The Judgement Day...

I got up in the morning at 6 AM, surprisingly without any alarm-assistance all due to the anxiety & excitement in my mind, got ready in my best Business Suit and my favourite Tie and had a heavy breakfast, that’s also one strange part about me, even when I am tense or nervous I never discount my meals and as always have a full one!!!

Reached the office at sharp 8 AM and surprisingly not very tense, I was up for the challenge waiting for me, and it was one long challenge…seven 1-hour long Interviews starting from 8:15 AM till 5:15 PM with just a one-hour Lunch Break in between were waiting for me, it was one marathon session in waiting…

Over the course of the day I was interviewed by the HR Director for Corporate, the Chief Financial Controller, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief HR Head, Chief Information Officer (CIO), the Head of Compensation & Benefits & the Director of Recruitment ….phew!!! What a list…that too pretty lengthy!!!

All the interviews went perfectly well, I had all the answers to the questions posed to me and had really wonderful discussions with all of them and could realise that the Leadership here was very strong and had some very highly experienced people at the top which surely was a comforting factor and one of the most important parameters for me personally.

The best part was that unlike the interviews I had given in India, there was no set patterns to either of the interviews like “Tell me about yourself and your family” or “talk about your strengths and weaknesses”…all of them had a free-wheeling discussion with me and also were interested in my personal life, beliefs & passions which are always overlooked in India, I was getting a big-big comfort level after each interview that if I get through it would be a damn good decision for me to join this organization.

Another fact I liked was that each Interviewer had gone through my resume in detail beforehand and were not browsing through it while I was being interviewed which is seriously a big put-off for me.

Now some special moments from the Interviews:

1. During my discussions with the CIO and looking at his room I found out that he was also a very serious Motorcycling (read Harley-Davidson) enthusiast and naturally the interview veered towards our common passion, I told him about my Bike Rides, my Bike-The Mighty One and also showed him some pics from my rides, he was damn excited and so was I!!! He told me that if you join here you got to buy a Harley and join the club!!! Surely a big enough reason for me to join!!! \

2. I told the HR Head about the adventure streak in me and also the fact that I was really looking forward to join this job and then travel through the Middle East and he was very supportive and I still remember the closing line which he said at the end of my interview, he said “Join the Adventure and Best of Luck”…

3. The Director of Recruitment had already interviewed me telephonically so he decided to go out with me for a walk around the office and show me the places close by…and we had a wonderful discussion, and this guy is a serious rock-star, let me tell you about his background first…he was in the Intelligence Corps of the British Army for 15 years before joining the Corporate World, served in Iraq, Afghanistan & Serbia in Field Operations, knows Arabic fluently, is certified in clinical Hypnosis and above all is a big fan of Che Guevara and even has a fair knowledge about Bhagat Singh!!! And when we started discussing about Che there was no end to it, he was amazed at my knowledge about him and other revolutionaries and my ideals of life…he also used one of my favourite lines in his discussion “One man’s Terrorist is another man’s revolutionary” …believe me this line is 100% correct for all the cases…think over it and you would surely agree with me. Then I knew as a fact that working with him would be great for my career just owing to his rich experience…

The Interview Marathon was finally over at 5:30 PM after 7 interviews and all of them damn good fun…I was verbally offered by the HR Head and the salary offer was also discussed and I just could believe what was going on…it was all too sudden and I was just loving it…the salary figure was simply fantastic and all I had to decide about was how would I manage leaving India and then come to Kuwait leaving my friends, family and bike…

With the excitement in Mind I reached my Hotel, had a strong coffee, my head was literally spinning after a long day and then reached the Airport at 7 PM; my flight to India was at 10 PM…and this time I was to fly by Jet Airways…Kuwait-Mumbai-Delhi…

I checked in, got my boarding pass and then was just roaming around in the airport when I found the Harley Davidson Accessories showroom and went straight into it, bought glass stickers for my buddies back home and browsed through all the accessories displayed, all of them were damn freaking expensive which was obvious as HD is a cult & a luxury brand…didn’t buy anything else and moved out…

