Australian Diaries - 4: Landing in Melbourne

29 May 2015 - 21:00 hrs - Landing at Melboune Airport, I had a huge breath and sigh of relief. Our long journey of non stop flight for 13 hours came to an end. Vegan options on the flight were limited. But then, who cares about the details of the food, when the excitement and nervousness of leading a life in an unknown country surpasses all other emotions.

The landing was the smoothest I ever encountered in my entire life. The immigration was polite and nobody had any questions pertaining to our visit. As a planner, I envisaged many questions to prop up during the immigration. But we hardly had anyone asking us questions. The stamping was done and the immigration officer chanted "Welcome to Australia". Well, that sounded cool. A smile on both of our faces was evident to each other. Australia would be our next home. I am unsure if its forever, but am sure it will be for the next 5 years - until the time we have an Australian passport.

As an outsider perspective, I thought I will only view English advertisements in Australian. But I guess, such is the chinese influx and domination, that we found welcome boards and other advertisements in Chinese (Mandarin). Deep inside my heart, I felt we are not dominating this part of the world, as we do in middle east.

We found people of varied nationalities in Australia. Immigrants seem to be very welcome. I guess evryone except the aborigines (australian natives) are immigrants in one way or the other. But we had one feeling deep inside. Our skin colours and the way way we look, differentiated us inside. We were the odd men out. The slang (or lingo) was different. Our english was superior but the way we spoke sounded inferior. But then, we are sure, going down the time, we would be more australianised than the australians.

The above thoughts dispersed the moment we had our school friend - Sudarshan, visible to us. Comfort factor kicked in. Pleasantries exchanged and we were off in his car to our pre-booked accomodation. A 30-40 minute ride on near empty roads was a complete contrast to the high density roads back home or even the middle east. We were told many shops and restaurants don't work after 5pm or on weekends. All this in the name of work-life balance to all individuals. Wow, what a contrast to the part of world I come from. Certainly sounded interesting.

All along the road, Australia reminded me of India. The two main differences between India and Australia are - Cleanliness and Orderliness. The paintings or the writings on the walls are a commom sight in both countries. Australia calls this as 'Graffitti' and I wonder what India calls these as. I am sure if the 'Swatch Bharat Campaign' by PM Modi is a success, India and Australia will be alike in the way we see and feel the country.

The first day's thoughts hover around. I guess more to follow, observe and write. Until then, Australian dreams seem to undergo transition from the cold vibes; just like the bloody cold winter we are encountering in Melbourne.

Australian Diaries - Post 3

23 May 2015 – One week to go for our Australian journey. We are super excited. The very thought of landing in Australia makes us feel anxious too.  Irrespective of the outcomes, the journey in itself is sure to give us more than a couple of lessons.

Packing is in full swing. I can never think of a time, where we have been so much concerned about the baggage limits. Blame it on the horrendous costs for the extra baggage; we are better off having a couple of kilos less in our baggage. So much time spent on optimization, we were using our professional skills to enhance our personal lives J. Finally, we decided to barge in the remaining stuffs through a cargo service from Doha at a later date.

Our mobile phones are now loaded with the apps – ranging from Australian banks to travel guides. Not to forget the app of Melbourne transport. Planning the first week has been complete, more or less. With winter settling in Melbourne, we had all our winter wear up and running, considering the fact that it has been more than 2 years since we used them here, in this part of the world.

The first weekend in Melbourne is planned to scout for permanent accommodation. Casual search on the internet serves a reminder of the large Indian settlements. Plenty of rooms are available on sharing basis, especially for females. Reading through those messages would sometime give a feel that you are actually in India and not in Australia. Albeit the large presence of Indian community, you can still feel and sense the typical Indian feeling. No offense directed, but sometimes you feel like running away from the exemplified attitude of my countrymen. I hope I will be able to find some good accommodation quickly.

