Airport Experience

Talking to a friend makes you feel lighter. Specially if you are holding onto something. The same thing happened on my way back home from Singapore that I got a friend to accompany with.

To deviate from the subject for sometime, the journey itself was an unexpected one. While sending off to a friend at the airport, he had a pre-booked ticket to Bangalore. Unable to go home due to his new job reporting in Sweden, he offered it. Totally taken aback with how destiny plays, I took sometime to decide. After seeing the work in hand and arriving at the conclusion that this could be managed, I grabbed the ticket. To my surprise, he took in the transfer charges into his stride and told me to pay the ticket fare only. So, you now know why my tryst with destiny appears.

Coming back to the friend's conversation, we then boarded the flight on the planned date. To describe my friend, she was working in Singapore and wanted to meet her parents before packing her bags to Sweden to accompany her husband, of whose ticket that was transferred to me. A simple, traditional but independent girl who can blast you off if it comes to a woman's freedom! A totally outright person with a noble heart for close friends, I wondered how her husband allowed me to go with her! The Indian husband mentality was not visible as she said he trusted her completely. Or I would say he trusted me, in fact. She had two heavy bags of luggage to be dumped in her house so that the Swedish journey would be lightened. As I had nothing but a simple travel bag, I thought of giving her, a helping hand. After an automated clearance and the luggage check-in, we then boarded the flight after a long wait at the terminal.

The fun and introspection started when the flight started. I came to know more about her and her family. A simple conversation can open up many thoughts. She then asked me about my own personal life, a highly closetted part. I didn't mind saying things which I myself hadn't analyzed before. And to my disbelief, she liked the way the conversation flew. From talking about her husband to the way how I landed in Singapore, it looked like a story when I finished it. Of course, I am not used to chattering, be it hearing too, this talk became more inquisitive as I came to know some facts that you learn by sharing.

Yes. Sharing helps. It eases your emotional hold up. And can make you look at yourself in a different prospective. Things I learnt was to open up experiences to friends, let them flow and listen to theirs. Things become more clear in front of you.

After a convinced mind and a short slumber, the flight landed in the cold Bangalore airport. Waving her off and then hiring a cab, I looked out of the window and was left amazed.

The Deceit

Location: Mumbai.
"Where are you guys taking me to?", said Suresh, in a worried manner. He was apprehensive of the fact that it wasn't a regular affair.

"Nothing, macha. Just wanted to introduce you to some friends. Don't worry!". Shastri retorted. He was getting late for his work. And now he needed a candidate badly. A limited time in hand and his friends already being furious, he has no other option but to choose Suresh.

Shastri then hired a taxi from Dadar and then they went to a Dandia concert in Vile Parle where his friends were waiting. Suresh converses again in the taxi out of excitement. "Macha, are you sure that this is nothing dangerous?".

"Don't worry, macha. My friends are nice people. They won't do anything bad. They just need something from you and then, you are out of the place."

Having come from a middle-class upbringing, Suresh grew up to become an engineer in Bangalore. His classmate, Shastri was just in front of his attendance rolls. Whenever there were assignments and exams, Shastri always flocked towards Suresh for his intelligence. And so, they became the closest of friends while studying. When Suresh got a job in Mumbai in a private firm, he shifted his family.

Shastri also had similar ways of life, only that he had the passion to earn quick money. When his family business bankrupted due to false commitments from non-payers, Shastri opted to study Engineering and thus, landed in Bangalore. An outright extrovert, proactive and selfless heart towards friends, he and Suresh then glued to become the best of friends. The slang of togetherness was evident of the macha word. Being placed in the same company, Shastri followed Suresh, only that his family was based in Bangalore. Of the work done for 3 years, he became frustrated and opted out of service and projected that he was doing some part-time job.

"Where have we come to?"

