No one can prepare you for the madness that is Mumbai. The taxi ride alone from the BOM airport to our hotel in Bandra West completely blew my mind. From the chaotic late night traffic, to shocking site of the slums right outside the airport, to the sheer quantities of people, unfamiliar smells, and incessant noise all around, it is like nothing I’ve experienced before. Although I only got a little taste of what is to come on my first night, I could tell this is going to be the start of an incredible experience.
I am here in Mumbai for 1 month with 10 colleagues from various parts of the world as part of SAP’s Social Sabbatical program. This program is part of an SAP Corporate Social Responsibility initiative designed to:
Provide a unique leadership development opportunity to SAP employees with a cultural immersion component
Foster growth in countries identified as SAP’s emerging markets
Positively impact the regions identified both economically and socially through pro bono project work with hand selected entrepreneurs, NGOs, and government agencies
Some of the highlights of the weekend included getting to know my fellow team members, eating delicious Indian food from various regions of the country, exploring Bandra on foot while praying I dodge the auto rickshaws in time, and of course, visiting the Gateway of India.
I am looking forward to beginning my project work this week with UnLtd India along with my colleagues Dave (Vancouver) and Masa (Tokyo)!
