Journey to a cherished memory

I remember the day when I reached a news  on Qatar Airways interview supposed to be held in Kolkata on 24th December 2004 and was informed to be there with my resume and in business attire. I was in New Delhi when I attended the call and had only two days to reach Kolkata to attend the interview. Next day I went to Anand Vihar railway station for the tickets but could not get any. The guy at the ticket counter told me to come the next day for the tatkal ticket and be early as soon as the counter opens i.e. 0800 am. I was there the next day before time. As the counter opened people rushed to the window. I was second in the queue and got the confirmed tickets from Nizammuddin railway station (Old Delhi) to Howrah railway station (Kolkata).
On 23rd December 2004 I was at the station with my bag. It was so crowded at Nizammuddin and was grubby as compared to New Delhi railway station, but who knew in that moment the old crowded railway station could be my first step to an exciting career ahead. Standing and waiting for the train to arrive at the platform, I looked around. The entire scenario of the terminal reminded me of a movie where the exact same station was the part of a shoot in a movie. I bought a frooti from a nearby vendor at the platform and started sipping it slowly while wondering ‘what if this was a movie itself’. I was getting controlled overwhelmed at the thought of it. My father was about to join me from Allahabad on the way to Kolkata to accompany me for the interview. In the meanwhile, waiting for the train to arrive but the train was late for an hour. Well, it arrived after an hour.
I walked to the train with the bag, spotted the boogie and hopped in. It was quite a rush but as my seat was confirmed I did not have to struggle except the hop into the train and settled. It was the lower birth allotted to me. I kept my bag underneath the seat and secured it. I looked around gazing the crowd, how is the passenger profile. This bothers me a lot when I travel. I am very much concerned. After five minutes the train started moving. I remember looking at the Nizammuddin railway station while the train leaves, ‘what if this was my last view of the place, my last visit’.
I got myself relieved with the decent family crowd around and started looking outside the window enjoying the nature. I reminded myself to call my father and let him know that I have already boarded the train. Soon after I started to feel dozy as I was too tired because of the early morning wake up. I decided to retire off for a while. Noises of babies crying, children playing, elderly talking, woman gossiping was in no way to stop heavy – eyed to call it a night. I did not realize when I went off to sleep. I woke up thirty minutes before arriving in Allahabad. I was hungry so I had some cake carried with me. After thirty minutes the train arrived in Allahabad and was in halt for ten minutes.
My father already knew my compartment and birth number so it was not a problem to locate me and he stepped in. My mother had send us both some tasty snacks to munch on. There was home cooked food also. And the best of all was my home drinking water. I was fed up with the drinking water quality sold at the railway stations. I have never liked it. Oh! It was such a relief for me to get my home drinking water. I sipped in with much comfort. Train left the station. By that time my father had already settled in his seat and our conversation starts. My father asked, “So, all set for the big day? What is the venue?” I answered, “Yes, Papa. It’s the Hyatt Regency at Salt Lake city.” My father said,” Oh! I know the place. Quite a posh area. Good. Neat and clean. We won’t have any problem finding a place there.” I was excited. We had our dinner in the night and went off to sleep early as the train was arriving somewhat earlier than the usual morning time. It was the next day and finally we reached our destination.
We got off the train and walked to the taxi stand. Booked a taxi to a place near Salt Lake City as it was quite expensive to find a place at salt lake. During our ride we could see the up market and down market society picture of Kolkata. Old historic buildings, establishing edifice, small shops around, big malls, human pulled rickshaw ( you will find only in Kolkata), trams on road (only in Kolkata) is the recognition of Kolkata city and balanced for all living class society. I can very well say Kolkata is the only metropolitan city where both the poor and rich can accommodate really well as compared to other metropolitan cities. Getting a glance of all these views I was reclined onto my seat back relaxed. It was not my first time to Kolkata, I have been here several times but the few years gap unwillingly drew me to it, though there was not any resistance from my side. I was actually thrilled for my interview. May be this was a good side effect of the excitement.
We reached our destination. Got the guest house. It was known safe by my father and I was relaxed at the thought of it. The room was decent as well and spacious. My priority was to get freshen up and get ready for the interview. I did so and gathered my documents for the interview. After my father got ready we left for the venue-Hyatt Regency, Salt Lake City. The place was not that far but just fifteen minutes drive from the place where we were staying. The taxi driver knew the hotel as it was quite famous so we did not have any issue in locating the spot. Eventually we were at the Hyatt Regency.
