One Life

Getting a job in Netherlands

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 11:05:00 +0000

Start this job search guide in Europe as a helping article much earlier but finished now, here goes...

Don't

Don't shoot in the dark. If you shoot 100 apps a day by just hitting "easy apply" to submit, the company takes the easy route to reject. Harsh!
Don't take it easy if you really need a job to pay your bills or to cover your career gap.
Don't kill yourself if the career gap is getting wider. Accompanying spouses who move countries stress so much about the career break that they stop living, make their life miserable and pass the negativity to their partners. It is not worth!
Don't undersell yourself. If you are qualified in a field, you probably know you would need to take a few steps back to start in a new place. But going to work as a sales assistant when you have a university degree and years of work experience makes you doubt yourself, "accept fate" and become more negative.

Job search is a ful ltime job. Wake up, get to your desk at 9 am and search-write-submit for 8 hours.
Send atleast 10 job apps per day.
Write a customized cover letter. When you read the job description, make a connection to how you will do each task and write it in your cover letter. No better way.
Read the job description. Seems like a no brainer, but desperate times call for desperate measure. Read clearly if it is how you can spend your day doing.
If you make it through the screening to the phone/ on site interview, make the first round about you-and-them, learning about the company, and asking a lot of questions.
Research the company and the business and ask questions. This shows your interest to do the job at their company.
Be brave! You need the job, but you are not begging for it by being humble and submissive. A company wants to hire a strong person.

In the meanwhile, you can live!

Learn Driving. It is a different country with different traffic dynamics, smaller/ wider roads and often on the other side of the road.
Get a bike and bicycle around.
Dance, paint, sing - join a club to do it
Take long walks. The power of fresh air can do wonders to a lonely idle mind and definitely save your mind from becoming a devil's workshop. Don't mind the weather, just walk.
Set up a freelancing business. Netherlands is the motherland of entrepreneurship! It takes 40 minutes to register your business if you have the slightest idea of what you want to offer. Your shop needs to be open if opportunities need to come by.

What inspires you to travel

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 14:25:00 +0000

Here's my own list

Movies that inspire you to travel and go with the flow:

The way. My best so far. Walking through Europe was the hook.

Into the wild. Being lost in a jungle while being a rebel. Love it.

Vincent and me . My artsy side fell in love with the 13 year old protagonist when I was 13

Eat pray love . A bit over rated but the part of renting a house in Italy and Indonesia does its part.

Australia. Travel. Move. To a strange land. Make contact with tribals. Live happily. Why not?

Books:

Chai chai

The Alchemist

The day I stopped drinking milk

Food:
Bakalava / Pakhlava - the speciality of Turkey-soviet regions. I loved my trip to Armenia because every evening I would head out in quest of Bakalava
Vodka - Same as above. In Armenia and Poland I bought all this great variety of Vodka that I am super excited to try out, party and get drunk.

Shopping:
Vodka in the east - Eastern europe, Poland, Russia, Armenia
Leather- I am looking forward to buy this in Italy

Happy Autumn

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 15:47:00 +0000

After completing 5 years of living in Europe, I have a good sense of Western/ Central European life and culture. So here's what rubbed off on me and what ingrained into me:

1. I lost the English language I learnt all life!
Really strange but I can confirm that a language you learn as a child can change in structure as you become an adult. I learnt British English growing up in India. But then I started learning German 5 years back. The structure of German and now Dutch has rubbed into my vocabulary and language so much that " I have now begun to speak like a Dutch person.

2. Be unapologetic about the directness
One thing I really appreciate about the Dutch culture is the directness and "to-the-point" talking. It cut a lot of unnecessary details out.
But more importantly made my talk precisely. I had struggles with confidence and used to mumble a lot. I personally feel it reduced and clarity increased when I made spoke (in a foreign language sometimes).

3. More kindness, More acceptance
Seems like I should have learnt it in elementary school. But infact I grew up very entitled and self-centered (like most people whose parents provide for them). The typical NRI life is families getting together for potluck Indian dinners every weekend and bitching, about India, about fellow Indians, about the host country. Just negativity.
When I ventured out to meet diverse people whose journey is far different from relating, I just decided to give kindness, acceptance and love.

Amsterdam Uitmarkt - Bolly does it!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 09:53:00 +0000

You probably know I have taken a liking to Flashmobs. What you see on my blog is only flashmob posts. But there is more to it.

