Truth be told, if I got asked this question in an interview (as is), I wouldn’t be impressed. It’s such a cliche question and I would appreciate it if it was to be put across in a different way which would go to show the interviewer is making an effort towards stimulating a dynamic conversation. Luckily, I never got asked this and came about interesting (and challenging) ways to articulate my thoughts since it was a new approach taken to ask about my future goals, ambitions, etc.

For those who know me well, you know I spent a considerable amount of time in the Middle East (ME), Doha – Qatar. I had the opportunity to grow as a global citizen and develop the various skill sets which in one way or another got me to where I’m today. There was a clash of two worlds (or mindsets) at play. My parents wanted me to have a stable job, have savings, get married (and I’m sure my Mom would say ‘to someone we choose’) and live a content life. There is nothing wrong with that and it was what I wanted while growing up. My Dad worked with one of the biggest Oil and Gas companies in the world with perks such as free housing, education for kids, healthcare, annual airplane tickets, no tax, etc. I wanted the same! (or so I thought).

Fast forward a couple of years, I’m settling into my first job after graduation (more about my degree and life in India in a later post), I got to live a different experience from what I experienced as a child/teen. My Dad didn’t tell me the downside of living and working in the ME. Few things like getting your employers permission to leave the country, to get alcohol, the wage and other benefit gaps between Asian and Western expats, etc. Oh! and no matter how long you were living there (even if you were born there), you don’t get citizenship or permanent residency. You can only live there for the time you have a job and your employer sponsors you. No job = leave the country. There were advantages too, of course. Tax free salary, meeting other expats from all over the world and making lifelong friendships, chai kadak, experiencing and appreciating various culture, etc. But it was all temporary.

I’m an Indian, lived there for the first 7 years of my life. So, for me, Qatar was home. But in reality, it was a place I came to because of my Dad. Your employer could terminate you and give you a week’s notice to pack up and leave the country. For whatever reason, I didn’t want to have just one option. I wasn’t willing to settle for the default option and luckily I had my parents and friends for support in planning my strategy. Don’t get me wrong, India is a great country and so are others and what doesn’t make sense to me is to just settle for a location just because it just so happens to be the geographical location you were born into.

Sipping a hot cuppa and having brekky one day before work, all these thoughts were rushing through my head and I thought to myself ‘Where would you be in 5 years?’ and ‘What are you going to do about it’ and took a picture to save and look back to. Well, funny thing is that today marks the 5th year from that ‘moment of truth’ day.

to be continued…