Category: Blog

This last week is a week of relatively less work for us. At the Commission, it’s largely procedural matters which are on their way to completion – wrapping up another successful session. This means I’ve got more time on my hands, and while initially uncertain of how to spend it – I reached a pretty conclusive answer today.

I want to spend the rest of this week just appreciating and soaking in every bit of where I am at the moment, and where I’ve been for the last four weeks now. It’s honestly something I’m deeply grateful for, and I’m going to enjoy it.

For me, that means spending more time in the library, the cafe, and finding new places to set up with my laptop. Additionally, trying to meet everyone I wanted to meet, just once more (so my face and name is etched in their memory and they don’t forget me).

I’m going to miss the pizza in this cafeteria, so more of that too.

Hypothesis: People are happier on Mondays that have deadlines in the middle of the week or the end of the week as compared to Mondays that do not have deadlines in the upcoming week.

Observation: People were happier today than past weeks because the work at the Commission has reached its last phase and Friday is the last day they’ll spend here.

Sample Size: Everyone in Commission

Conclusion: Hence, proved.

Day Two in Lyon was even greater than Day One thanks to some fantastic egg bhurji (Scrambled eggs, for the foreigns). I never knew pimento chilis would add the kick that it did.

We spent the morning at Mini World Lyon – where they had set up miniature models of the entire city, a part of the French-Swiss Alps, and there was a special Star Wars Lego exhibit happening. I’ve never seen anything like it before, and the creative effort they put in made me more certain that my grandfather had to see the place. Or something similar that hopefully comes up soon in Bangalore. I’ll be on the lookout.

Traveling back from Lyon to Cessy was time I spent sleeping, and then talking to my parents. I’m so grateful to them for all the things they’ve sponsored on the trip (everything) and their encouragement in letting me explore everything I’ve been desirous of.

It’s my last week here, starting tomorrow.

I got to Lyon last night and walked a solid 2km to get to the Airbnb, which is honestly one of the most beautiful homes I’ve ever seen. The owner of this place has everything in her house colour coordinated to match with teal and white walls. It’s extremely pretty, and the way the light hits the apartment makes me want to spend the entire day on the sofa and never leave. Unfortunately, this is a trip for exploration and not a staycation.

We celebrated Aunty’s birthday (I’m here with very very close family friends, who are basically family to me) by cutting frozen pizza we had cooked off. Breakfast was boiled eggs. And brunch was the greatest combo: a galette and a crepe. Since I’ve gotten to Lyon I’ve been really impressed with the “chill” vibe that the city gives off. It’s in the air, I think. People seem to be alright relaxing and getting things done in their own time, and it forced me – as an Indian person used to quick-service delivery and with a sense of urgency to pause. I’m enjoying that. I’m also enjoying a lot of the French I’m speaking. People are willing to correct me where I make mistakes – largely in the form of tense corrections, and appreciate the effort, which is honestly all I can ask for as a non-native speaker.

We went to the Lumiere Brothers Museum. I’m always amazed at how these cities preserve elements of history that they believe deserve conservation. The museum itself is astounding and inspirational, and the entire time, I was thinking of my maternal grandfather. I know how enthralled he would’ve been by some of the installations, because he used to make similar installations and illusions for me to look at and marvel at when I was younger.

We also did a boat cruise on the Rhone river. As a friendly tip, I will tell you this. Ask someone how to get to the cruise. Google Maps is wildly unhelpful and walking two hours in the heat is not worth it (although the view is beautiful). The cruise was insane, and I’ve discovered that these kind of things are far better to get a birds’ eye view of the city.

Dinner was the best burger I’ve ever had in my life.

Can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds.

It’s Friday!

Genuinely a party-time. Today, I discovered the greatest chocolate snack I’ve discovered in a while (My top one is Meiji Hello Panda). Kinder Bueno. If you haven’t had it, you deserve one. Buy it for yourself. You will not regret it.

I’m off to Lyon for the weekend. More to follow. (From France, ooh la-la)

It’s always nice to receive holidays from the kind calendar Gods (who I assume are in charge of all these holiday scheduling activities). Especially on Wednesdays and Thursdays. I’d take holidays on any weekdays, to be honest, but when they come on Wednesday/Thursday, I feel more joy because it means there’s one lesser day to go to the weekend. If Thursday’s a holiday, all I need to do for the weekend to arrive is experience one more working day. That’s it. It’s fantastic.

