Stacy Does India

Monday night, my team and I went to dinner at Laguna a new Italian restaurant in Hyderabad. I wore the outfit they bought me as a going away gift -- they LOVED it. (I joked that it only took 6 months for me to finally dress like them!)

My team here is really, really fantastic. They are so open, so honest, incredibly welcoming and friendly. I've never met a group of people like them. They have all asked me at one point or another in the last few days, "Stacy, do you have to go back to Mountain View?" It's a really difficult question to answer because, while I don't have to go back, I do want to go back. I will never have an experience like this one again, and my 6 months in India will always be really special to me.

Now, get a good laugh on my behalf. Hot pink and lime green -- I think I pulled it off!

Mrinalika, Maria, Me, Varun, & Nandita

Me, Lime Green, & Hot Pink

Himani, Rashmi, Me, Ipshita, & Puja

Cathy, Mags, and I spent a long weekend in Kerala. Our journey began on Friday morning as we flew from Hyderabad to Cochin. From there we took a cab to Fort Cochin where we had brunch, shopped, and saw the sights.

Friday evening we drove nearly 4 hours inland, on windy mountain roads to get to Munnar, a beautiful small town known for its expansive tea plantations. Saturday morning we got up early to go hiking through the plantations. That morning, we stumbled across a one-room school house full of 3-5 year old students. The teacher, Uma, welcomed us into her classroom. The adorable children sang songs, recited their ABCs, and counted from 1-10 for us! They loved getting their pictures taken, and couldn't wait for us to show us the photo on our digital cameras. This little encounter at the school was probably the highlight of my trip to Kerala, and will be one of my fondest memories of India.

Saturday afternoon, we drove back to the coast this time to Allepy. There, we chose a houseboat, bought some beers, to set off to explore the backwaters. The houseboat was incredible with 2 bedrooms, 2 fully functional bathrooms, an upper deck, a kitchen, and more! Our boat came with a staff of three: a chef, a captain, and the captain's assistant. We spent Saturday night on the houseboat, and woke up early on Sunday to have tea and breakfast and enjoy the morning cruise through the backwaters.

Kerala was different than other parts of India. It seemed more laid back, and a lot less hectic. It was a great escape from the hustle and bustle of Hyderabad and its 6 million people. We arrived home on Sunday night, and I realized that I only have one week left in India. It feels a little strange because I am incredibly excited to go home, but really sad to leave India at the same time. I guess this experience is 'bittersweet'.

For my entire album of Kerala pics, click here.

So, I've been car 'shopping' the past few weeks and I think I've narrowed my search to the following three: Volvo S40, Saab 9-3, and the Lexus IS250. I am eager to drive all of them, crunch some numbers, and make a decision! This is the first time I have ever bought a car (thanks for the Altima, Mom and Dad!) so I'm a little nervous - but really, really excited! I've been saving for a car since I graduated from college -- now I finally get to buy one! Feel free to vote for the car you like!


Volvo S40

Exactly 2 weeks from today, I will leave India and fly back to the states. I cannot believe how quickly my 6 months here has gone by. I am eager and excited to come home, but am sad when I think about leaving my great team here. What an experience this has been. :)

On Tuesday, my team and I went to Pragati Resorts for our Q1 Team Offsite. At the end of the night, they surprised Amitabh and me with a cake, cards, and gifts! The card is great, they all had so many really nice things to say. My gift was a really pretty 'Indian' outfit: pink pants/leggings, a green embroidered kurta (top), and a pretty pink silk scarf. I'll definitely wear it sometime before I leave! We had a really nice time -- but, I'm starting to get sad thinking about leaving them! For more fun pics from our offsite, click here.

Ugh. I am sick, again! I guess all of this world traveling has caught up to me. Work has been super hectic, I've been in the office more than home, and I'm not getting enough sleep. All of that adds up to a sore throat, stuffy nose, and annoying cough. No plans this weekend -- just sticking around Hyderabad to get some work done, run a few errands, and rest, rest, rest!

Kuala Lumpur, Malayasia was awesome! It was a really quick trip (we arrived Saturday morning and left Sunday night), but it was totally worth it. It was a modern, clean, well organized city, with lots of cool buildings and good shopping! The 7 of us had a blast celebrating Jeff's birthday in style. For all of the pics, click here.

Petronas Towers -- tallest twin towers in the world (a few feet taller than Sears Tower in Chicago).