The Indians Abroad

Overseas Living: NRIs & India abroad

Posts Tagged tips

21 Topics for Small Talk Conversation for all occasions

Dec 24

Posted by admin in Communication Skills, personal development

Small talk – a conversation or chit chat without any specific topic – is a necessity in any social or professional environment. In fact, making small talk is the lesser of an evil when you compare it to an awkward and drawn out silence. But, what would you talk about – during small talk.

Here are some of the most common topics to start a conversation, or keep it going:

1. Hello/Hi: A simple hello is good way to start any small talk.

2. Introduction: If meeting for the first time, make sure to introduce yourself. It shows your interest in the meeting, and puts a name to the face.

3. Situation and surroundings: Talk about the surroundings or the venue: ‘Nice place, huh!’ or ‘I like this cafe!’

4. Weather talk: This is all time classic, may be a bit too much used. However, a talk about weather always gets the conversation going.

5. How was your day? : If the meeting is in the late day or in the evening, talk about how your day was, there is always something to share: ‘how is your day going so far?’

6. So what are you up to today/tonight? : Ask about short term plans for the day, or the night or the next day. This is always good way to keep the discussion going. Read the rest of this entry »

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20 Tips on personal safety and crime prevention abroad

Dec 15

Posted by admin in Culture & Society, Non-Resident Indian, india abroad

Commonsense tips on crime prevention and how to be safe in a foreign country

Safety doesn’t happen by accident. ~Author Unknown

Every country, neighborhood, every place has its flaws. One way or another, every city – big or small – is victim of crime. It is a part of the life; we are all exposed to some sort of danger all the time – at home or abroad.

In a foreign country, safety and security have always been keys concern of travelers and immigrants alike. Be it the streets of New York, south-side of Chicago, the suburbs of London,….. the safety is always in the forefronts of our thoughts.

An immigrant (or a minority) often considers herself/himself to be more exposed to the danger of personal safety for many reasons:

  • The local criminals may feel it easier or less risky to go after an outsider, or a minority group.
  • Many societies blame the immigrants for unemployment and job-loss issues, this social bias or grudge can contribute to the crimes against them.
  • Many fanatics may single out the minorities as a cause of their social agenda, and target them.

While you cannot eliminate the racism or discrimination overnight, – even though it is a good wish, next to the cure of aging – there are certain things we can all do to be safer and more secure in a foreign land:

1. Select the residence location wisely: Pick a neighborhood with low crime rate that is safer to live. Do your research while selecting a residence. For example, many local newspapers publish information such as ‘Best places to raise a family’. A local real estate agent can also guide you to the safer areas. Avoid areas with known crime issues.

2. Avoid bad company: It is simple as that, however, easier said than done. The company and the circle of friends you keep play a big role in day-to-day interactions with the society. Steer clear of the gang and crime infected social circles. Avoid areas with gang activities; stay away from unsavory characters.

3. Lock doors and windows: Once you have a residence selected in a good neighborhood, make it secure and burglar-proof. Install good quality dead-bolt locks on all the exterior doors. Also, Install quality locks on all the windows. Keeping your placed locked provides extra sense of security.

4. Cut over-grown shrubs and trees around the residence: Make sure to remove or trim shrubbery that hides doors and windows. That way, neighbors or passersby can see someone trying to break into your home. Limit the hiding spots for a burglar by keeping the bushes and trees tidy and well-trimmed.

5. Well-lit Place: Always have a light outside the front door and other areas of entrance. A well-lit area discourages the thieves and bad guys. Read the rest of this entry »

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Hinglish of India – Indian idioms and phrases

Dec 13

Posted by admin in Communication Skills, Culture & Society, India, Non-Resident Indian, india abroad

Hinglish: Indian English lost-in-translation abroad – Idioms and phrases from India

“What is your good name, sir?”
“Steve”
“It is nice knowing you, Steve Ji!”
…..
“Hey Boss, are you enjoying the fair?”
“Simply! Enjoying to the maximum!”
….
“How was the movie?”
“First-class!”
…
“I will give you a ring over the week-end.”
“OK boss”

As mentioned in many previous posts on this site under ‘Communications’ category, English in India is spoken very differently as compared to the same language overseas. Our Indian mother-language and the grammar has significant impact on English – taught as a second or third language throughout the country. Sometime, the Indian English – due to the influence of Hindi and other local languages – is also called Hinglish.

