Of people and faces

The key to international experience is the people one meets. One week into school, and we are only learning Spanish for now, but I have already interacted with people from all over the world. Also outside of school I think it's quite interesting, the way i get approached by people and the kind of interactions i have with them.

The Spanish, of course are the ever charming and helpful people. They greet by kissing you on the cheeks, dress very well and are generally very jovial. The percentage of physically fit people is amazingly high. (It surprises me cause i am used to the paunches of India!) Barcelona it is probably because of all the walking, and Madrid the other Spanish city I have seen, there are joggers jogging at all times of the day be it 10 in the morning or 3 in the afternoon. Of course their food needs a special mention, most of which i can barely eat, but what i do eat is just too good. And not to forget the eve teasing, or the friendly culture as they would like to term it. "here's my phone number, give me a call sometime; this is my email id, lets keep in touch over chat; my work timings are till 12, lets meet up at the beach over the weekend." You won't believe the excuses i have started making. "I dont have a mobile" (and it is sticking out of my pocket), i dont have a personal email id, we share one id in a group of 5-6 people (believe me i got away with this excuse).

Then there are the Indians and the Pakistanis. Its amazing how much affection there is between these people, when you meet them in other coutries. Right from voluntary discounts on printouts, grocery and icecream, to offering illegal part-time job in a so-called modelling agency. They have the knack of telling the country from your face and they start talking to you in hindi directly. I have to admit it sounds soothing to the ears and even the tips of finding grocery stores that i got from one of them really helped me.

Then my first day in school was quite interesting, thanks to a Chinese Phd student at IESE. She said i reminded her of her first day in school and so she took me around both the campuses, a proper guided tour, where to take prints, where to take coffee, the classrooms, the library, the terrace etc. And that brings me to my class, with Norwegians, British, Taiwanese, Japaneses, Koreans, Germans, Americans and many more. I have met about 10 % of my class, and we have started hanging out too, the most memorble of it all was the beach cricket with some indians, a british and an american. Yes, there's lots more to go and time for it all too. Gtg now, will keep you guys posted.