Is it my mistake?

It was my boy Lohaan’s first birthday last 20th. I invited some of my friends and well-wishers from Logica with their family to celebrate my boys birthday on 21st to my home. And my wife who works in Wipro also invited some of her friends for the function. We had also arranged a magic show for the children who would be attending. I invited all of my friends saying that I would wanted to cut the birthday cake by 12 in the noon and will have magic show after that. And also will have lunch followed.


All the people from Wipro who my wife invited were there in at my house before 12. But to my surprise not even one person came from Logica. I was worried and wondered why. I started thinking if there is something wrong I did that people did not wanted to come and attend. I started calling each one of them and all of them said that they are on the way and will reach in 15 minutes. I waited for another 15 minutes and decided that I should start with the magic show now or the guest who is already there would feel bad. I thought that by the time we have the magic show running all of my gusts would reach. Yes some of them reached by 12:30 but there were others who did not come. And then the magic show got over. It was 1:00 and people were already hungry. Then we went ahead and did the honour of cutting the cake. While I was cutting the cake I was still looking at the gate, failing to see my invited guests are still not coming in. Once we have done with the cake cutting, and started with the lunch I still had my guests coming in.

I was happy that they all came and we had a nice time. After seeing off all of them, I was back in my house wondering why this did happen. It has got to do definitely with something about me. Then I went to my wife and started discussing about the same thing. To my surprise my wife invited people by 11:00 for the function which has got to start by 12. She said “You will never change, we have to understand and accept that we Indians will come a little late than the expected time”. She continued, “We got to call them keeping a buffer time. And since people know that there is a buffer time they would come by the time we wanted to start the function, how many times do I need to tell you this?” I did not want to this each time she said this to me. And I am sure that I will not do this also.

Freezing Finland and Warm Finnish

I had been to Finland to get KT on a new project. The trip was for three weeks. And today I return. This is the first time I came to a place where I could see snow all around. I was in Logica Lahti office which is further north to the main office in Helsinki. It was so freezing the time I got out of the flight that I really understood why Logica pay for winter clothing once in three years when someone has got to travel to a freezing place.

I got a message from Sari, an employee from the administration department of Logica Finland, mentioning that the stay is arranged in a semidetached house and the owner of the house will let me know the way there. I got his number also from her. She also mentioned that, there would be a cover in Helsinki Airport which will have a SIM card for me to use while I am in Finland for the official purpose.

It was very easy to find the SIM card and I walked out to find a bus which goes to Lahti. It is some 100 KM north. I reached Lahti at about 4:00 in the evening. I called Jussi, the house owner who told me that he is also in the town and will pick me up. When I got out of the bus a man called me my name and walked towards me. It was Jussi, for the obvious reason that I am the only one in the near 50 KM who looks different, he recognized me. Before taking me home, He took me around Lahti and showed me all the pride of Lahti, which includes the high skieig towers and the ice-hockey stadium.

He took me to his home and showed me the place given for me to stay. Oops it's a four bedroom house near the lake with a private souna in the basement. The water in the lake is just Ice. It was difficult for me to walk as I was wearing a leather shoe with no grip in the sole. It was a kind of circus for the next one day to walk on the ice in some portions. Next day morning Jussi dropped me in Logica office. I saw Ossi who helped me in and gave me a place to sit. While I was getting comfortable I found that the adapter of my laptop will not work in the socket there. Rikhard (Riku) got me an adaptor. A few minutes from then Marko, who is the key contact of me being there, found me and took me to a comfortable seat where I could sit for the next three weeks. There were only a few people in the office, and I started interacting all those who sit next to me. Veli-Pekka helped me in the first day in understanding the system and the initial work. Marko gave continues help thought my stay in there.

It was the lunch time and I started talking to more people. Marko Oja, Ari Rämö, Tiina Utriainen, Jaakko Reinman were some of them who I used to be with while going for lunch most of the days. Rikku took me to a shop where I bought a new pair of shoes which helped my survival in Finland. He also took me to the bus station where I bought 30 days valid bus coupon. Second day he took me to his home in the evening and gave me a muffler which I could wear to protect my neck from cold. You could just imagine my condition where there is a 10 minutes' walk through the side of the lake after getting down from the bus. This is where there is a good wind which could freeze your ears and you could also see tears flowing out of your eyes. Third day morning when I came to office I wore a pair of gloves that Rajesh Jampana gave me before I started from India. It was so freezing that I could not even know that whether there is a glove in my hand or not. While walking through the side of the lake I found that there is only one gloves in my hand. I went all the way back searching for it but most probably it would have been lost in the bus.