The entire banquet was chock-a-block with the aspirants. The wash rooms and the changing rooms were full too but somehow I managed to go for a touch-up. All the girls around looked pretty and smartly dressed in business attire waiting for the interviewers to arrive and start. Most of the girl’s guardians were also accompanying them. All the guardians were told to wait in the sitting corner of the hall, was not almost a corner but sufficient enough to accommodate the guardian gather. While waiting I grabbed a look at the candidates around and was wondering how experienced they look, probably all the experienced will definitely be selected. Me being a fresher, the fact was quite intimidating in spite of that I was boost up looking at the mass. Sooner the interviewers arrived in the huge conference room which could accommodate such multitude present there. We were all called in and told to have our seats. While entering the room I ran my view across to see how systematically it was arranged. I took the middle row seat. Everybody settled and it was time for the induction to start (an introduction to the company). The slides were shown depicting the airline company, Qatar Airways and the place Doha, Qatar which was going to be our operating base. It was interesting as it also covered the job profile; in it was the posts, promotion, salary everything. And above all, opportunity to travel the entire world was the actual pull. By then the induction came to an end and the first round of Interview was about to start.
The first round was an English language test. It is conducted in order to check it’s proficiency for the job if we are equipped well to handle internationally. The test was for thirty minutes. Most of us finished rather early. I finished it in max fifteen minutes and left the paper on the table, as was instructed. Whoever had finished was told to wait outside. After the timeframe was over we all waited outside for fifteen minutes and then we were all called in. We settled and one of the interviewers, an Anglo-Indian lady started announcing the result by first informing us that whose name will be called out will be in the room and rest will move outside. As the result was read out my heart was pumping a bit and my eyes were stuck at the lady interviewer. Suddenly, my name was called out. I was pleased to hear that and my adrenaline level came back to normal. After the result declaration, unselected candidates moved out with their belongings. One of the interviewers took them out and god knows what was happening outside because I was unable to reach out to see as I was sitting in the middle of the room. May be they were given hope for the next time to retry.
Then the selected candidates for the second round were congratulated by the three assessors and we applauded for ourselves. We then were briefed for the next round. It was the height, weight and skin check up. Within some moments second round was about to start. We all had to leave the room as the room task was over. We had to settle outside and wait for our turn. One by one was called and we could see that happening. A height weight machine was kept in the hall and the candidate has to step on to weigh and simultaneously measure the height. I got my name called. I went there in poise, the lady assessor smiled at me and the first thing which she complemented me was my height. Then she reached on to my weight which was perfect. It meant my BMI (body mass index) was perfect. No complain. But the thing which I liked the most was she paid me an enormous compliment to my skin. I had no makeup on and she was impressed with my skin texture and tone, my skin was that clear. My turn was done. I waited for the rest to complete. In the meanwhile, small interaction with fellow candidates was being carried out whenever found suitable. It took an hour and the second round was over. The evaluation and analysis of our attitude with the required task was simultaneously being carried out while assessing. Hence, it did not take much time in declaring the second round result. Same piece of information was given to us before the proclamation of the outcome that whoever will be called out will wait for the day and rest can leave. This time a Filipino lady announced the names as she was the main assessor. I was quite confident that I will be one of the selected ones as she was so pleased with my personality. And I couldn’t believe but my name was called out second. I was so happy to clear that round too and it was time to conquer the final one. After the declaration, candidates who were not selected left for the day and we fifteen were waiting for the final round.
It was four o’clock in the evening and the time was running by as my train was in the night at nine o’clock, so we had to leave the hotel and reach the guest house, checkout and leave for the train station. This all ordeal was going to take at least two to three hours. Therefore, I spoke to one of the interviewer that I have to catch my train and have limited time. By god’s grace she understood my concern and the assessors decided to take my interview first.
This round had only the candidate with the three interviewers in the room. That was it. No one. I was put first so I was called in. I walked in with grace with a small handbag carried in my right hand. While I pull the chair placed opposite in front of them I greeted them ‘Good Evening’ and sat down calmly putting the bag down by my side. One leg crossed over the other and left hand palm over the right was comfortable for me. So I was now settled for the rest of my final interview. There were two ladies and one gentleman, all of different nationalities. One Anglo-Indian, another Filipino and the third was from Sri Lanka. All of them made me feel comfortable and were not that strict, probably they knew how to treat a fresher. There were many questions asked and the interview continued for 20 to 25 minutes. One of them asked what if a baby is crying and I happen to attend how I am going to assist the baby’s mother. I told them I can give some toys available on board to play or some candies to chew. In this way baby will stop crying and mother is also relieved. Same thing was asked in context of a grown child. Well to him or her I said I can give puzzles or any child kit available on board to play with, so they will be engaged and not trouble the mother. Also, they could watch cartoons which I can play for them on the seat screen. I had already worn my smile on and answered all questions calmly and with confidence. I could make out from their body language and smile that I have succeeded in leaving a positive impression on them. Eventually, they said I may leave and if selected, I will be informed by e-mail. I thanked them for their time, picked my bag up, stood up and left in poise.
