Yesterday I heard from my colleague that my supervisor is inviting us to a BBQ party. I told him that I have not yet heard anything like that from the supervisor. And after a few minutes I went to see him, and lo here is the surprise (well truly speaking it was partial surprise, as I was already aware of the news).

Prof: “Listen, I am having a BBQ party tomorrow and want to invite you.”

I smiled a bit and posed an inquisitive look. he continued, ” Now, you are a vegetarian, so what can I do for you.” I felt a bit uncomfortable, as I did not know what to reply and ask him what to do for me, as he is my supervisor.

Me: “Well, I don’t eat meat.”

Prof: “yes, thats why I am asking what can I do for you. Do you eat onions”

Me: “Yessssss … “. I spoke a stretched a yes as truly speaking I don’ t eat onions either, but given that the party was being arranged by my prof, thus I did not want to give him much trouble in arranging the food for me.

Prof: ” ok then I will arrange some vegetables”

I was glad to hear that. But I did felt a bit uncomfortable partially because I felt that I would be the only veg guy at the party, where every other person would be roasting pork or beef and partially I felt that I have to ask my prof to arrange food for me.

Anyway lets see what happens. Today is the party. I am eager to see the Italian Family life style.

its so true ….

Come summer and sea side becomes a galore of nakedness. People here do a good workout during winters and spring so that they get a nice figure which is available on show by summers.

Today it here in Trieste its 27 deg, a nice excuse to cast of clothes. People here have great figures and are eager to show it. Sun bath is another reason to be half naked. In fact one does feel good if people around you notice your attractiveness. Both the displayer and the observer are happy. The same thing happens in Circus. The artists feel happy when their performance is appreciated. The audience feels happy as they get a chance to see the great show of a incredible artist . I love to watch these shows, but given my busy schedule, I only am able to see it from the bus which runs along the sea side. great it is

I love animals and over here in Trieste, Cats are one of the species which you would find roaming freely. If you approach any of these free animals who live in wild, most of them are scared to interact with humans. They won’t come near unless they see any eatable stuff in your hand, still are quite cautious. All of them look very innocent to me, and I am always ready to cuddle them.

Cats are one of those species are little scared of humans, but are also very cautious and careful. Most of the cats whom I approach to stroke, run away to hide in bushes, from where they look upon me as a dangerous alien, interactions with whom should be avoided. But not all are like that, although most are, but some are bold enough to explore the human touch.

When you approach some of these bolds, they first stare at you with suspicion then would do “mew”. If they are sitting they would stand on their for feet, and would make their tail erect when you  come near them, simultaneously also curving their back to make an arch. I don’t understand very well this gesture of them, but I feel that it might be a sort of granting permission to the stranger allowing him to get acquainted. I am good at mimicking the sound “mew”, and whenever I make this sound, I get a response. They come more near to me after saying “mew”. They would then start rubbing their body against my trousers. That means that you can safely stroke them, and they love this. If you touch their head they would lift their mouth so that u can stroke the neck too. They have amazing furs.

Some days ago (I guess it was 8th May, Friday), I was waiting at the Bus stop to catch the evening bus for my home, when I saw the face of a familiar woman. After few seconds I recalled who she is. By that time the bus also arrived. I was desperate and eager to greet her. I followed her, she felt a bit uncomfortable as I was doing following her and she did not recognize me. When she sat I asked is she from Kanpur and is she ******. She was glad to meet a stranger who knew her, but I made her recall that I was her student, and she taught me Mathematical Methods 1 & 2 in 3rd year. She recalled my face but not my name. It was amazing to talk to her and discuss thing from the UG time.

She told me other things about the institute. How the students are now? Asked about my other batch mates ? It was a great felling meeting my instructor who once taught me. I was a notorious student then and hardly used to pay attention in her class . Still she greeted me with respect and affection, like a mother who meets are children after a long time doesn’t recall the mischievous activities of her son.

