4 years and counting (?) .....

15 Jan 2011. 4 years ago on this day, I stepped into this wonderful continent-country. Australia, termed as the wonderful country down under :). The word “Australia” in itself sounded special to me thanks to my affinity for cricket, beaches and wonderful people. I reckon what drove me out of Singapore to Australia (accidentally I landed in Melbourne) was my dream to watch those lush green cricket grounds LIVE. WACA, SCG, MCG, GABA, Adelaide Oval...

In my childhood days, during the cricket telecast from Australia, I was always awe stuck by the infrastructure quality of their grounds. Anyways, India team touring Australia in 1990’s did not have much to boast of their cricketing skills down under. During those days, I reckon it was more a fun/family trip for them than anything else. Television viewing of a cricket game in Oz was more of grounds, crowd and Waugh brothers/Warnie in no particular order:). So when my potential company interviewer asked “Why Australia?”, I could recite all the above with such ease and am not sure if it did make sense considering the job profile was technical ;)

Shrugging aside my disappointment of resigning from my wonderful (technical) job in Singapore, I set my feet in Melbourne. Coincidentally, my Singapore house-mate moved to UK while I moved to other side of the globe(on the same day). First 2 days in Melbourne had a very crazy experience. Few of my "well-informed" friends in Singapore had warned me about the high-UV radiation in Melbourne. And the day I landed, the temperature was hovering around 42+ degrees C(summer days). With no sunscreen lotion to protect myself (and being ultra paranoid), I just did not step out of the Hotel. Here I was in one of my revered country literally hotel-arrested thanks to my UV paranoia. Luckily, it just lasted for 2 days as on the 3^rd day I had to join work in my new office. Things changed thereafter. And, I am in love with this country, more so with Melbourne. I just love this city so so much. Awesome!!!

My job in Melbourne was my 5^th within as many years of my corporate life as a software Engineer. Job-Hopper I was, in quest of excellence, better challenges, new countries, green dollar bills :). It has been more than 4 years then on and my count is still stuck at No.5. Lucky number eh? May be. Thanks to Melbourne and a company which could hold me for so long happily (mutually).

Thank you Melbourne for being so nice to me thus far. But, with the wheels of time changing gears so quickly , there may be winds of change in store to greet both of us. Would you get a chance to accept yet another alien into your realm or let your fanatic go away farther away from you? Time, can you please answer this quickly?