Friday, November 11, 2005

Things I've had to adjust to while living in India

-A reduced concept of personal space. Does every Tom, Dick, and Vikram really have to lean on me? Why must you stand right next to me (shoulders touching) when there is plenty of space for you to move down!

-Higher pollution levels. But it's ok, I actually like my air chunky, it makes it more real that way. One time there was a sign that said that fine particulate was 300% above safe levels. Yummy!

-Having to pay someone to do the dishes, sweep, mop, and wash my clothes. As convenient as it may be to have someone do that, I encounter a couple of problems. 1) Things are not done how I like them and I have no way to convey that and when I have she ignores it. 2) Hand washing and line drying is actually really rough on your clothes.

-All the chicken is skinless. Fried skinless chicken is SO not the same.

-Onions the size of walnuts, anorexic garlic. The pumpkin is really good though. :-)

-Very different office work environment.

-Concepts of cost, Indian Rupee vs. U.S. Dollar. I make INR 15,000/mth, 5,000 of which goes to rent. INR 10,000 is actually not a lot when you have to eat, pay for transport, pay for utilities, language classes, socialize, etc. But I still think in U.S. money to I keep finding myself going "Whoa, that's only 500, so cheap!" when in reality that is 20% of my weekly allowance!

-Having to choose between Indian food or Chinese food everyday (except on the nights I cook for myself). As tasty ass it may be, it does get old day in and day out.

1 comment:

Ameet said...

Things I've had to adjust to in North America:

- keeping a straight face while all the WASPs around you order Broccoli Chicken at the local Chinese joint

- onions the size of small pumpkins ... now I know why people have so many kids ... so they can actually use up a whole onion when they peel it

- oversized, plump tomatoes without an iota of flavor (this was before I discovered Roma)

- bland white meat chicken .. hello Delaware! it's not supposed to taste like cardboard!

- urinals without dividers

- locker rooms - GOSH how uncivilized!!!

- beans cooked without any asafetida ... ok it smells awful, but all you need is a tiny pinch and ... GAS BE GONE!! Small price for a little public decency.

- buses that never show up, and when they do, are dripping rainwater onto half the seats

- no 'chaiwala' in your office ... you actually have to brew your own tea .. and good luck finding real milk

- your food choices at airports are: Whopper, Big Mac, fried chicken, ... or you can sit down at an airport bar and pay twice for the same crap delivered by a rude waitress

- your food choices on a plane are .... NONE. Good luck findind a North American airline that still serves hot meals