Today is Easter. It is great festive season over here in Italy. People go to churches and then celebrate the rebirth of Christ in various ways. The day is unusually beautiful. The spring in its full bloom, blossoming the atmosphere with the charm of greenery. I woke up although a bit tensed due to the some pangs, but the atmosphere with its blue sky and green trees soon overcome the state of mind with it great lush of spring. I was not sure whether to go for work to office (as I had decided sometime back to finish some stuff this week), or to go out for a trip to mountains. The previous day was a bit tiring as I went for shopping, and had to do other household stuff, which broke me so much that I preferred to lie on bed. I also bought new trousers the previous day, and wanted to try them. Thus I decided to go out to office, work a bit and later in evening would see what can be done, to enjoy the festive.

I went out take the bus at 12:00, the weather was damn beautiful. Had I been not standing on the roadside, I sure would have removed my clothes and jumped in the sea. I strolled a bit as I waited for the bus. Apart from me, there was only one student who was going to ICTP for work (yes he was also Indian but form Nepal ). The bus came, a little late than the scheduled time, as if she also wanted to enjoy and didn’t want to work.

When I entered the bus, I stood right at the entrance, as there were not enough space inside that I could go in. Near me were standing a man with his daughter. They have sprinkled some water on the floor, and the little girl (3 or 4 years I guess) was talking something to his dad, as how to clean it up. They were talking Italian so I could not understand exactly, but gestures conveyed most of the meaning. After a while they started spreading the sprinkled water, so that it dries soon. The daughter was notorious and sweet. So was also the dad. The two look very sweet to me. The dad was now and then looking at me , to get assured that I am not unhappy with the mischievous acts of his daughter. Well I was not, I just loved them, both of them looked sweet and cute. The dad was also playing with daughter, and was trying to show that he is very happy today. I was thinking that the wife must be standing a little distance away in the bus, but I was wrong. When the bus stopped at the church, the two get down, but now woman accompanied them. I felt deep pity for them. I do not know why there was not any woman with them. I thought that may be they have divorced, but then in that case the daughter stays with the mother. Still it could be that the dad is allowed to meet the daughter only on some occasion, and today was one, when the two went out away form the wife (mother) to enjoy the company of each other.

It could also be that the wife has died leaving the daughter, under the care of husband. This could explain also the unusual childish behavior of the father. May be he was trying to hide the sorrow that he misses his wife very much and wants to absorb himself in the present, which is his daughter.

It could also be that the man is not married and has adopted the child from an orphanage, but this is bit unusual I guess. There could be many other reasons, why the two were without a woman.

The dad’s love and his activities were such that they did not make the daughter realize the necessity of a mother. May be she does need her, or may she doesn’t as the dad was extremely good and caring.

Whatever the reasons were for them to be without a woman, I felt sad for them.

It has been long time since I last put any post. Well in PhD life hardly anything new occurs. The days keeps going one after another in the same way. Even most of the weekends are also same, like any other week days. Well you must be wondering why I am making post today then. Yes u guessed it right, something interesting happed today.

The day started as usual, me doing the usual activities of morning. Felt a bit pissed by the annoying behavior of my flatmate, who feels natural to bang and slam doors. Don’t care if you are sleeping or meditating, but is very careful to complain if somebody becomes a nuisance to him. Weird man !!! So after encountering his irritating activities I get a bit stressed and started thinking how to and what to say to him, so that he don’t do all this in future. I was thinking when he produced a lot further noises by slamming doors and left in hurry. I did not get the chance to express by irritation. After few minutes I took bath, and then breakfast. I also had to go for purchasing food, asa i hadn’t had anything for the lunch. I put mu jacket on and kept a bag in my pocket, moved towards the door, when a thought occurred to me that I am forgetting something. My mind was so much occupied by the nasty activities that I witnessed of my flatmate that I could not think what is it that I am forgetting.