There’s also an indescribable joy to receiving a holiday after an incredibly stressful deadline. Not actually stressful, but more along the lines of deeply important. The holiday allows you to get some time off to sleep and reflect on how things went along the two months. Oh well.

My mother really wanted me to cook pulao for myself when I came on trip. She told me it was simple and quick to make (it was), but I couldn’t get myself to ever cook it for dinner. Today provided the opportunity to cook lunch, and I grabbed the chance to attempt the adventurous. I succeeded. Pulao is really simple to cook, and tastes fabulous. The fact that you can cook your vegetables and your rice together, and get all the nutrients you need, and you can use fragrant items to heighten flavour is something I’ve fallen in love with. The fact that I could eat it with curd was even better.

After that I set off on a real adventure. To watch Switzerland National Day celebrations, where I was hopeful of getting to see European fireworks, given that I missed Bastille Day ones owing to rain. Today was no different. The rain foiled my plans – although my comfort using an umbrella (which I’ve always detested) grew manifold. And I got to hang out in a park.

I’m treasuring these moments. Every one of them.

I have a holiday tomorrow, which is all I’ve been able to think about through today.

That, and well, the fact that Jane the Virgin is coming to an end tonight.

I’ve had a lot of dreams since I’ve been a young adult. One of them was to study Law. One was to travel to America for the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. One of them was to apply for what I applied for today.

I feel so incredibly grateful and privileged to have the opportunity to apply. I honestly don’t know where the last two months, nay, the last four years went. I’m curious to see how things pan out over the course of this year, but today, I’m just feeling really lucky.

I’m so thankful for all the people who were willing to listen to me articulate all the things floating around in my head. All the people who were willing to ask me questions over the years about how I was feeling and what I was thinking. Everyone I’ve interacted with closely.

There’s so much you gain out of conversation. I guess its stuff you realize only upon reflection.

I want to be able to make compelling arguments like this:

Sunday. Is there a day more beautiful? I think not. Actually, I think Saturday might be more beautiful than Sunday, because you’re still happy on Saturday evening – there’s a full days’ worth of holiday to look forward to. On Sunday evening the worry of work returns (I have no worry, I am really happy where I am working at the moment, and will remain pleased as punch if this continues forever). But Saturday morning doesn’t have the feeling Sunday morning does – that rush to make your weekend count because you’ve wasted the full Saturday. Plus Sunday has more of a ring to it. It rolls off the tongue, so to speak.

I’ve found a new goal for myself – one I plan to implement from August 1st. I’d really like to learn how to Code, so I’m downloading a couple of books and signing up for e-mailers and stuff to figure out what this extreme sport is all about. Hopefully I should make some progress by the end of the year.

Being a couch potato has fantastic benefits. I elected not to join my friends on their weekend adventures, which I think gives them also the opportunity to catch up properly with each other and enjoy themselves – while I get to work on the things I want to and ensure that this vanilla cream-coloured couch is left with my butt impression by the time I leave from here. One day, there will be a plaque on this sofa that shall say “Tejas sat here”, and that, will be my defining mark.

This sofa is honestly ridiculous. It sinks in when you sit, but the back is sturdy and offers a lot of posture correction and support. I can sleep on it all day if I’d like. The best part is that we arranged it to provide for adequate legroom and legspace, but to allow for multiple variations of lazing around on the couch.

This weekend has gotten off to a great start. Along with the couch potato-ing, I must say, a very underrated hobby is the ability to appreciate a nice sandwich, with cheese.

Yum.

My flat/studio-mate has her school friend visiting us for the weekend. I’m hoping to join them for some of the things they have planned out, but the forecast says its going to be a rainy weekend, and I have a couple of things I want to get done. Given the adventures of the last two weekends, including a fully unexpected but amazing trip to Spain – maybe it makes sense for me to camp at home. Let’s see how things go.

Its very nice to see my flatmate get so excited at the prospect of having her friend here. It reminds you a lot about the comfort of home. Not the place, but the people. So much nostalgia trapped in each person’s spirit and soul. You remember the oddities, the strangest details. For example, honestly, about my best friends from high school: I can only remember eating food. You ask me to tell you about my best friends and I can tell you stories about meals and the kind of jugaad we’ve done for food.

If my friends were visiting me here, which I wish they were, all we’d be doing is walking around and getting food.

Speaking of, I’m in Switzerland. I really need to have fondue before leaving.