<p>“I’ll never forget that day,” she says nostalgically, “I stepped out of Kolkata, in search of new life, a successful career, and a lot of dreams. I was armed with a Master’s degree in finance, and did a short-term course at IIM Kolkata. After getting placed at a top financial firm in the City as a researcher, I finally landed here.”<br />But her beginning wasn’t what her dreams were made up of, Snigdha recalls her initial struggle. “The first few months were the toughest. Our company had provided us accommodation for a week, after which we were on our own. At the end of seven days, due to lack of time and long training hours, I couldn't find a suitable place to stay, so at the nick of time, I found an apartment, which belonged to a relative of a colleague.”<br />“The area where I stayed, Chellaghate, was in the middle of nowhere, and after 8 pm, we would find no autos there. They would charge Rs 50 to travel barely a kilometre.” It was not only the autowallas who tried to outsmart her. “The local vendors, as soon as they knew I was an outsider, hiked the price to almost double,” she remembers<br />Being a finance expert, she quickly learnt her ways. “I learnt to speak basic Kannada, and that solved most of the problem.” But challenge didn’t end their. Being a single woman in the City, proved quite arduous. “It was always a problem finding houses, as Bangalore is a conservative city. My landlord gave me a tough time; the first month when I didn’t use any electrical appliance, including a geyser, TV etc, the bill came to Rs 800. I was shocked. I went to the landlord, and subsequently the electricity board and finally got my due. <br />But the landlord continued to harass us, and called girls from outside ‘loose and immoral’. It was not very different at work either. Certain men, reeled under the perception that a single woman from a different City were available and approachable.”<br />She goes on, “The first two months, I would cry and wanted to flee from what I thought was a harsh and unfriendly City.” But Snigdha proved to be survivor. “I knew I had to be strong and assertive and fight for myself, I made my stance clear, and was surprised at the respect I got. <br />I won the ‘Employee of the Month’ award, and found friends and colleagues who were really supportive. And things changed for the better in just a year.” <br />And in three years, Snigdha, started earning three times of what she started off with. She also changed her job. She is now working as a consultant with a major software firm in the City, and lives in a plush new apartment. “I learnt a lot, and am grateful for the opportunity. I am a great cook, I bought my own furniture, two wheeler and also travelled abroad,” she says proudly. And now Snigdha is looking forward to getting married by the end of June, to a CA, and shifting her base to Noida.<br />“I will miss my friends and colleagues who have become more of a family to me here, but I’ll keep visiting Bangalore, and maybe even move back here one day. This is where I came as a naive girl, grew up into mature and smart woman.”</p>
<p>“I’ll never forget that day,” she says nostalgically, “I stepped out of Kolkata, in search of new life, a successful career, and a lot of dreams. I was armed with a Master’s degree in finance, and did a short-term course at IIM Kolkata. After getting placed at a top financial firm in the City as a researcher, I finally landed here.”<br />But her beginning wasn’t what her dreams were made up of, Snigdha recalls her initial struggle. “The first few months were the toughest. Our company had provided us accommodation for a week, after which we were on our own. At the end of seven days, due to lack of time and long training hours, I couldn't find a suitable place to stay, so at the nick of time, I found an apartment, which belonged to a relative of a colleague.”<br />“The area where I stayed, Chellaghate, was in the middle of nowhere, and after 8 pm, we would find no autos there. They would charge Rs 50 to travel barely a kilometre.” It was not only the autowallas who tried to outsmart her. “The local vendors, as soon as they knew I was an outsider, hiked the price to almost double,” she remembers<br />Being a finance expert, she quickly learnt her ways. “I learnt to speak basic Kannada, and that solved most of the problem.” But challenge didn’t end their. Being a single woman in the City, proved quite arduous. “It was always a problem finding houses, as Bangalore is a conservative city. My landlord gave me a tough time; the first month when I didn’t use any electrical appliance, including a geyser, TV etc, the bill came to Rs 800. I was shocked. I went to the landlord, and subsequently the electricity board and finally got my due. <br />But the landlord continued to harass us, and called girls from outside ‘loose and immoral’. It was not very different at work either. Certain men, reeled under the perception that a single woman from a different City were available and approachable.”<br />She goes on, “The first two months, I would cry and wanted to flee from what I thought was a harsh and unfriendly City.” But Snigdha proved to be survivor. “I knew I had to be strong and assertive and fight for myself, I made my stance clear, and was surprised at the respect I got. <br />I won the ‘Employee of the Month’ award, and found friends and colleagues who were really supportive. And things changed for the better in just a year.” <br />And in three years, Snigdha, started earning three times of what she started off with. She also changed her job. She is now working as a consultant with a major software firm in the City, and lives in a plush new apartment. “I learnt a lot, and am grateful for the opportunity. I am a great cook, I bought my own furniture, two wheeler and also travelled abroad,” she says proudly. And now Snigdha is looking forward to getting married by the end of June, to a CA, and shifting her base to Noida.<br />“I will miss my friends and colleagues who have become more of a family to me here, but I’ll keep visiting Bangalore, and maybe even move back here one day. This is where I came as a naive girl, grew up into mature and smart woman.”</p>