I cam outside the house and closed the door. A thought came to me like a flash that I forgo the keys. “Oh God, shit “. I mind was already a bit stressed before this, and with this my head was bursting. I stayed at the door for some 20 minutes. In that time, I tried to call my flatmate, but couldn’t as my cell has no credit. I even thought of knocking at my neighbor, as that too have the same landlord and might suggest something useful, but I did not do it. I thought about Feynman, how clever he was in opening locks, about which I read in “Surely you are joking, Mr Feynman”. I examined the lock to see if it can be opened by some screw. I even pushed the door, to see if by force I can break the lock . The irony was that I had nothing with myself. My college bag, containing my food, study material, water bottle etc was locked inside, and I did not had any screw. I cursed my luck and felt angry at the great presence of mind that I had.

I finally decided to go out and do following things. 1) Recharge the mobile. 2) Call Ernazar (my flatmate) to know his whereabouts, and inform him about the problem to seek solution. I was going to one Tabacci shop (where they sell rechange coupons) when on my way I met a man with his big dog (I guess great dane). The man was returning form supermarket with food and his dog, to keep the stuff in hi car. The great dog stood in my way and blocked my path. The man at first did not notice it but on turning back realized that his dog is not smart enough to move away from the path. He pulled the chain on his neck, but the dog instead of making way for me, just rotated a bit and stood in transverse way. Then the patted his dog ass to set him aside form my path. Both me and the man were greatly amused. I felt lovely to see the dog innocence, and kept smiling until I reached the Tabacci shop to ask for recharge coupon, where my smile was lost, when I was told that they do not have the coupons. I then went to next shop, again they did not had. I tried the next one, luckily they had, and I charged my mobile. Then I moved towards the bus stop, and on the way made a call to Ernazar. The call was cut, and I received the message that the phone is busy. I felt angry at him. But after 2 minutes he called me. “Yes Gaurav, what happened”. As if he was expecting to hear some news. I told him about my strange situation, which he was not ready to believe and wanted an explanation, as he knew that I am not a preson who does such careless mistakes.

The mistake was cost me a lot. I had to go to SISSA to collect the keys from Ernazar, took the next bus came back home after purchasing food from supermarket PAM, and waited till 2:10 pm for the flatmate to arrive. All this already made me tired and I wanted to take rest. Resting did recharged my battery and I felt a little rejuvenated. I also took some food and milk to feel better. I even did some exercise using dumbbells present in Ernazar’s room. This made me feel better, and I liked the feeling. When the bell rang at 2:10, I proceeded to the door to answer the call at the receiver. It was Ernazar, whom I was anyway expecting at that time, but I was pressing the wrong button on the intercom thus the door was not opening. However the door was opened by someone who wanted to get in/out the door. Ernazar felt pissed and on reaching upstairs, the first thing he told me was the position of the button on the intercom. The expressions on his face were justified by his tone.

I decided to come back to SISSA again, though initially I had decided to stay at home and take rest. I took the bus at 2:20 pm. But this time my mood was not bad as it was before and even though I was tired, I still felt a bit jolly.

The title although bit strange but is the right one.

From long I was quite busy with the work, so busy that i hardly get any feeling that the days are passing. Every day passes in the same way, modulo few modifications. last month has been a bit busy and I had to complete the old task. How November passed away, I hardly got any idea. The month changes. Every month we have to purchase a new monthly bus ticket. It was there in my mind that the month has changed, but the reminder that I have to purchase a new bus ticket, completely slipped from my mind.

Today morning, as usual I rushed from the house to catch the 10:40 bus, usually the bus arrives some 6 minutes late, so even if I start form my house at 10:40, I am still able to catch the bus. I came running to the bus stop, waited at  the near by bench, looking what the pet dogs were doing. Finally the bus arrived,

door opens. thought that the bus is too full, quickly went in to the first gate and due to lack of space had to stand right the front gate. The bus started, but my mind as usual thinking about various things that i have to do on reaching the office. The bus after crossing some stops reached the stop near the sea. There I saw the ticket checking guy. It immediately struck me that I have not yet purchased the new bus ticket, and if you don’t have a bus ticket one has to pay a fine of 40 euros.