Uitmarkt is a music, dance and cultural festival in The netherlands with 40+ years history and it marks the beginning of the cultural season in Holland. And as a feather in our caps, together with my Bollywood dance group, we were sponsored by Amsterdam Fringe Festival to throw a Flashmob at Uitmarkt. It was definitely a moment of pride to be a part of Fringe considering I had earlier applied to be a Fringe artist and not made it for Amsterdam Fringe 2017.

Art and expression knows no boundaries!

2017 - Binging on life

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 21:57:00 +0000

This year started so slow, a few successes and failures initially. I tried to change gears and accelerate it but the fate had a different pick-up rate to my gaadi and it crashed down with a big thud. What that gave me was a fixed timeframe to fix it and bring it back to the life I wanted to live or go to the life I had to live. The clock started and I started reaching out to all lifelines. I still think I am living on borrowed time. Therefore I started binging on life.

Sun, Sea and Sailing. Kinda sums it up!

Moved to Amsterdam center. I would rather live the Amsterdam life than not.
Started biking, sketching by the Amstel and kept the dancing going.
Travel to a new town every weekend. Train, bus or bike. Beach, canal or castle.
Booked a trip for next month!
Got an unlimited movie card. Watching all of those on big screen.
Explore restaurants. Not that I didn't do it earlier, but I am binging on life, like I intend to.
Booked a theme park! Next will be a spa and the like...

Frosty end of a leap year

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 30 Dec 2016 21:13:00 +0000

So the year indeed is ending. After a bag of mostly unpleasant surprises I am glad this leap year is ending tomorrow. If you have been in touch with me you know I had a rough start to the year and it got rougher until I made drastic changes. However as it ends, today as I stepped out into the -4 degree Amsterdam morning, I caught a moment with these frost coated leaves. And reignited inside a small hope to make the next year better and happier. Happy new year 2017!

Flashmob for cause

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 12:57:00 +0000

Last Saturday a group of countries organized the First International Bollywood Flashmob. Same day - same time - same music - same dance. The motivation for us in Holland was to support the cause with several other demonstrations in support of refugees on the same day 19th march 2016.

13 countries and 17 cities in total practiced for this day with the same choreography and same music mix. Organizers worked out details and kept all city representatives updated. What I really liked about this whole online venture is the way it brought together all the people who have the common interest in Bollywood dancing. Everyone of these people worked together for a positive and non-profit cause.

So there we are after 2 months of practice, and a permit from Amsterdam Gemeente with a group of 15 people dancing in Museumplein in front of residents, dutch, expats and tourists. Dancing on a cold and cloudy day in bright colours and vibrant bollywood music with the moto : One Love.

2015, the sum up

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 16:25:00 +0000

2015 began on one fine sad morning after one of the many bad nights. That was the beginning. I just kept my hope, because "Hope is a Good Thing" . The rest of this year I lived and strived to prove it.

In January, I had a stormy month. Stormy weather outside the door and inside my head. Stuff happened when M went to India for 2 weeks. Arun visited, we drank dutch beers and ate lots of cheese. I made a trip to Cologne and although it was nothing exceptional, when I returned I had more hope and determined to see sunshine and make something better of what I had. I restarted the dancing that week for an event away in April. Oh yes! That was a good start. Girls started flocking my place and it became an adda.

February was neat as well. We started dancing at a new cafe in Amsterdam Centrum. Every wednesday night that I travelled back in the tram throughout this brightly lit city, I thanked Amsterdam for this is the place I call home. Yeah, I got another pair of Swarovski's ...

March brought out the first performance from us for the year. It was good energy and good karma.

In April, I biked around the Cherry blossoms here. Loved it. Then we drove around to see tulips, which we missed the previous year. Fun, fun and fun! We head off to Bordeaux and enjoyed a few days of sunshine in the wine valley. Was a really good trip. I started running in April.
The best thing is all of Netherlands celebrates my birthday because it is the King's day on April 27th. So I will never again have a sad-turned-a-year-older-day as long as I am in NL. I don't remember much details from my birthday as I was smashed in happiness.

In May we made a long trip to Croatia and Montenegro. The south was so warm and happy. Then I became the star of the month at work. Happy! And I ran the colour run! It was 5 km of colours, ecstatic!!!

June was good. Ash visited. I joined the outdoor watercolour painting group and painted so regularly. And I ran my second run. Zuidas run! Another medal :)

July was our Bollywood performance in Nyenrode Uni. I loved the crowd, the cheering and token of appreciation. For the most part I biked and ran.

