This is the first time that I am travelling to Bangalore, India. And I am definitely grateful to my bosses for giving me the opportunity to be selected for this great inaugural annual Asia Finance Development Day.
This is the second year that I joined TI, and by God’s grace, it’s also my second year to attend the event.
In case you wonder why, its because not every finance person will get to attend. Apart from the finance directors and managers, and the number of attendees from each site will depend on the decision of the finance directors. So I count myself blessed to be selected twice in a row. 
Actually something really very unpleasant happened on sat, the day I was supposed to fly off. But I will not bring that in to this entry.
Our flight took off from SG changi airport at 805pm and when we touched down at Bangalore airport, it was 950pm. They are 3 hours behind SG time. Took almost an hour before the whole group of us retrieve our luggage and we move on to the bus that took us another 1 hour or so, to reach the hotel that we are booked in. The Chancery Pavilion.
This is one of the best Business Hotel in Bangalore. And look at the breath-taking welcome that they gave to us!
By the time we got our rooms and checked in, it was past 12 midnight…. which means…. SG TIME 3am!?!? OMG! Tired tired tired…..
So finally by 430am, i was ready for bed. Yawns~~~ Actually we are not the worst. My friends from taiwan and Hongkong and Shanghai only checked in the hotel at India time….. 5am! So can you imagine how tired most of us were at the breakfast table at 930am this morning… kekekekekke
I believe India is one country that I will never choose for my own holiday destination. Apart from the language barriers and the food, I confess that the hygiene is a major concern for me. Prior to this trip, there are so many things in office that kept me busy and on my toes 24 7. So barely had time to do research and much preparation. So I came with the mentality to just look see and learn and enjoy the place to the best that I can.
I learnt that Indians are actually very friendly people, if not all, but at least the people from Texas Instruments India. They have taken the effort to arrange a 4 hour shopping tour for the group of almost 50 of us. Not easy to coordinate and bring 50 people around the busy streets of India. But in the midst of all, they were still friendly and smilely towards all of us!!
Of cos, on the streets, I also met some not so nice people and shop owners. And it seems that the “culture” here is that when you want to buy anything, even in those proper shops, as long as you are a non-India, you must learn to slash the price and bargain with the shop owners. Otherwise, you will be just like a carrot placed on their chopping board. And mind you, the prices usually can be slashed to as much as 50%!!!
This is one trip that I brought very little money, because I have no intention to buy things actually. Good in a way too…. to prevent myself from buying unnecessary things back to Singapore. 
In the end, I did use up my money to buy 2 shawls and got 2 free fridge magnets. Not too bad deal… of cos, that came after a long session of bargaining!! Kekekke…
The highlight of the trip however, is definitely the friendships and networking and bonding that was built with all the regional peers, finance managers and finance directors. Who says finance people are a bunch of boring people? After this 3D2N event, I conclude that finance people can be really wild and fun loving when we are off work!!! 
My bosses really show a very different side of them during this event and the message put across: Our bosses actually do like fun as much as we do!!!
All in all, the 4 days in Bangalore was a great shortaway trip with the colleagues in the midst of the busy packed schedules. Even though it was extremely tiring especially after the midnight flight back to Singapore. But I greatly enjoyed myself and am so looking forward to the trip next year in Malaysia!!! Cheers!!!