"It is my friend's show. He is DJing there. Look!". And there was DJ Harpreet doing the dance tracks. The DJing was a common trend in Dandia events. People thronged at the venue with traditional Garba dresses, Dandia sticks in hands and a dancing eagerness to celebrate the event. After waving to Harpreet, Shastri then took Suresh through the crowd.

"I am pretty scared, man. I came only because I believed you."

"Oh! I know. Come over. You need a drink?"

Hesitatingly, Suresh picks up one and watches the crowd. In a moment, he thinks of his parents. Wonder what they would be doing at the house.

"Shall we leave?".
"OK."

After sailing through the crowd, Shastri leads Suresh to a narrow way. The way smelled of betel leaves and cigarettes. And then, he sees a small stall-like getup where he finds some people, boys and girls dancing to an iPhone.

"Guys, Meet Suresh. My closest friend. Suresh, this is Neha, Divya, Krish, Udi, Shiamak, Parvin and the Vinod. Our leader."

Vinod looks at Suresh strangely but ignores him and continues to dance. He was high on marijuana and was giggling throughout. Suresh sensed something is wrong.

And then, Krish pulls him in, and snatches his wallet. Shocked by the happenings, Suresh panics. With people surrounded and no escape route, he remains silent.

"Well now, Suresh. Are you ready?"

And then his life changed forever...

After 10 years.
Location: Singapore.


Suparna opens the door and leads in her aunt who is a non-stop chatterbox, be it on the phone or otherwise. Both Suresh and Suparna now were adjusted with her taunts and chats that they simply ignored it.

"How are you, Aunty? How was your journey? Hope your flight was alright."

Aunty gave a look of satisfaction. She was quite impressed with the flight Suresh booked and they had serviced her well. So she was silent and began to survey the new apartment. Suparna went in to make some tea for all and Suresh continued with his reading.

"I got a letter from the Mumbai Police yesterday. Thought of sharing with you." And handed it to him. Suresh opens it with a sweaty palm. Suparna runs out of kitchen and joins Suresh to read it.

Both Suresh and Suparna were shocked to see the contents of the letter. Was it for the past 10 years' curse that was to re-run again?

"What's the matter?", Aunty asked.

No answer.

And there she was!

With a headache tinkering, uneasiness swiveling and the mind numbed, Keerthan set out for the day. Loads of work awaited - his head treatment was overdue for 2 weeks for he had to tonsure his head to begin with, college work was pending with no proper coordination from the office personnel and his own personal list of activities growing up exponentially.

Keerthan had just one thing in mind. To finish up his tasks for the day for a peaceful, extended weekend. He drew cash from the nearby ATM to recharge for his overdue mobile balance. But the ache and the task list bombarded at the same time. Unaware of the task in hand, he boarded the city bus to reach his college, only to realize for the purpose of drawing cash later! Ignoring the stupidity, he continued.

Keerthan was a bit smarter this time, getting down at stops of proximity for there was lunch time approaching for the office people. He hurried into the office with a pre-planned mind to yell at the staff for their irregularities and irresponsibilities. But it turned quite the opposite, he being polite in his queries and a reply sounding professional. Convinced with their reply, he then went to the Computer Centre, took a PC and began his list work.

Whenever you work online, you are bound to have a chat and the same happened to Keerthan with his friends. And then came the pleasant change!

The girl was a tall, brunette coloured, well-figured beauty who wore a sleeveless flowery top with black shorts having glasses that looked like she had borrowed them from her granny- big and oval-shaped which anybody else would have just ignored her for the design of it. But not Keerthan. He sat there dumbstruck looking into her face, deeply and affectionately, unaware of the lone drawback that she encompassed. She was conversing with her friend about the climate change because the weather grew suddenly hot and the conditioning was not enough. The light conversation was a music to our Keerthan when she was laughing in between. He could feel the care in that, her voice being soft and low as a feather. But, all of a sudden, his friend pinged him up to come over for lunch and there crushed his dream.