So I immediately decided to get down from the bus. The bus stopped, the front door opens. The checking guy was about to enter, when I started getting down. he said, “Bon jorno”… and I just smiled ” hehehe” and made the sign that my stop has arrived and I have to get down, he say me with suspicion but said “prego “.

Usually when these guys say “Bon jorno” then one has to show the ticket. In my case I just smiled and left. Although I am sure that he must have realized that I do not have a ticket because generally the foreign people get down at the last stop where ICTP is located. But then had I not get down from the bus I might have to pay the penalty.

Few days back I made a trip to Rome. It was just a one day trip and I returned by the night train. Mt train from Rome was is night with a 10:50 departure. I spend a long time waiting at the station’s waiting room. Then I decided to come to the platform from where the train would leave. On my way to platform I met some Indians. I just saw them but didn’t communicated.

They were looking quite modern. Children communicating in very good English ascent, gave a clue to me that they must be UK based. Few minutes later it my guess turned out to be right.

At the platform, both me and them raced towards the empty bench. The bench was luckily big enough to accommodate me and some of them. There were two woman, two men and two kids. One woman was trying to be very stylish, every now and then moving her hands trough her hairs. Her husband was brought up in UK ans was as likely trying to be very English. What caught my attention most was, both husband an wife were criticizing strongly about the various things in India. They started with the facility of trains, saying they are not comfortable and secure. The other couple was trying to be against them, and thus were putting points in favor of Indian government.

At that point hearing all that I felt bad, but when I later thought over it again, I realized that to some extent the criticism is valid. Certainly for a person who has been brought up with such luxuries with definitely complain on the arrival of any discomfort, because the mind has been trained to live in comfort and luxury.

I wondered has India been also full with luxury and free from problems, such criticism will have no place.

Yesterday when I reached my house, I found some pipeline construction going on just in front of the building’s door. They were digging the hole in the road to check the pipeline for water or may be repair it. As a result they has stopped the water flowing through it. I became aware of this only after I arrived my flat.

When I opened the tap in bathroom to wash my hands, the flow of water was low. I guessed that is must be because of the construction work going underneath. But I didn’t realize that water is only available for few minutes, after which it will stop.

It was time for dinner, so I rushed to kitchen to cook some rice and lentils. When I opened the tap, a very thin stream of water flowed through it. I was barely able to wash the rice. I then started looking through my window to gaze the workers outside, with a hope that soon they would finish the job.

It was taking long and my hunger made me more desperate. I decided to make food with the water available in the bottles from supermarket. I use this water only for drinking. By that time my flatmate also arrived. He is a very egoistic guy with hardly any concern for anyone. He entered the house with lot of vigor in his movements and then after few seconds quickly went towards bathroom. 20 seconds later he came out with a embarrassing face to inquire about water not coming. Like me he also peeped out from window at the workers with desperation.

By the time I put my cooker on gas and started making the stuff, the noise of the water pump stopped. I quickly rushed to the window, to see the progress. Well they were just arranging sacks in mud. However after some 15 minutes they did started the water. I was eagerly waiting for it.

I opened the tap and stared at it. There was a roar, and then a sudden gust with muddy water following it. I left the tap opened for sometime.

Just an hour without water and I became so troubled. I wondered about people who live their life with very little water usage. Within an hour I was able to realize the importance of water, while my flatmate lied in his bedroom with a who cares attitude, holding a novel in one hand and a glass of beer in another.

While these people were doing their job, many old people approached them to inquire about the progress and when the water will be released. Everyone was desperate to use it and felt very uncomfortable with the knowledge that something is missing in their lifestyle, even though in daily life that is hardly cared for.