Just a small clarification on the scope of this article. Of course, there is a mush more involved ‘Hinglish’ spoken within Indian communities, ( “Tired, kya?” = “Are you tired?”). As long as both sides understand, there is no harm, no foul. However, we tend to include some ‘Hinglish’ even when talking to American or English audience abroad. That is where we run into some miscommunication. This post will focus only on this flavor of subtle Hinglish. The hard-core Hinglish, may be some other time.

Many English words, Idioms and Phrases have different meaning in India or are used only in India. When used abroad, they don’t feel right or mean something different.

Here are some of the common idioms and phrases, and their closest (or alternatives) usage in proper English when outside India:

What is your good name?: A polite way of asking someone’s name; it comes from translation of Hindi phrase – Shubh naam (good name). ‘May I know your name’ or ‘You name please?’ is more appropriate in non-Indian settings.

Eve teasing: It refer to sexual harassment of females, or taunting them – as in schools or colleges or in bazaars etc.

Poor Joke (pj): ‘Poor joke’ is not a commonly used phrase, a more common way of saying the same thing is ‘bad joke’!

Time-pass: Relates to doing something trivial or of little importance, that does not matter. ‘Nothing imprortant’ is one of the many alternative way of responding, instead of ‘time-pass’.

Time-waste: This is worse than ‘time-pass’, doing something you don’t even enjoy. ‘It is a waste of time’ is a similar expression often used in Western countries.

Himalayan blunder:Very big mistake, a mistake of the size of Himalaya mountain. Blunder generally means ‘big’ mistake..may not need too many adjectives that are not commonly used overseas. :) Read the rest of this entry »

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12 Self-help tips on improving desi English language

Nov 23

Posted by admin in Communication Skills, Consciousness & Awareness, Culture & Society, India, Non-Resident Indian, india abroad, personal development

Self help suggestions and tips on improving Indian-English or Desi-English language abroad

“Are you enjoying the movie?”
“Simply”
Translated literally from Tamil, simply means absolutely.

There is nothing wrong with the above conversation if both sides know the intended meaning. Now, move that conversation to somewhere in USA or Canada or England, with someone who does not know the ‘Tamil-English’, the actual meaning is lost in the translations. :)

English language and English grammar is a bit tricky for those who are not used to it, for those with English as a second language. The basic mistakes we make are when we ‘think’ in our mother-tongue, and then translate in our head (Many of us say ‘translate in my mind :) ), and then speak in ‘translated’ English. Here are some self-help tips on improving desi English overseas:

1. Knowing and Having – the problem of the progressive tense: many Indians often translate and speak with excessive and often inappropriate use of progressive verb form.

For example, consider this:
“I am having a fever.”
“I am having a small family”
“I am knowing that you are having a party without sending me invitation.”

Of course, the correct way of saying is:
“I have a fever”
“I have a small family”
“I know you are having a party without inviting me.”

2. Isn’t it – The tag question: We tend to use ‘isn’t it’ without any discrimination. :) . It is a habit, but not a good one – everything is not it.

For example:
“Those are lovely flowers, isn’t it?”
“She is so pretty, isn’t it?”

The correct version, of course, is:
“Those are lovely flowers, aren’t they?” Make sure to refer to plural ‘flowers’ as ‘are’ not ‘is’.
“She is so pretty, isn’t she?” Make sure to refer to her as ‘she’ not ‘it’

3.The Royal treatment – the big word syndrome:
The Indian English dialects have originally evolved during and after the colonial rule of Britain in India. We tend to use the royal and big word in day to day speech; such usage is not common in western day-to-day English, especially in the spoken English.

For example:
That is a magnificent idea!
That is a splendid look!

It is not wrong, but more suitable conversation may be:
That is a great idea!
That is beautiful!