In August, I partied at Gay pride parade, girls nights , picnics... all of those European summer thingys. And we performed at India independence Day. That was a milestone, got us lot of regard and more people joined us after.
Went of boat parties and Sail Amsterdam. Stuff I love and appreciate about my Amsterdam life. We headed off the south of France for the last of summer. Was an amazing beach holiday!!!

September was again performances from us.

In October we went for a week to Germany and met up with all the old gang. this is what I love about being in different places and calling them home. the warmth and love when we meet is too heartening to trade off for anything.
October was the biggest performance ever. 17 thousand people flocked the Diwali festival celebration and we performed. Big big deal for me. And lots of celebration.
I trained and finished the 3rd run in best time of the year. TCS run in October.

November had Kannada Rajyotsava. Danced and supported Kannada. We made a trip to Dusseldorf and partied crazy for a weekend. Went to Bollywood parties and partied. That's what you do when winter is starting. In general partied!

And December was our long year end trip. 8 days of Spain and Portugal. Madrid and Lisbon, the Sangrias, Flemencos, Tapas, churros, Sangria ( did I say that), long walks on the warm coast, sea food, Sangria (!!!)...
Ok I went to Nuremberg again for my Bollywood and Christmas chicken fix!

Happy 2016, now go and pull that level up!

One moment of glitz

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 21:07:00 +0000

October 31 of 2015 happens to be the one biggest high. It was Diwali festival celebrations in Holland. And the Indians,expats and Surinamese make it a big deal. This year was a huge 17000+ visitors to the festival and we were up dancing on stage with all these people watching us. Someone just asked me jokingly later "what are you? Madonna? " . And I said,yes I feel like that.
Me and the group I got together were up on stage, feeling absolutely great after weeks and months of practice. On a low day like today is when I look back on these amazing things that I am grateful to have had.

2014, the crazy eventful year!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 31 May 2015 22:43:00 +0000

I call 2014 the most eventful year so far. I wouldn't trade it for the world. It took me from darkness to light.

In January I returned from India. Iw as jot so happy but happiness found me. I danced all of January and performed my first Bollywood dance on Republic day 26th January 2014. It was a start!

In February, I would up my job in Erlangen and packed up my house in Nuremberg. We set off on a trip to Barcelona and Toulouse. They were amazing and so love to see sun and snow on the same trip. I bought my first Dslr in my last paycheck. That's what I will remember from my Erlangen job, no more early morning hour long bus rides full of viber calls.

March 2014 was when we stepped into Amsterdam. I knew it will be positive by the step of it. And it was. I went to meetups in the very first week and in thr second week I was already setting up my own dance group.

In April we performed at kannada ugadi in Amsterdam and just became a little famous that day! Kings day was a nice Holland celebration that I won't forget.

In May my parents arrived for their trip and all went bright and sunny. I got my first job in may.

June I started my job. End if june I went to UK on business travel. What fun! Met Thomas, the anna from Akam days. Oh! What fun it was ... and the same week I flew back to Germany for my art exhibition opening. It was a great trip. I had to make that trip to remind myself where I came form and where I and. I met my girls and returned happier than ever.

July was a fun time with Gay pride and love. Made a trip to UK again and this time visited Isle of Wight. Fun trip with mah boys yo!

August was sunny but not a travel that I can point on.

September was great fun. We performed at the opening of Bollywood at the park festival. Pavan came over and we danced and performed like crazy. That one fun month! We performed at the Pop up week and made the most popular Bollywood flash mob video of Amsterdam,dancing right in the middle of dam square.

In October I spent a week in London, went to Brighton and also Kettering to see cousins of M.

November 1st was out Kannada Rajyotsava dance and November also saw anther Bollywood performance from us.

December was the last meetup of our dance group at Conscious hotels, our first home to Bollywood Amsterdam group. But a few other sparks definitely flew in December that made me look forward to 2015. New year and lots more to come ... well its happening now, better than ever. I can't complain!

A painting that took a swim

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 31 May 2015 05:45:00 +0000

In a completely motivated state, I took an oath to start painting again. Water colour painting and go on a spree to paint. That I wouldn't stop until I finish 5 paintings. This is probably 4th :)

I started a new watercolour painting meetup on Amsterdamand had thr first meetup at Beatrix park. The day turned out so windy cloudy and rainy. Nothing to hamper my spirits. I went ahead with 3 others and painted. This painting of the Lions got completed,signed and I got up to stretch. It flew. And it flew all the way into the water !!!