When he left the room, he gave quite a stare - of a silent one, glancing stealthily and wanted to ask her for a date. But she was busy ignoring him as her conversation raised her voice giving a sign. And when the door closed behind him, there came the look from the girl of searching him outright and feeling the disappointment!

Poor Keerthan. He should have turned around.

Money matters!

How many of you have the problem of enquiring about the fees payable and the cost of living in Singapore? Well, today is the day of answers, realizations and queries based on personal experience.

When that precious letter of offer from an university lands into the hands of a prospective candidate, then s/he begins to think about the funding of the course as a result. Most of the present economies have become clever enough to lay off scholarships and it now lies in the hands of the student to fund his own studies by various available means like loans and personal wealth.

Though I wont be describing the means in detail, this post is intended for people willing to study in Singapore. Emphasis is on an Engineering Masters in National University of Singapore, a leading global university in Asia. This could be applicable to everyone else, so keep reading! Highlight was to bring out the negligence and carelessness, one candidate can do by spending out too much on his own pocket without looking out.

To begin with, Singapore's Ministry of Education (MoE) offers a 40% subsidy of the semester fees of the candidate.  Link can be found here. A highly recommended one to pick this up. Of course, clauses attach, like the mandatory 3 year Service Obligation Bond where people have to serve in Singapore for a minimum period of 3 years upon graduation. Guarantees are not given to candidates about job prospects and thus, it is the sole responsibility of the student to look out. Various job centres, college career centre exist for job openings. Building up contacts also helps as references matter hugely.

With the remaining 60% being unaffordable to the candidate after the subsidy, the university offers a Tuition Fee Loan Scheme which offering up to 90% of the MoE's subsidized fees. Link can be found here. This shall be treated similar to an Educational loan back in India. The period of repayment here is a whopping 20 years! Make sure you have a guarantor while submitting forms to the Bank and that the signatures of both people (you and the guarantor) have to be made in front of the bank officer. The loan amount, once sanctioned, goes to the university directly and this loan account shall be clubbed with you SB A/C in Singapore. Make sure the SB A/C and the loan A/C are in the same Bank!

Thus, you would be getting 40% + 36% (90% of 40% of Tuition Fee Scheme) i.e., 76% of the tuition fees from Singaporean authorities! And so, you have to pay only 24% of the tuition fees (semester/total) on your own. This is usually seen by either working part-time or by taking a regular student loan back in India.

Another suggestion is to put up in the university dormitories rather than suffering the nuisance of private apartments. Have an extended sense of your personal expenses, meaning to plan for extra money in case of adversities. Cutting short will cost you dearly on your personal life and health. A personal monthly expense of $500-600 and a rent of $550-$600 is absolutely necessary to live a decent life as a student in Singapore as per current situation (2011/12). Oh, for the laptop needs, as it is a must, better buy it in Singapore. Its cheaper and better keeping in mind that most of the people studying, eventually apply for jobs here.

And never make the mistake of ignoring fee subsidies wherever applicable. Contact your department and your university thoroughly before planning on financials. Singapore is very flexible in money payment so it is alright to transfer money using parents' help after you've landed here.

Lincoln says..

.. that there are four steps to keep on moving, which are:

1. I am a slow walker, but I never walk backwards: The trick is to focus not on how good you are, but on getting better. Good idea to ensure that you are moving towards your goal at all times. You may make slow progress -- but make sure you are making progress at all times.

2. Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity: If you sometimes feel that Lady Luck is not smiling at you, maybe it's because you are not preparing hard enough. The opportunity is there -- but you aren't quite ready to grab it. Don't let that happen. Slog, and your time will come.

3. Whatever you are, be a good one: Perhaps what our Idiot, Mr.Ranchoddas in the movie did.

4. I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday : An extended line to show that we have to keep learning new skills are become better than what we were.

And lastly, to end the note, here is one.
"Whose shoes do you polish?" : An art of remaining humble to the core with no signs of arrogance coming up. Forgetting the result and moving on is perhaps the easiest thing that we never do.

Cheers to Lincoln !