Srijana in Barcelona

Life can be fulfilled despite many unfulfilled wishes -by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Thursday, January 26, 2006

"Update on Madrid Visit"

After being done with embassy work, we went directly to our hotel. While passing through the way in Madrid I found that Madrid is a bigger city than Barcelona. I noticed taller buildings than in Barcelona. People seemed to be in a hurry (symbolization of developed city????). It was little different for me as I have found the people in Barcelona to be more relaxing and seldom in hurry.

Our destination was the zoo from the hotel. On a way we grabbed sandwich for a lunch because we didn't want to miss quality day time just eating. The zoo obviously was fascinating. The dolphin, sea lion and birds shows were amazing. The trained animals along with their masters performed their best to satisfy the visitors. We spent almost 4 hours there, our precious hours of the wedding anniversary day. But it worth a lot!!!!,really yes, because Pradeep was more than happy there.

Then from there we went to the city center. Enjoyed the happenings of the city for sometime and then went for an elegant dinner (celebration of wedding anniversary). As we both were tired, we went to the hotel after having the delicious Italian dinner.

As always I got up late. And then hurried up to go out to see more touristic areas in Madrid. We went to Plaza Real, Plaza Sol, Museu de Prado, Plaza Mayor and some other "must visit" places.

In Plaza Mayor, Pradeep and I wanted to take a photo of both of us. I saw a man coming towards our direction. Without wasting a second I asked him if he could take our photo. Then very soon I realized that he was eating some sticky sweet thing and when I asked to take photo he sucked his fingers, wiped them with his pant and grabbed our camera. Oppss... Pradeep stared at me with his big eyes. I could not do anything and with deep heart I handed my camera to him. Oh..no...he touched the screen of the camera with his same fingers. With almost no interest we posed for the photo. As soon as he was gone I could see a big patch on the screen of our camera. If possible Pradeep could have eaten me when I handed the camera to that guy. For him, the camera is so dear that he could forget me but not the camera. Within every half an hour he used to ask for the camera and now to make matters worse, the camera had marks in the display screen!!! Then after he cooled down he gave me a very cute suggestion!!! Always ask a girl ,if beautiful, even better, to take a photo...what.??? But I think I agree. Yes, girls will only handle and take care of such things better. No possibility of any dirt or patch!!!! Hey! it can be a good suggestion for you too!!!

Till then it was already 6:30 pm. Now the time was to go back to hotel , pick up the luggage and then head towards the airport. The connection of the Metro to the airport was very convenient. The Metro stop was the airport itself. I found it very comfortable because in Barcelona if we take a train to go to airport we need to change two trains from our place and then a bus inside airport which is a hassle for passengers with heavy baggages.

The timing was perfect for us in the airport. Neither we were in a hurry nor we had to wait for a long time anywhere inside airport. The flight was at sharp 8:50pm, the given time by airlines. I was feeling that I was missing something. This is Spain and everything was on time. Something strange (from the experience I have here)! We reached Barcelona at 10 pm, 35 minutes before the arrival time given by airlines. Even more strange!!!!Spain and things done before the given time. well!!! all got up to get off the aircraft and the door didn't open for about 5 minutes. And then there comes it....The pilot announced laughingly that since we were in the airport before the time and even though they informed the airport authorities about this on time, the airport authorities could not provide stairs from the plane to the ground on time. So we waited for about 20 minutes inside the plane. I was then confident that this was Spain. :)

Sunday, January 22, 2006

I will be busy now..

Year -2006

16th January on Monday- Job offer for Pradeep
17th to 19th January- being happy for him
20th January on Friday- Our wedding anniversary, got the job offer.

What could be the better way to start the New Year with??

Ding...dong..... or yaaaa..hoooo..... or huuu...rreee.... I do not know what the rhythm of my heartbeat was when I had all these great news within a week and on the day of our wedding anniversary. yes...I am very happy.

We were applying for the US visa and had an appointment on Friday in Madrid. We reached there on Friday morning and went to the US embassy directly. The interviewer in US embassy with a cute smile said that I will love my visit to US. Around 11 we were done with all our visa procedures.

From there we went to our hotel. We relaxed for sometime and had our Lunch. Then we went to the zoo. It may sound funny but yes we went to a zoo on the day of our wedding anniversary. Actually I wanted Pradeep to meet his old and close friends. :) he he...(he is not reading this blog, is he?)After returning back from there (Ok!!!details of my madrid tour will be in next posting) we went to a cyber cafe to check our emails. As soon as I checked my email, I found out that I was offered a job by a Professor in IESE (same university where Pradeep is doing his MBA) as his Research Assistant. Thank you professor Franz.

I am starting my work from tomorrow. I will get the details of the research work and the work I need to do. Yes..I am really looking forward to "tomorrow".

