Mr. Tood Departs

This past weekend our family of expatriates threw a few parties, had a few dinners, said our goodbyes, and put Todd on the plane back to Minnesota--his contract was completed and was time to return home. What's harder to believe than the fact that Todd has already completed his 12-month assignment for Target India is that I am only six weeks behind him! Yes, I will complete my assignment and head back to Minnesota at the end of October. Funny how time flies...

The events of the weekend included a going away party with a "Minnesota State Fair" theme (everything on a stick!) Tracy and Tom organized this fantastic party with so many of Target India's best team members turning out to wish Todd a fond farewell. There was corn-on-the-cob, homemade corn dogs (yum!), cotton candy, popcorn, cookies, french fries... the list goes on and on. The kids loved the balloons and party favors, and everyone had a chance to get their faces and arms painted (I still have glitter on my hands :o) I felt like I was back on the St. Paul fairgrounds! Sunday brought brunch at Zen, the Asian restaurant at the Leela Palace Hotel--a nice and relaxing time before heading to the airport.

What an amazing year it has been and what an amazing group of expats I've had the privilege to live, work, and play with! Living in our apartment building, Zen Gardens (or affectionately known as the EPC--Expat Central), has been like a college dorm & the Real World meet Indian Melrose Place (I know, that's quite the visual but it's actually quite accurate...) We've all had the unique opportunity to live and work in a foreign country; learn more about the people, culture, and customs that are uniquely Indian; and also take time to travel together, eat together, watch movies, attend concerts, shop, play games, and best of all, laugh together--and SO much laughter!! There's never been a dull moment this entire year.

And so, Mr. Tood (affectionately misspelled by the girl at the food court Domino's Pizza), we will miss your laughter, your smiles, and we will certainly miss watching you do your funky little dance or seeing you twisting your hair... Congratulations on your successful year in India and only the best to you in your new position back at Target Minneapolis. You will be missed.

Now our current expat posse will slowly begin to disband over the next few months... Todd, then me, then Curly (the "other" Michael)... but new recruits are already coming in to replace many of us "old timers" and pick up where we left off. It still seems like just last week when I was getting settled in my apartment, adjusting to Indian food, and looking at my year ahead. This is why it is so important to be present and savor the moments you have.

Life is today--life is now. Live it, Love it, Enjoy it, and Celebrate it! And most importantly, celebrate the people in your life--give thanks often and be grateful. Take the opportunities to appreciate others, for only through your relationships with others do you truly live!

Peace.

Visit from Our New CEO

This past week marked an important event for Target--the first visit of Gregg Steinhafel as our new CEO! As usual, a team of our executives flew out to join Gregg during this exciting series of events. Throughout the visit we were able to tell Gregg more about Target India and the valuable progress that we've accomplished over these past three years.

This visit also gave us an opportunity to connect with our other senior leaders in our respective divisions. For me that is Jodee Kozlak, our EVP of HR, and Paul Dominski, our VP of Organizational Effectiveness. It's always a treat to reconnect with Jodee and Paul!

Once again, I played the role of "Peter Parker" (thanks for the new nickname, Paul) and was the "unofficial official" photographer of the week's events. I've really enjoyed my new camera this year (a Nikon D40 I purchased specially for this trip... and from Target, no less!) and my photography has really taken off. I've been putting together online photo albums and galleries, many of which have been featured on this blog, and I'm even getting offers to sell my work. It's pretty cool! It's not difficult to find things to "snap" in India--there's a photo shoot around every corner. Amazing events and people just waiting to be noticed. Be sure to stay tuned over the next week when I will feature my newest gallery, "Children of India"--a special selection of photos I've taken of children over the past six months.

Now that most of the executive team has gone, we return to business as usual--or is it? There's always something new to experience at Target, and Target India adds another colorful dimension alltogether! What an amazing opportunity to experience the world this year. I am so grateful to Target for allowing me to take advantage of this experience. When opportunity knocks, don't just open the door--invite it in, call the neighbors, and make a party of it!

Peace.

The Universal Energy of Kids

This past week our training team visited a local NGO (Non-Government funded Organization) named Narendra Nele--local care centers/orphanages for boys and girls here in Bangalore. Established in August 2000, these centers provide food, shelter, health supervision, and formal education to children whose former ‘"home" was the streets of Bangalore. Target teams spend time with local NGOs to connect with their children, learn about their services, and better understand how they support the community.

The site we visited this week was a center exclusively for boys between the ages of 5-13. Needless to say, the boys were delighted to see us--we had come to spend the afternoon playing games with them, show movies, and give gifts to the shelter on behalf of Target. When we first arrived, the 40+ boys were sitting neatly in rows being very attentive and quiet... but that soon changed. With our excitement of the day's events in mind and their eagerness to begin, the troops were up and running within minutes. We all looked at each other and thought, "Here we go" ...and go we did!

