Normally we tend to either think about our past or worry about our future. Future is unknown can be like a daydream and past can make you feel good or bad.
Today I will share my trip to Malmo and the experiences I had there. It was long back 8 years down the line that I went to Malmo. It was a long 32 hours journey. That time, I had recently joined Wipro and was chosen to travel with another colleague from another team.
I was happy it was Europe, beautiful continent so why not?? We travelled from Hyderabad to Doha. Then Doha to Stockholm and from Stockholm to Malmo. Doha airport at that time was quite big and Hyderabad airport was much smaller than it is today. At first finding our terminal in Doha was difficult in the small gap that we had between consecutive flights. But somehow, we managed to reach our terminal on time. We were running literally to get to the terminal. So, could not spend time observing the airport more closely. Then the long journey flight from Doha to Stockholm.
I kept watching movies one after the other. Could not sleep a bit. Stockholm airport was much smaller because my expectation was much bigger as its the capital of Sweden. Only difference many times we had to climb up and go down to reach to the domestic terminal. It had snow on the runway when our flight landed there. At Stockholm we were supposed to meet with the Transition manager who was travelling from USA to Malmo. So, at the airport we started to observe people. When we reached Malmo, the man I expected came to us and introduced himself as our Transition Manager. Then we reached our Hotel, The Best Western, Malmo. It was already 8.30 to 9 pm that time. Got our rooms and went to sleep straight.
My room was very beautiful. All Olive-green curtains, wallpaper was off-white olive-green and gold shade. Green it is my favorite color. Double bed and a beautiful Ikea cupboard on one side of the bed. The other side of my bed had windows and a cozy sofa and two extra chairs. The toilet was not too big but good enough.
The next day morning I woke up quite early. Got my hair washed and got ready nicely. When I opened my window that morning the scenery outside was so beautiful. It was at the banks of a river. If I sit in my room I could see the river, the bridges and the other side of river with beautiful buildings.
We had our breakfast and headed for the office. That day we went by cab. At office we had a lunch from the client in the restaurant nearby. While coming back we walked to our hotel and then on we kept walking. We had to cross a nearby park, a school and cross many streets to reach our office. But it was beautiful to experience the morning walk in that weather and observe people riding bicycle, some jogging with their pets, school kids going to school in a line and how the traffic works. In the evening, we would go to the train station and have our dinner and then retire to our rooms. On the weekend we went to Hyllie and turning torso.
When the project was nearing end. My colleague who had earlier agreed in meeting to submit the SMTD(documentation) and present it before the client did not do her job. She created a document which was neither presentable not complete. The transition manger got annoyed with the document she presented. He said we cannot present this before the client, and you have 3 days left. He was supposed to leave that day. And this lady got into a fight with me when I asked her about it. I had repeatedly asked her to show me that document before she presents it the day before. All she said is okay I will and never really bothered to ask me. We never spoke after this. Thankfully, I did not agree to share a room with her which my manager suggested before booking the hotel. Post this I called up my manager and he told me to do that. The last three days of my trip I spent sleepless nights preparing this document from scratch.
I had planned to shop many things which I could not do. But I did prepare it, went to office alone. Presented it to the client. Roamed around Kungsfuparken, the river the railway station all alone. Spoke to strangers, made them click my picture. I took as many pictures as I could. 😂😂😂Enjoyed all alone. The last day I had to present before Wipro and our client. That day this lady appeared in office. She sat next to me and was smiling. I did my job and after it was over I went to shop little bit and then travel back home. I observed people, the lady bus driver who wore a pilot like dress, to the beggar. One girl was dancing at the bus stop putting her microphone on. And people clapped for her.
I travelled by bus, cab and train to experience different modes of transport in that city. My company would have paid for the cabs but walking to office and back was better to experience the beauty of that place. To know how they keep their city so clean. It was good to see people all so tall and fit people. These people are very beautiful in general but are more obsessed about their looks and makeup compared to us. Wherever you go, you can see big cosmetic stores. What makes them put on so much makeup on their flawless skin is something I wonder? The janitor lady from Jamaica who asked me if I would come back again ?? The smile she gave me while saying bye.
While coming back home, I had to spend one entire night at Stockholm airport as there was a long gap between the flights from Malmo to Stockholm and Stockholm to Doha. It came as a surprise to me when the airport official at Stockholm said " Be careful of your luggage there are many thieves in this airport. " I kept reading, observing people that entire night. After I landed in Hyderabad, I learnt my transition manager has sent an appreciation mail for me to my manager. He had sent two mails the first one had only my name on it and the next one he had mentioned her too along with me.
In my office next day, I learnt this lady got into a fight with transition manager and got her name added in the appreciation mail for which she worked hardly. 😂😂😂Lol this is SMART WORKING. And silly me, I was thinking I did a good job. 😓
One year later this lady walks up to me one day and says" Sharmistha, prasad " offering me Tirupati Pasadam. I took it and smiled back. We didn't speak though. All she needed was to tell me "Help" and I would have worked on the document. But she chose to push my buttons. Earlier I wrote about the Japanese fish story. It happened and I learnt to spend my trip alone in my own company.
The biggest lesson in life is to be able to stay alone. Noone can be with you 24*7, its only you who has to be with yourself. So, learn the skills and carry the mindset to be able to live alone. And also, the way one looks at such experiences makes an impact on our happiness. She did what she was good at. She is a person who fights with everyone in ODC. She went to HR complaining about so many colleagues. I can't do that. It needs guts to do such things and overcome it. Thats not my forte. My forte is commitment. Once I commit, I will complete it. I did that. So, we both are winners is not it??
Of course, it hurts when someone does this kind of things. People say don't go back to past or else you can't enjoy. However, my learning has been different. How you accept yourself, how you accept your feelings and present the memory also brings happiness to you. Everyone teaches us lessons and how gracefully we accept that matters. Be able to present your memories in a way that brings happiness to you.
My happy kind of trip --- Malmo. 😊
No comments:
Post a Comment