25

June 18th: I turned 25 years old. Several wishes came in from all over. Bought a smile on my face, I liked it! They say birthdays are supposed to be happy events.

I woke up this morning and as usual started to get ready for work as if it was just another normal day. And then I remembered my earlier younger bdays. My mom used to force me to jump in the shower early morning and made me wear all new clothes. And of course there were the bday prayers and sweets shoved into my mouth. Hmm…the good ol’bday days. I didn’t think this one would be the same with my parents far away and me being much older. But I did have close friends with me.

25, the silver jubilee, the quarter century. Some say it's the beginning of a milestone. For me, although it’s just another age, it is also a good time to look back and reflect!

My 'wonder years' -
Year 0: Born in Mapusa, Goa. Saw mom for the first time?
Year 1: Mom and I moved to Kuwait to join my dad. I also started to blabber baby lingo
Year 2: Still enjoyed being pampered, attention grasping was my thing
Year 3: Fascinated with car toys, loved big vehicles like trucks and buses. Got plenty of those but they were never too enough.
Year 4: Cartoons and I couldn’t be separated. It turned out to became my must watch event everyday for many years to come.
Year 5: Started my schooling life by enrolling in lower Kinder Garden. They tell me I cried a lot and didn’t like it much. I believe I made my dad sit next to me as my partner
Year 6: Jumped to Upper KG. Section G. I knew it better as 'KGG'. Nursery rhymes were cool.
Year 7: Didn’t like 1st grade much, the teachers became stricter. School was beginning to get to me.
Year 8: Didn’t like school one bit! Life was simple though - school, HW, play, food, sleep. Visited US for the first time with family.
Year 9: Moved back to India due to the gulf war. Went to St Francis Xavier’s school to complete 3rd grade. This year was quite important, since I was given the real exposure to Indian culture and festivals in India.
Year 10: Bought a new bicycle (streetcat) which I would ride back and forth from my relative's home to mine. This year was the first time I was exposed to real cricket. Took some cricket coaching as well.
Year 11: The gulf war was over; we left India to go back to Kuwait. This year was probably the most significant since the decision to go back made me the person I am. Somehow I felt if I stayed in India, I wouldn’t be where I am now. Enrolled in Indian school Kuwait (ISK), salmiyah.
Year 12: Standard of studies was higher than what it was in goa. Catching up on everything especially Math was difficult.
Year 13: Weird age. I guess it was the teens!
Year 14: Cricket cricket cricket!
Year 15: Switched schools and joined delhi public school. Another great decision which helped me to get into a good college and improve social skills. The next 4 yrs happened to be the best times of my life.
Year 16: Had beer for the very first time in my life. Thought it was the worst thing ever.
Year 17: Concentrated in playing cricket all year round. Had extensive cricket practices in desert heats soaring over 45C. Represented Kuwait’s U-19 cricket team.
Year 18: This year things changed dramatically. Suddenly I could think more efficiently academically and performed quite well in my 12th board exams. I also graduated high school, took the next big step in life - college in US, majoring in computer science
Year 19: Spent first summer in Kuwait after 1 yr up in college. Felt good to be back at home.
Year 20: Spent another summer in Kuwait.
Year 21: Legal to drink. Spend my 21st with family in Chicago. Summer school at Purdue.
Year 22: Graduated BS in CS from Purdue. Took the next big step -- grad school
Year 23: Interned with EchoStar in Colorado. Made tons of great friends. This was one of my best times in my life.
Year 24: Graduated Masters in Science from Purdue. Took up a job at Motorola (my first ever full-ime job). Also bought my first car - Acura TSX 2006.
Year 25: One yr complete with Motorola. Started to invest in stocks and funds.