An afternoon on campus

To provide a stimulating visual element to spice up the briefing packets going out to the new round of foreigners coming to work in India, we spent an hour today under the midday tropical sun having our photographs taken.

The super energetic girl in HR, who is in charge of compiling information to send pre-departure to the Company's newest American victims, accompanied us for our lunch break to carefully document our exciting lives. We strolled the campus with the cute-yet-hyper HR girl snapping away, our awkward smiles a half-hearted attempt to banish all doubt from the new hires' minds how much they too also would be enjoying themselves in India.

At the expense of my integrity, the tacky factor was so outrageous I had to share them.


Up at Building One, coincidently a part of campus I had never been to until noon today. The infamous golf course mentioned in the first few pages of the World Is Flat is behind us. A note to all the Friedman fans- he made most of it up. Contrary to popular opinion, you do not, in fact, aim to the IBM logo towering in the sky to sink a Birdie on hole 8. There is no visible IBM sign, nor any other garish MNC signage in the sky to aim at. Sorry.

We were going to jump into the Pond, but took the bridge instead. Again, another first- I had never used the bridge until today, at the behest of the giddy photographer.

Scott captured in his prime, injecting his endearing aloofness into everything he does. Despite the many conclusions that could be drawn here (our ability to blend in), the last would probably be his considerable experience in competitive cycling.

Cafe Coffee Day (behind us) is India's Starbucks, but with lower quality beans and lower prices. Not much of a trade-off, although their addictive frappe drinks have more random and oddly appealing names, such as "Tropical Iceberg."

An facetious impromptu demonstration of the corporate team spirit. "Yay Indian multi-national IT services and global consulting firms!" We are classy employees.

An awkward moment with soda and lots of perplexed onlookers.

A moment of deep contemplation. We find eternal peace and joyful meaning meditating in the sweltering sun, pondering the trials and tribulations faced by the noble fish.

A review of lunch items: Masala pizza, Masala croissant, Masala Chinese noodles, Masala pasta... followed up with none other than Pepto Bismal and a healthy dose of antacid.

Despite being HR's photo clowns, we finally got some photographic evidence of our daily life. Next time, possible postings of the bus ride to work in all its glory.