Today I talked with my cute little nephew (4 years old) in phone in Nepal. So sweet!!!! I asked him to give me a kiss and then when I said "thank you", to my surprise I heard in his sweet voice "welcome". Ah!!!he has become big now and while talking to him in phone I cannot stop myself from wanting to see him.

Thank you everyone who has given the encouraging comments and best wishes to me via my blog. This is all because of your wishes. Thank you!!!

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Muchas cosas

I have done nothing during these days but while writing blog I am feeling that I have a lot to write. What to write and what not to!! I think like I have nothing special to write but a lot of general things to write.

I became a member of the public library here from where I can get 2 DVD's/CD's for 7 days and 6 books for 21 days. It is really cool. Now I can bring Spanish movies from there and practice my Spanish (but truly speaking my Spanish is going down nowadays).

I also applied for "Targeta de Sanitaria" which is the card for health check up. My intercambio friend Laia helped a lot in finding the address of offices and what paper I need to show. Previously before asking her I went to one office where they denied to give me the card saying that only people working here will get this card. Guess what! I had gone to a wronhg office. Today Laia sent me all the details and I went to the correct office. They have asked me to pick up the card tomorrow. Thank you Laia.

Pradeep and I got the visa for London during the winter break. It was good that he applied earlier as he had to go to London for his interview on Sunday. Since I have to go to Madrid this Thursday to apply for my visa to US, I didn't go with Pradeep to London as I wanted to go London for at least a week. Pradeep was there just for one night. I will go to London sometime soon in the next couple of weeks and stay there at least a week visiting my friends and relatives.

Hey, don't worry. What?? Yes, because he has gotten an offer from his favorite bank to work as a summer intern. He had an interview yesterday and after 1 hour he got a call of offer. Wow.... Yes and so of course I will be with him in London that time. No questions!!!

Don't know why but after he got his offer I am feeling that I will also get an job offer very soon. Till now I do not have any clue but still am seeing a silver line inside the dark cloud. I have the feeling that this New Year will bring a lot of happiness for us and for sure, a job offer for me. What do you think??

Sunday, January 08, 2006

"French Dinner"

























Yesterday Pradeep and I were invited for a dinner by Teresa. She is an American friend of mine married to a french IESE student called Fabrice. Though Pradeep and Fabrice were from the same year they only knew each other yesterday after we went there. I and Teresa knew each other during the get together of the partners of IESE students.

When we reached there Fabrice was busy in cooking and Teresa welcomed us. After we reached there we knew that Srini and Madhur were also invited there. Well! started with the drinks ! Fabrice first served the fantastic starter (salad). Wow! he put a lot of effort in cooking. After salad came the main course. Nothing was ready-made. All were prepared by Fabrice himself. With the dinner everyone was enjoying drinking and chatting. After the main course came the dessert which was another special home made french item. It was tasty. Till that time we were so full but just couldn't resist it. Having eaten French dishes for the first time, I could say that they are very tasty. And Fabrice's style of making others laugh was unique. Yesterday we enjoyed a lot.

Thanks Teresa and Fabrice.

Saturday, January 07, 2006

"Heartful of condolences"

Since the Christmas time and New Year´s day till today I have read the news of eight Nepali young people who died in different accidents in the US.

Shekhar Regmi, 20, who was in USA with his dreams, was shot dead on 21/12/2005, by two armed man, in attempting robbery. All his dreams were dead. With him all his families were mentally dead by the thought that how will they survive without their"Shekhar". More news about him can be read from the following links:

Star Telegram news on the sad news

Star Telegram news on arrest of suspects

Thread on Sajha on the news

Then came the news on 01/01/2006 of the death of three young nepali students in USA who died in a car accident. They are Utshav Basnet, 19, Nishima Timilsina, 20, and Bedija Kharel 20. They were all dead far far from their home land far from their loved ones and family. More news about them can be read from the following links:

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=115579
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/160156.html
http://www.keyc.tv/article/view/89964/

And today I am reading the news about four students who were dead in USA again in a car accident. Amrit Dhital, 21, Pralhad, 22, Pushkar Acharya, 21 and Subash Gurung, 20 were again the victim. More on the news in the following links:

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/01/07/20060107wacpolicereport.html
http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2006/jan/jan07/news07.php

At this moment I am just thinking about their family. How can their parents believe that the children they sent abroad for their bright future are no more in this world! How can they live with this fact that a part of their heart was shot or dead in cruel accident? I am imagining the face of their family, instead of the dead students, who will be living this life with pain in the absence of their beloved ones.

May the departed souls rest in peace. And god please give their family, whose children you took from them, the courage to endure this truth!

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

"Happy New Year 2006"


A belated warm new year wishes to all of you.