New Year, new beginnings

It’s going to be an interesting year. Before moving on, a quick glance of the rear view mirror for some memories of 2010:

- Mum in law vacated 14/4 Shakti Nagar after 40 years – for me, a place that I loved going back to no longer existed.
- Mum in law moved into a nice apartment that I think I will get used to with time.
- Completed a Learn to Swim course, and thought I could swim
- Almost drowned in a pool in Fiji
- Last office Christmas party in Australia – will miss the familiar crowd, the banter and dancing to songs I’ve never heard.
- Saw test matches live with Kanishk in two countries – India vs Aus in Bangalore and England vs Aus in Sydney. Australia lost both in a disastrous year for Aussie cricket.
- Started laying foundation for R2I – most importantly, found a school we hope the kids will like.

The job search has begun and as always it is not an enjoyable process. The world economy grows, the Indian economy grows even faster, businesses complain of skill shortages, and yet it is never easy to find a job. There is a feeling of déjà vu as I pore through websites and re-establish personal contacts. This time round, I have made things a bit more difficult for myself by restricting myself to a Tier 2 city rather than a financial hub. Also, there is the added weight of a few more years of “seniority”.

There is the temptation of settling for a job in Mumbai, but I don’t want to yield. What is life worth, after years of education and work experience, if we cannot make a basic choice like where we want to live? Unfortunately, despite all the advances in office communications, conventional businesses are reluctant to let go of the advantage of physical proximity to their employees.

Somewhere in a city of five million people, there must be a decent job for an educated, presentable man willing to put in an honest day’s work. I just need to find it.