Every Software Engineer should read this.
A Story about Onsite...!
One fine day, Vivek's PL Bhatia asks him whether he has any time for a small
meeting. Vivek obviously has time and so the two go to a conference
room. Bhatia then clears his throat and says "Vivek, there is an on-site
requirement. It is in Covina , Los Angeles . It is for six months. I can
suggest your name. Do you have any problems?"
Vivek cannot believe his ears. Of course why should any one have problems
going to the Sam land. "Of course no Bhatia.. I have no
problems." he says.
Bhatia looks at him very kindly and says "You better draw up your personal
plans with your wife and let me know in a day or two" That's when Vivek
remembers that he has a wife. Then it strikes him that there is a himalayan
problem in front of him. Shobana is working in Wipro. She is in
the middle of a project in which she is a moduleleader. She cannot leave it
all and come to Covina with Vivek. On the otherhand it will be cruel on
Vivek's part to leave her here and go to Covina for more than half a year. Moreover,
they have just been married. Vivek can stay back. But one day he has to go..
He cannot stay back in India indefinitely. Project requirements are too
demanding. Shobana can resign Wipro and accompany Vivek. But what is the
guarantee that she would find such a nice job in such a nice company after they come
back from Covina ? So Shobana and Vivek discuss this issue. They reluctantly agree to get separated for six months.
Vivek hugs Shobana in the airport and says "I will be BACK" in a typical
Arnold Scharzegger tone and then boards Delta Airways leaving Shobana in
tears. In Covina Vivek gets lots of work and his stay gets extended by two
more months. The days and months move very slowly. Vivek starts counting
even minutes.
During this period, Shobana's PL Ashish Mehta calls her one day and asks
her whether she has any time for a small meeting. Shobana wonders what
that meeting is.. They go to the conference room and Mehta tells her
about a great on-site requirement in Berlin , Germany for their customer.
"It is for six months and you are most suited person for this. I am
going to suggest your name. Do you have any problems?" Mehta asks her.
Shobana gets excited.. Berlin ! She has never been out of India . So she
instantly nods her head. Mehta then smiles and says "Okay discuss with
your hubby and let me know in a day or two"
That's when Shobana gets the gravity of the situation. It will be two
months before Vivek can come home..... By the time Shobana will have left to
Berlinfor six months. Shobana cannot decline this as this is an
important assignment. That night Vivek spends hundred dollars on
telephone to discuss this matter with Shobana. Finally they decide to go
ahead. Shobana breaks down in the phone and Vivek breaks down thinking
about his phone bill. And then Shobana leaves to Berlin .
One month after that,Vivek comes back to India . Then Shobana calls him
almost everyday and they discuss about all petty things on the phone.
Shobana applies for a loan to clear her telephone bills. Vivek gets into
a new project which is not yet started. His PL Prateek Ray calls him one
day and says that he has to go to Toledo Ohio for the requirement analysis
of that project. Vivek frantically says no. Shobana is arriving next month. He doesn't
want to miss her. But Ray assures him that the work is only for one month and
that he would be back before Shobana comes to India . Thus Vivek flies to
Toledo Ohio and gets into the requirement analysis of the new project.
That's when he comes to know how difficult it is to retrieve information
from the users. You can design a system the user wants only when the
user knows what he wants. Vivek gets baffled by the questions his users
put..
"Do you think I need those fields "GMG_TYPE_HJHJ_TW" and
"Auto_level_ind"?What are they by the way?" The requirements analysis
stage continues for three full months at this pace. Shobana comes to India one
month after that. And she tells her PL that she doesn't want anymore
on-site assignments. "I understand" says Mehta and she desperately waits for Vivek to come back to India . It has already been two months over a year
since they last met. Vivek then gets the role of an on-site co-ordinator
for this customer. He calls Shobana that night and they really don't
know what to do. Shobana offers to resign her job and join him in Toledo . But
she is getting 21 grand per month in Indiaand Vivek doesn't want to lose
that. "Two more months Shobana and I promise I will be back" Shobana
retorts back, "There is no solution for this problem." Vivek gets
surprised. "What are you talking about?" he asks her. Shobana fights back her tears. "As long as I am in Wipro I will be getting a lot of on-site opportunities. Even if I
decline all of them, what about you? You also work for a software
company and there you need to go abroad almost once every quarter.
I cannot accompany you as you don't want me to resign my job here. Does
that mean we have to stay like this forever? Vivek! I love you and I
don't know how I spent fifteen months without even seeing you once. I
may not recognize you also if you come in front of me now... Tell me Vivek,
is there a solution for this problem?" Vivek doesn't speak anything for a
moment. He then realizes the truth in her sentences. It is a neverending
problem.
But what about the 20 grand she is getting per month?
"Vivek, is money everything? Can't we comfortably live with what you are
getting? Please Vivek, try to understand the situation" Shobana breaks
down. Vivek is still undecided. He married a software engineer with a
hope that with two incomes he would have a good deal of money to plan their
future."Let us face the reality, Vivek" Shobana says, "How much are you
paying for the phone calls now? More than 20 grand per month.
If I am with you there will your phone bill be so astronomical? Just
tell me one thing. Won't you be happy having me there with you?" Shobana
slowly turns hysterical. Vivek gets into the crux of the situation. It is true.
He has been spending around 600 to 700 dollars per month on India calls...
that is far more than what Shobana is getting then. He thinks and
thinks..for two days he does nothing else but thinking. Finally he decides that
he should have Shobana with him all the time from then onwards at any cost.
Shobana gladly prepares the resignation letter and submits it. Her PL
smiles and says "You've made the right decision Shobana..
congratulations for the bold step. I understand your problems. Anyway! you have a three
months notice period here, right? We have a one month assignment in
Singapore ....."
MORAL : No software professional should marry another software professional.... unless one of them is ready to resign.