4. ‘But’ or ‘only’ to stress a point: That is another thing. We use ‘but’ and ‘only’ to stress. Consider this Indian way of saying, not correct grammatically:

It was he only who broke the glass.
She was just joking but.
She did not go only.

You could say it better such as:
He broke the glass. Or, It was he who broke the glass. ( the stress is on ‘He’)
She was only joking.
In the end, she did not go.

5. Mr. Smith and Mrs. Johnson – Showing respect by using last name: In India, it is cultural thing that we shy away from using first name for our elders, or our superiors at work. However, Western culture is much more informal when it comes to addressing each-other. So it is okay to call your boss by his/her first name, it is okay to call someone much older than you by first name.
If your Boss is John Davis, it is okay to call him John, instead of Mr. Davis.

6. Uncle and Auntie for friends’ parents – NOT: Read the rest of this entry »

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50 Money Saving Tips in Everyday Life for Everybody

Nov 14

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, Trivial Stuff

Simple money-saving ideas in daily life for everybody

Here are some useful tips on how to save money in our everyday life:
1. Drink water: It is good for you and saves on daily cost of soft drinks.
2. Cut down on junk food:  Not good for your pocket, not a healthy choice either.
3. Shopping List: Make a grocery/shopping list before going to the store, so that you buy only what you need. It saves time and money.
4. Walk short distances instead of driving: It saves on gas/fuel, it saves environment and keeps you active.
5. Cut down on excessive TV: Find better use for your time, something less wasteful :)
6. Minimize carry-out and eat-out food: Carry-out/eat-out is expensive and not good for healthy eating habits.
7. Don’t need most expensive gifts to please family: Buy something functional and useful instead.
8. Recycle: Recycling saves resources, money and it minimizes waste.
9. Use natural light: This helps with savings on electric bill and is better for eye-sight.
10. Cut down on Air-Conditioning and heating: Install programmable thermostats to save on gas bills.
11. Get your News online: Cut down daily newspaper delivery costs if you can get the news online
12. Avoid Loans: Don’t take a loan unless your life/marriage depends on it. :) Read the rest of this entry »

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30 Tips on planning and hosting a wedding

Oct 30

Posted by admin in Culture & Society, Marriages & weddings, Non-Resident Indian

30 Commonsense ideas on planning and hosting a wedding

A weddings is a beautiful occasions. Be in India or overseas, Indian or non-Indian – a weddings bring festivities, celebrations, joy and love. However, along comes the responsibility and the headache of hosting – planning, decorating, arranging, rearranging….The Weddings and the wedding parties are fun, business and responsibilities – all combined in one.

These commonsense tips can be of great help for planning for a wedding, as well as in alleviating the pain of hosting one. Please note that this is not a complete wedding planning check list; you can find many of those online. 

1. Season and weather: The summer is the main wedding season. Howvere, consider a wedding during the months of moderate weather – spring or autumn. The off-season wedding is also lighter on the wallet.
2. Plan ahead: Don’t delay everything to the last minute; many good banquet halls need reservation month – or even more than a year in many cases – in advance. As always, planning is the key to execution and the end results.
3. Things-to-do list :This step should also get covered in the planning and the check-list. Make a list of things to do and prioritize. There is a lot to be done. Get organized, you cannot afford the carefree approach of a single person anymore! :)  
4. Guest list: Be realistic in making the list of the guests to invite. Take everything into consideration – the size of the party, the budget, the venue ….
5. Delegate to friends and family: Assign tasks and responsibilities to the friends and family members. You are the boss for now; everyone will listen to you, at least until your wedding! :)
6. Invitation: Include the event details in the invitation – the ceremony, the location, the exact time for the different functions etc. Give enough notice to everyone invited. Think in months if possible. People need time to lose some weight to look good on camera! :)
7. Party Coordinator: Hire a party coordinator if it is a big extravaganza, if the things are getting out of control. Professionals can minimize the headache of planning.
8. The budget: Don’t go bankrupt just for a few hours of glory. Fix the budget and stick with it. Look for a package deal - to combine multiple services to save money. Read the rest of this entry »

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How to change a perception

Oct 23

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, Culture & Society, personal development

How to change others’ perceptions about you!

