http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php Copyright 2008, Jason Delmar Jason Delmar en-US SPHPBLOG 0.4.8 http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071202-200039
Today I wanted to reflect on something the assignment in India has reminded of. I’ve written about this about twice before but with a different perspective. When I had my first child in 1999 my personality changed. I changed immediately from being a spontaneous and risk taking personality to a protective and much more serious person. Over the years, this change helped me professionally but most definitely hurt my social life as I’ve been a bit of an introvert. It was interesting to read Mike Mckennon’s blog post about how many people would be upset when I left India "due to all the relationships I had built". This observation seemed reminiscent of a younger me rather than the current father and manager.

Over my last weekend in India I understood how accurate Mike’s observations were.

My work
Our Indian associates and friends threw a going away party that really touched me. They pitched in and gave me a hand crafted sandalwood elephant that sits on my mantle above our 55 inch LCD TV in my living room. It means a lot to me and is now in a central location in my living room and sparks a lot of conversation.

The Locals
The little boys at the Charminar whom Mike and I saw almost every Saturday cried as I said goodbye this last weekend. They’re not my boys but their lives and their ability to stay positive in the struggle of poverty really touched me. They’re the kind of kids you want to adopt to give them a better chance for success in their lives. While I didn’t show it, I was very sad to say goodbye.

My Friends
Our friends Sheila and Jimbo “who sing at the bar in the Taj Deccan”, both cried Friday and Saturday night. They said I am the best friend they’ve had in 4 years singing in India. Jim sent me a text message thanking me for my friendship and for taking an interest in their lives. I had given them a fair amount of money over a 3 month period to help them charge cell phones and keep in touch with family back in the Philippines. I know how important this is and with the small amount of money they’re paid by the hotel, it really made a difference. Sheila and her dad even reconciled some differences and started talking after 2 years. I felt great about that. They went out of their way and bought me a shirt from the local mall. It was a really nice gesture. I hope I see them when I visit again buty at the same time, I hope they find some way to increase their quality of life and find prosperity.

The Hotel
Most surprising to me were my friends at the Hotel. Since the day I met the management crew at Taj Deccan, I had a special bond with them. I negotiated some excellent rates for our company and Mike and I were treated like royalty for the duration of my stay. My friends at the hotel really went out of their way on many occasions to keep us happy. On Thursday morning (My last day in India) one of the managers “Shilpa” asked me if I would come down at 3:00pm and meet with her. She had been at my going away party from work the night before and brought her husband. It was a fun night and I thought she might be thanking me for helping her network or maybe asking me to complete a survey on the hotel since every restaurant in India asked for this before you leave. Mike went down with me to say hello to Shilpa but to my surprise, I was directed into their in house restaurant where the entire staff gathered and presented me with a cake that said “We will miss you”. I was really surprised and very touched. I can honestly say I will miss my friends at the hotel. I’ve seen them several times a day for 3 months and it feels like good friends have left my life or moved away. They also gave me a wonderful brass turtle clock. Its very heavy and elegant and must have cost a fortune. It now sits in my home office on my desk and is set to Indian Standard Time.

Blues Brothers!
What can I say, I already miss Mike. In my entire life I never met someone I’ve had more in common with. it would seem that in every way our personalities are the same. From our interest in women (our wives have so many similarities) to sports and entertainment interests we are the same. Mike and I quote the same movies and authors and laugh at the same goofy jokes. It’s no surprise to me that the two of us were the first round of volunteers for the India assignment as the similarities also led us to find the same value in the experience.

It was a pleasure and an honor doing time in India with Mike. We were like bothers or at least partners in crime : ) I’ll miss Mike most of all and am thankful we have our company in common.

At this point, you’re probably wondering about the title of this blog entry “Closer to Fine ”. As each of us grow up, we search for ourselves and our place in life. In my opinion, those of us whom are lucky live long lives and never end that journey. My life took me down the road to parenthood which has taught me a great deal about responsability and commitment but at the same time, led me to lose a perspective on who I am/was before that. I got a bit sentimental before leaving and was listening to some songs I used to love. I came across one of my favorites and the lyrics struck me in a way they never had before. In the first chorus, there are a few lines I’m referencing.

