Office Office - Part 1

Well you have guessed it right that at this moment I am sitting in my office and not doing any work. But before you make an opinion let me tell you folks that it is my lunch time and outside temperature in Melbourne is 39 C (American friends please calculate in whatever complicated measuring system you use :-O). I haven’t gone outside since morning 8:15 so I really don’t know how hot it is but I am sure it must be pretty hot.

I work in an IT office; all around there are cubicles which are by the way mostly empty. Why is that? First as I already said this is IT department and secondly it is a govt IT department. All said with these 2 details isn’t it?

All my colleagues, friends who have come from Indian working culture know the difference working here and back home. Our day used to start at 10 then long coffee break with team (and sometimes with manager as well) then back to difficult job. We used to work1 hr straight without any real break .Oh yes full 1 hr and then used to start important prep work for lunch e.g. writing emails to all the people in the group – Friend 1 :Lunch what time?
Friend 2: 12:30?
Friend 3: Oh no I am very hungry, how about 12:15?
Friend 4: No, no we just had tea and breakfast at 10, 12:30 is good.
Friend 3: Hmm :(
Friend 1: Alright guys see you at 12:30 sharp downstairs.
By the time we finished these emails it was 12:25. Now 5 mins loo break and stuff.

On the contrary I reach here at 8:15 and then get a cup of tea to my desk. Somehow manage to pass 5-10mins with tea and online timesofindia. Then back to work, then some emails on official id from some friends and then back to work. Get up at 12 and heat your lunch, get it back on desk and another 10 mins break for you. It is 12:10 and you are getting crazy what else to do sometime pass.

Whereas no matter in whichever company you were in India at this time, you must be sitting with at least 6 friends, discussing food, office politics, cribbing about manager and hating at least one of the person who is sitting among you and eating :) . Then it is time for a walk (yeah suddenly we are all very health conscious if we are in office)
And then for coffee before going to desk?? Sounds pretty cool!!

After 2 hours there will be another round of chain emails telling each other how bored they are, how sleepy they are after that biryani, chole and dosa. Some will be frustrated because of work, client emails, and onsite coordinators phone calls. You again guessed it right; it is time for a tea break (no concept of coffee break there).

But here it is just time after my lunch break and I am making a to-do list of what all needs to be finished before 4:30, yes that’s when I leave for home. So people you also get back to work and I will continue tomorrow during my lunch break :)

Pink Eye

Oops! Pink eye...It is so sick to be sick especially with a pink eye. Who can know better than me? Had a lovely vacation in India, seen Taj Mahal for the first time and on the way back home to Melbourne- Phissssssssh caught a virus somewhere. My hubby joked and said "u are not sick it is just like exam fever ...going back to work". How so i wish that it was all true.
After a long flight to Melbourne...All I got was Jet lag and viral fever. Do you remember the feeling when you get up in the morning and feel why did the vacation ever got over? I had similar feeling but somehow i managed to go to work. It was like an achievement for me and next day I felt so lethargic and tired...I saw my face in the mirror my eyes were red. Oh no just 1 eye and I blamed the jet lag.
Went to office, spent the day somehow and on the way back noticed that my eye is really really red now (God knows why we call it pink eye, it was bloody red). Straight went to the pharmacist, and that lady said it is not an infection as you have no symptoms of itchiness or pain. This wasn't good news as she recommended me to go to the doctor --ah some foreign object?? I got so psyched, well next day i went to the optometrist (I know I know BIGG mistake ...he was so dumb). He did series of tests and told me that I have super human eyes...what does that even mean? Normal humans have 20/20 sight and mine was better. .here you go..there was something wrong which he couldn't figure out anyways.
I slept so peacefully that night with my pink eye only to see a Giant swollen and painful eye in the morning. I am sorry fellows it might be very common and usual for Melburnians or western world but i haven't seen such symptoms for a long time.
Straight went to the emergency in eye care hospital. It was supposed to be an emergency but we had to wait for almost 3.5 hrs. I don't know why they even call it as an emergency. Well the level of pain and frustration were at heights and then the doctor called and played around with my eyes only to say she does not have any medicine for me. It is a viral infection and yeah merry virus takes it own vacation and we have nothing to throw him or her out, not sure if virus is male or female :(
So spent whole day at the hospital with un-tolerable eyes which only became worse with light (light sensitivity) and result was - "nothing". It will take 1-2 weeks and you are lucky it will go in your other eye as well. Oh well!
3 days I waited with patience. Every night I used to wake up every 4 hours, yes! The painkiller was working for exactly 4 hours as if it was getting paid only for that. Paracetamol, codeine and Panadol all seems to be waste. Mornings were horrendous with extreme pain, swelling and lots of itchy water from eyes. Evenings were better but believe me people will get scared if they see that bloody eye.
Today when I am writing this blog it is my 9th day with Pink eye and it is still pink. Never knew some day I will hate "pink" so much. I am looking forward to go to work on Monday. Dear god please be with me,
Love,
Ritu