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” ~ Warren Buffett

“My boss thinks I am lazy!”
“Well, you are always last to the office in the morning.”
“But, I am always last to leave in the evening.”
“Yeah, but she is already gone by then, she wouldn’t know that.”
“I seriously need to do something to change her perception about me!”

Perception is you mind’s eye:
A perception is how we ‘see’ something or someone in our own mind. The common beliefs or assumptions play a role in the existing perception. Based on many factors including social and environmental surroundings, this is the way our brain ‘perceives’ something or someone. True or false, a strong perception is no less than the real truth. This is how we see things in our ‘mind’s eye’.
Once established in our brain, a perception becomes a part of our thinking, a part of our life; it is hard to change.

How to change the perceptions:
So, how do you change others’ perception about you?
Some perceptions are easy to change. For example, in the conversation above, the boss has a perception about one of her employees of being lazy. That perception can be easily changed by being proactive, by showing up to the office before anybody else does EVERYDAY. Note that to change a perception, you have to be consistent -again and again.

The most effective way to change a perception is to prove it – the perception- wrong consistently. Show everybody that what they believe is very different from the reality. Here are a few common approaches for changing a perception

Create awareness: Let everyone around you know that what they perceive is not true. Share the facts; share the information to prove your side. Nobody denies the facts – unless you are dealing with someone whose mind is already made-up no matter what; in that case, it is not a perception but a deep rooted bias and prejudice.

Build a relation and trust: For others to listen to you and your side, you need have a relation -a closeness- with the other side. If they trust you, they will believe your facts. If not, no matter how reliable your source is, they won’t get your side of the story. Read the rest of this entry »

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Life after Diwali

Oct 19

Posted by admin in India, Non-Resident Indian, Trivial Stuff, india abroad, personal development

How to handle the after-Diwali blues! :(

“The past is behind, learn from it.
The future is ahead, prepare for it.
The present is here, live it.” ~ Thomas Monson

The Diwali celebrations are over. It is time to clean-up the remains of the burnt candles; put away the party supplies, clean up the kitchen, and rest of the house for that matter…
The left-over sweets and treats are disappearing, at least the tastier ones. The festivities are over; back to reality! :(

For those of us who are lucky to get Diwali holidays (hint: India), the vacation is over. The kids have to worry about going back to school and deal with the burden of homework once again. The grown-up are heading back to work, the boring and monotonous routine of 9 to 5 jobs resumes. It is a struggle every morning to get out of the bed and face the new day.
Welcome to the real world again, the daily grind!

With the winter knocking on the door, it is quite common to go through this depressing cycle and mood swings after Diwali celebrations.

Now, how can you boost your spirits again? What can we do to minimize the feelings of Diwali nostalgia?

Looking at the bigger picture, there are a few adjustments we can make in our thinking and attitude to help deal with all this. Here are some of the things that can help with the after Diwali blues:
1. Thank God it is quiet again: Think about it. Now that it is all over, you can finally take a break from all the running around. No more chaos; no more decorations to worry about; no more cooking the special feasts. The deafening sound of fireworks is a past history. Read the rest of this entry »

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How to overcome the Culture Shock abroad

Oct 15

Posted by admin in Communication Skills, Consciousness & Awareness, Culture & Society, Non-Resident Indian, india abroad

10 tips on how to overcome the overseas culture shock

The overseas culture shock is common for anyone traveling or migrating abroad. Some of us are quick to adapt, willing to accept the change. Others hate it and don’t like customs or traditions of living a life different that what we are used to growing up.
The fact is that it is not a matter of one or two days; if you plan to live abroad, you should be willing to adapt to what comes with it – the new culture, a different society and an entirely different everyday life.

Adaption is not a quick or overnight thing; getting used to the new place can take a long time. However, here are 10 tips on how to overcome or minimize the culture shock abroad:

1. Accept the change: Change is part of life; it is a part of the journey. Don’t resist something just because it is different. Give it a try. Millions and millions before you have gone through the same experience abroad. You may actually like the ‘new you’ if you try.

