City of Dreams - Episode Vier!

The Exodus...
It began with one of us leaving shortly after the training. And soon others were to follow suit. While some went on to pursue higher degrees in education others went in search of more lucrative offers. Whatever the reason the outflow had started and it would only increase as time passed. And so it came as no surprise when within one year more than half of our initial batch had severed their association with the firm. While this is not a reflection of the quality of the firm, it certainly provides a peek into the mindset of today’s youth. There was a time when graduates fresh out of college would stick to their first job for a decade or more. Not so now. We are no more satisfied with a decent living. We want more in every aspect of life. The pros and cons of this are the topic of another post. However this is primarily what caused the exodus.
And so we bid each person farewell. We had had such a great time and within a year it was time for change again. And the Siebel group felt it even more as more than half of the team left within a short span of time. As we bid farewell to each member office seemed more uninviting with each passing day. And soon it was my turn too. I was going back home! However as I set off on my last day I felt a tiny pang somewhere deep within. All these people had influenced my life in some way. And I hoped I had managed to reciprocate that influence in some way at least.
And I knew I would miss Bombay. It might come as a surprise to most that before this one-year stint I had been to Bombay just once. And that was a whirlwind one-day trip that left me with the impression of it being an overcrowded, dirty and hot city. However I know now that I couldn’t have been more mistaken. The city has a soul to it that I have not felt in any other city that I have been to. Each one of the teeming masses seems to have an identity, and more importantly a purpose. There are a lot of maladies that plague it. However sheer human spirit wins over these. The packed local trains and stations. The huge traffic jams. The unbelievable variety of food available. The efficient BEST buses. The bookstalls of Churchgate. The beauty of Marine Drive and the beaches. The torrential and awe inspiring rainfall. Yes, I would miss it all. But most of all I would miss the people and their spirit. I shall always have a soft spot for this great city! Truly, ‘Yeh hai Bombay meri jaan!’
It was with these mixed feelings that I parted ways with I-Flex and thus Bombay exactly a year and two days after I had joined. But that span of time had changed me. I now was, and always would be a part of the real world.