Going to Bangalore
Dec. 9th, 2011 04:35 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bjarvisEarly this morning, my boss surprised me during a discussion about distributing our team workload. Currently, my operations support team consists of six guys, four in the California headquarters, one (my boss) in Montana and me in DC. We collectively share 24x7 production support coverage, rotating the on-call duties weekly.
Our firm acquired another about a year ago which was mostly based in the same San Francisco region but has a significant number of developers in Bangalore, India. My boss in conjunction with his managers suggested we get some of their 24x7 support folks up to speed on our duties so we can provide better support coverage. You'll get no argument from me: anything that reduces the number of times my cell phone goes off at 4am is a big win in my books.
My boss then suggested that I go to Bangalore to get train the guys, say, 2-3 weeks in early January.
Eep.
At first, it seemed like a great opportunity. Sure, since I'm the sole sysadmin for the company's entire production facility, the firm's management clearly trusts me to work independently and consistently or they would have trashed me years ago. Still, being handed this opportunity struck me as an unexpected honor and statement of confidence. It's also an opportunity for personal & professional growth as I've only done one-on-one training previously and never been sent on business travel on a similar scale. My first instinct says yes, this is the right thing to do and the right time to do it.
But the more I think about the details, the more my inner control freak & detail-oriented perfectionism is screaming bloody murder.
Outside of an afternoon in Tijuana, I've never left the safe and culturally familiar confines of Canada and the continental US. I've never truly traveled internationally --largely because I've never had the funds to afford my dream vacation. Moving to the US 16 years ago was a trial but at least the US while alien was somewhat familiar and linguistically similar.
I've started the process of getting a business visa and trying to figure out what vaccinations I should have. I have no idea what kind of accommodations to expect. I have no clue what I should pack or not. Hell, as I write this, I have no idea what kind of electrical devices I should take: I have no clue what the specs are for common electricity or electrical outlets in India although I'm sure I can find that out with a few Internet searches. How will I get around the city? How much of a language barrier can I expect? How do I get appropriate currency? Will my credit cards work? Will I be able to navigate my way around the minor details of purchasing toiletries? Should I get a cell phone while there? What's the most effective way to communicate with the home office and family? How on earth will do I do something as simple as laundry?
My rational mind is reassuring me that the firm will place me in a comfortable and modern hotel with appropriately familiar conveniences and services. Bangalore isn't Mars: it will be very different but also very similar. I'm not the first westerner to buzz into town and I won't be the last: trust the local colleagues, ask questions when needed and all will be well. If I keep an open mind and be patient, all these worries will be shown for what they are: mere trivia. Still, I wish I was traveling with someone more experienced who could fill in the blanks and/or prevent any cultural or situational faux pas.
Yet another corner of my brain is asking if I'm even qualified to do the work required on this trip. I'm planning to have a conversation with my boss today to determine exactly what the goals and expectations are, but I'm already keenly aware of large gaps in my knowledge of how things are done around the company since I work in relative isolation from the rest of the firm. I know what I do in great detail, but do I know what needs to be communicated to these guys I'm traveling to meet? At the moment, my rational mind has no good answer for this.
Depending on the range of dates, I'm going to miss Mid-Alantic Leather and my own birthday. Several square dance gigs will have to be rescheduled. A caller clinic I was looking to organize will either have to be rescheduled or be assembled by someone else.
In summation, I'm both excited and terrified by the prospects. This will be a great adventure, although I wish I was more confident launching into it and had greater assurance that the final outcomes will meet expectations. I'm glad to go but also uneasy about the responsibilities and the uncertainties.
None of this makes for good sleeping right now.
Our firm acquired another about a year ago which was mostly based in the same San Francisco region but has a significant number of developers in Bangalore, India. My boss in conjunction with his managers suggested we get some of their 24x7 support folks up to speed on our duties so we can provide better support coverage. You'll get no argument from me: anything that reduces the number of times my cell phone goes off at 4am is a big win in my books.
My boss then suggested that I go to Bangalore to get train the guys, say, 2-3 weeks in early January.
Eep.
At first, it seemed like a great opportunity. Sure, since I'm the sole sysadmin for the company's entire production facility, the firm's management clearly trusts me to work independently and consistently or they would have trashed me years ago. Still, being handed this opportunity struck me as an unexpected honor and statement of confidence. It's also an opportunity for personal & professional growth as I've only done one-on-one training previously and never been sent on business travel on a similar scale. My first instinct says yes, this is the right thing to do and the right time to do it.
But the more I think about the details, the more my inner control freak & detail-oriented perfectionism is screaming bloody murder.
