Shenzhen you redefined me.

As I travel the memory lane, I can’t believe that I happened to spend close to two and a half years living in Shenzhen, China.  

I left home (Bangalore) in Sep, 2015

Left Chennai in Jan 2016

And I am leaving Shenzhen in May 2018

I am not moving to far, just across the border. Hong Kong it is!

Moved to a very beautiful house in Hong Kong, but I am still not able to call it home.

This post is not about why I decided to move to Hong Kong, It’s a post to mark down beautiful memories and times that I had in Shenzhen. I did feel Shenzhen has my home, and that’s because of the wonderful experiences I have been living with.

For all those who know Shenzhen, YES, it’s hardware Silicon Valley. When I was moving I had no expectations, but just a plan to move out after a year. Having spent so much time, you know this city gave me more than what I could ask for.  This city is the fastest developing place in China, it’s called the startup hub and more to its feather. But for me it’s a place, which redefined me. When I meet my friends after ages, they see a new me… and to a major extent I have to give the credit to Shenzhen and people I encountered during my stay.

Here is where I learned to be kind and generous to people.

It doesn’t cost a lot to smile and wish someone compete stranger “Good Day” or accept a compliment by staying humble. 

I learnt to be more welcoming towards people from all races.

Got to appreciate the Chinese rich culture

It made me stronger and confident, that’s because of the people around me.

I was very lucky to have a wonderful job, company, boss and amazing team members.  I never felt I was at work, working for MEIZU.

The friends I made, the strangers I encountered, everyone left an impression on me. The newer composition of me is one who is passionate, kinder, empathetic and grateful. China could be a difficult place, but I guess, you need the right people and attitude to make this remarkable place in its own ways.

The redefined me, is used to a world which is automated,

where people don’t any more trade with cash,

where people come from all walks of life, talking different languages,

where failure is just a new beginning,

where challenges are an opportunity to accomplish new things,

where kindness, goodness and smile are means of communiation,

where being real is authentic and lasting.

I am leaving Shenzhen, but Shenzhen is going to be in my heart. Even if I am walking away from the borders, I carry with me this redefined me living in this world that I created.

I never expected my journey to be the way it is…… and I am extremely thank full to everyone for making my journey so incredible.  To be lasting forever, till my end.

I just think that we shouldn’t be scared off to let go of things. 

As you know you will always make more memories.

Cheers to new beginnings. No one has yet figured it out, we all are making it up as we go along, so make it up as best as you can.  Are you ready Hong Kong?

The story of every scar

I am here, sitting at Hong Kong Airport. My flight is in next 6 hrs. So I decide to blog and abreast you all about my first scar.

Every scar has it’s own story

Every scar is a reminder that we have the courage to fight

Every scar is a reminder to learn from our mistakes

We eventually learn to accept it as part of our body.

Every scar is the bookmark of immense pain

Every scar makes us believe in magic

The story of my first scar starts from this beautiful place from Vietnam called DaNang.  Me and my dear friend “Apple” landed early morning. The initial vibes reminded me of my home in Bangalore.  We checked in and went out to have some local breakfast. I saw expats all riding the bike and the Indian in me was like bring it on. Managed to get a bike on rent. The super confident biker in me was like so carefree about everything. Little did I know what was round the corner.

My friend accompanied me while I was driving the bike. We were heading towards the beach & on the Han River Bridge I took the wrong lane. We stopped by to ask some locals for direction & realized we have to take a U turn. I had to cross the road and then take a U turn. As I was doing that a bike from the opposite lane crossed and hit me.  After a few seconds I realized my left leg entire muscle had got ripped off and I could see my bone. It took me time to realize that I have met with an accident. Luckily, my friend was safe.

The locals gathered and they called the ambulance. For the first time I entered the ambulance and I was crying. If I recollect now, I was not crying because of the injury or the pain, I was crying because the confident driver in me was not ready to accept the fact that I had failed and my ego was too high to accept that the accident was due to my mistake.

I was rushed to the hospital, they got my X-ray done. No fracture, so I was taken to the operation room for stitches. I remembered crying and calling out my mom’s name. And this time I was crying because I was thinking how ugly my leg will look now after this and I won’t be able to flaunt my leg and wear shorts. I got 7 stitches. I was discharged and I must tell you Vietnam people are really kind and helpful. The management girl “Christina” came to see me in the hospital and was running around in getting things sorted for us.

