As I write this it has been 15 days since the actual event but the memories are still fresh.
The one question that I asked when I was to leave for Philly was “Will it snow there?”. I desperately wanted to experience it and after a long wait (quite long I should say), false warnings and a few non impressive snow flakes falls later we got a concrete warning that it was going to snow in Philadelphia starting Feb 13. The people around me were getting nervous and I was getting excited. The paradox of the situation did not miss them either :).
Feb 13th . I got up in the morning expecting roads to be covered with snow. Nothing. But it was not a false warning. As I saw the flakes falling I could not help feel butterflies in my stomach as if going to an award ceremony to get a trophy. I left the hotel and walked to my office on foot to experience snow fall. It was an exhilarating experience especially the first time I guess. Once in the office I could still the beautiful white flakes falling from the sky. I kept taking snaps but none could do justice the sights I saw. In the afternoon I took a walk in the nearby park with a few colleagues, the park covered with the white carpet. Too bad it was a working day could not get crazy in the snow. The walk back in the evening was a difficult but a very very good experience. Trudging in piles of snow was such a fantastic feeling.
Feb 14th . Valentines Day. It is just the only day which shouts out to you “YOU ARE ALONE, YOU DUMBHEAD”. On normal days that would not bother me but just this once, alone in a hotel, alone in a project with no one from my company with me, among complete strangers and away from friends and family on a wonderfully beautiful day sort of highlighted the fact. It was still snowing hard and the snow from the last day had solidified to ice making walking on the pavements difficult to walk on. In the office most of the people left early. I too left early that day. On the way back I could see couples in the snow covered parks walking together inspite of the cold winds.
Though it could have been more fun... this was my first snow. I loved it and one of my aims of visitng the US of A was complete. Work .. shmirk.. that’s not what I came here for ;)