The day was amazing--constant stream of movement, shouts, yelling, laughing, screams, shouts, and explosive energy running everywhere. All of that energy made us all feel like 6 year-olds again! The activities of the day consisted of games like "Dog and Bone", where a "dog" from each of two teams attempts to steal the "bone" from a central spot when their number is called (a very high-spirited game involving timing, speed, and lots of encouragement from your doghouse!) - and other games. Then, after much anticipation, the big "finale"--a balloon popping contest. Have you ever tied a balloon to your leg and tried to keep other people from popping it? Total chaos--all of the boys running around trying to pop each others' balloons--just the way the boys liked it.

Finally, we all took some down time to watch Tom & Jerry cartoons (much to the relief of the Target team members!) and the day concluded with our team giving out school bags, paper and pencil kits, toys, and books on behalf of Target. Our team also donated CDs, movies, clothes, stationery, and toys to help replenish their supply--a great opportunity to not only give these gifts, but to give of our time and energy as well. We all left the center exhausted from the experience, but energized. These little souls had stirred-up some powerful energies within all of us and had reminded us of the universal energy of kids--a memorable experience, indeed.

Executive Visit

Last week we had the privilege of hosting Bob Ulrich, our CEO from Target, as he made his final "official" visit to Target India now that he is retiring. Bob was accompanied by the rest of the executive team consisting of Presidents, Executive Vice Presidents, and other executive officers and leaders from the company, including our EVP of HR, Jodee Kozlak.

Over the two-day visit we were able to mingle in events both formal and casual, participate in presentations, and celebrate the wonderful accomplishments of Target India over the past couple of years. It was nice to finally have the opportunity to meet some of the other Target Corporation executives and chat with them about our experiences at Target India.

One of the highlights of the visit came when the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), or non-profits groups, presented a show as part of our Target Community Relations program. There were several groups of musicians, dancers, and speakers throughout this one-hour presentation, and the performances were wonderful. The program contained a mix of traditional and modern Indian music and dancing, and key messages from Target executives and our NGO partners. It's great to see that even though we may be thousands of miles from Target headquarters in Minneapolis, we continue to reach out and serve in the communities where our team members work and live. I feel very proud to be a part of an organization and that continues to give back, and it was nice to see the appreciation and gratitude expressed by the community.

I love Target!

Paul's Cheesy Housewarming Party

This weekend Paul, our Sr. Group Manager for OE here at Target India, had his "official" housewarming party for our Training & Development and Six Sigma team members. Since Paul lives here in Zen Gardens (aka Expat Central or "EPC", as it's affectionately known...), I didn't have too far to travel! There was a nice turnout with members from both teams and some spouses and neighbors. There was plenty of food cooked by Sheela (the cook Paul and I shared when I first got here), so I was able to taste some familiar delicious Indian specialities--her samosas are some of the best I've had... mmmmm.

We all ate, talked, laughed, and shared stories. As expats we've all brought our little "pieces of home" with us... and since Paul is from Wisconsin and an avid Packer fan, he brought a few of his favorite homeland keepsakes with him to India. So, naturally, curiosity got the best of us. At one point during the evening Aparna came into the living room wearing the crown jewel of Green Bay, Wisconsin--the official "cheese head". Everyone loved it! Paul told the story about the famous Wisconsin headwear, and then, of course, everyone wanted to try it on. Luckily, I brought my camera so everyone could get a picture wearing the cheese head. It was good fun for all. Thanks, Paul, for the fantastic "cheesy" housewarming party!

Target India Grows!

Recently we opened our newest branch of Target India operations in Manyata, a region of northern Bangalore. The opening of the Manyata facility was greeted with the usual Indian customs--cutting the ribbon, lighting the oil lamp, cutting the cake, and touring the facility. For many of us this was our first taste of witnessing the traditional India customs involved when "blessing" a new facility, so it proved to be a very interesting and enlightening day.

The detail and preparation for the ceremony was quite evident in the elaborate floral displays (check out the floral patterns on the floors! And those are fresh flower petals, btw...) and the prepared speeches from many of the leaders at Target. To think that we are continuing to grow and expand into the international market is very exciting, and especially in this time of tremendous globalization for business and technology. I am very proud to be a part of this global expansion and to be selected to represent our U.S. corporate offices--it almost feels like being a foreign exchange student all over again! However, this time I'm older and wiser... aren't I... aren't I... (crickets)

Anyhoo--I am very happy to be representing Target Corporation in India for this next 11 months. It's definitely an adventure, and I'm always meeting new people and learning something new. It's actually quite amazing. I think that after you get settled and start "living your life", you can truly be happy anywhere. After all, don't you really carry your happiness within you? If you don't, you should try it--makes things much easier :o)

Happy Holidays, everyone!

A Passage to India

The two days of flying are over and I have arrived in Bangalore safe and sound--hooray! After flying to Chicago; then to Frankfurt, Germany; and finally on to Bangalore, I have adjusted very quickly to the time change. Thanks to Paul Dominski's words of advice (he's my excellent VP at Target--thanks, Paul!), I managed to sleep and stay awake at the right times to beat the shift. I am now 11 1/2 hours ahead of Minnesota time (BTW: that extra 1/2 hour is due to India not wanting to split the country into two time zones...)