2.Learn the local language: This step is very important, actually the most important. If you really want to adapt to the new place, learn the local language, the local way of communicating. This includes getting used to the new accent and losing the old accent; the local way of pronunciation and the local slang – the whole nine yards. And, don’t forget to learn the art of small talk in a new society.

3. Venture out and try first hand: Don’t isolate yourself from the local culture. Expose yourself to the local common places where social life breathes. The shopping mall, the hair salon, the barber shop, the community center, the local parks….. – go be a part of the day-to-day outdoor life. The best way to adapt is by trying it firsthand. Read the rest of this entry »

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15 tips on how to make a lasting first impression

Oct 7

Posted by admin in Communication Skills, personal development

“It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances” ~Oscar Wilde

The first impression is what others perceive or think of you as soon as they first see you. The first impression matters; it is part of human nature to judge a book by its cover.
So, what can you do to leave a good and lasting first impression? Here are a few tips:
1. Be punctual: Be on time, always. Let the other person or other party know if you will be running late. Making others wait is considered rude, and it leaves a bad first impression!
2. Appearance and Dress code: Dress the way you want to present yourself for a given occasion. Your appearance – head to toe – matters. It includes the dress, the hair, the body-language…
3. Introduce yourself: Introduce yourself first, shake hand warmly. A hug is okay if you are sure that the other person won’t mind, or if it is a part of the culture or tradition. Read the rest of this entry »

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10 Simple but useful life lessons from Gandhi

Oct 2

Posted by admin in History, India, india abroad, personal development

Simple but very useful tips from Gandhi’s life

It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err. ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi

Today is Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday. On this day, here are a few simple things and life lessons that we can learn from his life:

1. Discipline in diet to control/lose weight: Looking for a way to maintain healthy weight? According to most of the studies done, the body weight is most dependent on our eating and dietary habits. Have a will-power to say no to the food, even the yummy ones! Find a cause and fast for it, like Gandhi did! May be not to the same extremes, but you got the idea, right? :)

2. Believe in the power of simple logic: Want to succeed in something? – Then work hard for it. Want to get something done? -Just do it! We complicate our lives for no reason. Keep it simple!

3. Be kind and caring: Don’t bully anybody; be kind to one and all. Don’t harm others – humans or animals; don’t hurt anyone’s feelings…. All this is also good for our own peace of mind, keeps everybody around us happy, and makes us more conscious as a human being. Read the rest of this entry »

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How to improve the listening skills!

Sep 24

Posted by admin in Communication Skills, Non-Resident Indian, personal development

Active Listening: How to become a better listener

Listening skills are very critical for meaningful and fruitful communications. But it is easier said than done :) !

“Are you listening?”
We have heard this so many times growing up, many times form our teachers, more time from our parents and siblings. It sounds simple, but listening is not an easy skill to master. It takes patience to listen; it takes practice to be a good listener. It is human nature, we love talking more than listening.
Of course, this article is about active listening; not about random hearing, or casual listening- such as listening to our favorite music etc.

“Did you hear something?”
“Yes”
“What was it?”
“Somebody talking at the door”
“About what?”
“Don’t know”
“What you mean?”
“Oh, I didn’t pay attention; I wasn’t listening!”…

It takes conscious effort to be a good listener. It is commonly said that we become better listener with age. Now, lets us not wait on grey hair and beyond :) !

There are a few key things that we can proactively do to be better at listening:

Pay attention: Well, no surprises here. Paying attention to the speaker is first and foremost requirement. Lack of attention span is one of the biggest problems with poor listening. If we don’t make an effort, it is very common to drift into our own world, especially if the ‘talk’ or the topic is not of our interest.

Eye contact: The eye-contact helps with connecting to the person speaking. It helps understand where the speaker is coming from. The eye-contact also helps with improvement to attention span, and ’staying’ with the speaker.

Avoid distractions: Avoid any kinds of distractions. Loud noise in the back-ground, cell-phone ringing or someone else talking at the same time can easily affect the ability to listen to the intended conversation. Read the rest of this entry »

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Crossing the language barrier abroad!