Third day I found a pair of gloves in the table with a note "Keep your hands warm" it was Riku who brought a pair of gloves from his home for me. This was a great feeling of friendship and care.

The third day, Prabhat joined me in Lahti. He stayed there for four days and we made nice food at home. We were invited for a evening to play billiards and to have some beer. There we played and I lost all the games I played against Marko and Ari. We enjoyed the day and it went very well. We talked for some time and then Marko Oja dropped me back at home. Most of the Finnish people are seen to be a little shy to start talking, but once you are comfortable with them they start getting so warm with you. This was happening with me while the day passed.

I got help from Ari, and Jaakko in the next task. Jaakko was there available most of the time when ever there was a need of help. Saturday I invited Rikku and family for having dinner at home and I made sure that there is not much of spice. I made Pepper Chicken and Egg Masala. It was not so tasty for me but Rikku said it was.

Ice hockey is one of the biggest sports people enjoy in Finland. It is like how cricket is considered in India. Jussy invited me for a match and we went together to the ice hockey stadium. It was a match between Pelicans, the local team of Lahti and Karapats one of the team from the northern Finland. My seat was just behind the Pelicans team box and there were Jussy, his wife and children and also his brother in law. It was a great successful match for the host team we enjoyed the game and Jussy got me some hamburger and other foods to enjoy the game. It was great and all the people were in great mood. We made it to the best as we could supporting the team shouting

Days passed and there came Brilliant Friday (The annual day in Finland) we had a nice time there. Talking to so many people, and the mood was great. We end up doing arm wrestling and got someone and someone got me. We all exhausted all our beer coupons and then came sponsored drinks. We were all so high and left the party after 11 in the night. Anncy told me that I am going to have a nice hangover next day and will wake up only in the afternoon. We made a bet, I said morning 6:30 I will send you a message saying "I am still alive" if I managed to send it, Anncy would get me a beer. If not then I will have to get him one.

After the party there was one more coupon which was given which enabled us to enter another pub. Some of us went there and did not like it as there were only young people in there. By this time it was only Marko and me. Marko helped me to get a taxi and I left home.

This is one great day ever for me outside India where I made many friends in a day. I am sure that I have made a place in each of their heart. Well forgot to mention Ari, got an award of being exceptionally innovative.

Saturday I invited Jussi , his wife Sanamaria , Marko and his family for a dinner at my place. This time I was more careful while preparing the dinner and made pepper chicken fry, Chicken masala, and Kerala style Egg curry. This time I made it good and I was proud of me myself. All the guest were on time but I was still cooking it took another 30 minutes for me to finish with cooking even though I started cooking in the morning. We had a nice time and they got some gift for me. Marko's child Veeve made my day. I felt so happy with her she was doing exactly the same things that my child Claire do at home. I and Marko went to sauna after the dinner and had some more beer. This was another day which I would like to remember for the rest of my life.

Sunday Jussy and Sanamariya invited me for skiing. We went skiing on the frozen lake and found a man fishing in the lake by making a hole in the lake.

Marko continued helping me in clarifying my doubts and Jaakko helped me in solving many difficulties. This week Marko Oja was assigned to help me understanding the third side of the system and he was so simple in making me understand things.

This was the last week for me in here. I am now considered as one of them. And it was a great feeling. Wednesday Marko invited me to his home for dinner. I was so excited to see Vive his 4 year old daughter. He has a very beautiful house near the boundary of the forest. It is an old Finnish model house. And the dinner was also so tasty. I spend time talking to him and playing with his children. I asked him if he could drop me in the nearest bus stop. He came to drop me to the bus stop and changed his mind and drove all the way to my home and dropped me at my home.