Here they are

1. "The best thing you've ever done for me Is to help me take my life less seriously, it's only life after all"
2. "There's more than one answer to these questions pointing me in crooked line"
3. "The less I seek my source for some definitive. The closer I am to fine. "

Here’s the song with music video on YouTube if you care to check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY1Bl4nfpdA

The thing about all of this is that India has rekindled my desire to live life. Not on a day to day basis but to cherish every day and every relationship. To find value in what we take for granted here and go with the flow more than I have tended to in recent past. I tend to need control and because I’m a left brain type, I’m always looking for the answer or the reason behind things. The wife says I over analyze everything. Well, maybe she’s right. It’s funny, because so many people go to India and make pilgrimages to find higher meaning or interpersonal relationships or even to make spiritual connections. I simply went for work but found myself agin. The answer I found is that maybe I just need to stop looking for answers as everything I need has always been all around me.

"The less I seek my source for some definitive. The closer I am to fine".

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my blog and how the journey to India has touched me. I still intend to post a few more times as I complete my acclimation back into the US way of life. I’ll be back to work tomorrow and I’m sure I’ll have more to say.


]]> http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071202-200039 Jason Delmar Mon, 03 Dec 2007 01:00:39 GMT http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=12&entry=entry071202-200039 http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071114-132655
Time Lapsed Orchid Example

Twelve months ago the word “Globalization” was a dark word in my vocabulary. It was a word that caused a certain amount of intimidation, discomfort and one that no one in the US wanted to talk about. While every major company in the US began to develop globalization strategies, everyone around me avoided the topic due to the implication of lost jobs.

Six months ago, I came to realize something I knew right out of school but had long forgotten due to my own complacency. This realization is that each of us is a resource to our employer. Each resource is like a commodity and has a value that can go up or down based on demand. With our skills and through our actions, we drive revenue, avoid cost or, we innovate change to these ends. If we’re not doing something to this effect, we might as well be dead weight as far as our company‘s well being is concerned. Rumors began to float around that my organization might be globalizing and my fifteen years with the company felt threatened. It was shortly after this that I received an email invitation to a required class. Something snapped in me the day I attended a bank sponsored class called “Catalyst” and realized what reaction this “Catalyst” was designed to accelerate. Our company has always asked us to be “A Champion of Change”. Some associates take this seriously, some shrug it off as another cheerleader approach to promote spirit & policy acceptance. I’ve always been someone to embrace change and find value in it. When I attended the Catalyst class I had no idea where it would lead me and the reaction it would cause in the chemical equation of my life and career. Change can be good or bad, it’s all perspective and to be honest, each of us to some degree, have the ability to influence it. If you know the sun will be out, you can stay in, you can wear protection and go out, or you can blow off your options and get burned. The choices are often clouded by complacency and a sense of entitlement or ego but the fact is, these choices still exist and we need only to recognize and embrace them to have a positive influence.

Five months ago, I flew to Dallas Texas for a managers meeting to assist in planning a reorganization and start working on small scale strategy for globalization in my team as well as my peers teams. I found myself taking the lead in the operational model between the US and India and helping define policy for how the two would work together. It was exciting and while it still felt a bit taboo, the inclusion in something of this nature broke down the layer of complacency and entitlement and began to fuel a fire. This is a fire I still feel burning today and is one of passion for change and leadership. I’ve devoted my professional career to our company and making it successful, is something I want to be associated with.

Four months ago, I “Followed the Sun”. I boarded a plane for Hyderabad India. Four months… That’s a long time isn’t it. Four months is a large chunk of time to commit every hour of your life to for anything. I chose to take a big leap of faith in my life and step outside my comfort zone into a completely foreign country and culture. I left behind my family, my wife and my kids because I am a champion. It sounds a bit silly when I say it but the fact is, a global company means more jobs and more growth. More growth means more security and better returns. Better ROI means higher stock. Higher stock means collectively, we’ve done our jobs and are being recognized by our economic critics. Globalization needs champions. It’s not an easy topic to embrace but one that, like a rising sun, is inevitable. The champions in our company will stand up, drive productivity and lead us to success.