Outside of an afternoon in Tijuana, I've never left the safe and culturally familiar confines of Canada and the continental US. I've never truly traveled internationally --largely because I've never had the funds to afford my dream vacation. Moving to the US 16 years ago was a trial but at least the US while alien was somewhat familiar and linguistically similar.
I've started the process of getting a business visa and trying to figure out what vaccinations I should have. I have no idea what kind of accommodations to expect. I have no clue what I should pack or not. Hell, as I write this, I have no idea what kind of electrical devices I should take: I have no clue what the specs are for common electricity or electrical outlets in India although I'm sure I can find that out with a few Internet searches. How will I get around the city? How much of a language barrier can I expect? How do I get appropriate currency? Will my credit cards work? Will I be able to navigate my way around the minor details of purchasing toiletries? Should I get a cell phone while there? What's the most effective way to communicate with the home office and family? How on earth will do I do something as simple as laundry?
My rational mind is reassuring me that the firm will place me in a comfortable and modern hotel with appropriately familiar conveniences and services. Bangalore isn't Mars: it will be very different but also very similar. I'm not the first westerner to buzz into town and I won't be the last: trust the local colleagues, ask questions when needed and all will be well. If I keep an open mind and be patient, all these worries will be shown for what they are: mere trivia. Still, I wish I was traveling with someone more experienced who could fill in the blanks and/or prevent any cultural or situational faux pas.
Yet another corner of my brain is asking if I'm even qualified to do the work required on this trip. I'm planning to have a conversation with my boss today to determine exactly what the goals and expectations are, but I'm already keenly aware of large gaps in my knowledge of how things are done around the company since I work in relative isolation from the rest of the firm. I know what I do in great detail, but do I know what needs to be communicated to these guys I'm traveling to meet? At the moment, my rational mind has no good answer for this.
Depending on the range of dates, I'm going to miss Mid-Alantic Leather and my own birthday. Several square dance gigs will have to be rescheduled. A caller clinic I was looking to organize will either have to be rescheduled or be assembled by someone else.
In summation, I'm both excited and terrified by the prospects. This will be a great adventure, although I wish I was more confident launching into it and had greater assurance that the final outcomes will meet expectations. I'm glad to go but also uneasy about the responsibilities and the uncertainties.
None of this makes for good sleeping right now.
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no subject
Date: 2011-12-09 04:42 pm (UTC)Relax and enjoy the culture. (And don't kill any cows while you are there). Be prepared to overpay; get used to the fact that you are a foreigner, and therefore a sucker! Also be prepared for some stomach bugs - you can do some sensible things to avoid them, but there's a good chance your body is going to react to some bacteria you haven't ever been exposed to before. When taking taxis, negotiate the price BEFORE getting in (although they may have metered taxis in Bangalore...) Barter when you can.
One of the overwhelming things I found in India was the begging. I recall walking out of the airport at Delhi and being surrounded by dozens of kids, all with their hand out. Fortunately, my contact there had told me - don't even say 'no'. Pretend you don't see them. Any interaction is taken as the start of a negotiation. It turned out to be wise advice. Walking with eyes straight ahead, the crowd of beggars lost interest pretty quickly.
On water you have options: In hotels and respectable restaurants, take a chance. You'll get sick. But not very sick, and then you'll get over it and have some immunity. Or - don't drink any water without treating it first. My suggestion: Go to REI and buy two things before you travel: a 2 liter collapsible water bottle, and a supply of water treatment tablets. You can make 2 liters of clean, safe water in your hotel room from the hotel tap water in four hours. (Remember to brush teeth with clean water also!) Also take a regular water bottle with you, and fill it up from your supply of clean water each day. Take it with you to the office so you can drink that instead of whatever the office offers.
Generally, chai (tea) will be safe, as it is made with boiled water - though in India, thanks to the Raj, they often add milk (yuk). Beer is always safe (well, if it isn't, who cares? You'll be sick but drunk). Take alcohol wipes to clean soda cans/bottles before you drink from them - if you like soda.
On food - eat cooked things, and fruit you can peel yourself. Don't drink 'freshly squeezed' fruit juices, especially from street vendors. In fact, don't eat ANYTHING from street vendors. Don't eat salad, even in 'good' restaurants. There's no way you can be sure it's free from Hepatitis.
And on Hepatitis - if you haven't been vaccinated, see your doctor NOW. It takes weeks to get the injections and build immunity.
Don't be tempted to try Paan. Indians seem to love it.
Now - go have fun! (And maybe take a husband or two for company...)