We came back to our hostel & make a step was like a big deal for me. That immense pain, I felt it and I still remember how it feels. That’s the time I realized the steps which we casually take, how much grateful we should be for them. I met this girl “Anna” who works in the hostel, she was sitting by my side that night & giving me helping hand when I wanted to walk. She told me no matter how deep the shit is, how much the pain is, try smiling and everything will disappear.  She taught me some very interesting life lessons that came out of her own challenged life.

It’s important to count your blessings

Forgive people who do bad

Give love and be kind to everyone

Sing and smile whenever you face difficulties in life

We were in Vietnam for 7 days and moved to Hoi an the very next day. I could not travel around, but I used to sit in the resort area by the beach side. I met interesting people from various parts of life, connected, and we shared our stories. I had so many strangers helping me during these days.  I had some very sweet guys lifting me when taking steps were nearly impossible ;)

I dedicate this blog to Christina, Anna, all the strangers who helped me on my way and more importantly my lovely friend “Apple”. You realize what true friendship is when people like Apple honor you with their friendship for life. Words are less to describe for all the stuff she did for me …. All I can say…The reason I was able to recover so soon, reached Shenzhen and get back to normal life… is all due to her.

I owe her for every step I take and more.

Thank you Apple for everything.

It’s been 2 months now…

I met with this accident on 9^th of Feb

Got my stitches removed on 25^th Feb

And I was back to traveling on 9^th April

Coming back to the scar …. It’s part of me. I have accepted it.

It’s part of my body now… I don’t think it looks that ugly ;) 

I have not stopped wearing my short dresses or shorts.

I flaunt my scar !

When I look at it…. I know one day every wound will be ok. 
Time will heal everything. 

I have seen my torn muscles & tissues and now I see my scar

I am grateful as I can walk the way I used to before.

I value every step that I can take.

I know the immense pain, I have faced it, lived it

But I also know what it feels to see that pain go off

I want this blog post to give that courage to people who are dealing with their injuries.

I want to inspire people to help others when they are going through difficult times.

I want to let people know, it’s ok, scars are not ugly, they just make you more stronger and different. 

I want people to take care of their health and be grateful of their life, as there are few who don’t have what you tend to take for granted.

Sorry for this lengthy post,  I am off to Singapore. Come back for more stories!

Unfair!

Don’t know why the world judges people appearance without knowing them,

Don’t know why without understanding someones personality, we hate their very existence, 

When ever they try to reach out for help, 

We rebuke them,

It's unfair, we know, we are aware, we just don't make effort to change those thoughts. 

Don’t know why more then humanity it's the void pride - we are found of!

Because giving up is not an option!

The secret to success is a combination of a few elements.

First, it’s your own level of expectations. You have to learn to be happy with certain things you have achieved so far. It’s almost impossible to accomplish all the things you aimed in life; so you have to learn to be happy with what you have achieved, even if it’s half of what you had in your mind at first.

“Life happens to you, when you are busy making some other plans”. You always expect certain things, and something else along the ways comes by and you have to alter your path accordingly again.

If you can learn to live along with that, if you can be practical like that, success is easy, maybe! It’s good to have a plan and you are working very hard and you are walking up against the door and you can’t go through that door, you just have to find a backdoor or find a way around it!

That’s how life is; you won’t get exactly what you had in the back of your mind. It’s important to have a good work ethic; no one gets anywhere without hard work. You have to learn to deal with setbacks, failures, get yourself together, because quitting is never an option.

Life is a roller-coaster ride, you will have ups and down, but you will remember only the ups. The fact of the matter is you have to have passion. You must really, really, really and badly want something in life and you must be 100% devoted and dedicated towards it. That way, you will accomplish anything, I mean anything!

To do so, you have to be a bit crazy. You need to be possessive about it. If you commit your entire life to your dream, 2 things will happen:- either you will achieve it or you will die trying.

Dreams, goals, ambitions are important as they drive our life. 