The first week day after our landing is planned at the Central Business District (CBD) area. Our bank accounts need to be activated and yes, we need to get the much awaited debit cards. Then, we have to walk around 350m from our Bank to register for medical and centre link services. This done, I also need to visit an Australian post office to register for a tax file number. I am sure; this would call for a delicious Indian lunch. Will I be able to grab one? This is something I cannot tell you now.

The second weekday – it will be time to move out of the booked accommodation. I am hoping success would have prevailed in our weekend search. Else, the contingency plan will be to extend the stay at current place or move into a budget hotel.

Third weekday is a time to hit up and run to the recruiters. Meeting the recruiter would seriously bring out the best of our sales skills. Experiences till date indicate it is all about selling our capabilities. This is where I will have to use my Middle East experience.  I am hoping the holy angels are up waiting for me. Ha ah ahah

I am laying my fingers to rest at this moment; but my mind is nowhere resting – as it continues to run countless trips to Australia, without any air tickets!!!!

Australian Diaries - Post 2

07 May 2015 – Sometime in the afternoon, my ‘highly smart ‘phone notified me of an incoming mail. I unlocked my screen and noticed I received a mail, into an email address which I use it for professional purposes (read – job search!). As I opened and read through my email, I was delighted. By now, you might have known me as a highly optimist person. The inner traits took control over my mind and I was hoping that the opportunity this mail presented was the one I should grab. Did I grab? Yes. But then as typical Indian movies, that have been successful theatrically, there was a twist. Here is an update on this incident, which I personally encountered.

The mail originated from Australia. The company is a reputed project controls expert serving high caliber clients. Now, how did I get here? I am unfolding the background here - I used my business development skills (again!) through LinkedIn and approach a higher level manager in the UK branch, for positions in Australia. The gentleman from UK was kind enough to have replied to me - stating that my resume would be forwarded to an Australian branch if I was interested. Not the one to hold back, I immediately provided a positive response with a request to forward my resume to the Australian Branch. A couple of days later, the Regional Manager of the Australian branch sent in the subject mail I highlighted above. Joy knew no bounds when the content of the email, extract derived, read “……….I would be keen to do a telephone interview tomorrow……….”. I felt my hard work would eventually bring me happiness. I was already dreaming of leaving Qatar. But destiny said, not so fast, my son! There is more to go!!!!

Now coming back to the subject email, I responded to the email with high energy. I was hoping I would get a confirmation for the telephone interview within a reasonable time (not more than 60 min). But, alas, the response never came. I spent the so called ‘tomorrow’ looking at the phone, hoping there would be a telephone interview (again, optimist in me beats the realist). The day ended and I was reminded of the tagline – “Tomorrow never dies”. Rather, for me, the tomorrow I was looking for, never came. L

You might be wondering, why am I disappointed? Well, there are several reasons. For one, not many know in my circle know that I have published a couple of articles on project controls expertise. I am of the opinion that my skills would have been the best fit for the potential role I missed out, oops!..rather never had a shot at. Two, I could have completed writing my book on project control expertise and used it to sync with the role of training the industry personnel. I lost out on the opportunity, at this moment, to earn the name and fame J Three, the role would have given me chance to travel and use my skills at multiple locations, enabling me network better. Four, experts are paid ‘more’. And I missed out on a heavy pay cheque, for a start, in Australia.

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My wife keeps reminding me that I am unique. My wife continues to say, that, less than 1% of the people in the world are sincere like me – adhering to timelines, commitments, accepting statements made, even if it was wrong and more importantly having 100% trust on the ‘other’ person. The world is not the same, I am told always and repeatedly. I have always argued with my wife, that, as humans – ‘trust’ in its basic sense is eternal and privy to human kind, for, that’s the only element, the human kind is differentiated. I now have the unfortunate history of such scenarios repeating over time and again. But no matter what, I still yearn to be different, irrespective of the consequences. Professionally, I am a strong advocator of ‘change management’, but personally, looks like I am not ‘managing to change’ some of the elementary characteristics developed in me, throughout my life cycle till date. What are the risks and consequences? This is something I have to wait and watch.