Sep 14

Posted by admin in Communication Skills, Consciousness & Awareness, Non-Resident Indian, india abroad, personal development

“The language barrier is probably the most difficult and takes the longest to overcome.” ~ Stephen Lee

Most of the times, the phrase ‘Language barrier’ refers to the difficulties people face during communicating if they don’t speak the same language; or if the speech or accent is too different to communicate effectively.
Almost everyone who ventures out to the worlds far-far away, the language barrier is one of the many hurdles encountered in the new land. For people migrating from India, even though they speak and understand English in most of the cases, the communication problems still exist. The fact is that spoken English in America or other Western countries is not the same as in India. The style, the slang, the acceptable norms….everything is different. One is bound to feel out of place in the beginning of this overseas journey.

The key issues surrounding the language barrier and the best ways to approach or alleviate them are:

The language knowledge: Knowledge of the English language is the most important step toward adjusting and adapting to the English speaking culture and society. The understanding of grammar and sound knowledge of vocabulary are necessary to build a reliable foundation for any language. For people from India, this is not a major issue because most of us learn English in school and have a good command of the language itself.

The ‘thick’ accent: The accent is natural; this is how we talk and speak in our native country growing up. The Indian accent of English –commonly called ‘thick’ accent- is very different from the way they speak English overseas. While there are ways to soften the accent or dramatically reduce it by practice and with conscious effort, it takes time to lose the accent. For details on this topic, refer to the previous post titled ‘A self-help guide to lose your accent!’. Read the rest of this entry »

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Tips on buying a house in USA or Canada!

Sep 8

Posted by admin in Business, Non-Resident Indian, india abroad

Tips on house hunting abroad – in USA or Canada!
969325_house

Have money? Like shopping?…

When it comes to housing today, it is a ‘buyer’s market’. ‘House for sale’ signs are multiplying in every neighborhood; with lots of sellers eager to sell. It is a good opportunity for those who are looking for house.

The process of finding and purchasing a house can be fun or a headache, depending on the circumstances or how you approach it. In most of the cases, the main reason for a house purchase is:

  • upgrading to a house from an apartment,
  • moving into a new area due to job or business or family reasons,
  • buying a house for renting out, or as an investment.

Regardless the reason, the house buying process is quite similar in all such cases in USA and Canada. Many of these steps or commonsense rules also apply for rest of the world as well.

Here are the key factors and main steps to consider before and during the house purchasing process:

Selecting the real estate Agent: The house hunting in itself is an adventure. Some people try it by themselves, while others hire a real-estate agent – the realtor. A good real-estate agent is instrumental to finding the right house and closing the deal smoothly and efficiently. A real-estate agent can simplify the whole process to an art. So, it is very important to hire a good and reliable realtor. Make sure to interview -yes, interview- multiple agents and ask all the appropriate questions including:

  • their qualifications, experience and background,
  • do they work alone or in a team?
  • their track records or success rate,
  • knowledge of the area,
  • overall chemistry or easy to work with,
  • Any other factors that are important to you: For example, possible issues of the language barrier etc.

Many Indians hire a realtor from their own community while others prefer a professional strictly based on the qualifications.

Know your budget:How much are you willing to spend, or how much can you afford, is always a good question to ask. There are many online tools that can help with calculating the monthly mortgage amount, and other expenses related to house buying and maintenance.

Mortgage pre-qualification: It is important to make sure that you are able to secure the financing for the house. Talk to your bank or a mortgage expert/broker, and find out how much mortgage you can get. Make sure that you feel comfortable with the loan amount, and the resulting monthly payment. Read the rest of this entry »

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Fight Procrastination Day – Do Something!