A friendly artist fished it out. I laid it out to dry. And it flew again. Oh! The painting likes to fly and gather dirt. I finally pinned it to my book, let it dry and dusted it off. That's what you see below.

Comments: the Ducks would frame it the next time you come back !!!!

Nevertheless, my watercolour painting meetup has kickstarted and I am on a mission to paint

Cherry Blossom in Holland

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 20:33:00 +0000

Cherry blossom in Japanese cherry blossom park in Amsterdamse Bos.
The little red fella is out and about for the year :)

Celebrating with Dance

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 07:55:00 +0000

I am back!!!
Hurray!!!!!

This time we performed a dance medley of latest Kannada songs with the Kannada group here in Holland. Check out my video below:

It is a fun experience to bring people together, especially non-dancers and enjoy dancing together. Most men are no natural dancers but what I found out was they have fun and dance. Nothing clinical about our dance here with the group. Just for fun!

A moment of glory

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 16:30:00 +0000

I have been to the meetups with Amsterdam Life Drawing Society. This group is a bunch of artists who come together at a venue and draw a model.I like it because it is quick sketches of 10- 20 minutes each. If you sketch fast, you colour and shade your art work or leave a sketch as it is. I am a very old school artist. Infact, I had no knowledge of a lot of modern drawing pencils and sketching equipment. They are really so cool and fun to use, I have always been stuck to my pencil and white sketch book. Not that I complain about it, but I would definitely like to experiment with more media.

So here are the sketches of the nude man I presented

Bollywood Flash mob in Amsterdam

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 20:01:00 +0000

A new group of Bollywood dance enthusiasts I brought together in the last few months. We put up a flash mob during a movie screening at the Ooster park in Amsterdam. Super excited and happy about this!

One day of nerves

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Jul 2014 22:24:00 +0000

Yesterday was the semi finals of worldcup 2014. Holland playing and all. I wabred to see the gane outside. Ofcourse, i am a sucker for happy and high energy events.The plan was to put bike in m s car. But it didn't fit bcos we had another guy and couldn't fit my bike in.Then my phone died at amstel bridge. I went off to overamstel direction and got lost. Ha! That's the bridge I always fuck up on. So I put my bike in front of mercure hotel on the highway and called a cab. You know this little barbie lock I use for my bike. Such paranoia with leaving my little baby in a unknown place overnight and having to deal with the probability of losing it :(
I tried so hard to make it there this morning. Ah no trains. No drop at all. And no taxi too. With the nerves I still made it through work. Long long day at work. And I managed to sink out for an hour and take the temporary bus to that area.
Lo behold she was standing there even this afternoon. The guy up there wanted me to have my bike. Really.

My 2014 Paintings Exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 21 May 2014 16:07:00 +0000

Ugadi dance in Amsterdam

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 19:36:00 +0000

After my Republic Day dance, I have just caught the dance bug and been more excited than ever to dance. So I landed in Amsterdam, didn't want to repeat the nuremberg mistakes, began socializing and met another girl who was interested in dance. I registered for the Ugadi program by Holland Kannada Balaga. Now it all comes together when me, the unemployed wants to do something with my time for the Ugadi celebrations. Gessell and I started practicing to Divya's pre choreographed Kannada dance video. And then we decided to have some more dancers and pulled in husband. Sent out a ton of emails to Kannada Balaga members and had two people join in. Got some of Pavan's simple choreo and put a sequence together. This is our dance

Bike is back!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 15:30:00 +0000

Yeah! My bicycle arrived from a month in storage. And today, I took it out already. Oh! what fun it is to ride to a mall and ride back with groceries in a backpack. Seriously, I've begun to adapt to these Dutch ways quite fast. Also, I was way too scared of losing the bike on my first day. but this mall seemed to have saved my bike this time :) Happiness!!!!!

Now-a-days I am dancing it out. Yes, to beat the moving stress and the "change of base" depression that follows, I have formed a group with some folks and we have been dancing. Our first on stage performance will be on the 12th of April :D Ta daaaa...

And there is the Bollywood dance group that got formed with me as a core member :) We have danced twice at Conscious hotels Vondelpark already. We did a full choreod dance for Badtameez Dil. What fun!

