I miss...

...the pleasure of meeting people...face-to-face conversations...Yup, that is the only thing I miss now that I work from home here. I have always been interested in watching people, how they behave, how they react to something! Of course, in the process, I tend to get affected as well. I can rarely be detached about something; I find it very difficult to hold my tongue! I always need to say something...I miss that! I have become pretty quiet except for snatches of conversations with few friends I have here, who don't speak English too well, only language i can communicate in, at least as of now! Hopefully, the French classes that start soon help me learn the language well and to make friends too.

I have always worked since graduation. So i feel strongly about doing something all the time. Even when I quit my job in Bangalore to move to Pune, I started learning glass paintings and went on to sell a few pieces..within a month! I think its very important to be yourself, do something on your own. ANYTHING, but you MUST do something! Now that I am in Paris, I can't look for opportunities immedietly coz I need the Carte De Sejour ( residence permit) to look for work or to start working. Expats don't get work easily as employers prefer to employ the natives and fair enough, me thinks! So I am freelancing and sourcing writing/editing projects since the Internet started working. I have done some freelance work on and off even before when I had a regular job, that helps me a lot now! I used to write so that I don't lose touch and it has helped and how!

I am also learning how difficult it can be, to run a business ( I mean, to do your own thing!). I have always thought its a dream come true to be your own boss, so to speak! In a short while, I have interacted with really different clients with absolutely different needs. Some of them don't clearly explain or elaborate their requirements upfront. So I work hard on it and finally I get really frustrated when it goes kaput. On the other hand, there are good ones too who know clearly what they want. It takes 'all kinds' to make up this world. So I am learning too; to never give up, to be patient, to listen and not to take myself too seriously.

The best part of working from home is that I get to listen to some awesome music in the background, I have been hooked on to Advaitha ( Click to listen to their music!)and take a break to chat with my friends online or play a game on Facebook! I am at ease, take long leisurely baths, relax while being able to do something constructive. I can even speak to my parents everyday on Skype! ...and ask for a third-person perspective from friends on my writing, if it needs to be reviewed...What would I do without the Internet? I wonder...

The music, interesting conversations, the work that flows in, on and off...am learning to enjoy this phase too! I start French Lessons for 3 hours/3 days next week!!! I am looking forward to it...