So again this post should have been written in May when I actually landed in London but life has been such a roller coaster ride since then, that I didn't get time!
So basically I got married on 24 April 2012 and as MJ was working in London, I moved in with him sometime in mid May. (Jahan piya... wahaan main !) But this post is going to be about 'life in London' and not 'how is married life'.
Food @ London: It is very sad that being in Google, here I am cribbing about office food. Being a pure vegetarian sometimes proves to be a very tough. In office, they do respect that some people would be vegetarian, so there are 2-3 options everyday but egg is considered to be a legal ingredient for vegetarians, so life becomes even more difficult for me. Other than these 2-3 options, there are only boiled veggies, yogurt, salad and soup. Recently I have found this option of Sushi (Japanese dish made with rice)... which I am kindof liking and there are 2-3 veg Sushi options everyday. For those who don't know, veg Sushi looks like this:
And it is supposed to be eaten by soya sauce and other chutneys. But desi as I am, I eat it with tomato ketchup without paying attention to my teammates who make fun of me.. So this is how I survive lunch at office. Then I leave office by 6-7-7:30, and if any energy is left, I cook dinner otherwise we order something or we eat outside.
So basically I got married on 24 April 2012 and as MJ was working in London, I moved in with him sometime in mid May. (Jahan piya... wahaan main !) But this post is going to be about 'life in London' and not 'how is married life'.
Food @ London: It is very sad that being in Google, here I am cribbing about office food. Being a pure vegetarian sometimes proves to be a very tough. In office, they do respect that some people would be vegetarian, so there are 2-3 options everyday but egg is considered to be a legal ingredient for vegetarians, so life becomes even more difficult for me. Other than these 2-3 options, there are only boiled veggies, yogurt, salad and soup. Recently I have found this option of Sushi (Japanese dish made with rice)... which I am kindof liking and there are 2-3 veg Sushi options everyday. For those who don't know, veg Sushi looks like this:
 |
| Futomaki |
Food outside: Surprisingly, there are loads of Indian restaurants everywhere in London; and 2 of them are right in front of our apartment building, called Red Chilly and The Empress. Food is good at both these places but I like Red Chilly more :) More about food later!
Work Environment @ London: So basically the work (technology-wise) is very similar to what I was doing in Google Bangalore so I didn't face much of the uphill ride as I had to in Bangalore. I came across as a experienced and confident employee and was able to start delivering very soon. But the work is quite bigger and involves much more responsibility than it did in India. Work environment is much better as people are more helpful, less judgmental and in general the pressure-to-perform is less :) I have made a few office-friends (basically people with whom I can talk a little more than work) and these are mostly Indian girls. I am still trying to mix up with Brits and people from other nationalities but it is not easy mainly because I am still facing difficulty in catching their accent. So normally, I am confined to only work related conversations and I don't usually go to social get-togethers as well. Even if I go, I just stick around with my Indian-girl-group with whom I feel more comfortable and less conscious.
People @ London: The people over here are extremely extremely formal. I hear hundreds of Thankyou's, Please's , Sorry's, Bless-you's, Welcome's, throughout my day. Sometimes it gets irritating as even I have to do the same. If I sneeze, suddenly I hear 2 bless-you's coming towards me. And then I have to reply with a Thankyou. And so even I have to be alert for other people sneezing. But it is also kindof sweet :)
I'm very tired to write now... will continue later.. gn!