"I am in this phase, and I am sure many too are feeling the same. I wrote this post because it’s a reminder to myself that it’s ok – If things don’t go as per the plan. What matters the most is how you fought and how you live."

Eternal Love!

It’s not a perfect love story. 

In fact it’s an incomplete one.

Left to be never completed in this lifetime.

It was a dream and near to impossible.

But as it entered my life, I started chasing more dreams.

God grants you things when you need them the most.

Deep in sorrow, fakeness,

Lost, confused and buried in questions I was.

And the Eternal Love just came as a slow wind.

Which shook my fundamentals,

Moved me and I became a new person.

That’s what it does.

So, for this Eternal Love

I will never fear this world.

Be authentic and real.

Will value my time and other time too.

Keep up my word at any cost.

Will speak up, even if it’s suffocating.

Expose my vulnerabilities and face my fears.

I will stay beautiful as this Eternal Love.

Alive and meaningful.

I will go global and make you proud.

Will smile even if I live in pain.

Because I got more than what I asked for.

It gives me a safe nest to breath.

Protected arms when I am scared the most.

Wipes off your tears every time I am hurt.

Walking in the crowd all alone, never did I felt lost.

You walked besides me and I never wanted any one more.

I live everyday with this eternal love in my heart.

Long overdue ….but here I am.

Thanks BG for this Eternal Love.

This is what you have left me with….. never ending Eternal Love.

Water + Fire = Love

Love is the water of life and the lover is the sole of fire.

Universe turns differently when fire loves water. 

A life without love is of no count. 

Don’t ask yourself what kind of love you should seek.

Spiritual or material, Divine or Maintained. 

Love has no definition or labels. 

What makes you perfect?

Well, I am not perfect and I carry all my imperfections as a medal.

I accept and celebrate my imperfections and yes that makes me also vulnerable.

Does it pain?

Yes, it pains. When those imperfections lead to failures, setbacks, and losses.

I don’t know what being perfect is like…but I have found my way to be perfect.

You are perfect when you can make someone smile.

You are perfect when you do well for someone.

You are perfect if you can empathies with someone.

You are perfect if you can accept people for who they are.

You care perfect if you can feel someone’s pain.

You are perfect if you care less of what others would think and be you.

I live with pain, don’t ask why.

Ask how does it help.

I rejoice my pains everyday…ask why?

Only if you are in pain you can feel someone else’s pain.

When you can feel others pain you can truly connect.

Only when you are in pain you value happiness.

I call “Pain” as a blessing in disguise.

Even if you are living in pain…don’t forget to smile always.

Smile because you took a breath now.

What’s the point of being perfect, when pain and imperfection are enough to live in gratitude?

Don’t die before your death.

Try doing good and changing someone’s life, that’s when you are living.

Break out of the routine and do your bit of goodness.

And if you feel you are imperfect in anything don’t worry my friend, you will be ok. That’s how we all are and we need to stop trying to prefect our self’s, instead be grateful of this life and make the most out of it.

Cheers to our imperfections.

The very Indian in me says this….

Today back home, we are celebrating our  71st Independence Day in India. For me it was an emotional roller costar day. I was missing home, was happy seeing the flag hosting pictures, school celebration social media post and our leaders inspiring talks etc.

I have been living away from India for more than 2 years now, and after so many years of living only today I wondered what 15^th Aug means to me or for that matter for my fellow Indians. Yes, it’s a day to celebrate the freedom we got after fighting so hard and sacrificing so many freedom fighters lives. The question I have is, what are we celebrating for?

Our freedom fighters fought for a free nation, where we are no more slaves of anyone and have all the freedom we want in this life. But what’s the point of this freedom and celebration I wonder again. Our minds are not really free!

https://www.ifundwomen.com/projects/halfthestory

Religion: How easily today we categorize people based on their religion and cast. It starts right from the birth, when we label a child – Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian in his or her birth certificate and they land up living for that tag forever. We divided our own free land into religious minds and we are subconsciously fighting a mental war against each other, is this Independence? When can we stop dividing ppl based on their religion? Well, I have no answer for this? I am personally fighting my own war and hope no religion wins, but humanity WINS.  I wish I embraced true independence in my mind.