Then I bought a new Mobile Connection to call my folks in India and the process of getting a new connection was as smooth as silk, they just took a copy of my Passport and I got the new SIM card which was pre-activated…called up my parents who were in Wellington with my Bhai’s family, Dips and Bandita and told them all about my experience excitedly…and they would surely vouch for it that I was really elated and the excitement levels were to reach a new high very soon…

I stood in the final line just before you enter the Aircraft and got a huge surprise…I had been upgraded to the Business Class Category for the flight from Kuwait-Mumbai…didn’t know the reason for it but was really excited, it was the first time I was to travel in the Business Class…I got seated in a very comfortable seat with I don’t know how many adjustment buttons!!! Was served some exotic juice, don’t know what it was though!!! And then got a Menu Card for the Dinner, I was like this is really great!!! Switched on the Video Screen and after browsing through all the options available decided to watch the movie “Inglorious Basterds” by Quentin Tarantino, I wanted to watch this for a long time but didn’t get a chance but this time I was game for it!!!

Had the Baileys Irish Cream for drinks and not beer this time, Baileys is my favourite Liquer and I simply love the Creamy Texture streaked with Irish Liquor…after the movie & the dinner had a short nap and when I woke up went up to the Cabin Crew and asked them the reason for my Business Class upgrade and then got a shocker…they told me that they had overbooked the Economy Class(first shock) and the Business Class had 6 empty seats, so they had to transfer 6 people from Economy to Business and they chose on the basis of the clothes we 6 were wearing, I was dressed in a Business Suit so I was one of the 6 and similarly the other 5 as well, such a racist way to decide, I was not too happy to hear this but had no other option than to go back to my seat and just wait for the flight to land…

And then all thoughts were coming together, the decision to come to Kuwait for the Interviews, an amazing day of the Orientation Tour and then my performance during the Interviews, everything was going perfectly as if it was scripted for me…just could not believe it…and all I did was to Thank god and for being with me all the time and blessing me for all my good luck…seriously these 2 days were my lucky days and could not thank God enough for all the memorable time…

Landed at Mumbai at 5AM, after the clearances went straight to the Duty Free Liquor Shop and bought a bottle each of JW Red Label and Jim Beam for my father as the Kuwait Gift!!! He really likes such a gift!!!

The Mumbai-Delhi flight was at 8 AM and I had 2 options, the first one was the boring one, take the airport cab and reach the Domestic Terminal and then wait…the other interesting one was to go out of the International Terminal at my own expense =, roam around a bit and then reach the Domestic Terminal…for obvious reasons I chose the 2nd one!!!

Took an Auto Rickshaw and asked the driver to take me to a Tea Shop where I could also eat some hot & fresh Vada Paaos…we reached there and both of us had a very early breakfast!!! I had 3 of them with 2 glasses of tea!!! And also got some packed for Dips…was having authentic Hot Vada Paaos in Mumbai after almost 7 years and was getting really nostalgic, My first job was in Mumbai way back in 2003 and all I could afford for breakfast & as a late evening snack back then was 2 Vada Paaos with a cutting chai…so much so for my low salary then!!! Also did some heart-to-heart Bakchodi with the Auto Driver, he was from Varanasi and I discussed the light of UP Migrants in Mumbai after the MNS threat and he had some interesting revelations…

Reached the Airport after having a wonderful time and an even wonderful breakfast and boarded the flight…after that I don’t remember anything as all I did on the flight was to sleep!!! But how can I forget…I dumped at the Airport…another dumping-first for me!!! Another Airport conquered by the Dumping Tycoon!!!

Reached Delhi and then headed straight to home and then reached the Office as if nothing ever happened and got back to the grind of UHG!!!

The 2 days were truly memorable and I didn’t know then that whether I would be back to Kuwait and really had an amazing time…

I thought to myself then…Inshallah I would be back!!!