Greetings from Bangalore

For over a week, now, I've been living and working at Infosys Technologies in Bangalore. It feels like much longer.

On the list of good things about being here, we've got food. As a big fan of food, and Indian food in particular, I was hopeful about the culinary aspects of this experience. And indeed, the food I've had has been delicious and inexpensive. There is such a variety of ingredients and flavors in dishes from all over the country. And the international food (I've had Chinese, French, Thai, and TGIFridays) is readily available on campus and in the city.

Next on the list is the work. I'm working with in the research department with the information management group. It's small, four or five employees and one other intern, but they're all bright and interesting and we've had some engaging conversations. I'll be working on sythesizing a practical definition of the concept of information management and developing a framework for applying it to an organization.

Following that, has to be the Infosys compound. As you might be able to gather from the photos below, it's a pretty campus (reminds me of Southern California - and not just because it feels a little fake). In addition to modern offices, there are numerous restaurants, coffee stands, two health clubs and a basketball court, a swimming pool, pool tables, a book store...and a few hundred bicycles to get around - you just hop on one outside your office and leave it for someone else outside your destination. The guesthouse where we interns stay is like a three-star hotel, which helps eases the pain of working 8-5 halfway around the world.

And the people have been great. The other interns are friendly and social - groups eat together, watch World Cup matches, and plan weekend excursions. They're international, but many have studied in the US. The folks coordinating the internship program have been very helpful in getting us settled, resolving problems, and explaining the more opaque aspects of Indian culture. And the people I've met on campus and in the City have been incredibly friendly and eager to help strangers (i.e. me). From restaurant recommendations to directions to helping me pick out good traditional South Indian music.

But the people also top the list of difficult things about being here. They don't seem to feel a sense of urgency about...well...anything (except maybe driving). Trying to get something done by a beaurocracy or fix an error in a restaurant bill or get a straight answer to all but the simplest questions can be maddeningly frustrating.

And on a more sentimental note, I get a little homesick. Even with Internet Radio and TGIFridays (no, I've only eaten there once), everything is different here. A little or a lot, depending on how adventurous I'm feeling.

Stay tuned for the next installment...