Change of Base, Change of Gears

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 20:31:00 +0000

I changed location from Nuremberg to Amsterdam. The first few days were a shock to see a big city attitude. Especially after being grounded in a small town for close to two years. And eventually, including present and future, I believe I will get used to a big city attitude. Atleast I see a lot of people when I step out. That's a big relief. But the laziness that comes with the idle mind has not left. So it is back to my old routine. Although I am from a big-ish city, it takes a while to get used to the bigness. Physically Amsterdam is not so big. The city center has everything in walking distance. I could walk from Rembrantplein to Leidseplein and from there to Vondelpark.

Now the drill repeats. Find a new apartment to live in. Receive household from storage. Set it up. Find a internet provider. Set it up. Find a gym (hopefully near home) , join and be regular. Or find a swimming pool (better) and try to be regular. That reminds me, I have 3 unused swimming pool tickets in Erlangen. I have to go back now, to finish the unfinished business.

I was at Vondelpark yesterday, when it was sunny. By the time I set up myself and began to sketch, the sun was out and it got windy. I could still manage some 5 minute sketches. Will put those up soon.

Nostalgia

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 22:25:00 +0000

Cache Sunshine Boat Quay Zip Car Plymouth driving test Sequence Hemakoota sunset Alu Parota at Delhi food point Sedona Ben & Jerry's Factory Bled cream cake Rave unde Red Lobster Dreamland Mysore Nalapak B Flat 5.45 am Yoga Nokia and Simo Carmel Convent weekends Sports bar Bildungzentrum afternoons Anjuna

My devils are sleeping

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 15:10:00 +0000

If empty mind is a devil's workshop, then my devils are also sleeping. That is how devoid of good, bad and ugly thoughts my workshop has gotten. Needless to say, the joints are rusty and creaky. Really, my bones are cracking since the last few days.

I keep thinking why a person gets so bored with routine. Especially, because I am the person who longs for a routine in place and gets upset by the disruption of routine. But when routine is so spaced out as it is now, I am at a loss. This has made me come back and blog as often as I used to in my first job and some time after that. When I was bored with myself and looked at keying in for some inspiration to scratch and spill out. You know, the kind that oozes out when you keep scratching the surface.

Of late, I have begun to think I am getting sun sensitive. Just like these Europeans think to themselves. They are happy and active when the sun shines and dull when it is cloudy or rains or snows. That means, an average person in Europe is happy for 15 days to 2 months every year. That is an aweful statistic to live life with.

I am also looking forward to the adrenaline rush from the move and new place. I dont care if the weather is bad for 300 days because I just got to know there is life in English indoors!!!!!

How is my art evolving?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 12:43:00 +0000

In 2012-13, I have been experimentaing and painting some acrylics mostly with layers and thickness. And I have been having fun with it. Not more than 10% of my works have been conventional and watercolor landscapes that I trained in. Now comes the problem. When I visited home to drop off some paintings, my mother said you haven't improved in these years.

I am totally on the defense trying to justify what I do and why I do it. And alternatively, I feel there is no need for justification. My art is about my expression. You don't become a great artist till you have painted miles and miles of canvas. Where am I?

If being a good artist is about reproducing good looking landscapes on paper, why call the person an artist? Call her a painter. Or a imitator. Or whatever.
I have seen many artists works which I can't appreciate or very often bring myself to understand. I think it is a find line between appreciating the artist's expression and understanding an artwork. A chord that strikes with your soul and makes you can resonate with the feelings in an artwork. That is the true appreciation of an artwork.

On the other hand, I have a strong motivation to do both expressive contemporary artworks and keep in touch with my landscape skills. When I tried to paint a still life scene I saw in Italy last year, I realized how those fine skills just slip out of your hand when you don't use them often. Just like any other skill.

Scene from Sardinia, Italy. Painted in Jan 2014.

This is a tribute to my art teacher whose demise I heard about just yesterday. He taught me for 10 years.

Ten Tag to start 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 16:25:00 +0000

1. What does your name mean?
Friendship.
How it sounds is a different thing. Everyone knew Neha. It was a easier and more ppular name. I was the first one in my whole school who had this name and a surname. Everyone had initials with their given name. How I was made fun of by being called by my surname! Any way,I like my name now.

2. What are your hobbies?
Painting is one hobby my parents tried to instill in me and the one I picked up. And when I feel a painter's block (if there is such a thing), I have tried to swim and dance recently. So those three.

