For Here or To Go ?

For Here or To Go !? We all have experienced that sometime in life...
Experiencing it up close and personal in the heart of Silicon Valley ! So many I know here are going through that uncertainty. Fortunately I don't have visa problems but in many ways I am now able to relate to them as I am now immersed in the Silicon Valley Culture. I think I am getting influenced by them !

I will always remember my time here ! The Indian crowd here have their own culture, style, fashion and lifestyle...which is so different from Indians in other States out here.
My journey from Napa Valley to Silicon Valley has so many interesting stories & adventures...Culturally so different !

Seems now I am adapting to the ways and dressing of the tech. crowd I live amongst here ! Where you live can affect you in so many different ways culturally...

I watched the movie " For Here or To Go " when I was in Napa. At that time I did not know that I would experience the Silicon Valley culture. It is a nice movie that I watched on Netflix. The movie says it all !

https://www.netflix.com/title/80176707

It is nice when people within the community form a study group for group learning, reading or teaching. This certainly helps in getting focus back 2 studies or training ! Luckily we have think tanks on the property we live on where free conference rooms are available for group studies or projects. In Silicon Valley I see so many people studying there in a group with their laptops, snacks and coffee ! It reminds me of boarding school when we had the " Prep time" in which we did our homework or prepared for exams. 

Some of my "techie friends" as I fondly call them check into hotels when they are preparing for exams so that they can study for hours without the hassles of housework and other disturbances ! Now that is something strangely interesting I have got to know about the Silicon Valley culture ! They make huge investment in training too that make them eligible for 250K jobs according to them. And some of them don't even mind checking into good hotels just so that they can put in intensive preparation without any interruptions.  Now that is really playing it big ! This place is definitely different from Napa Valley culturally ! 

SMILES that SHARING of SWEETS brings

Smiles that sharing of sweets and good times with family and friends brings is so valuable ! This past week there have been so many days of sharing of sweets and good times !  I have spent many wonderful moments with family and friends this festive season through sharing food and sweets . "Dil maange more !" The Heart wants more !

 Sharing is Caring ! It is nice to share the"mithai" ( Indian sweets) boxes I received from my parents and brother with all  my friends & neighbours ! Many must be doing that out here but in my neighbourhood I am setting my own traditions to bring together neighbours and friends through tea and sweets every now and then. That is the best way to interact culturally too. We may be from the same country but we all still have so much to learn from each other as we come from different States.
As Indians we believe in sharing sweets with everyone as it is considered auspicious...Through the sharing of sweets one spreads happiness and sweetness in everyone's lives...And specially in my neighbourhood in Silicon Valley we share so many things specially sweets brought all the way from India . Many friends came over to collect mithai from me this week. Everybody wants a share in it however small and feel honoured to be included.  

"Mithai" brings everyone together ! 🙂 Receiving and giving sweets is considered good in most countries specially Japan and India ! I remember that in Japan my colleagues would also always share sweets as gifts (omiyage) with family, friends and colleagues. In Asian culture giving and receiving sweets is important as it symbolizes moments of happiness and marks auspicious events.

It was so SWEET of  my brother to give me so many boxes of sweets to share with others...
Life is SWEET when you SHARE SWEETS ...:)

Heart of Silicon Valley- Not made of Silicon !

My life in Silicon Valley has won me so many warm friends and warm moments...Here the Indian community really is there for each other in so many ways. They are like family away from family...They are like home away from home...

We are there for each other through thick and thin as well as in good times and bad times. Friendship and Community holds a different meaning altogether in the hearts of the Silicon Valley Indian Community. We truly inspire and motivate each other personally and professionally every day.

In the community I live in, we share everything. We share our success and failure...We share happiness, smiles and sorrow...We share joy and pain. We support and comfort each other in difficult and challenging times. We have time for each other however busy we may be and our houses are always open to each other specially for Indian food when one is homesick ! I have seen Indian hospitality at it's best here ! People are always inviting each other for tea and meals. People are always ready to take you out shopping and for visits to the temples or shrines. In today's times it is so refreshing to see people engaging with each other so much at the grassroot level without really expecting anything from each other. Life can be so beautiful just by simply being there for each other...    

 We interact with each other freely individually and through our groups as friends and neighbours though some of my neighbours say that I have brought them all together. We share our food and sweets we receive from India and here.

 It is so nice to be able to motivate each other to even cook through texts when one is just not in the mood to cook. I think there is an app. that has started where people share pics. of dishes they have cooked...At times my friend and I even text each other to select the movie of the day on Netflix ! We all try to do a lot of activities together here even without actually invading each other's privacy. We are so involved with each other in our daily lives and yet lead individual lives.  

It is nice to experience the warm hearts of the people of Silicon Valley. My neighbourhood is fantastic in so many ways ! It certainly feels like home !

It is so important to care for each other and look out for each other to build life-long relationships. People have to meet each other half way to initiate such beautiful relationships as we do out here in my neighbourhood in Silicon Valley to make life worthwhile !

Sometimes something so beautiful can be so destructive...
Sometimes something so sweet can be so bitter...

Sometimes something known can be unknown...
Sometimes something so close can be so far...

Life is but a riddle...
Relationship is but a puzzle...

Sometimes...
There are never any answers …

Yet find in your heart all the answers that you seek as the heart it is said is always right...
And you will find the answer to your own question...

Without emotions life would be an empty canvas with no shades... Colours of emotions are needed to  to create a work of art.    

                                                                       -Simrit

 

My friend's little daughter is so dependent on the virtual assistant "Alexa" . Very cutely she commands Alexa to do things for her all the time as if that is her "Genie" ! 🙂 Today's little kids are so influenced by technology and even know how to order things online since as early as two years...
The "tech culture" as I call it has taken over everybody's lives.
I had forgotten that they had Alexa at home & last night when my friend & I were joking around I said that it would be so nice if we could command Alexa to send a custom made date...So I on the spur of the moment said, "Alexa please send me a guy with jet black hair and blues eyes !" And suddenly Alexa says, " I am not sure !" . 😉 🙂 🙂
We burst out laughing as we had not realized that Alexa is in the room & listening to each and everything. No privacy at all with Alexa around !
Makes we wonder how strange and yet curiously interesting creations of technology can be !!! 🙂 But who knows what else Alexa or any other intelligent virtual assistant (IVA) or intelligent personal assistant (IPA) may start granting in the future ! 😉 That would be nice in some ways !
Software agents provide tasks or services for individuals based on commands and questions. But then people would stop making efforts to do something themselves or work for something because virtual assistants will grant all their wishes !
We have been laughing about it since morning today & I am telling my friend that she should tell Alexa to get tea or ask Alexa to remind her husband to get roses !!! 😉