This day last year... PART 2

NOVEMBER 18, 2002: It was a warm weather in Mangalore. So I didn't care to touch the geyser.. while Dhinesh made the entire bathroom fill up with vapour... Went to have the complementary breakfast that was given everyday at the hotel.. Got to meet a few more joinees at the restaurant... with some hot bondas, idli and tea... it was a perfect breakfast for the first day... Then off we went to the bus stop with the offer letter tucked in our hand.. we knew what bus to catch.. as we had rehearsed it the previous day... We kept looking out of the window, as none of us were sure of when the stop comes... and finally got down at the right place... The security at the gate quickly glanced through the letter verified something with his list and sent us in... and there were already loads of people standing at the reception, not knowing where to turn... and we both joined the searching fun... And someone then showed us the way.. to a hall named "Nalanda". This is where most of our training classes would be held. And then, people flocked in to the hall... and took their most comfortable seats.. There was lots of murmering.. after all, we still were more of college students.. yet to come to terms with the professional realities... it was around 9AM, when finally someone wearing the ID card tag around his neck came into the room... and suddenly all noise ceased. How college like... He was the HR guy there.. and we played a little game.. for trying to know each other's names.. the icebreaker... And then, came one by one, and showed different presentations, on the company, policies.. and lots of forms to fill up... In the afternoon, the ICICI people came and opened an account for us... opening an account was never so easy an affair... We went home with a big load of forms to fill up overnight... the training, in genuine terms, was still some way from starting.. but we could already feel the ferver in the air...