So... India.
At my job, I provide operational production support for two product lines now, chat (AOL Chat and AIM Chat, as well as a new chat line in the making) and now another new groups product. For both lines, the development and QA team are based in Bangalore, India. Since I'm the only lucky SA to have such an arrangement, I knew I would be traveling out there with my boss.
So today he mentions that he would like me to stay out there longer. Like 2-3 weeks. Ugh. Minimum is 10 days anyway (takes 2 days to travel, each way) so we're only talking an additional 4-11 days. But still. Three freaking weeks away from my family?? I just don't see how I can do that. I sleep like crap when I'm not at home anyway. Last time I traveled, out to CA while with NEGT (then PG&E NEG), I was gone for about a week. And slept horribly the whole time.
Now this is halfway around the globe. And if I would have thought of an Asian locale I'd want to visit, I'm pretty sure India would have been at the bottom of my list. Japan would have been cool, China maybe, definitely Australia or New Zealand (OK different continents, but same hemisphere) but India? No. I was watching reruns of The Amazing Race on GSN last night, they were in India, and the whole time I was thinking "Holy crap, what am I getting myself into... am I really going over there?"
I am so not a people person. I barely like the concept of people. I am perfectly happy communicating solely via email and IM. The notion of "shaking hands and kissing babies" and my boss puts it, is a good one theoretically, but just not my cup of tea. Especially in India. (No pun intended.)
Good God, wtf am I going to do over there for so long all by myself? In an area even more crowded than NYC?
Few silver linings exist. Yes, I would rack up the frequent flyer miles. And there's the possibility that I could, on the way back, make a few-day layover in London and meet the family there, that would be fun if we could swing it financially.
20+ hr flight. They'd damn well better let me fly business class.
I'll have to talk this over with Donna. I think maximum I might do two weeks, including travel. It's not until October, but with everything involved... gotta get the itinerary first, then mail it and my passport to get my visa, in time to process it and get it back... I hope my business AmEx application goes through. I really don't want to pay for all this myself, even if I do get reimbursed.
I feel an ulcer coming on...
At my job, I provide operational production support for two product lines now, chat (AOL Chat and AIM Chat, as well as a new chat line in the making) and now another new groups product. For both lines, the development and QA team are based in Bangalore, India. Since I'm the only lucky SA to have such an arrangement, I knew I would be traveling out there with my boss.
So today he mentions that he would like me to stay out there longer. Like 2-3 weeks. Ugh. Minimum is 10 days anyway (takes 2 days to travel, each way) so we're only talking an additional 4-11 days. But still. Three freaking weeks away from my family?? I just don't see how I can do that. I sleep like crap when I'm not at home anyway. Last time I traveled, out to CA while with NEGT (then PG&E NEG), I was gone for about a week. And slept horribly the whole time.
Now this is halfway around the globe. And if I would have thought of an Asian locale I'd want to visit, I'm pretty sure India would have been at the bottom of my list. Japan would have been cool, China maybe, definitely Australia or New Zealand (OK different continents, but same hemisphere) but India? No. I was watching reruns of The Amazing Race on GSN last night, they were in India, and the whole time I was thinking "Holy crap, what am I getting myself into... am I really going over there?"
I am so not a people person. I barely like the concept of people. I am perfectly happy communicating solely via email and IM. The notion of "shaking hands and kissing babies" and my boss puts it, is a good one theoretically, but just not my cup of tea. Especially in India. (No pun intended.)
Good God, wtf am I going to do over there for so long all by myself? In an area even more crowded than NYC?
Few silver linings exist. Yes, I would rack up the frequent flyer miles. And there's the possibility that I could, on the way back, make a few-day layover in London and meet the family there, that would be fun if we could swing it financially.
20+ hr flight. They'd damn well better let me fly business class.
I'll have to talk this over with Donna. I think maximum I might do two weeks, including travel. It's not until October, but with everything involved... gotta get the itinerary first, then mail it and my passport to get my visa, in time to process it and get it back... I hope my business AmEx application goes through. I really don't want to pay for all this myself, even if I do get reimbursed.
I feel an ulcer coming on...
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