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A Business Trip to the US
Need an editable PowerPoint map of USA Shocked, excited and anxious, that’s how I felt when I was informed of my selection for a business trip to Chicago. Not only was this my first ever trip outside India, but the very fact that I was going to be flying for the first time made me extremely nervous. The purpose of my visit was client requirement analysis for a huge project in the pipeline. The onus of gauging what the client wanted and ensuring that the project landed in our laps was on me! Once I got the visa, the official and personal preparations for the trip began in full swing. Leaving my one year old toddler for three weeks was not an easy decision; however constant support from my family encouraged me to go ahead. My colleague, the subject matter expert for the project, and I had to fly on 9 July 2008. We were scheduled to visit different client offices located in Naperville, a posh suburb of Chicago. The week before the trip was extremely hectic as I ran around arranging the required documents, studying project specifications and packing. Finally the D-day came, and as I entered terminal B of Indira Gandhi International airport in the wee hours of 9 July, anxiety and nervousness gave way to excitement and confidence. The excitement of being there, in the US and the confidence of making my trip a success story. I was all set to grab a bite of the Big Apple. We had a hopping flight via Heathrow (London) to Chicago. As the plane descended at the Heathrow airport, the enchanting view of the river Thames flowing through the centre of London reminded me of all the stories and poems that I had read about it. The experience at the Heathrow airport was memorable. We had a two-hour break before the next flight to Chicago and most of it was spent in exploring the airport lounge that resembled a huge shopping mall with all the famous European brand outlets. However, the only disappointment came in the form of food. I am a pure vegetarian, and there was nothing veggie available at the food joints! I wondered how I was going to manage for the next three weeks with my limited stock of ready to cook food and maggi. The Air America flight from Heathrow to Chicago was not very comfortable. There was no interesting movies to watch and again, no vegetarian food! The fight attendant informed me that vegetarian food was provided only with a prior booking along with the ticket. Tired by extensive strolls at the Heathrow and famished by hunger, I dozed off and woke up only when announcements of descending at the O’Hare airport started. O’Hare airport at Chicago is one of the world’s busiest airports and this was proven by the long queues of aircrafts waiting to land and take off. After custom and visa clearance and collecting the luggage, the next task was to arrange for a cab to our hotel. We were to stay at the Extended Stay hotel in Naperville, which was almost an hour’s drive from the O’Hare airport. Thanks to the amiable airport staff, we soon got a cab and started for our hotel. Once we were out of the airport, the first thing that struck me about the US was that there was not even a single spec of dust around! We were on the main highway connecting Chicago to its suburbs, with approximately a thousand cars rushing by, but still no dust and no pollution, I was amazed. The hotel was a treat! I had a huge room with an attached kitchen. This gave me the flexibility of cooking my own food. Tired by the exhausting 23 hours journey and the jet lag, I hit the bed after a quick call to my husband. The next morning we had a meeting arranged at 9 am with the client and our business representative in Chicago, Jeff, came to take us to the client site. The site was again half an hour’s drive from our hotel. Still down with jet lag, but excited for the meeting, we reached the premises of Caterpillar Inc. at 8:45 am. As we sat at the reception, waiting for the client’s representative to arrive, I wondered how it would feel like to work with Americans, how they would treat us, whether they would agree to our ideas and whether we would be able to convince them. I had some pre-conceived notions about the people I was to meet and I was in for a big surprise. The team we worked with comprised of four Indians! A perfect example of how Indian IT brains are ruling American offices. Of course, the comfort level was set in the very first interaction as we extensively discussed about the project and the weather in India, the latest happenings in Delhi and IPL. Next three weeks were a whirlwind of grueling meetings, extensive interviews, and analysis and data collection. As our grip on the client’s need strengthened, we became more confident about handling the project and delivering an excellent solution. Our presentations were appreciated and we became the famous “friends from India” at CAT. Questions like where I bought my kurtas from, were there any McDonalds or malls in India, had I ever met Amitabh Bachchan… initially surprised me. But gradually I got used to the American curiosity about India. India was no more a land of elephants for them. They now knew that India had potential and that they needed India. And thanks to our Indian friends, food was no more a problem for me. I still relish the taste of ‘American’ idlis and sambhar! I also found many stores run by Indians that sold Indian food and snacks. The two weekends in our trip, gave us ample time to explore Naperville and Chicago. The peaceful Naperville downtown with its lush green surroundings was a complete contrast to the concrete skyscraper set up of Chicago city. From shopping in huge malls, to dolphin shows, from the bird eye view of Chicago from the 110th floor of Sears to a pleasant walk along Lake Michigan, and the visit to the “Bean” an architectural wonder in the Millennium Park, our weekends in Chicago were a perfect mix of fun and adventure. As the last day of our trip drew close, the pressure of convincing the client with a final presentation kept us neck deep in work. The last presentation was to be made in front of the board of directors and managers of Caterpillar Inc. As we had hoped, the client loved our presentation and was convinced by our ideas. We had got the project! This moment surpassed all my previous moments of success and happiness. It was different. It was different because I had not only succeeded as an individual, but also as an Indian, representing India in US. The success of the trip called for a treat and what a treat it was. Jeff took us to the most famous pizza joint in Chicago to get a taste of the famous Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. Though I had had enough pizzas during my stay, yet the “deep” word in the pizza name prompted me to go for it. And believe me, the pizza was really deep! Chicago Deep Dish Pizza is a base of approximately four inches height and the inside is completely filled up with cheese, onions and other vegetables. It was indeed a mouthwatering treat! As I retired to my room on the last day, the events of the last three weeks engrossed me. The happy memories of brain whacking sessions, client appreciation, and sightseeing made me feel elated and now I just wanted to be back home and be with my family. Based on my personal experience, here are some tips for business travelers:
>> Read more articles written by Chillibreeze writers:1. Articles related to Content and Outsourcing
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