Reentry to home...come back...evening? or morning?

I returned...back to my own places...my known places. What is the feeling, by the way? Accomplishment of touching a milestone? Achievement? Satisfaction of something good cannot be defined? Excited of new connections developed? Don't know. There is an emptiness surely. Of what? Don't know.

Community impact. A phrase so clear...so meaningful. A realization, that we all are a infinitesimal part of a system. But, we all have something to do...do something to change...some change for good...good for the system...for all of us.

I do not know what will I do to make a difference. But, I have started thinking in the line. I know even if I cannot do anything, that does not matter...my will is regarded. That is the difference...that is the building stone of the difference. It is so easy. I invite all of you to think in the line...We shall overcome some day.

Brought an African elephant. He made a place in between two Indians. Let all the different entities make a place in different entities. That will be the biggest difference, that there is no difference. Amen!!

African elephant in middle

Thank you!

Reentry to my home...after a short break

Have been in different places, different time zones. Have seen many people, many cultures...never thought that a four weeks of assignment abroad would make that much a difference in my thoughts...my feelings. It may be a short in time frame, but a break literally, of a magnitude I am overwhelmed to express in words.

I will continue few more posts in this thread...then will start a new thread to share my thoughts, my feelings...this CSC thread should end somewhere, even if I continue to carry the legacy of it.

Let me share some photos I took while traveling back in a long 20 hours journey.

You to the power IBM

Children-at-play at Jo'burg airport

Me above cloud

Sun setting on the way back

City underneath (me :))

Dubai airport (Hindi at the bottom :))

Dubai airport...long wait for the next lap :(

I will close the thread in the next post. I will try concluding the feeling part of the story...I will take care so that the store has a positive ending. Please stay tuned in up till the next post.

...And the final day...FRIDAY, 23 MARCH 2018

The Final Presentation @Client's (SANAC)

With lot of energy, and lot of rehearsals in mind, we started our final day.

Final day start for Sub-team #1

The time we got before the meeting in SANAC office, we revisited the presentation content and looked for any more information. One thing we remembered of, is standard deliverable list in a software project, we included as additional appendix.

Presentation room. Ewa (IBM), Petro (SANAC) and Nolwazi (SANAC) [left to right]

Presentation closing

The presentation was appreciated and it was very interactive one. We ended the day with feelings mixed with emotions and accomplishments.

All of us - SANAC (the client), IBM and DOT (the CSC partner in South Africa)

The team with Petro (client) in middle

I heard before that people leave the final day saddened with emotional and empty feelings. I never had an idea that the client would be as well so emotional. I wanted to capture some final moments of us. Could not do so, we all were deep emotional with tears breaking all our pair of eyes.

Presentation @IBM, Sandton, Johannesburg
We, all sub teams presented to IBM team at Sandton office in Johannesburg. We had some group clips and smiles while leaving the office.

The team...from different nations

Dinner @moyo Zoo Lake
Had some drinks, dinner and fun at moyo Zoo Lake.

Ducks at the banks of the Lake

the entrance of moyo Zoo Lake. Søren and Peter (left to right)

Roof top for drinks

Søren...enjoying his drink

Evening sky from moyo roof top

Before coming down for Dinner

Dinner

Dinner Table

A lady artist offered face paintings. I was impressed by her art. She was choosing patterns according to the face structure she was paining on.

We continued the party returning hotel @Beata's. It was our last get together.

Group @Beata's

My departure was next day morning. Left early morning at 6 AM. Johannesburg - Dubai - Kolkata. Returned safely on Sunday. The experiences I got, the skills I acquired, the relationships I built, I will continue to cherish life long. 

Thank you IBM CSC program! 

Thank you South Africa! 

Thank you CSCZA19 team! Thank you Beata!

Thank you SANAC! Thank you Petro!

And thank you for reading my blog posts.

Final week nearing end...WED-THURSDAY, 21-22 MARCH 2018 - Human Rights Day

WEDNESDAY, 21 MARCH 2018
Today is Human Rights Day, a national holiday in South Africa. We opted to work from hotel. We took a Friday off before in lieu of this day to make that a long weekend. Mauricio is not feeling well, we will try to fill in for him.

Working from Hotel

The Hotel (SENTINEL)

Sky from Hotel

Evening we had an invite for Indian dinner @Mala's. She cooked nice rice, chapatis, curries and rasham (south Indian delicacies).

That's rasham, by the way :)

THURSDAY, 22 MARCH 2018
Heavy rainfall today and the same forecast is for the remaining day in this week. We decided to work from hotel, today as well.

We at work @Ella's (I am behind the camera :))

We revised the final presentation; we created the executive summary and we planned for the presentation delivery.

We had some fun as well with the tequila glasses Mauricio brought previously from mexico for gifting us.

Tequila glasses from Mexico

One glass was extra. Out of Ella, Ewa and myself - the opting equally for it - had a lottery to get it by tossing three coins individually. Whoever gets the different side would get it. And the winner is...

The winner, Ewa!

Evening, we had the weekly meeting by DOT, the CSC partner in South Africa. We got update that Sub-team #2 had a fantastic presentation at Centre for Communication Impact, CCI. Their client created cupcakes with IBM logo on it. Nice gesture!

Cupcakes with IBM logo embossed on

Please stay tuned in for the final day updates.

Final week begins...MONDAY-TUESDAY, 19-20 MARCH 2018

After gala weekend of Community Service Day and Pilanesberg trip, we started the final week with reflecting back on the Site Visit in Nkangala, Mpumalanga.

We had a lunch @Tashas, Brooklyn Mall, Pretoria while getting the first cut presentation reviewed by the client.

Tashas @Brooklyn

Working Lunch with Petro (second from right)

Red Cappuccino 

Had a regular walk in the evening near Venning Park. Tomorrow is "Human Rights Day", a national holiday in South Africa. We will be working from hotel in lieu of this we enjoyed a long weekend before taking the Friday off.

Venning Park

SUNDAY, 18 MARCH 2018 (recap) - Pilanesberg & Sun City

Sunday...we had a plan to visit Pilanesberg. Our client, organised the trip.

Preparing breakfast for the trip...10ish minutes to 5 AM

We were, our team on the assignment - Mauricio, Ella, Ewa and myself and Petro, the client SPOC, and her husband Francois. They rented a big car so that we all can travel comfortably.

Welcoming bird at the entrance

The entrance to the park

Breakfast before the entrance

...and the Tea, Coffee

Some bird

Our next venture was in Sun City.

From top - King's Tower

Near swimming pool - Petro and her husband, Francois in the frame

And the sun sets while returning back...

Please stay tuned in for the last week update on the assignment.