The moment I came out of the room the other ladies came to me and enquired about the interview. I assured them it was smooth and the people in there were nice and calm so no need to worry at all. They asked about the questions as well but me being in hurry to leave I just told them a few and wished them luck. They did that in return too. I said goodbye to everyone hoping to meet them in Doha, Qatar by god’s grace. Me and my father left the venue, took a taxi and rode off to the guest house.
As it was five in the evening, the traffic had already opened up but not that worse. We managed to reach on time. It took around 30 minutes to reach the guest house. As soon as we entered the guest house room, we packed everything, checked nothing left behind and headed for the check out. After the check out we took the taxi and rode off to Howrah railway station. It was an hour and a half journey to the station and as the traffic was getting into its full form we had to be cautious with the time. Anyhow the driver was an experienced operator who knew the short cuts of the road. While on the way bidding good bye to bustling Kolkata watching the city getting covered into evening darkness the street lights lightning up spreading light everywhere. I have always liked the evening lightning’s which can be seen from the malls, residential buildings, hotels, streets, decorations etc. Enjoying these I was riding off to my destination. I slept in the taxi as I was too tired. My father too dozed off. But every now and then I was conscious enough to track ourselves. Ultimately we reached the railway station. Left the taxi and headed towards the station building inside. We had an hour in our hand. I and my father were hungry so we decided to eat at one of the restaurant within the station. There was north Indian as well as south Indian food available. I took masala dosa for a change to satisfy my palate. My father went for the north Indian thali. It contained everything like roti, dal, curry, egg, rice and some sweet. In spite of us being a north Indian I refrain from having north Indian food at the place which is not in north India because they do not make it tasty. Moreover, the money is wasted and no taste. But my father wanted to have it so he opted for it and me without taking any chance I went for the dosa. It was good, not so delicious but manageable. By the time we finished our dinner it was already fifteen minutes to nine. Our train arrival time at the platform was at nine o’clock. We washed our hands and face, paid the restaurant and moved to the platform where the train was supposed to arrive.
Now those fifteen minutes were too much for us. I was counting every second as we were dead tired by then and after food in our stomach we both were sleepy. Finally the train arrived. It was the correct time. We located our compartment and stepped in, found our seats and occupied them. One was the lower birth and the other was upper birth. I took the upper one as for my father lower birth would be easy. We kept our bags underneath the seat and secured properly with the chain. The train halt at the Howrah station was just for ten minutes and at sharp 2110 hours, the train departed. We again had decent family gather around so it was quite relieving. Some girls traveling together were just at the adjacent birth to ours. Gossip noise, children making noise, some people having their food, all these talks were alive but nothing could stop me from heavy eyed. I climbed up to my seat and lied down to sleep. My father also went off to sleep. After thirty minutes the lights were dimmed and everybody went off to sleep. Snoring could be heard around but I was in no mood to even react to it in fact no energy. I went off to a good sound sleep. Next evening, by 2000 hours was the time of the train to reach Allahabad. My father was supposed to leave me from here and I had to carry my journey off to Delhi from there. Train arrived at Allahabad and my father bid goodbye to me and left.
The halt at Allahabad was just for five minutes. After the train left Allahabad I came down to the lower birth which was my father’s allocated seat. I slept there. Now I couldn’t wait to reach Delhi. It was supposed to reach early morning by six o’clock. Next morning the train reached Delhi on time. I got down the train. I was hungry so walked towards a restaurant near the station and had my breakfast. After my breakfast I left for my PG(paying guest) where I was put up in New Delhi.
I arrived at my place, got freshen up and decided to retire for a while. Later that afternoon my roommate asked me about the interview, when she got up from sleep. I told her my intuition of getting selected. She demanded a dining party or for a movie out. I laughed and agreed. Days passed. And one fine day I got a call from some international number. I picked up the call and it was from Qatar Airways and the same Anglo Indian lady was talking. She congratulated me at first and told me to check my email for the offer. I was so happy that could not express in words but only felt it. After the call, I jumped with joy. I checked my e-mail and the offer was right there. I called my home and informed my family. They were happy and then I called my roommate at work then, she was happy too and the same day after her work we celebrated at our room with some pastries and soft drinks. I really was feeling as if I am not on earth but on air. I was so excited to travel and see the world, that too with salary being paid, living in lavish 5 star hotels, enjoying the amenities of 5 star accommodation in Doha, Qatar. All those induction slides shown at the interview flashed before me and I was dreaming. Then I realized it was not a dream anymore but real. It was going to happen; I am going to live the dream. Wow! No words to express anymore. I was all set for my new life.
*An innocence out on reality*