Fourteen days from today, I will board a plane and end my assignment here in India. I will now “Lead the Sun” back to the US and bring with it a new energy and commitment to my company.

I have Followed the Sun, now let it follow me.

As we lead our company into new horizons of growth and productivity, we embark on new adventures and have the challenge to build new relationships and teams. Our business model is now global and our standards for productivity and excellence now higher. Only time and our critics in the economy will measure our success and only together can we achieve it.

I have Followed the Sun, will you?

One year with out a vacation, four months without my family and two weeks left to contemplate the work I’ve yet to accomplish and how I will transition it. I know I’ve made a difference and I know you can as well. I challenge you to be a champion.

Best Regards,
Jason

]]> http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071114-132655 Jason Delmar Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:26:55 GMT http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=11&entry=entry071114-132655 http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071109-111424 A business class ticket to India; $6,000 US Dollars
- Monthly Bill in a 4 star Indian hotel: $8,000 US Dollars
- Spending Diwali with your US friend & his family in India: Priceless!

One of the engineers that works for me in the states “Suresh Lankalapalli” is in India this month on vacation. Today is Diwali which is equivalent to Christmas in India and there are fireworks going off everywhere.

Hyderabad Fireworks




Suresh invited Mike and I to the family home where he grew up. We met his lovely wife “Antara” and a good portion of his large family.

Here is Suresh & Antara in Traditional Indian clothes


We shared about an hour of conversation on many topics and learned that Antara is a trained traditional dancer & model. We also found out that Suresh’s nephew “Pandu” and his niece “Keerthi” like to dance too. It wasn’t long before we moved out of the living room and into the family room to watch everyone take turns dancing to local music and cheering.

This was one of the best experiences Mike and I have had in India and really refreshed us on this long assignment.

Here are some fun pics & videos from today

Mike, Jason & Mr. Lankalapalli


Here is little “Pandu” Suresh’s Nephew


You may have to hit refresh on the page once these videos load.

Here is "Pandu" Dancing
Pandu Dancing

This is “Keerthi” Suresh’s Niece
Keerthi Dancing

This is “Antara” Suresh’s wife
Antara Dancing

]]> http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071109-111424 Jason Delmar Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:14:24 GMT http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=11&entry=entry071109-111424 http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071027-094457
Here is a picture of today's group.


The day was filled with typical site seeing and pictures of everyone next to everything. The one exception was a first for me in India. As we entered one of the tomb areas, 2 very cute little girls wondered over giggling. One of them looked at me with big eyes and said “Hello, May I Have A Kiss ”. I’m sure I had an ear to ear grin with embarrassment. This isn't typical behavior for Indian girls. My only response was to ask if they would like their picture taken. They giggled some more, posed for the shot then asked my name. They flirted a bit more then ran away giggling.

Here are my momentary fans


We saw these girls running around the tombs a few more times today as they asked Mike and the others for their names and got a kick out of the hat he was wearing.

]]> http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071027-094457 Jason Delmar Sat, 27 Oct 2007 13:44:57 GMT http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=10&entry=entry071027-094457 http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071024-115948
I, along with my two partners in crime here (Mike and Gulshan) had to create organizational level presentations in 2 days (Saturday & Sunday), fly to Delhi on Monday, deliver 5 presentations between Tuesday & Wednesday, fly back to Hyderabad, then deliver an additional and final presentation. On Friday, when it was all over we closed out the week with a video interview for the US on our International Delivery Lead roles and the part we individually play. I had pulled another 60 hour week when the accounting was done and this doesn‘t bring to light the lack of sleep these schedules leave us with.

