I was telling somebody how stressed I was because of the exam, and how I couldn't sleep for many days, and I got a rather bloody remark in return - maybe I should remain a student pilot all my life. Maybe this person had vaulted up some negative thoughts about me, and I can't blame them. Sometimes we just don't know what we say. Fortunately for this person, I'm a different person today, and I forgive this person for having said such a belittling thing. A few years earlier, and I would have walked away with 2 teeth and a lock of hair. Anyways, for those who think I'm a sissy, you know not what I'm made of. I'm up here to kick ass, and like they say, the life of a sword starts as a block of steel.

I passed the exam. Relatively, I did well, 84%, it's one of the highest any Indian student got in the Private Pilot written exam here !!! YAAAAAAAA. I'm so happy. But I know I could have done better. The stress and anxiety of writing an exam after 7 years got to me. Ok, so other students prepare 2-3 weeks, while it took me 2 months. But there were other things happening in my head. It makes me crazy sometimes. Anyways, I managed to study, and I managed to pass.

I often pressure myself, the fact that I'm the grand daddy here, oldest Indian student, I should be able to do at least as well as the new breed. I don't know if this self pressuring is good or bad, but it keeps me energised, and I just like it that way. Oh, the new breed - that's how I like to call them - the 18 year olds who have a different walk, different talk, different thought, than what I would expect from a prospective professional pilot. Can you picture 18 year old Mumbai dikras, walking like hero, ogling at girls, talking like zero, every 3rd word obscene profanity, every 3rd sentence a curse, abusing their radio priviledges in air, and last but not the least, smoking endlessly? I just don't understand how these boys, only 10 years younger than me, could be so off-track, taking so much for granted! Has my Country changed so much in just 10 years? Anyways, the fact is that, these boys will be flying the airplanes you'll be travelling in, only a few months from today.

So it's back to flying for me. Unfortunately my cool instructor Ben Webster is moving to another section (IFR) of the training, and I'll have to chose a new instructor. He humours me, says we'll meet again in a few months, when I get to the IFR stage. So lets see what happens now. I'm just revising the flight manual, so that I can start flying quickly, I'm sure I'll have to go on a flight with an instructor, just to show that I haven't forgotten how to fly, because I've not flown in 2 months.

While Canada has treated me well so far, I'm getting concerned about my getting used to the overly comfortable lifestyle that my landlord Mr.Singh allows me to live, and being in close proximity to all the Indian room mates. So I'm considering moving. I don't know if this would be wise, but then I'm not here to enjoy life, I'm here to study, so it shouldn't matter where I live, provided I have the requisite environment. After 4 months, I've even come to the conclusion that the distance to my school doesn't make so much of a difference either - if I have the will to go to school, I'll make it there, irrespective of how far it is.

Cheers
Mayur Poddar