The next day I Marko Oja, Ari and Jaako we went to Herald, a Finnish restaurant and had our dinner there. We enjoyed our meal and kept on talking till it got late. Said bye to all and started to go back. I also met Marko Oja's girlfriend who offered me a drive home. I said would walk and started walking. But then I found that it all looks same. I had no clue where to go. I asked some of the people and they showed me the route. I was confused once again and asked one more person who passed by. I heard a sound, "Joe are you looking for the way home"? , It was Jusi. He dropped me home.

This is the last day, Moring Riku came with a gift for my child. Jaakko brought mämmi, a traditional Finnish food, It was nice. And later in the evening Marko dropped me at my home and we said good bye to each other.

I think I have made a good relationship with the very good people of Finland. It is so nice of each one of them. They take you as a good friend if you managed to keep the right relationship.

We say Athi Devo Bhava, but they do. I loved each day I stayed there. A give big salute to Finland which has birth to people I met.

Gone Green, long way to Yellow

From the last week while getting ready to come to office, one thing makes me very proud. Each day it is like a new achievement and recognition. Logica recognizes it's employees many ways. LORE awards , Diamond awards, Star awards, Project level awards etc. Each of it has got great value. But the latest recognition "Loyalty award" is carried around all the day around the neck. I felt it as if a star is getting added to the shoulder flap. It was a great way to recognize the people who have served the company for many years. It is not always money which could make someone happy but is the recognition that you receive in the society which makes you happy and proud.

I felt very proud when my Line manager Rajesh Roy and my staff Manager Asit Mishra gave me the personalized letter from Abhay in front of my wife and children. I am sure that my family would have felt proud about me. It was also a great moment for my wife to receive the silver coin. And when she was told that the company is proud of her as it is very important for the support of the family for a person to give a long run in a company, I could see that she felt so proud that she is also recognized for her efforts. It is true. Each of us needs the support of the family to excel in the official work. They might not be helping us in the office works but the support is very important.

If you get chance certainly do listen to your parents, spouse, children or your siblings talking about Logica to some third person. They would sound as if it is their own. I have seen the great feeling that they have about the company. It is not just about you and the company. When you are associated with a company for long it becomes part of your family's interest. I just got a green tag as I have done 6+ years. Look at those who have got blue, purple and yellow tags. I can imagine how proud they would be feeling wearing their tags around their neck every day morning. I am sure that each one who have got this tag when wear it every day morning their family would be very proud of them.

It’s great to be Santa

This year Great parents Club of Logica India  asked its members to help their children to write letter to Santa. There were many objectives behind it. Letter writing is a culture which is getting vanished from the society. With phone’s  to emails then to mobile phones. Now facebook. Communication is so fast that we have almost forgotten about the postal department. Address is Santa Claus, Great Parents Club, Logica.

To let our children know about post office, stamp, postbox and so on. This would give parents an opportunity to spend time with their children and to talk to them on many subjects like post office, Santa Claus, Christmas, and so on. Mukesh, me and Yash made the plan for the event and approached the Rajesh, vice president, Syntillations. He was happy and told us that the budget is only 6000 -8000 rupees. As the rest of the money is all planed for the family day. 

We agreed to find the best 10 letters and send them the gifts that they have asked for. We were amazed by seeing the letters that we have got from children. We called up the parents and also reached the children and wished them. Unfortunately we couldn’t reach some of the children. Children were so exited to talk to Santa. On the last working day before Christmas we gave gifts to those children who’s parents we could reach on that day. Now our budget was almost over. But there were so many nice letters we got from small children. Didn’t feel good to break their heart. Mukesh and me checked with Raj. He said that his budget is done for the year. We went to Prabodh Sirur and showed him all the letters, he was so exited in the concept and those innocent letters made him so happy. Then we told him that we have got some more letters but have no budget to give gifts to children.

He immediately called Chinnappa, who is helping Syntillation to handle it’s account, and got the budget sanctioned. We were so thankful to him while leaving his room. On family day Mukesh with the help of the Nandu  arranged the setup for Santa to meet children. Mukesh and Yash went and purchased all the gifts. I went to Anish Joseph and borrowed his Santa’s dress. We were all ready by four.

I was dressed as Santa. Sulfy clicked all the pictures of children, who came to Santa. All those who have send letters to Santa got their gifts on that day.  It was a great feeling when children approach you and take away their gifts. Thanks to all the people who made it happen.