As my time in India grows shorter, I’m reminded of the many things I stand to lose when I leave. Among the most important to me are friendships. Mike and I have been like brothers on this trip and have only ventured out of the hotel separately on only a hand full of occasions. I keep thinking that going back to the states marks a return to familiarity and a winding down of my stress level but the $100 question is, “Does it really”. Mike made a joke yesterday that when I leave, 1000 people will be at the airport to wish me well. I don’t think that’s true but I have built a fair number of relationships in India and to potentially walk away forever saddens me.

I have a significant feeling that what was familiar prior to August 2007, will be new again and what used to be comfortable will require a significant adjustment period. I think these two aspects of a short to long term international assignment are what have caught me most by surprise. I contemplated many challenges before my journey, cultural as well as professional and these never made it on my list.

Of great excitement to me is that my relationship with my wife will be new again. I truly look forward to this and have already planned some fun & spicy experiences like Ballroom dancing lessons. As I’ve mentioned before, my daughter cries every day without fail. Regaining her trust and strengthening the bond between her, my son and I will be a primary objective in the first weeks back.

I also plan to continue writing in this blog for the first month after my return to allow those interested to understand the challenges and excitement of re-entry into the US.

]]> http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071024-115948 Jason Delmar Wed, 24 Oct 2007 15:59:48 GMT http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=10&entry=entry071024-115948 http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071013-025410
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, 4 months away from my life has really allowed me to look inside and regain perspective. It’s allowed me to subconsciously re-examine who I am and be critical about life in the past, present and the future. This isn’t to say I feel like a horrible or bad person or that I don’t enjoy my life at home. Its just that we all have personality flaws and sometimes it takes something significant to recognize them and have the courage to make change.

Last night, I continued to feel ill and had a late and stressful Friday. At 10:30pm, after my last call, I went down stairs to get dinner and be away from the PC. Arun noticed I was alone again and stopped at my table. I needed the space as Gulshan is in Delhi and Mike was tired. He wanted to apologize for the man’s behavior from the morning. I explained to Arun that I wanted the man to stay so I we could chat. Arun smiled and said, “you are truly a unique individual“. He went on with kind words saying that I seem to greet everyone and he finds that I am much friendlier than their typical guest. I appreciated his compliment and recognize this recent change in my behavior. Arun then mentioned a new guest sitting around the corner and wondered if he could sit the guest with me for company. I agreed, and with in a few minutes, I met Evan.

Evan, is a woman from the UK who works in Saudi Arabia. She’s here for a week with her Fiancé who is a pilot for SpiceJet “one of India’s top rated airlines”. We talked for an hour and a half about travel, culture and work. It was fascinating and led me to this post.

Last week, Mike wrote about an observation we’ve had and that he and I have been talking about for weeks. In India, they commonly use the phrase “5 minutes sir”. This is a euphemism that takes some time to recognize. When you hear this in India it literally means “As soon as I can”. I shared this with Evan and she chuckled. She mentioned that in Saudi, they have a similar cultural euphemism. The locals will respond to a time bound request with “Inshala”. She also explained that literally translated it means “God Willing” or “In Gods Time”. We laughed about this for a good 5 minutes and shared related stories.

I was very happy to hear that this isn’t unique to India. Finding these cultural Easter eggs, learning from them and finding ways to adapt has been a challenge. It is however, a challenge I was sent here to overcome and pass the wisdom of how, on to my peers in the US.

So today, Mike and I were fitted for custom suits as we’ll again be Key Note speakers next week. We’re flying to Delhi, to a subdivision called Gurgon. We’ll be there to deliver a message about the organization we work for to many of our new associates. I look forward to meeting them, learning their stories and sharing more of them with you.

Please keep me in your thoughts as I continue to fight through what appears to be a weak immune system and “Inshala” you’ll see another update next week before next weekend.

]]> http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071013-025410 Jason Delmar Sat, 13 Oct 2007 06:54:10 GMT http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=10&entry=entry071013-025410 http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071011-053442
It's interesting how fluid, dynamic and unpredictable life is. I had no idea I would be India 4 months ago and I have no idea what awaits me when I return. A quote from French author François de la Rochefoucauld is often used in our company; The only thing constant in life is change.

