Two mistakes

Mistake # 1:

"The system was unable to authenticate your debit card. Please check that the data you entered is correct or use a different card", ATM displayed the error message.

I pulled the ATM card from the slot, inserted it again, typed the PIN carefully and pressed the Enter key. The ATM took a moment to verify the data I entered and displayed the same error message.

"What? It can't go wrong! I haven't changed my PIN recently", I wondered. Fortunately, the ATM was located next to a branch of the bank. I entered the bank and proceeded towards help desk. 

"My ATM card is not working. I am getting an authentication failure error message", I gave my ATM card to a representative sitting at the desk asking for his assistance. He took my ATM card, observed it for a while and said, "Sir, this is 1st bank, and you have an account with 1st national bank".

Damn! How did I miss this!

Mistake # 2:

After waiting in the rush hour queue at a post office for about half an hour, I went to a counter when my turn came.

"Hi, how may I help you today?", the clerk at the counter asked me with a cheerful smile on his face.

"I have printed out a stamp for shipping this parcel. Could you please assist me with shipping?"

The clerk took the stamp from me, observed it for a while and said, "Sir, you have printed a UPS stamp. This is USPS".

Seriously, how did I miss this!

Good news and Bad news

I have a good news and a bad news to share. The good news is that I had cleared the written and visual tests for obtaining a learner's permit, a document which will allow me to drive a motor vehicle with a licensee sitting next to me.

The bad news is my alien identification number is not yet populated in Colorado database to find if I am eligible for entitlements. I should either wait now and re-apply after a few weeks time, or travel to Lakewood office and see if they can help with my case status. The catch is Lakewood office that works with alien entitlements cases is opened only on Wednesdays.

Fingers crossed.

Dreadful risk

I was welcomed officially today at the Colorado State University after about two months since I joined here as a postdoc research scholar. The orientation program welcoming all the newly recruited faculty/staff started with complimentary breakfast snacks and coffee/tea. Presentations were made explaining in brief various benefits and resources CSU has to offer. Presentations which has the information I was looking for for the past couple of months; the vital information for which I ran from pillar to post to understand and apply.

My wife's medical report came a day before we were planning to leave India to join as a postdoc in CSU. Her report confirmed that she is pregnant. First trimester risks due to extensive traveling, fatigue due to sitting for a long time in the same posture, nausea, and vomiting because of pregnancy hormones were some of the things my near and dear ones talked about at this time. With such a situation, traveling within the country was not recommended, leave alone the question of flying abroad. I had a decision to make then; take up a new job in my country and take good care of my wife with the support from family and friends, or leave abroad with the wife to accept the postdoc offer.

I was aware then that whatever decision I take would change my life forever, a change that would eternally reflect in my personal character in future. It would have been a lot easier for me then to choose the "right" path, a path that was suggested by my well-wishers. After all, they care about our well being, don't they?

I questioned my destiny trying to find which path to choose. One thing I like about destiny is it never commands. It allows us to take a pen and paper and write it by ourselves. Often, we aren't bold enough to take a pen and paper and ask someone else to write our destiny. The ones who take a bold step to explore the path less traveled are the ones who have experienced life. Success is only a nickname given to this experience.

I decided to take the path less traveled, a dreadfully risky path though. Taking a path less traveled would give me an opportunity to clear off the obstacles on the path by myself, molding me into a more responsible person. When I made my decision, my bank balance was just enough to apply for a visa and buy tickets to travel. A thought never occurred to me then to save some money for a return, just in case something unexpected was to happen (Cortés would be happy to hear this!)

With not enough savings to return, we started a new life from scratch. I ran from pillar to post and found procedures to apply for insurance, finding a doctor, filing new papers for paying taxes and lot more. There were some moments during this phase when I felt it's worth going back and take the path that has no unique footmarks. Those were the testing moments which I could overcome successfully, thanks to the love and support from my wife.

Has my decision changed me to a more responsible person now? Is the destiny that was scripted by myself kind enough not to punish me harshly for my actions? It's too early to find answers to these questions now. But what I do know for sure is that the path less traveled is not as dreadful as I thought earlier.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, our complimentary lunch will be served at the Long's Peak Dining Room", a personnel from training department made an announcement concluding the orientation session formally. With that announcement the crowd dispersed, and so did my reverie.

Japanese chef night

Fort Collins is a friendly community. There is an international club that organizes social meet every Friday, aptly named as Friday Afternoon Club (FAC). There are other clubs as well which are as active as FAC and meets regularly. I happen to join one such social club last Sunday. This social club does not have a name, but meets first Sunday of every month at a member's place. One of the members would host the dinner at their place while volunteers representing the theme of dinner would offer their help in preparing the menu. 

"This month, its Japanese chef night", explained Susan, my wife's friend. We met earlier in an indoor stadium nearby a local church where I play volley ball every Friday after the FAC meet. After reaching the venue, wife and I were introduced to a lot of people from different countries; some married, some studying at school/college, some were at a job, some were old people who has grown up kids of my age!

We struck a conversation with a Romanian girl who had settled down in U.S.A thirteen years ago. She was curious to learn about India, her culture and diversity. When we said that we speak Tamil at home and we don't know Hindi which is our official language, she was surprised. 

We found that there were more people who had traveled to places near India, such as Nepal, Pakistan, Srilanka and Thailand. Some people had landed at one of the Indian airports (either Mumbai or New Delhi airport) to take their connecting flight to other countries.

Gloria explaining the menu and the spread 

Christmas tree decorations starts from Thanksgiving Day until Christmas

Myself hoping to find vegetarian items from the list

"It will be a Mexican night next month" Susan extended her pre-invitation when we finished our dinner and were starting to disperse. We bid our thank you and said good bye to our host when a friend of ours suggested we could plan for an Indian chef night sometime.

Life of Pi and Kurma Avatar

"Amazing! Brilliant! Extraordinary! Wonderful!". I could add more adjectives to praise the recently launched movie "Life of Pi". But I'm going to write about something different than the movie itself, something which the movie reminded me of while watching it. The story of Kurma Avatar.

There are two versions of the story of Pi as narrated by Pi himself to a local novelist; rational and irrational. In the irrational version, Pi tells that he shared a lifeboat along with a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena and a royal Bengal tiger after the ship in which he traveled with his family sunk when encountered with a thunderstorm. Much of the film is based on this version with eye-pleasing visuals. Towards the end, Pi tells the novelist that he told another version of the same story to the insurance agents since they felt the story was irrational and unbelievable.

In the rational version, Pi tells the insurance agents that he shared the lifeboat with a sailor (a Buddhist who met Pi at the canteen - zebra), his mother (who had lost her first son, Pi's older brother - orangutan) and the cook (an arrogant person who mocked at Pi's parents while serving vegetarian food on board - hyena). Pi portrayed himself as the Tiger in the irrational version.

Wondering what is the connection between "Life of Pi" and the story of "Kurma avatar"?

Both stories have two versions; rational and irrational. I had written the rational version of the story of Kurma avatar on my blog. But it is the irrational version which is more popular and is considered to be with God.