State Divisions: Oh Yes! This is classic, How many times in your day u say- “She is a tamilian”, “He is a Punjabi”, “She is from Bengal” and how strong our stereotypes are related to people from different parts of India. Isn’t it funny? So did Gandhi or for that matter our leaders fought this freedom war just to wake up from their grave and see fellow Indians talking ill and segmenting people based on which part of India they come from?

No matter how educated or smart we are, we lovely Indians can’t stop diving people. I guess it’s our skill set.

Language War: We might be the only country, which has no National Language, however for us English and Hindi are our official languages. Why u ask? Well because we speak close to 18 different languages, and how can one language win? Thus, if you are living in a particular state and if you don’t know the state language, it’s a disgrace, you will be made to feel like an outsider. So independence is not about which language u wish to learn and speak. When will we liberate our self from this languages war and say fuck everything… lets make respect, honesty, and kindness mode of communication and not Kannada, Bengali etc.

Well if I can communicate to Chinese people using these languages, I am sure it won’t be that difficult for we Indians.

Gender Equality:  This is a huge topic, and I know lots of things are changing. But still, when will we stop objectifying women in India. A woman is supposed to do this and that, is this what Independence means to you or us? Why can’t u give every woman this Independence of letting her make her own choice, out of love and not out of society pressure?

Status Quote: To explain this point, let me narrate you a story. I was waiting at this Delhi airport and a mid age woman shared my table and started telling me about her son living in US and passed out from IIT. She must be proud of her son, which I could see, but it took a twist in the story when 2 other girls joined our table. One was doing her MS in US and the other girl was doing her media studies. Guess what? That woman started giving more attention and respect to the MS girl. So here’s my question to the entire well educated and highly classy Indians – Was Independence gifted to us so that we treat people differently based on their social, financial and educational status?

Why is that we have this mental barometer, when it comes to respecting people coming from different walks of life and class.

Did our great freedom fighters fight for India’s Independence to see all that’s boiling up in India? My dear friends, as you end your today’s day and head back to a normal routine life from tomorrow, I want you guys to ask yourself, how full of double standards and a hypocrite life we are living in spite of this blessed freedom. This is not a national war, it's a fight with our selves. Fight to free yourself from the thoughts, which divide our own land.  I wish we all WIN this war soon, so that if I ever have kids, help them breath is a truly Independent India.

Happy Independence Day!

Jai Hind!

Debuted on Medium

Hi all,
I debuted on Medium today, with my first post called, "Brand Stories".
You can follow me here: https://t.co/lsGHZeCQvw

See you there :)

To all the Internet haters.

To all the Internet haters,

They say, “I lack Indian Values, have no Indian Culture, Are you really an Indian?”

I wonder why they feel it’s ok to slash someone openly on Social Media without even making an attempt to know them?

This couldn't be more far from the truth and from my intentions and values. Yes I, come from India. But, does that mean I can’t take up global roles or create social media content that is universal? Just because I am an India, does it mean I always have to dress up in ethnic attire? 

I love Social Media; it’s my bread and butter. I love being creative and experimenting with new content even if they are not conventional. I used Social media at work and personally. Yes, my profiles are public. I love this space, but today I want to address few things, that I think is not OK. Few people sitting in a room, going all out abusing content creators and when they them self have no point to prove apart from calling people racist, sexist, boosting their egos.

My FB, Blog, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter accounts are all public. You know why, because I want to share my content, stories and I tell them in unique ways. Yes, I am putting myself up there for lot of criticisms, inviting hates comments. I am ok to show that I am vulnerable. Any other way would be inauthentic. The truth is, I do dress up in all the fashions, just because you thing my pics are revealing, does not give any one the rights to judge me by saying I lack India culture.  

I'm really proud of my ethnicity and skin colour. I'm even more proud of my parents and the life they've created. I love dosa. I love pani puri. I love speaking Hindi and (poorly) Kannada, Marathi. I also love dressing up in clothes from the motherland. I love the family values I've been raised with. I love Bhangra and Bollywood music. In other words, don't get it twisted. I'm brown and I'm hella happy about it. And whatever colour your skin is, you should love it too.

I am an Indian, but I would love to be called as a Global Citizen.