Valentines Day date with Good Morning America

I totally forgot about Valentines Day. Not that it's been a particularly meaningful holiday for me in my lifetime, but still kinda sad. I do, however, have a date this evening: Camera crew and anchor person from Good Morning America.

They are here doing a 5-part series on India and they spent the day here at IndiaIT looking at the campus and interviewing a few employees, including myself and Pete. It looks like this series will air starting on March 1st, which means I'll actually be in the US when this airs. Good Morning America for sure!

The GMA producer, Mary, said she'd like to see us out on the town doing what we do. I called a bar that we frequent and set it up with the manager so we'll be going out for dinner, drinks, all on IndiaIT's dollar, which is a rarity! The interview went pretty well. A few awkward questions here and there.


Anchor Dude: So Nate, how's the love life in Bangalore?

Nate: What an awkward question! Actually, it's nonexistant.

Anchor Dude: What about you Pete? It's Valentines Day!

Pete: Yeah, I'm inviting a girl out to dinner tonight.

(Nate looks like huge tool with no game)


Whatever, this is what I expected, right? Either way, the interview went well. I think I said too much, which is typical Nate, especially when a camera is on me, but all together a successful day. It'll be interesting to see what it looks like in a few weeks. They probably caught 2 hours of tape which they have to cut down to 5 or 6 minutes.

On another note, the Fortune article about IndiaIT comes out in 2 weeks. The reporter, Julie Schlosser, has told us that it has gone to print. She also mentioned that the photographs taken were incredible, which I can take partial credit for. I did, after all, hang out with the photographer while she took the pictures. Maybe my mere presence was inspiring!!! Probably not, though. I DID sneak her onto the roof while security guards yelled at me in a language I don't understand. Not understanding Hindi can actually be an advantage cuz you can't argue with someone that you can't speak with.

Alright, busy week ahead as I prepare to fly back to the states on Sunday. Especially cuz I have to fly to Hyderabad (another city in India) for a corporate gig. It's the first time I'm being flown anywhere AND being paid to play my sax, which is nice. So my travel schedule is now:

Saturday morning - Leave from Bangalore to Hyderabad
Sunday afternoon - Leave from Hyderabad to Bombay
Sunday night - Leave from Bombay to New York City
Tuesday - Arrive in NYC
Friday - Leave for Chicago

Crazy week ahead but the thought of coming to the States keeps me going.

The countdown has begun!

So I land stateside in just a little more than a week from today! And I've got to tell you, I never thought I'd be nervous to come back to the United States, but that's really the best way I can describe how I'm feeling.

It's not like I think I'll get hurt, or that things won't be as great with my friends, or even that I'll want to stay in the US (I think). It's more an anxiety about how I'm gonna react to being around so many Americans....in American bars...in an American city...in AMERICA!!! Even through the pictures I post it's really impossible to get an idea of what it's like to live here until you come see for yourself. Will I know how to interact with caucasian, American 20-somethings? I can't be sure that this whole experience hasn't rendered me completely antisocial outside of my comfort zone where I see the same 4 people every waking moment of my life (Scott, Winnie, Laura, Pete). That's a competely literal statement.

I can picture myself sitting on the plane as we land in JFK in NYC and I'll be losing my mind about how I'll catch a cab and not a rickshaw. How F'ed up is it that I'd be more comfortable with a rickshaw than I would a normal car? Using American currency is going to be strange. Eating American food is gonna be awesome! Seeing American friends/family is going to be incredible!!!

It's gonna be an interesting first 24-48 hours as I:

A) Readjust to being around aggresive, dominant white people

B) Being in the freezing cold (the coldest it's been in the last 8 months is probably around 60 F)

C) Being in the 'States, where everything is crazy expensive

D) Adjust to the minimal chaos]

E) Drink Miller products

Should be an interesting experience!

Nothing else exciting going on here. I'm just finishing up work I need to complete before I head home. Drop me a line and let me know where you'll be when I'm back in the states and hopefully we can find a chance to catch up. Later, folks!