Life in the Wild Wild North...

Please don't let the dramatic title or that picture lead you astray. I recently got transferred to the divisional headquarters of my company, which is at IMT- Manesar, Gurgaon. I am still in the process of relocation and this article is about that. A few years back, "relocation" was no big deal. I would pack two bags and a backpack with all my precious stuff and scoot to a new place. As simple as that.

But I am a grown up now. Once I could afford it, I rented a place of my own back in 2014. At first, I lived like a bachelor, living on junk food and hoarding trash till the house smelled like someone died in it. But then a girlfriend helped me buy some furniture and make the place more like a home. Before I realized, I had set up the whole place - bought a big bead, several appliances and a sofa too. So I plan stuff now. I can't just get up and go. Except, I did just that. I was offered this new profile in Gurgaon and I said yes. 

The whole moving to a new place bit can be a little too stressful at times. It involves finding a new place to stay. Rentals can be a bitch these days. Plus all the formalities like arranging the packers and movers, claiming brokerage, etc can be really tiresome and painstakingly so. And it takes a toll on your wallet.

See, I have been putting up at a hotel for the last 3 weeks, spending an average of two grands a day. And I just rented out an apartment here by paying 36k for rent and a deposit. Some of it will be reimbursed but not all. It will put a dent in my savings, but hey, that's life. 

At the end of all that, you have to deal with the new people and culture, which can frankly get too scary too fast. Pune was an easy place to get used to. It was my first posting. Goa was familiar as I had spent 3 years of college there. Siliguri was new but the people weren't all that complicated. Hyderabad was the real challenge. Indore wasn't all that easy too. And now, Gurgaon. I just listed all the places I've moved to for work. Yeah, I've been around. But even so, Gurgaon is gonna be a challenge. It is in Haryana after all. 

No offence meant but people in this part of the country are generally quite rude and difficult. Dealing with that over everything else is going to be a task. But it's still too soon to tell. Things are going well till now. I have found a great apartment. It's kinda pricey, as I am paying twice the rent I was paying in Indore, but it is a very nice apartment in a gated society. So that's a plus, right?

Apart from the rent, Gurgaon is kinda expensive in other aspects too. I am yet to face the full brunt of it, but I soon will. I am bracing up for it, desperately praying for a salary hike right now. But hopefully, all will be good.