With 2/3rds of the internship over, I feel that this is a good time to reflect back on what I expected coming into this, what I learnt here and …well… I have a month left to find out what I’ll leave with..

So the first reaction amongst my circle of contacts, personal and professional, was.. “ Florida!!?? I didn’t even know that Microsoft has an office over there! I mean, isn’t Redmond the center of the universe (if you discount a similar claim by the Yankees about a piece of real estate in Bronx..)..so are you out of your mind heading to a satellite instead of the planet!! “. My gut feel was that “I’ve never worked with the LATAM region before and it’s a role that I have never explored. So let’s do it!! It will be great!!.”

It was also the first time that an MBA intern program was being held in this office.  But a very detailed talk with the GM, who outlined a large number of exciting projects that I could choose from, assuaged any concerns and doubts.. It truly was an opportunity for me to have a great summer (and not just because it was FloridaJ )..

The amazing team that I have been introduced to in this duration has confirmed my gut feeling. It is a group of bright people tackling some really tough problems. I’ve had real fun here and have had no problems in mixing with the team.  I have seen a piece of a puzzle that I had no prior exposure to. Three months may be too less a time to grasp the intricacies of the task but is a good time frame to understand the importance and enormity of the puzzle.

Some of the obvious items missing are a structured intern program, the executive lunches and networking with the other MBA interns; but I have no doubt that I have a very exciting project that I am working on and probably wouldn’t have gotten this exposure had I been in Redmond. So it’s a balancing act which has been fairly easy till date.

Now my regular readers (all 5 of you), must be wondering..what’s up with this dude!! Why so serious? Where’s all the haiku and stuff!! You even got in a couple of italicized statements (though not at the beginning of the postJ)..Is it anything to do with the Dilbert cartoon where the PHB is banished (almost) to the dungeons as his blog has become an embarrassment to the company? J

Well..no. I actually just had too much coffee.. the caffeine jitters diminish my haiku-ing ability..

Time for some more cortadito J…

Hasta Luego.