Sep 2

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, Entertainment, Trivial Stuff, india abroad

“Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.” ~Spanish Proverb

Today is the day to stop and fight procrastination

Okay, today I cannot procrastinate. There is no way, not today!
Every First Wednesday of September is ‘celebrated’ as Fight Procrastination Day. Today is the best day to get my acts together and start working on the projects or things I have been postponing for ever, today is the day to find ways to stop procrastination. I am already feeling good about myself….
There are many things I have been lazy about. I guess the best approach would be to make a list of all those tasks and attack them one by one without any further excuses.
First of all, cannot they come up with a smaller word? It takes for ever to type it…no wonder I am lazy about…you know this long word.
Anyways, without further delay, let me put together a list of things-to-do that have been sitting on the side for too long:

Exercise: I am always lazy about going to gym. I need to find a way to break this bad habit. But, I have been under the weather a little since yesterday. It is probably a better idea not to stress my body any more, and rest and relax. I will resume it as soon as I feel up to it, I promise, most likely by the week-end.

Organize the office: The things are all over the place in my office. The books, different gadgets, half full boxes of all kinds of stuff that I never emptied…. The drawers need organizing; there are cables all over. I need to get this going. Let us slate it for the week-end, because this could take some time.

Clean the garage: I cannot dare to start this one right now. I am not sure how long it will take, or what else I am going to stumble into in there. This is not one project, but many projects hidden under the mess. Need almost half day. So, may be this week-end. Yes, this week-end, for sure.

The garden fix-up:Need to trim the plants in the backyard; many areas need mulch and more weed control. I will certainly work on it once the weather gets better. It was so hot until last week, and now it is chilly all of a sudden. The week-end is supposed to be nice and sunny, so I can plan for then.

Organize the bills and papers: The mail and papers are every where – the kitchen table, living room, office and some even in the bedroom. This could get very time consuming, will do it first thing on the week-end.

Visit India: I have been delaying this for a while. This is the year, well may be around Christmas, if I get long enough break. Or next year for sure.

Okay, these are the main things. I have my list to fight procrastination:

Things to do List:
Exercise: Start this week-end
Organize the office: This week-end
Clean the garage: This week-end
The garden fix-up: This week-end
Organize the bills and papers: This week-end
Visit India: This week-end..NO,this won’t work, later on.. Read the rest of this entry »

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Jobs and Occupations in highest demand in USA: 2006 to 2016

Aug 31

Posted by admin in Jobs and Occupations, career planning, personal development

Bureau of Labor Statistics: A summary of Tomorrow’s jobs

Making informed career decisions requires reliable information about opportunities in the future. Opportunities result from the relationships between the population, labor force, and the demand for goods and services. ~ US Bureau of Labor Statistics
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The unemployment rate in USA is almost 10% – the worst in decades. A large number of well qualified individuals are desperately looking for jobs. Finding a job that you really like, and getting it, can be a challenging process.
This post provides a long term view of the jobs and occupation that are, and going to be, in high demand. The information and data is based on the study from U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. A wide variety of occupations are forecast to be in high demand. Among all occupations, health-care is forecast to make up 7 of the 20 fastest growing occupations.
The first chart displays the jobs and occupations that are supposed to enjoy the highest rate of increase. The Top jobs with highest percent change in employment over the period of 2006-16, as shown in the chart, include:

  • Network systems and data communications analysts
  • Personal and home care aides
  • Home health aides
  • Computer software engineers, applications
  • Veterinary technologists and technicians
  • Personal financial advisers
  • Makeup artists, theatrical and performance
  • Medical assistants
  • Veterinarians
  • Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors
  • Skin care specialists
  • Financial analysts
  • and so on…..as depicted in the chart.

The 7 top health-care occupations, according to this detailed study, are exhibiting high growth rates. Overall, as you can see in the chart, the high growth rates comes from health care, social assistance, engineering, services and technical occupations. Read the rest of this entry »

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10 Tips on English pronunciation and accent improvement!

