First Day

I arrived in India at exactly 2:17am Thursday Morning.  The Cathay Pacific flight was right on time (a good sign) and we passed through customs without incident (another hugely good sign).  The hotel guy with the little sign was right where he was supposed to be and whisked us off to the car.  We arrived at the hotel by 3:15am.  At 6:00am, I awoke to a pleasant wake up call in which a heavily accented woman informed me of the expected high temperature (107 degrees) and that I should have a nice day!  Today, I groggily thought, was the first day of my new adventure.

We, my new boss (who is based in Hong Kong and had traveled with me to introduce me to the team) and I were picked up promptly at 9:30am by my new Finance Director and driven to the office. Delhi has change significantly in the 2+ years since I have been here.  With the Commonwealth Games scheduled for October, Delhi is a city under construction siege.  There is a new Metro, a new Airport (scheduled to open the day before I fly out) and tons of new roads being built.  The city is one huge construction site.  Also,  the incessant and constant honking is no longer nearly as intrusive as it once was.  Don't get me wrong, they still honk more than any other people on the planet, but it is better.  Pollution also seems to be more under control.  I was told that this is due to the conversion of all public vehicles to natural gas.  Again, lets manage expectations and understand that a few converted auto-rickshaws and buses have not turned Delhi into Vermont. There is till plenty of smog and grit for everyone to fill their lungs.  

My office is in a new office park in South Delhi which has been under construction for that last three years with no real end in sight.  Our office building is very nice and modern, but is surrounded by many works-in-progress due to the evaporation of building funds in last year's recession.  The road that snakes thought the complex has also been a casualty of reduced funding and has been left as a single lane in an expansive field of dirt and construction garbage.  I have been told this is a massive improvement over just 3 months ago when it was all just dirt mixed with some rocks.

We arrived at the front entrance and were greeted by the building security.  These guys are priceless and are in every building and factory in Asia.  They are skinny guys in ill-fitting uniforms that stand outside the building and the office's main door.  As you pass, they typically come to attention and salute you.  In India, they go one step further and do the pick-up-the leg and slam-it-down British salute.  It is kind of cool, but scared the crap out of me the first time.  I was sure he was coming after me with a prison shiv.

We were then shuttled into the cafeteria where the throng was assembled and waiting (apparently we were running late, so they had been assembled for quite a while).  We entered the room and the place erupted into cascading applause.  I felt like the President of the United States, albeit with more common sense, a slightly less idiotic agenda and a higher approval rating.  I was given a formal introduction by my boss and moved to center stage to deliver, what in my mind was clearly a moving and inspirational introductory speech.  We laughed together - We wept together.  OK, that may not have been exactly how THEY perceived it, but in my mind, it rivaled the many of the best and we shall leave it at that.

I was shown to my new office, which I must say, is not half bad.  It is a pretty large space with a great view of the dirt courtyard.  I wiggled my backside into the comfy leather chair and took stock of my new kingdom.  My thoughts of self-greatness were interrupted by my Executive Secretary, Ambika, reminding me that I was actually there to work and was late for my first appointment.  On the way, she pointed out my personal bathroom. Oh yea, my very own private bathroom.  It may not be in my office, but never-the-less, I have the key!  This may top the whole driver thing!

The morning progressed in to a series of meetings to get to know the team.  In my first meeting, though, the Chaiwala came in to see what I wanted to drink.  Apparently, this is the guy that will get me anything I would like to eat or drink all day.  I thought I would throw him a curve ball by asking for decaf coffee, but he smiled (a relatively toothless grin) and reappeared 5 minutes later with a deep-roasted cup of decaf and some little cookies.  By the way, on day two, the coffee just appeared 10 minutes after I entered the building - I didn't even have to ask.  This guy is well in his way to employee of the month (although this particular Chaiwala will probably not be winning any TV game shows).

We had a great catered  Indian lunch which consisted of a lot of orange and yellow sauces with meat floating in them.  I tried everything including the tandoori cottage cheese (taste better than it sounds).  It was all actually very good and I think I will have no issues with the food here.

The afternoon was a continuation of the morning with one meeting after another.  By 4:00, they were all starting to blur together not helped by my attempts not to fall asleep (especially in the one-on-one meetings).  Jet-lag had not yet released its grip on me and I have still been waking up at 3:30am.  By the end of the day, I was completely tapped and went back the Hotel and was asleep by 8:00pm (only to wake up again at 3:30am).  A long day, but hopefully a good start to the next few years in India.