My flight into Bangalore was right on time (1:20am), but, alas, the luggage was not. Apparently the luggage door on the airplane was stuck and so we all waited (patiently) for the luggage to arrive. During the wait, all of the lights in the airport went out (power outage), and everyone started clapping and cheering. Wow! Now there's a reaction--they seemed to celebrate! I'm going to like it here :o)

Even though there were a couple of grumblers, most people were content just sitting and waiting. I had on my earbuds listening to Lisa Gerrard, so I was just fine. And, after an hour and half of waiting, the baggage carousel started moving and slowly parcels began to appear. Hey--it was only 3:00 in the morning and after traveling for 2 days, what's the difference?!

Despite the delay of the luggage and a small "snafu" with my Visa in Chicago being delayed, the move to India has been smooth and easy--just the way I knew it would be.

My room at the Oberoi Hotel is absolutely beautiful. The staff is very friendly, the weather is beautiful and sunny (reminds me so much of the climate in Hawaii), and I am very comfortable. I unpacked this afternoon and have been catching up on email. It's nice to have my laptop with me... I feel like I haven't even moved at all! Now to venture outdoors and check out the city.

Namaste :o)

So Take Charge of Education, Already!

Here's a picture from the Bemidji High School homepage (the same article and picture that appeared in The Pioneer, my hometown newspaper) of me presenting BHS with the September Take Charge of Education (TCOE) check from none other than, Target! It was a very cool day all around... Principal Dick Anderson, who, incidentally happens to be a good friend of mine, gave me a tour of the new high school, and Allison, the Executive Team Lead of the Bemidji Target, gave me a tour of their fine store. What a day - it rocked :o)

I love the fact that Target encourages us to actively volunteer to do things like this (present checks to your hometown high school)... I think it really gives a unique opportunity to give back. It's great!

Okay, so now that I've successfully distracted myself from packing for the last hour, I need to get back to work (*sigh*)... moving is really quite a challenge--especially when it's a move to a foreign country. Sheesh

8 days and counting... wow.

Return from Learning 2007

So I just returned from Elliott Masie's Learning 2007 conference in Orlando this past week. This was my second year at the conference and it was, yet again, a tremendous success! I lead a discussion about "blended learning" strategies (the topic for which I contributed podcasts for Masie and a publication for Brandon Hall this year--which also landed me a quote in September's CLO magazine :o) and I ended-up with a great turnout at the session. FYI: If you're ever interested in finding my podcasts or articles, just Google my name. (Sorry about the cruddy res on the pic, but it was from my phone... not too bad for a zoom shot, actually...)

One of the things that I like best about the conference, and Elliott Masie in particular, is the emphasis placed on networking and connections with others. The whole notion of "connections" is something that has struck a familiar chord with me--especially my writing (www.balancefactor.com) and so I tend to gravitate towards those environments which support it. Hence, the Masie conference with it's over 2,000 annual attendees, is rich soil for avid connectors such as myself. Thank you, Elliott! (Thanks also to the great conversations Brandon, Shane, and the singing in the bus on the way to Downtown Disney with Rob--you guys ROCK!)

I'm also in that crunch time mode for my India prep. Wow --never realized how much work goes into an international assignment. Paperwork and process for legal, work Visa, taxes, healthcare (including those immunizations--oi!), leasing my apartment, paying off bills, cancelling subscriptions and memberships... the list goes on. My biggest painpoint so far? Having to cancel my NetFlix membership. OUCH--I spent months perfecting that queue :o( Oh well, if that's the worst of my worries I'd say I don't have it so bad.

12 days and counting...

My Team at Target Minneapolis

We took a team photo last week. It turned out great, but it also reminds me that we've just created a milestone... the picture of the TTS Training team before I left for India :o( It's still all so strange... cool, but strange.

I'm really gonna miss working with this team... This is truly the best team I've ever been on--what a great group!

What Do You Mean 3 Weeks??

Okay, so I get a call from a friend yesterday asking when I'm leaving for India. "Ah, it's still weeks away..." I told him. As we were talking I checked my calendar and counted, "One, two,... " (turning my calendar page), "three... Yikes! I leave in only three weeks!" Suddenly everything around me shrunk into a very small space. My mind kept reviewing all of the lists I'd created that still had items uncrossed on them. Wow. Time moves so quickly when you're multitasking.

So, I guess I just do the best that I can to prepare. I've been creating plans for weeks and now I am implementing them. I guess it's always strange when you actually start putting plans into motion... it changes your frequency--you become so much more "present".

Okie dokie! Back to packing :o)

Itinerary Complete. The Date is Coming...

I got my itinerary today. Looks like I am leaving on Wednesday, November 7th at 3:30pm. I will fly to Chicago, then to Frankfurt, and on to Bangalore. Looks like about 18 hours of flying time (not including layovers), so I'm sure glad I'm flying Business Class :o)

Time to keep packing and crossing things off those lists!