Recently I had the pleasure of being an honored guest in an Indian home. One of our Indian colleagues asked us to join him, his wife and their one year old son for brunch. I did some quick research on customs and culture but you never really know the credibility of the stuff you read…
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Dealing with the constant stares here in India is taking an emotional toll on me. I had hoped it would stop by now, at least with the crowds I see on a regular basis. But alas, it continues. In fact, the longer I sit in one place, the more the crowd grows. It’s as if…
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Aside from the pollution in Delhi, the next hardest thing for me to adjust to has been the traffic, and I’m quite certain there is a correlation between the two. With over 8 million vehicles a day on the road, the result is like Mr. Toads Wild Ride, a game of Frogger and the worst possible gridlock, all combined into one horrible nightmare. There are very few cross walks, so people just cross traffic whenever, and wherever they feel like. If you hesitate you’re screwed. You just have to do it with confidence, trusting that the traffic will go around you. It’s a new kind of adrenaline rush!
The next most notable thing aside from pedestrians crossing everywhere is that there appears to be no enforcement of any traffic laws. A three lane highway becomes five lanes of traffic with everyone squeezing in shoulder to shoulder and honking boldly and often. The honking basically alerts other drivers that the one honking is proceeding so they had better get out-of-the-way. It is non stop and very annoying. Most roads are one way roads, and it’s all too common to see people pull U turns and go the wrong way down a one way street just because they are fed up with traffic. I can assure you that when you see headlights coming straight at you at night on what is supposed to be a one way road, it will make even the most courageous tourist’s butt pucker!
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Culture shock is always expected when spending anytime in a foreign country, but I have to say that living and working in India has been harder to adjust to than any other country I’ve visited. Everything is different here from traffic to cuisine and sometimes it feels like even the simplest things are a big…
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I find that I am developing an everyday routine now. It is human nature, things that used to surprise me I hardly notice anymore. So I thought that I would share with you some things I see almost every day in India.
Fruit carts are everywhere. I was warned by locals not to eat any of the fresh fruits and vegetables because I might get sick, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to live a year without fresh fruits and veggies, so I took a risk. I’m glad I did because I haven’t gotten sick to my stomach yet and they are quite delicious. My favorite is fresh guava. They cut it up for you and dip it in salt. Yummy!
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Doing business in India can be very frustrating. There seems to be an overall lack of efficiency. Indian employees are not encouraged to speak up and to think for themselves. They typically have a very formal relationship with their boss and are expected to blindly follow orders. I find that it requires a good deal…
DetailsMy 15 hour flight from Seattle to Dubai was sheer torture. You know you’re in trouble when after the pre flight loading of families with small children the waiting area at the gate is almost empty! I had demon spawn from hell sitting behind me, a toddler screaming and kicking my seat the entire way.…
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I am writing this during my 24 hour trip home. Our airplane is somewhere over Iceland and the view of the icy mountains below is really amazing.
Just a couple of night ago I had a very fun date with a young Indian man who works in the hotel where I am staying. He suggested we go to Hauz Khas Village. I had no idea what to expect. Turns out Hauz Khas Village is a very unique and fun experience. Picture downtown New Orleans meets The Alamo and Central Park! It is a contemporary shopping center with hip bars and restaurants on the upper floors where you can stare down at the young hip crowd below. Right outside is a huge park surrounding a lake, an ancient fort and an Indian Temple.
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We left at 5:00 AM on a foggy Saturday morning. Our driver, Pawan, was in good spirits as usual. Carlos, my colleague from Venezuela was very excited to be on his first road trip in India. So it would be just the three of us, but I was grateful for the company. Adventures are always…
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Working in India has many similarities to working in the U.S. It also has many differences. I can only speak of my experiences so far and it includes working with one of the largest companies in India.
The building we are in has nearly 4,000 workers. It’s quite modern with lots of glass. It even has a glass elevator, large fountain in the lobby, a huge open courtyard with palm trees in the center, cafeteria and daycare. The bathrooms have bathroom attendants. Directly across the street is a huge pile of garbage and homeless people. It is quite a contrast. The street vendors argue for the best spaces out front and dozens of tuck-tucks await their eager passengers ready to commute home after a long day of work.
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