I have always believed life teaches us more than the books. For a fact, I do not remember, much of the civil engineering subjects nor the mathematics I studied at school nor remember even the science experiments that I used to hate. All I have used in my life is the basics of English, the 26 alphabets, the jugglery of which constitutes my ability to communicate with people in life. Events in life have taught me more. Some of the events make me feel stupid, whilst the vast majority gave me the confidence in reiterating my thoughts that my intellectual capability is far higher than the successful people. It is just a matter of time, when the luck around the corner has to creep and crawl into my life. For this, all I need is the fruits of the ‘good karma’.

I guess I will have more to write as the days pass. For now, I can’t wait to unravel my experiences as and when I experience the experience :). I am just reminded that Tourism Australia has a tagline – “There is nothing like Australia”. Well, with my experiences, I can’t disagree with this tagline, right?

Australian Diaries - Post 1

January 30, 2015 – I was confirmed of my Australian Permanent Resident status. I was offshore at that time. But joy knew no bounds. The fantastic landscape that I often come across on TV and the web was going to be a place, I would see it in real, through my eyes. For someone coming from India, the grass on on the other side looks green. I was no different, expecting Australia to be the land of my dreams. But will this dream remain a dream or will Australia match my expectations? That is something to be experienced and am sure, I will let my opinion out here.

Immediately after receiving the PR, my job search started. LinkedIn profiles were updated. Optimism was high and was running through the blood. Did I expect miracles? Well, I did. But now almost three months later, I don’t expect miracles to happen. Rather I am compounded by the ground realities, even before I land in Australia.

I have had numerous conversations with people who have experienced Australia. I have used my sales skills and business development skills to connect with cold contacts and obtain all requisite information. The web searches yielded a lot more of information and within a month’s time, I knew the transformation will not be easy.

For an optimist like me, it was a shot in the arm, for having realised the dark secrets. For once I felt, India is good. In fact I sometimes feel my job in the Middle East would have made me comfortable, at least financially, over a period of time. But then, I was never satisfied with the good. I always left the good, for the better. Hope, Australia will be better, over the longer run.

I realised no country is perfect. Pros and cons exist in every country. This calms me down in handling various scenarios in Australia. Now, what am I talking about? Well, its all about the job search for new migrants. Here is my short story and experience.

In a span of three months, I mastered the art of writing applications for government jobs. The long list of questions and the equally long sought after answers was something I enjoyed. In fact I sometimes feel, I was blessed with this trait of writing lengthy answers to demonstrate each of key selection criteria. I think, my English is something I have to thank. Never mind the fact that, I learnt  English in my - India! How do I quantify success in this area? Simple, it is - the number of interviews you get!. Till date, out of the three matching roles I applied, 1 went to the Interview and the remaining are in consideration for interview. I wish, I had my job with the very first interview had with a government agency in Sydney. I realised, me not being in Australia was a major negative point that deprived me of furthering my career within the Australian business. For the remaining, alas!  I wish I had divine intervention to accelerate the slow progress. For all the time we blame the Indian bureaucracy, try Australia. It is no better than India. :(

The private jobs are very scary in Australia, as most of the recruitment's are done only through recruitment consultants. I have heard stories wherein recruiters just follow a checklist policy. I wonder if they ever use brains. But that is something I don’t wanna write here. Who knows, if a recruiter finds this post and blacklists me for jobs! ha ha ha.....I know my opinions are not indifferent to the majority in Australia. Hopefully, one day, I will eventually overcome this hurdle.

I hope I grow to a stage wherein I start a recruitment company in Australia, which operates differently to the existing ones. Oh! I realised that..Australia is driving out in me the idea of entrepreneurship. Not a bad start, I guess. Let’s see how it works out in the future. Until that time, of course, I will still be on a job hunt for that elusive first job in Australia...............:)

U and Me

Oh! My Rose; you are the one I chose.