3. According to you, what was the driving force that let you into the blogging world?
Middle Class Brahmin and his bunch of friends had started blogging in 2005-06 ish and I was written about in a post . I had to take revenge. Or I had to voice my feelings out. Or I had to be cool like them. Or I had to get my blog of my own.

4. What was the most recent compliment you’ve received and savored?
You have strong calves.
Ha! I had to laugh myself but when I said I played table-tennis during university, this was no-wonder kind of statement. Needless to say, I loved it because I loved my TT playing days.

5. What are the top three qualities that draw you to someone new?
Genuine friendliness
Unique Talent
Network

6. If you could eliminate one weakness or limitation in your life, what would it be?
Ah, I would like to eliminate the need for attention. I would be so much more peaceful and happier if I wasn't looking for it.

7. What was the best news you ever received?
When I registered a piece of property in India in record time. You know, India and real estate and bureaucracy ... Oh! that's got to be the best ever news I had. It's done! That was it. took me a while to digest that news..

8. If you could hold on to just one memory from your life forever, what would that be?
As soon as we moved to Singapore, M and I went to Vivocity mall thinking that was a part of Sentosa island (funny eh!). At sunset, we were enjoying a drink at the promenade and had the 'surprise' of brilliant fireworks from Sentosa Island.

9. What’s your favorite dessert?
Chocolate mousse

10. What are the top three things on your bucket list?

2013, another year went by, definitely noticed

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 15:58:00 +0000

I wrote 2011 and 2012 with great interest and enthusiasm. Somehow I feel my enthusiasm dipped a bit for 2013. Or I grew older and more mellow. I have no clue. But I was reading an article today that said a dying person's regret was not appreciating every year that passed by. So here goes a tribute to 2013, a whole 365 days I spent my life.

New years eve was celebrated at my uncle's terrace in Bangalore, a culture my das's family has maintained for years. Me and M spent a good time, me not drinking a drop of alcohol. India trip had given me a nice little wake up call with liquor a week earlier.

First of Jan was another relative visit, mundane social compulsion which neither M or I can appreciate these days. But we do it because it is a non-negotiable social obligation. And then I spent the next 10 days in depression and flew back to Germany. Winter was only starting. Lack of sun caused huge round of depression. It is a phenomenon here!

In March I finished Zertifikat Deutsch B1 and then joined a course to write resume and prepare for interviews. Yes, right! They train people to do it the German way, instead of accepting you and tapping out your talent. Nevetheless, three months later this course gave me a good reference and a job, so I can't complain.

Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin

Prague

End of March, we drove to Berlin in freezing, never ending winter. There was no sign of Spring but there
was no stopping us from the spring. We spent snowing days in Berlin, sight-seeing, partying and eating. Then we drove down to Prague. Another lovely city with a charm and feel that just engulfs you in its artistic hug. We partied crazy in Prage and I drove back happier than ever to Nuremberg.

In April, I went to Italy to celebrate my birthday. And I got robbed. So I celebrated my not-so.important birthday in the police station getting an FIR of my lost documents and resident card. The next months I sat grounded in Germany waiting for the resident card to be issued again.

In June, my first art exhibition in Germany opened with a grand opening night and 16 artists from around the world.

I interviewed more than I have in all these years, failing, faltering and finally speaking enough German to be understood. In July, I started my job. I also got back my lost documents. Yes!!!! They found it back from the robbers in Italy.

And we went on the third vacation of the year. Salzburg and Königssee. Two lovely small towns and totally in Alps. Summer had started and the weather was perfect as ever. One weekend of getting back my resident card and going out of country was like freedom pronounced.

In August, we drove to Slovenia. What a beautiful place it is! If you ever want a cheaper side of Europe and still enjoy the beauty of the Alps, Eastern Europe is the direction. All along the Emerald route, we made stops to enjoy the sights and walk our tiny little bits.

September-October was Greece. Chania had me at the first sight of it Venetian port. The beaches are beautiful, boat rides exciting and swimming is my natural high.

Novemeber was Sardinia, Italy. I forgave Italy and vowed to be more careful. And M and I had fun in Sardinia. But all the sun bathing in under 20 degress made me return with a fever. And the rest of November, I recovered and went swimming!

Right as the Christmas season started, I sold a painting at the advents market. And it was a lucky painting. I can tell by the feel of it. It just geared me up for a happy new year ahead.

Finally, wound up in India for holidays and new year's eve. Made the family play Secret Santa and made them dance to dabangochi Kannada tunes. Happy New Year 2014, you all!