Recession in United States of America

Since September 2008 and demise of some of the biggest investment banks of US of A the economy is in its biggest downfall since the great depression. Crazy meteoric rise of USA and its allies is a history. Gone are the days when someone can buy a car during weekly shopping and buy a house 10times their annual salary in anticipation that the price will be double in a year.
Non sustainable growth and borrowing is thing of past.
I am not sure where the US Economy is headed but I am quite sure the recovery is not expected soon. Situation in Silicon Valley is so bad that driving around here make me feel driving in the ghost town with empty office parks and 'for lease signs around'. With mass layoffs and companies shutting their doors Silicon valley is turned into a ghost town.
I am not sure about US Economy and Bail Outs. It sounds like decline of UK Empire post 1929 depression and US super power. This time is like US decline and Chinese uprise.
Lets hope for the best!!

My new apartment at the Laurels at Northpark, San Jose, CA. It is almost a month I moved to the new perm. apartment at San Jose and can not complain about it. With my mom being around to help us settledown it has been great since 3 weeks. Work is going quite slow these days as I am new to the job and my boss changed recently. I am not sure how the work assignment goes here but I am not busy these days...I hope I get some work and have opportunity to prove myself here.

With bad economy and soaring gas prices living in the bay area is difficult. My wife is unable to find a job here since last 1 month but I really hope she find something. My old employer has been calling me to bring me back to Boston. From bottom of my heart I really wish I can go back.

Gas prices have doubles in very recent times with Gas prices averaging 4.30USD/gallon on the west coast.

Move to Silicon Valley

I recently moved to Silicon Valley, California from Boston, Massachusetts to join Qualcomm Inc. . It was a longest relocation after my move from Mumbai, India almost 9 years back. Relocation was quite drastic for me and Saloni. The way of life in the west coast is so different than east coast. Starting from weather to people to dressing etc. Everything is atleast 20-30% more expensive. But joining a fortune 10 company that is ranked as #8 best place to work in USA by Fortune magazine. I have my own office with a door and secretary outside. Its quite unbelievable...indeed...Once Saloni finds a job. It should be great and we can have same kind of life that we had in Boston. I have kept my MBA ambitions in the backdrop for now...
Work is quite challenging with engineers challenging me and I am learning so much everyday.
Everything else should settle down. Once I move to my permanent apartment.
Silicon valley is heaven for south asians with majority of workforce from South Asia this place is mini India with no discrimination, great Indian groceries and restaurants.

Changing jobs and US job market...

I have been looking for a job for a while now since my current employer was in a dicey situation financially in late November 2007. Just casually started applying in Greater Boston area
for Quality Engineer/ Statistician positions. But unfortunately didn't get any positions that were challenging enough. So started looking across the country...and to my surprise got several interviews from big companies across United States like Infineon Technologies, Intel, Qualcomm, Maxim for Yield Engineer / Statistician positions. I was crisscrossing whole of United States every week from Boston to Northern California to Texas to Virginia to Florida...flying to big companies interviewing and seeing the great country United States is and fascinating, colossal manufacturing facilities of leaders in semiconductor manufacturing. DRAM manufacturing to 3G telecom device manufacturing to highly complicated IC manufacturing.
I fortunately got 4 offers with significant raise in salary. I chose to move to Qualcomm at Silicon Valley as this company is most profitable and stable. Also it is Fortune magazine ranked #8 for best company to work in USA. I will be working there as Yield Analysis Engineer / Statistician.
I wish my move is progressive and I can sustain in that region.

I was visiting Cornell University department of Statistical Sciences last Friday. It was amazing that how Cornell still remembers its Alumni after almost 5 years. And treats them so well. I was bit disappointed by current student's response to the visit and us alumni. I found the students very dull and were not supportive of the whole ideal of Alumni panel discussion. They were not asking questions and worst I was stopped in between the presentation session reminding me that I have run out of time. But over all I met all the faculty and Prof.Bunge. The visit was quite nostalgic visiting places and towns I had spent time at and driven around. I wish I can go back there again sometime soon.

US Dollar tumbling down.....

Indian rupee rise has created quite a buzz!! in last couple of months. The rise of Indian rupees is good or bad for India is a debatable issue. But One this is for sure. If this continues in the same manner it has since last couple of months. I am packing my bags and returning home.

My India visit!!

At last next week I am going to Mumbai, India. My home away from home after almost 3 years. I am really excited about it at the same time I am little aprehensive about the whole visit thing. We will board Continental flight out of NewArk EWR to Mumbai...Non-stop....It is going to be quite a flight.....almost 15 hours non-stop going and 16 hours non-stop coming back....I have heard quite bad reviews about the flight due to cheap fares. But still looking forward to the whole visit. Last couple of weeks me and my wife have been shopping day in day out...for loved ones. I dont know when we will be able to go there again....But for now...I am quite excited....
It will be a brief stay of 15 days but I am sure we will have good time.....
Apart from Family we are planning a short visit to a shrine out in the dessert state of Rajasthan, Nath-Dwara and will stay back at Ranakpur while coming back.....