Is the doctor worried?

If there's one thing I've understood about the German (public) health system, it is:

'If the doctor is worried about my health condition, he/she will act as soon as possible and everything will suddenly start working (almost in a frenzy) and then I have something to worry about.'
If the doctor is not worried, then I should not be worried either.

So long! 

Finding my footing

Returning back to work after a long time is a strange feeling because (as expected) people and things seem to have moved on - without me.

• People have become used to not having me around 
• Ways have been found to get things done without me 
• Some others have taken over stuff I used to do

It's business as usual for everyone else. It's me who needs to find my place again amongst my team - where can I bring value (if so)...it takes time. After all, its true that nobody is indispensable.

"No such thing as bad weather..."

One of the first things I heard from my German friends and colleagues many years ago was, "there's no such thing as bad weather. Only bad clothes."
For someone coming from India where complaining about the weather is a pass time, this was a thought provoking statement. As I spent time in Germany, I even started to see some truth in this statement.

Recently I was back in India and spent many months - spanning multiple seasons. Now I can say,  I do not quite agree with this statement. People start terming a certain weather 'bad' based on multiple factors - their own preparedness to deal with it and how prepared their surrounding environment is to deal with it. Clothes play a very minor role in this. In countries like India where there are serious infrastructural problems, weather is commonly perceived as bad because it starts impacting a person's ability to carry on their day to day chores. Condition of the road, electricity, water shortage etc get seriously hampered with different weather patterns.

Right clothing for weather is something that does not even occur to people.
So, 'bad' is a valid perception of weather indeed!

Back in Germany and to work

After almost 8 months of being away - sick, we got back to Germany on 20th September and I officially joined back work as of 1st October 2013.

This was the longest time I had been away from work in 15 years of my career.

Through this difficult time, it was a blessing to have an extremely supportive employer, extremely supportive and caring team mates n colleagues and an indispensable set of friends n family.

Our family in India was there by our side all through. A couple of months pre and post surgery gave us some quality time with our friends in India too. Despite the distance, our friends and colleagues in Germany were in constant touch and continued to make us feel cared for by their support; small, unexpected gestures and sometimes even some big favors.

• Our friends created a small video to say they missed having us around
• My team sent me a bunch of flowers and a card
• My team mates would often call/ email to check how I was doing
• A colleague saved up a Lindt chocolate until the day I returned back to work
• A huge poster on the wall 'welcome back' and a card, signed by my team members greeted me at my workstation
• ...

Its great to be back in relatively better health. I am looking forward to my health getting progressively better - keeping my fingers crossed. Thank you all for being there for me and caring for me. I am honored and touched.

Points to ponder about

The youth of today want to live and work in big cities. Yes! I agree.
The priorities of young professionals is very different from that of a middle/senior. Often for young professionals, it is quicker, faster ways to make money, learn and grow.
Loyalty is not something on top of their mind at this point in time.

• So, in todays world, what role does loyalty play?

When professionals young/old, work in an environment with limitless opportunities around them (often big cities), it is unfair to keep them from exploring these opportunities. This means retention becomes a very big challenge for the talent development teams. Employee attrition will be high.

• So, can we stop complaining about the 'investments' made to train people and simply accept that they will leave regardless? Or do we now get bonds signed?
• What innovations are the talent development teams going to come up with retain the best talents? Because we all know that its the best talent that tends to leave first.

While people are increasingly moving to live and work in cities, many are doing to not by choice but because that's where the opportunities are. Sad but true. I learnt from my Chinese colleague that a middle class person cannot THINK/DREAM of owing an apartment in Shanghai in his lifetime.
Being from Bangalore, I know first hand the kind of urban sprawl happening - colleagues spend several hours on the roads stuck in traffic everyday to commute to office and back. Leaving no time for them to do anything else.
I know my friends and colleagues in Bangalore who are desperately trying to squeeze some time out and seeking that BALANCE in their life so the do not get enslaved to their jobs.
I can speak confidently about this situation in Bangalore but I wont be surprised if this is the case with most people who live and work in the big/mega cities of the emerging markets.
(Owing to the mess India is in currently, will we tend to loose out on this race despite having the youngest population?)

