is a gym, tennis court, basket ball court at work...All work and no play makes a TCS staff dumb.

Good night people.

♥ Lara  from Incredible India