Not for the blows, But for both of us to be close.

I may not have made you smile,

Nor did I want you to cry.

All I wanted baby, all the while

Was just make you feel high.

For the love you gave me always,

I realize it only nowadays.

The rain is nowhere to be seen,

But I want to come out clean

I wish I had the rain,

So, you never see that I am going through the pain

I am lonely; am craving, for the one I am missing.

This is not for the rhyming, But only about the timing;

I want to let you know, before I start crying;

Time may be flying; but without you, life is just crawling.

U and Me....

Oh! My Rose; you are the one I chose.

Not for the blows, But for both of us to be close.

I may not have made you smile,

Nor did I want you to cry.

All I wanted baby, all the while

Was just make you feel high.

For the love you gave me always,

I realize it only nowadays.

The rain is nowhere to be seen,

But I want to come out clean

I wish I had the rain,

So, you never see that I am going through the pain

I am lonely; am craving, for the one I am missing.

This is not for the rhyming, But only about the timing;

I want to let you know, before I start crying;

Time may be flying; but without you, life is just crawling.

Operation - EVOLUTION

The last day of this Calendar year marks an important personal milestone – that of having completed 200 days since I landed back in India. It may sound theatrical for others, but I have always felt that this period would be as spicy as some of the famous Indian curries and not less melodramatic than any of the Oscar nominated movies.



Each day here in my country brings a daily test to me. To begin with was acclimatising myself to the pollution levels. The list then followed itself with Politics, Obsession, Jealousy and the great Indian taxes. One thing there is no dearth is the competition. Irrespective of it being healthy or Unhealthy (mind you, I still can’t differentiate these two); it always is a contrivance to keep yours truly on the toes.

It feels that I was back only yesterday; but so much seems to have happened. I have a new member inducted into our core family. Before you get any weird ideas, well, just happy to share that it is my wife. Today marks the completion of 61 days of our marriage, but we are fortunate to have seen all four seasons within this short duration. Our ongoing journey seems to have had all the mood swings – Comedy, Romance, Drama, Thriller, Suspense and Adventure. It’s a journey I guess that shall require progressive embellishment of my patience, adjustments, understanding, thinking and balancing between personal and professional requirements. This is where a turnaround occurs or rather occurred. All these days, I had a feeling I am a misfit into my job; a consequence of my negative mindset towards the Consultancy role. However, a sudden enlightenment has towed me in accepting the realities and the reason for me to have set foot in to this role. I have understood this is a natural evolution for me to utilise the prior experiences and enhance my value in the market. Of course, the odd appreciation does act as a catalyst in empowering positive thoughts on my career. Am slowly beginning to love my role and be passionate about my job.


All in all, it has been an exhilarating experience; aided by the ongoing operation of reinventing myself and working towards achieving my dreams. My Dream list looks bad – not in terms of content, but in the sense of achieving it. Most of them in the list seem distant, yet I continue believing in hope. Of all the things said and done, my bank balance has remained constant. So constant, that it fails to impress upon other numbers and is in love with the only number invented by my fellow country man. In fact, the truth is that being over flowed by warmth and love; it negates all other deposits :)


I now feel familiar again in dealing with the functionality (or non functionality?) of the Indian bureaucracy. I decided I have to stop being judgemental and critical and start enjoying the wonderful things that are on offer. I have re-ignited my admiration to the people here, for whom everyday is a survival and appreciate people’s determination to survive and thrive despite various adversities. Well, with this, I now feel, since I have survived in India; I can survive elsewhere as well.



I am now in a land, where indeed anything is possible!! It has made me realise and wake up; it has made me realise my capabilities; made me experience the tranquilities and above all, made me realise the importance of evolving myself. While I evolve, I revolved and found the purpose of life and that’s the enchantment that keeps me going…Going Places :-)