As I smoke my morning cigarette (admittedly a disgusting habit I picked up back in college), I suddenly miss India. I shiver against the wind in cold, dark, damp London. It’s 7.30 a.m. and its pitch dark. Even after three and a half years, I still have times when I wonder what I am doing here.
What makes this the Promised Land? A question I have asked myself (and others) a million times before and one I still haven’t found an answer to.
Since there are a couple of hours to go for work, I set out to make a list of things that could explain possibly why a young wide-eyed law student comes over to (quite literally) the dark side.
Here is what I came up with (in no particular order):
He/she:
has been morbidly fascinated by Yashraj movies from an early age (i.e., ever since he/she learnt what NRI means);
has had dangerous levels of exposure to Monty Python’s Flying Circus;
believes James Bond is a real person;
hopes to get with a hot foreign chick/guy (a separate blog entry shall have to be devoted to this rather fond hope);
is charmed by the accent of the hot chick/guy in 4 above (which he/she later realises is closer to Geoffrey Boycott being strangled than Yes Minister);
wishes that the great tan he/she was born with be appreciated (while his/her friends still use Fair & Lovely/Handsome);
finds out that Europe is closer to London than Bangalore;
wants to be the automatic choice for best leg-spinner in the firm’s cricket team (and he/she wants to rub it in when India beats the South African second XI);
needs more grocery money than the obscene amounts Indian firms pay graduates;
appreciates human-prototype billable hour targets (because donkey-testing is banned in the UK);
wants to sweat less (logical corollary to 10 above. Also related to the weather, although there was a 33 degree Celsius heat wave in the UK last year); or
is certifiable and wants to multi-task (or build his/her CV, which has forever been a favourite hobby of law students- please refer to Multitasking- The ‘certified’ way).
I feel a lot better about things having undertaken this much-needed analysis. I whistle softly to myself as I put on my suit and knot my tie.
The next lot of eager starry-eyed Indian trainees is due to start at Colby, Hewitt and Richards LLP today.
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Comments
#12, I know exactly what you are going through and some one who had been there can really understand that missing element whilst you are abroad. As they say every place will have some negative sides, it just depends with which negatives aspects you can live more comfortably with.
There is no doubts that life is bit of a hard work here moreso if you have experienced some thing like UK but it should not be a major problem given the fact that you have spent your formative years in this country, so getting back to the desi way is not an insormountable task as it may seem from island.
On a professional note, I am into appellate side, pure litigation work. The reason being the adrenaline rush it gives me being in the court room. Also the fact that i was fortunate enough to be exposed to litigation work in the UK which has given me an extra confidence.
My experience so far has been mostly good, nothing is new for me having worked here before, its just matter of time i think, and once i am back into it I know i can conquer it all. Obviously there will be some waiting period but once that is over I feel that with your standing at the Bar you can command both money and respect.
What triggered my decision was the interview of Dr Manu Singhvi that i saw on legally india (have a look as it might answer some of your queries) and also my family.
Whatever you decide just stick to it, as life is short and time is moving faster than you will ever realise. If you think you are better off there and you can progress well without hitting the glass ceiling go for it, if not then join the bandwagon.
Just take it easy and dont let the 'mid life crises' creep in so early....