My Life in the Netherlands

First and foremost, a few disclaimers

I have decided to update my blog every weekend, updating my status and recording interesting/amusing events over the week. If you know me well, you must have realized that a lot of future posts would give insights of my academic life (I am here for that, ain't I?) and would have ocassional mention of trips and parties etc.

I had an amazing introductory week at TU Delft, but unfortunately, I hadn't bought my laptop then, and now, I am just too lazy to write about it. But to summarize, I had the perfect start to my academic life at Delft, and the credit surely goes to the Introduction Week team and the Indian seniors here.

Also, to everyone, I got so super-excited about the courses here, that I decided to take up 6-7 courses in the First quarter itself. There are a lot of reasons for this, which is useless to discuss here, but I know what I am doing. The bottom-line is, I am trying to pull off a super-feat in a completely new education system along with a lot of other 'First time' activities like cooking food, washing my clothes (No washing machine in my apartment :( ), ironing them, fixing my bicycle etc etc.. So, as you all must have guessed, i am super screwed up.. The good news is that I am learning to do all that, and will eventually succeed. The only problem is that its very difficult to start my laptop and hit on the Skype button to have a nice chat with friends and family.. So, please bear with me for atleast 3 months from now. My second quarter is a lot relaxed with max 4 subjects and hopefully, I can spend a lot of time catching up with you all.

Intresting activity last week :

I enrolled into the Reconfigurable Computing Design Course last week, and some of the world's famous professors teach us that course/ associated with it. Had awesome fun attending the lectures, but even more amazing was the Lab work. The TAs for that Lab are really helpful and quite knowledgeble and the best part was that we were working with some amazing infrastructure on some real life challenging problem. Quite something!! My partner for that lab is a 7 feet Dutch guy named Ath (pronounced Aaa -Th). We have to design a reconfigurable-component, which integrates into the system, over the next week and i am really running short of time, since the offer is that the team which designs the module better than what the TAs could manage, gets an extra point!!

So, Adios till then, have a good week ahead, while I fight for that extra point :)

Cheers,

Anand Khot

M.Sc (Computer Engineering),

TU Delft,
The Netherlands.

(P.S. Feeling proud of the signature :) )

VISA interview

Spent the last couple of days for my Netherlands VISA (which was already approved, btw! :) \m/)
Heres an anecdote on how things went for this 'crucial' event of mine !

8:30 - Boarded the VT(now CST) Local.
9:20 - Reached VT
9:20-9:30 - Frantically running around the subway to find the right direction towards Chowpatty Band stand
9:30- Took a Taxi to Babulnath Mandir, near Band stand (The sight of the sea just cheered me up! Breezy and a very nice weather, awesome feeling :))
10:00 - Entered the VFS VISA application center.
10:18 - Ultimately allowed entry into this ultra highly-secured zone (after checking my damned bag twice and checking me thrice!)

10:20 - Called in for the appointment.

10:20:5ms - (WTF!! I haven't yet filled the VISA application form!)

10:21 - VISA Officer(A pretty Dutch lady in her mid-thirties)- Hello Sir
10:21 - Hi, I am Anand Khot; going to the Netherlands for Blah.. Blah .. (interrupted)
10:22- Pls give me your application and documents

10:22:10ms - Ahh, Sorry mam, I haven't filled in the form yet..
10:23- (With a smile) Ok, no problem, just sit there, fill the form and *wait in the queue*

10:25-10:55 - Filled in the form, made new friends, found a few fellow university mates..

11:00 - My turn finally comes. I smile at the officer :) Give her my filled application
11:02 - (Writing something down on my application) Okay Mr. Ann-and, please collect your passport tomorrow at 4 pm:)
11:02- Thanks a lot ! :)


VISA done without even a single question asked!! :)

Bottomline: Still wondering - Was it my smile or my personality (or perhaps my charm) that did the trick ?? ;)

One Small Step towards Achieving a Big Dream !

This is my 'Hello World !' post in the bloggers' land !! :)

After toying with the idea for a very long time, I have finally started blogging !! :) on a very special ocassion, btw..

Exactly Four years back, I took a decision- A decision to follow my heart and enroll in the Bachelors of Engineering (Electronics and Telecommunications Engg) programme at Sinhgad College of Engineering, affiliated to the University of Pune. Tomorrow, I'll be taking that one last step - one small step - give my final exam - to successfully complete all the University requirements and finally get the B. E. Degree :) :D !

The whole experience of Engineering has been a bitter sweet one ! With a lot of stuggles and hardships, disappointments and achievements, lows and highs, hard work and fun, its been one long journey ! Along the way, I have grown up as an individual, made some really awesome friends (which I am really proud of !) and luckily managed to find some truly fascinating areas of professional interests ! :) I still remember, as a First year Undergraduate student, I was full of enthusiasm to explore the realms of Electronics Engineering. Today, when I look back and see how things have turned out, I would be lying if I said I am not satisfied with whatever I achieved :) Its not been anything spectacular (and much lesser than probably what I *could have* done), but it was the best I could do in the given circumstances. The *could haves* will always be there, no matter whatever one achieves. So, I would rather not let that take away the feel-good factor as of now ! :D To look back at where I was four years back and then to look at where I am today, I am quite happy with my progress !! :)

Finally, before I am off to study for the final exam, I am dedicating this quote to the glorious Engineering Days !

'Perseverantia Omnia Vincit !!' which means 'Perseverance conquers all things !!'

Truly, Perseverence it has been... :)