The youth that are today choosing to live and work in cities wont remain youth forever. Someday they will decide to 'settle' down and I know most often in this phase, the priorities tend to shift towards owing a house, raise kids, live close to the kids school, get time to spend with the family etc.
I am not sure how many cities in the world can really offer this (there may be some exceptions). (This is what I found pleasantly surprising and appreciative of Germany - people had the choice to live in smaller towns and yet have good job opportunities)

• So, what happens to the favourite 'work life balance' jargon that we keep hearing about at almost every employer of choice surveys?

I am surprised and disappointed that corporates have not found a way to successfully integrate the demographics of young and old more successfully. So much for diversity eh? Diversity isn't restricted to song and dance, food and clothes. It is meant to respect all aspects of differences without being judgemental about them.
 

Exiting physically/ mentally

I read an interesting article today about The Exit of the Middle Class (Indians).
The author writes, 'Middle class disenchantment is not new.  But in recent times, I do believe it has grown to fierce proportions.'

I belong to the same group of 'middle class' that has physically exited India and living in Germany and I seem to share this observation. This is just based on looking around the number of fellow Indians who have also moved near us in Germany and to other parts of the world. Indians moving abroad is also not a big deal but in my observation, more and more middle aged and even older people are moving abroad at so called 'later' stages in life.

Years ago, it was mostly the young generation that aspired to study/work abroad and perhaps settle down there. Most people gave up any such plans once they got married, got their feet stuck in the ground with a home loan and finally when they had kids that started going to school.
On the other hand, families that lived abroad used to consider returning to India when their children needed to start schooling.

But now I see a lot of families in this phase of their life moving abroad, especially stating the reason, 'for the sake of our children.' Not to mention the salaries in a different currency eases the debts etc. I know multiple families who have made conscious decisions to move abroad with their kids, enrol them in International schools (that cost a lot in these countries) so they can get a balanced education and opportunities to explore other talents as well.

For those middle class living in India and 'exiting mentally' its no wonder that there is such a rush for premium gated communities - Spanish villas, New York styled loft apartments...and the big big business of International Schools all over urban India. These International schools are expensive, independent from the prescribed school system of India and perhaps provide the flexibility for parents to and students to transfer from one such school to another (if need be) anywhere in the world. Also might prepare the students better to compete internationally post school ?
Most of all, they promise an education that is not purely academics oriented - the reputation Indian education system has.

Almost every aspect of life in India (education, infrastructure, resources, gender, safety, economy....) is a ticking time bomb. With ONE life to live, for those need to think of the future of their children, is there much of an option left?

Not many of those who like to wear their patriotism on their sleeve will agree and accept the fact that they have indeed mentally exited!

Achievements amidst crisis

At a time in my life when I face diverse scenarios of difficulties, I'd like to note that amidst it all, I managed to achieve some things too:

• 8th May, 2013 I received confirmation from the examinations administrator, Said Business School, University of Oxford that I have been awarded the Diploma in Strategy and Innovation. I was very pleased with the marks I got too. I had worked very hard through 2012 through this and the final leg of the thesis submission was the toughest - to manage it along side being sick with my kidney disorder. I could not have done it without the support of some people.
  
  I did miss attending the convocation ceremony in Oxford on 22nd June - something I looked forward to attending. My post kidney transplant recovery phase just seemed more important than that. All the social media updates from my classmates on one hand filled me in with all the details on another hand made me miss the event even more. *sigh!!*
• 28th June 2013. The 2 bedroom apartment in Marathahalli, Bangalore, India is finally MINE!! It no longer belongs to the bank. I cleared off the loan and I am now finally the sole owner of this apartment. In 1997, when I started earning my own salary, my mom had given me a piece of advice, "make sure you have a house that's just your own somewhere in the world." Yes mom. I have one now. It took some time, but its here.

Under normal circumstances, these achievements would have called for a nice celebration. Unfortunately, my health condition and family situation overshadows these achievements and there aren't any celebrations.

As I practice the philosophy of living in the 'now' - I like take this moment and feel a wee bit proud of myself.

Once again, thanks for all the forces that worked in my favour and special people who have been with me to help me get here. The past few years in Germany definitely contributed in making it a little easier for me to achieve these goals.