I moved from the US to India last month, along with my husband and cat. It is arguably the biggest move I have ever made, and it has been severely daunting at times yet wonderfully exciting at others. But shoving the serious aspects aside, here are some light-hearted observations about India and my life ever since the move.
1. The public sector in India has been full of surprises, contrary to what I was expecting thanks to my privilege bubble. The Animal Quarantine & Certification Services (AQCS) has been extremely efficient and supportive about importing our cat. They even respond to emails within a day! Similarly, getting a cooking gas connection with Bharat Gas was also so straightforward with minimal paperwork and bureaucracy.
2. The disappointments of the private sector so far have been with opening a bank account at ICICI and the abysmal service by ACT Fibernet.
3. People often ask me why I moved back, whether I got fired. Because, why else would one move to India, right?
4. When I first moved into my apartment, I decided to do all the cleaning myself, you know just like in the US. I had decided to not employ any house help. Within the first few days though, 4 different people rang the door bell and asked if they could clean my house. I eventually gave in to my laziness (and entitlement) and employed this really funny and cheerful lady who is a couple of years younger than me. Ever since, one of the strangest things people talk to me about is the housemaid's salary. I have received some unsolicited yet well meaning advice on bargaining techniques.
5. I get to call up the grocery store nearby and have them home deliver my groceries for free. I don't get a chance to miss you at all, Kroger!
6. Confining our house cat to our house has been a constant target for interesting comments from people whose cats freely roam the streets. Emphasizing that our cat has gotten lost twice when he ventured outdoors by himself seems to have no effect on them.
7. McDonald's, Taco Bell and KFC are fancy joints here, especially Taco Bell. People dress up to go there for date nights, and the food is so much tastier too. In fact, the Maharaja burger at McDonald's has been one of my favorite eats here.
8. How much people rely on cloth bags as opposed to plastic bags is very very heartening.
9. They play the national anthem in cinema theaters before each movie begins. My embarrassing confession is that I actually like the idea. Such a closet patriot I have been.
10. Returning to India has reintroduced the idea of Chai time into my routine and it is the most beautiful of times. Dipping the rusk just the right amount that its soft enough but not too soft that it falls into the tea. It's an art.
11. I finally feel like a responsible adult and honestly, I think it's high time and it feels good.
12. I see that people all over India recalibrate their judgement of your Hindi if you say you're from Chennai. I have got a lot of compliments on my very average Hindi speaking skills. Hum Madrasi log yaar.
13. I play right into gender stereotypes without even realizing it or rebelling against it.
14. I notice that people in my family and friends circle in India are moving more and more towards natural remedies and Ayurveda for a lot of their medical needs. Even allopathic doctors prescribe mild drugs and low dosages. There seems to be a strong resistance to Western medicine, for minor illnesses at least.
15. And finally, lizards man. Why!
1. The public sector in India has been full of surprises, contrary to what I was expecting thanks to my privilege bubble. The Animal Quarantine & Certification Services (AQCS) has been extremely efficient and supportive about importing our cat. They even respond to emails within a day! Similarly, getting a cooking gas connection with Bharat Gas was also so straightforward with minimal paperwork and bureaucracy.
2. The disappointments of the private sector so far have been with opening a bank account at ICICI and the abysmal service by ACT Fibernet.
3. People often ask me why I moved back, whether I got fired. Because, why else would one move to India, right?
4. When I first moved into my apartment, I decided to do all the cleaning myself, you know just like in the US. I had decided to not employ any house help. Within the first few days though, 4 different people rang the door bell and asked if they could clean my house. I eventually gave in to my laziness (and entitlement) and employed this really funny and cheerful lady who is a couple of years younger than me. Ever since, one of the strangest things people talk to me about is the housemaid's salary. I have received some unsolicited yet well meaning advice on bargaining techniques.
5. I get to call up the grocery store nearby and have them home deliver my groceries for free. I don't get a chance to miss you at all, Kroger!
6. Confining our house cat to our house has been a constant target for interesting comments from people whose cats freely roam the streets. Emphasizing that our cat has gotten lost twice when he ventured outdoors by himself seems to have no effect on them.
7. McDonald's, Taco Bell and KFC are fancy joints here, especially Taco Bell. People dress up to go there for date nights, and the food is so much tastier too. In fact, the Maharaja burger at McDonald's has been one of my favorite eats here.
8. How much people rely on cloth bags as opposed to plastic bags is very very heartening.
9. They play the national anthem in cinema theaters before each movie begins. My embarrassing confession is that I actually like the idea. Such a closet patriot I have been.
10. Returning to India has reintroduced the idea of Chai time into my routine and it is the most beautiful of times. Dipping the rusk just the right amount that its soft enough but not too soft that it falls into the tea. It's an art.
12. I see that people all over India recalibrate their judgement of your Hindi if you say you're from Chennai. I have got a lot of compliments on my very average Hindi speaking skills. Hum Madrasi log yaar.
13. I play right into gender stereotypes without even realizing it or rebelling against it.
14. I notice that people in my family and friends circle in India are moving more and more towards natural remedies and Ayurveda for a lot of their medical needs. Even allopathic doctors prescribe mild drugs and low dosages. There seems to be a strong resistance to Western medicine, for minor illnesses at least.
15. And finally, lizards man. Why!
On a serious note, on medical needs, I believe quite a few unnecessary vaccines form part of a kid growing up in US - consequently, some of them cause serious side effects. This is contrary to the belief that life in US is healthier than in India. High time the medical practitioners in US took notice of it for necessary corrections. Happy to hear views from others.
ReplyDeleteWhile there are some negative side effects, they are very rare and minor. There are some conspiracy theories about vaccines being dangerous, but they have no evidence to support their claims.
DeleteInteresting write up with balanced perspective. Well done, Ramya!
ReplyDelete