Aug 25

Posted by admin in Communication Skills, india abroad, personal development

Key tips on English pronunciation and accent improvement for people from India:

This post focuses on the specific difficulties that people from India encounter when speaking English, or during pronunciations of certain parts of English speech. For overall accent reduction and how to lose your accent, refer to the posts at the bottom of this article.
Based on common observations by everybody and feedback, here are some of the main problem areas, along with the tips to improve them:

1. The pronunciation of ‘Rs’, ‘Ts’, ‘Ds’ is not clear or hard to understand/distinguish:
‘T’ sound almost like ‘D’:T in some parts of American speech is supposed to be less crisp. It should sounds more like a ‘d’ in many cases, especially between vowels. Katie is pronounced almost like KaDie, water like waDer.
‘R’ pronunciation: There are varying observations on the sound of ‘R’:
-Let the sound of R flow; don’t put too much stress on this sound especially in the middle or in the end of a word.
-Don’t totally chewing up the sound of ‘R’ in other cases. Practice the stress on this sound, and listen to how your American/English friends use it. In ‘Robert’, the stress is on first R; let the second ‘r’ flow, without any pronounced stress.

2. ‘Vs’ and ‘Ws’ sound: This is a common problem for many Asians and Europeans, so don’t take it personally. There is a clear difference between ‘w’ and ‘v’ sounds. Even though most of Indians understand the difference, the distinction is often not carried out in spoken English. Let us try this:
-For the sound of ‘v’, place lower lip gently on the upper teeth and say the word. Don’t press it hard, you should be able to exhale through, while making the sound. Most of us find this hardest to get used to.
-For ‘w’ sound, it’s a different than ‘v’, the lips are supposed to be rounded and puckered like when we say ‘u’, and with no contact between the teeth and tongue. Move your lips in the forward direction as you vocalize the sound.
-The key distinction between the w/v sound and the ‘B’ sound is the fact that the lips are closed when we start to vocalize ‘B’. Read the rest of this entry »

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NRIs’ random ‘things-to-do’ for the day!

Aug 23

Posted by admin in Bollywood, Entertainment, Non-Resident Indian, india abroad

NRIs’ random thoughts of the day :

Check the weather forecast
Have a cup of tea
Say a Prayer
Watch ‘Love Aaj Kal’ movie
Update Facebook status
Check cricket score
Buy a recipe book
Order carry-out food
Check out the special sales fliers
Garden the flowers and vegetables
Google search ‘NRI Marriages’
Shop for cheaper phone service to India
Buy Samosa and chaat to make ‘Curry Samosa’ :)
Check stock market
Burn desi music CDs
Update resume
Go to Indian store
Google search ‘how to lose your accent’
Go for a walk Read the rest of this entry »

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NRI Tips: Commonsense guide for NRI marriages

Aug 13

Posted by admin in Culture & Society, Marriages & weddings, Non-Resident Indian, india abroad

NRI marriages tips – Don’t get carried away with overseas marriages

“Now very often events are set up for photographers… The weddings are orchestrated about the photographers taking the picture, because if it hasn’t been photographed it doesn’t really exist.”~Elliott Erwitt

The main reason for so many problems with overseas marriages is that couples and the families are taking too much for granted – before and after the marriage. Here are some of the commonsense tips for marriages abroad:

Don’t rely on online services for matchmaking: While an online site could be a good place to see what people are looking or what is out there, don’t put you full faith into these online services. Take the profile info with a grain of salt; people tend to lie, it is a fact.

Do not marry to the NRI status: As I stated before in the problems with NRI marriages article, many of the families go for a wedding blindly just to marry to an NRI living overseas. The more important requirements of mutual compatibility are often overlooked. And, that’s where the problem really starts. Don’t marry to the NRI status, but to the person of YOUR choice.

Meet your future partners – in person, and for longer than over a cup of tea: The arranged marriages of 1950’s are so long gone. Get to know the other side as much as possible, at least until you feel comfortable with making your decision – one way or another. Read the rest of this entry »

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Education levels for the fastest growing jobs!

Jul 28

Posted by admin in Jobs and Occupations, career planning

Fastest growing jobs and occupations by the level of education

“Learning is what most adults will do for a living in the 21st century.” ~ Perelman

Education is the foundation for any profession or a career. The skills acquired and the learning experience during education often determine the level of success for any individual. A study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a division of US Depart of Labor, lists the fastest growing occupations by the level of education and on the job training: Read the rest of this entry »

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