Earlier in the year I was fortunate enough to be sent to India for a couple of weeks. My company, Imagination Technologies, had recently opened a new office and they needed someone to go and train the SQA Engineers and Technicians.
I flew out from Heathrow on a Sunday (after catching a train into London from Taunton). Terminal 4 was as fun as ever, however I did manage to find somewhere to plug my laptop in so that I had power and internet while I waited. Work paid for an Economy Plus (or whatever it was called) ticket. It was somewhere between Business and Cattle class, so I had slightly more space, but absolutely dreadful service. Possibly the worst I’ve ever experienced. I shouldn’t have to ask four times just to get a bottle of water. Go BA!
After landing in Mumbai, a driver picked me up and drove me to our offices in Pune, and from there on to the company apartment which was nearby.
It was a reasonably nice place. There was a pool, a gym, and a housekeeper to cook for us every night. Living there at the time was Simon, one of the Pure guys. Our office was only about 10 minutes walk away, so I could either walk, hitch a ride on the back of Simon’s motorbike, or spend about 1/300th of a pound on an auto-rickshaw into the office.
The bedroom was a bit bland, and the mattress was paper thin. Along with the oppressive heat, I didn’t sleep much during the first week, but things settled down after that and I began enjoying myself a lot more.
I didn’t end up doing much site-seeing, but I really enjoyed the walk to work in the morning.
The office was on the second floor.
The SQA Lab.
I was mainly responsible for the two engineers and two technicians who made up the SQA team. It was my responsibility to teach them everything they needed to know so that they could take over certain roles and tasks that had previously been performed back in England. I had a successful (though at times quite frustrating!) couple of weeks where I talked, demonstrated, worked through and explained the systems, our code base, our procedures, and everything else that I could possibly think of and fit in.
It was a great (though tough) experience, and I think I probably learnt just as much as those that I’d been teaching!
One of the best, and at times worst, things about being in India was the food. Most of it I loved, but there came a point where I just wanted something plain and simple, without any spices or unexpected flavours. Half way through my trip I’d already sent a request home asking if Sherry could make me some lasagne the night I got back.
Our house keeper cooked every evening. This was one of my favourite meals.
I am incredibly glad that I went, but I don’t have any plans to go back to India at any point in the near future. The people were great, everybody was ridiculously friendly and helpful, but India is just a bit too in-your-face for me!
I was very happy to arrive back in England and get home to Devon.
