An all expense paid long vacation!

An ocean of thoughts in my mind. Equally huge number of feelings in my heart. I don't know how to tackle them. Best way to do so is to write. But then, what if the same ocean of thoughts and the huge number of feelings prevent you from writing?

This is exactly what's happening to me. I have so much to write. So much to express, but it doesn't come out. No, alcohol doesn't help either. Nor does the company I am with. I can take time to get along with people. Especially when out of the blue I have been put up by my office with new colleagues at a place far far away from home.

So, what have I been upto off lately?

I am at this most exciting, rocking, energetic part of the world called California. Yes, the place where Hollywood resides; also home to the huge metropolis San Francisco; and place for some serious business in the heart of the Silicon Valley. You name it, and California has it all. Am here for a few months for work. My friend tells me I'm on a paid holiday. And I keep rubbishing her thought. But today, for once I asked myself. Really? Am I on a paid vacation?

So let's see. Am I enjoying my time here? Yes I am, I love it here, except for the hours I work, I think its a cool place. I always enjoy travelling a lot. I have done fair bit of travelling already, but nothing is enough. Given a chance, I would keep hoping all over the globe regularly. So yeah, I like the fact that I am in California.

Is this a vacation? Not really. I am working here. Day and night. Actually, night more than day. Documentation, shadowing, training, meetings, Facebook / Twitter and the occasional random You-tube videos while at work. Oops.

How is the pressure? There is a lot of pressure due to work. What to wear today to work? Am I going to miss my train? Oh and also how am I going to document stuff when I am not getting the required training? I got to figure out the procedures and documentations myself. Pressure has just eased off a bit though; ever so slightly; coz I have got to know that my stay has been extended. Couple of months more may be. Wow, a couple of months more in California. That's wicked.

How you think the next couple of months are going to pan out? Well, you know, as I said, I got to figure out stuff myself. I have got to chalk out my own itinerary for San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Tickets, places to visit, stay, I am on my own. No one will help. On second thoughts, I also need to sit back and do some research and make work related documentations myself. Need to get it signed off before we take back work to India. But I get a feeling it should be fairly easy. I will get there. Eventually.

How do you manage your expenses? Oh, my company is generous in a way. They pay for my food and accommodation. Although there is a limit to the value of food, it doesn't matter to me. I am no food fanatic. Oh, and also the travelling is free. Except for when I want to go out of city limits, which is a fair call.

Gosh! I guess she is right. I am really on a paid vacation I guess. But then, if you go to see, life in itself is a vacation. Ok yes, I am getting into my philosophical mode but seriously. Think about it. Don't you feel you are on a really long holiday. You begin in the most beautiful, serene, heavenly place there can ever be on this planet, your mother's womb. And you end your vacation in the quiet and calm of heaven. And the journey in between is what is one big long vacation.

You meet so many different people along your journey. You do so many different things. You visit various places. You love a few people, you hate a few more. You do good things, you do bad things, and then there are good things you do that turn out bad. You change home, some by force, some willingly. You get married, have kids, play with them, care for them, bring them up with pride. You have stories to tell your grand children, you cry at their ignorance but love them dearly. You complain about your son / daughter to your elderly friends but can't stop praising about them at the same time. Isn't all this just a collection of lovely moments from your life. So many experiences, so many memories. This got to be one big long holiday.

And guess what, it is a paid holiday. Isn't it? You come to this world with nothing and you leave with nothing along. God pays for it all. He brings all the experiences, all the memories, and all we need to do is enjoy the journey.

Wow, I started with something and I am ending at something else. But I guess that was the point. I just wanted to write. I wanted to clear off my mind. Not for my friend, not for anyone else, but for me. I am not trying to prove a point. I am happy the way I am. I won't stop being myself for the fear of being judged. That's not me.

So my dear friend. You are right. I am on a paid holiday. But then, so are you. And so is everyone around us. It is a coincidence that we happened to meet each other on our respective holidays. A happy coincidence. The word is Serendipity!

Have a great vacation!