Those who are flexible, will embrace change, adapt and find success. This applies to corporate life as well. Mike and I have passed this concept on during several speaking sessions recently through the quote, "It's not wrong, it's just different". This was a quote Mike picked up years ago in his own travels and I just can't stop using now.

This line of thought led me to think about India and the rich history of religion and philosophy that are derived from it. I'd like to share a few of my favorite quotes from this region as well as some pictures I've recently taken.


Mahatma Gandhi

Be the change you want to see in the world

- This is what drives me. Not only my children but all children and innocence. I truly believe we fail as a generation if we leave the world worse off than when we were handed the keys. I hope my life has value when measured by this standard and that what I do in it touches others.

Nobody can hurt me without my permission
- I've taught my daughter this concept for years. School can be tough on kids and wisdom like this has had a significant impact on her personality and how she's dealt with difficult situations.

Almost everything you do will seem insignificant, but it is important that you do it

- This is Hyderabad, this is me. I can't explain how or why but my choice to be here was a necessity. It may be insignificant in the diary & timeline of my life, but it will be important without question.

Mohandas Gandhi

A 'No' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'Yes' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble
- This reminds me of my companies CORE Values. We strive to be good at what we do and hold each other to Higher Standards.


Here are some nice pictures I've taken over the past week

A really neat picture outside of our rooms


Waterfall from 2 weeks ago


Mainland China Restaurant

- Mike & I love this place. I decided to snap a shot of our table. Boring maybe but man is it an authentic and beautiful restaurant.

I snapped this photo @ Charminar last weekend

- This stylish shot belongs on a Sunglasses Billboard :)


]]> http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071011-053442 Jason Delmar Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:34:42 GMT http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=10&entry=entry071011-053442 http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071009-214401
I'm sure he'll get a kick out of my call.

I really appologize for not writing more frequently. I do have a lot to say but I'm working 10-12 hours a day on average and with how frequently I'm fighting off illness here, I just don't have the energy to compose my thoughts in a way I feel is valuable (I don't like brain dumps or rants).

For now, you can read about my adventures at Mike's site as he and I spent some time out last weekend.

http://mckennon-blog.spaces.live.com/


]]> http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071009-214401 Jason Delmar Wed, 10 Oct 2007 01:44:01 GMT http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=10&entry=entry071009-214401 http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071006-044309
Today Mike and I planned to meet one of the mainframe engineers traveling for knowledge transfer and show him around the city. It’s a 3 day weekend as you know and we really need the break from our jobs and the reality of our situation. Again, unfortunately, it looks like this trip has been impacted by the budget so here I am again, in my room, feeling like my mind and body are rotting away for 2 more months. Free time is a valuable commodity when on this type of assignment and as you can tell, my frustration related to this decision is obvious. I think the isolation from all things familiar and the lack of ability to travel or experience things outside of Hyderabad is the hardest part. We had planned to travel around India, see various cities and aspects of the Indian culture but our work schedule and these trips have kept us square in Hyderabad. As we play host to our guests and deliver our own form of knowledge transfer, we at least get a break from the monotony and vicariously re-live our first weeks here.

I’m a bit down today about the decision and am wondering what the last 50 days of my journey will be like. Well, I guess, stay tuned and find out!
]]> http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071006-044309 Jason Delmar Sat, 06 Oct 2007 08:43:09 GMT http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=10&entry=entry071006-044309 http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071003-224705
http://www.fullhyd.com
- Hyderabad City Portal
http://www.yatra.com
- India Online Travel agent
http://www.airtel.in
- India's biggest mobile phone
http://www.indianrail.gov.in
- India's Train
http://tollywoodentertainment.blogspot. ... udent.html
- Local movie reviews
http://voicevibes.net
- Online stream radio from India
http://www.singhanias.in
- A local high-end clothing shop I've visited


Enjoy!
]]> http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071003-224705 Jason Delmar Thu, 04 Oct 2007 02:47:05 GMT http://www.undercovercomputers.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=10&entry=entry071003-224705