Mumbai

I spent this past weekend in Mumbai, the financial and cultural capital of India, but I must confess that I didn't see much of the city. This was thanks to Marriott, who once again honored me with a wonderful (and free) room with a view of the water. And just like in Goa, it was easy to forget I was in India when I was in the hotel. One of the highlights was definitely the daily breakfast buffet that was included with the room. I suffered from my usual dilemma of deciding between eggs or pancakes/waffles. Because because it was a free buffet, I could have both!

On Friday night, we checked out the club in the hotel called Enigma, which is allegedly one of the best in Mumbai. It was nice, but not that great and I can't imagine paying the ridiculous cover charge they usually charge. But since we were hotel guests, it was free. Later on in the met up with Irene Hong (from Georgetown), who just arrived in India that night. She's spending most of her time in Delhi, but it turned out that her 8 hour layover in Mumbai would overlap with my visit. So, being a trooper, she left her bags at the bell desk and stayed in Enigma until she left at 5am for her flight to Delhi.

On Saturday, we lounged by the pool and finally ventured outside of the hotel complex for dinner. Upon returning to the hotel, we opted to hang out in the lobby instead of heading to Enigma again. But the lobby of the JW Marriott is the place to see and be seen in Mumbai. In addition to a model/actor and a singer I didn't recognize, we saw throngs of people there to look for stars. This included a 14-year old boy who was very excited to show us his photos with the abovementioned model/actor and singer, as well as some photos of the Bachchan Bungalow, as he called it. He was visiting Mumbai with his family from Ahmedabad and was in the hotel armed with his camera, just to try to capture some celebrities on film.

Next stop: Pune. On Sunday afternoon, we headed to the train station for the much shorter (only 3 hours) journey to Pune.

In Case You Want to Know What I Do

I've been quiet on my blog this week because I've been working so hard. After a weekend of birthday and farewell celebrations for Louise, I had to kick into high gear. And everyone at home keeps asking what I'm doing here, so now I'm going to give you all of the exciting and not-so-exciting details.

On Monday, I had an informative meeting with Drishtee, an Indian organization that seeks to facilitate entrepreneurship that will enable social and economic growth in rural India. Drishtee also happens to be featured in the latest edition of Time Magazine: Time - Linking to Rural India which they informed me of as soon as I walked in the door.

Drishtee accomplishes its missions by identifying men and women in rural villages and helping them to set up their own businesses, in the form of kiosks. The kiosks sell necessities (like batteries, reading glasses and mobile recharge coupons) and also provide access to information that is critical in a rural society. These include access to government records, agricultural data, life insurance, commodity rates, and educational courses. In addition to providing access to this information, these kiosks also decrease the amount of time it takes for someone to complete a simple task such as applying for a birth certificate, which otherwise would require significant travel and possibly the loss of a day's wages. Drishtee is interested in working with the GSM Association and the various mobile operators in India to use wireless technologies to further achieve its goals.

On Tuesday, I got up early and traveled to Meerut, a town in the Uttar Pradesh (UP) state where Airtel is piloting their Shared Access to Voice project. It took nearly 2 hours to travel there, but it was a very successful day. All of the involved parties gathered in a local Airtel office to conducting testing of the SIM software that is to be deployed. The testing had to be done there, because India doesn't have nationwide mobile service, a concept that is completely foreign to me! In any case, our accomplishments made the long day well worth it.

I spent Wednesday in the Hutch office because I'm picking up this project after Louise's departure. Her pilot launched last week in Yamunanagar, a town in the Haryana state, and is sure to be very successful. From now on, I'll be spending 1-2 days a week working with Hutch to monitoring the initial pilot and continue the rollout.

And that brings me to Thursday. I went to the Accenture office this morning so I could participate in a conference call with my counterparts in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Since we are all working independently but on similar projects, either Shared Access to Voice or Shared Access to Data, we have started these calls to discuss our projects and share our experience.

So, as you see, I've been very busy this week and in a different work location each day. Fortunately for me, I'm off on vacation again. This evening I'm taking a 16 hour train to Mumbai, where I will spend the weekend. After Mumbai and a stop in Pune, I'll head to Goa once again for a week of sun and relaxation!

Louise's Sari Debut

On Saturday afternoon, Louise fulfilled Item #1 on her India Checklist by riding on the back of a motorbike. In order to gain the fullest Indian experience, several conditions had to be met:

1. The woman on the back of the motorbike must be wearing a sari.
2. The woman must be riding side saddle.
3. The man driving the motorbike must be wearing a helmet.
4. The woman must not be wearing a helmet.

Louise, Nic, Ani and I gathered at my place for the photo shoot. Louise arrived looking fabulous in her bright turquoise sari, while Nic arrived in a Texas t-shirt looking quite groggy. But to his credit, people didn't leave his apartment until 5:30am the night before.

We headed outside and Ani and Louise hopped on the bike. Louise naturally posed for some quite fashionable photos. Nic and I jumped in a car and followed alongside as they drove through the city. We made our way through the neighborhood and on to the crowded streets of Delhi. We drove past India gate and around the giant traffic circle. One of my favorite sightings was a car full of men enthusiastically staring at Louise as she cruised by on the back of the bike. The sight of an Indian woman in a sari on a bike is absolutely nothing to them, but I imagine they rarely see white woman clad in a sari on the back of a bike.

We stopped near India Gate for another photo op and there, Louise got off the bike and I jumped on. But, I wasn't brave enough to sit side saddle. Plus, it wouldn't have been as exciting since I wasn't wearing a sari.

Delhi's Biggest Bash

On Friday night, Nic and Louise hosted an awesome party at their flat in GK-1. Friends, co-workers, friends of friends, and people they had never met gathered to celebrate Louise's 25th birthday and her return to South Africa. We were able to brave the cold and spend most of the party outside on the terrace thanks the to heat lamps and the warmth that the kebab grill provided. The night was filled with usual party antics, plus an exploding water tank, an exciting South African dance rendition by Nic and Murray, Frenchmen in Santa hats and a sexy dance to New York, New York.

Elodie brought an amazing birthday cake for Louise. It depicted item #1 on Louise's India Checklist. (See the next blog for the fulfillment of wish). The cake had a picture of a woman riding side-saddle on the back of a motorbike, sans helmet of course. And the cake was graciously presented to Louise by her flatmate Nic, who was clad only in his boxers.

The Big Night

Tonight is the big night, Delhi's Biggest Bash. Nic and Louise are throwing a party to celebrate: 1) Louise's 25th Birthday, which is today, 2) Louise's last weekend in India, and 3) Nic's Housewarming. They been planning the party for months and it's sure to be quite a celebration. They've ordered a ton of alcohol, rented supplies from the golf club and requisitioned a kebab cart from one of our favorite kebab stands. And since the party will be mostly outdoors, they even ordered heat lamps for the terrace.

Unfortunately today was also Louise's last day at work. This meant I spent the day with her and her clients working on our transition. It also involved an early morning for me (I had to get up at 7:30am!) and about 2 hours in the car. While this would be difficult for me on any given day, it was especially hard today because I'm suffering from jet lag. I had a rather sleepless night last night and spent the hours of 4am to 6am wide awake. In any case, I made it through the day (barely), but was able to climb back into my bed at 4pm for a 3 hour nap. I hope this means I'm in good form for the party tonight.

Language Lessons

When I came to India, I expected to pick up a few words of the local language, and I’ve done this thanks to rickshaw drivers and my weekly Hindi lessons. But I didn’t expect to learn new English words, or rather new uses for English words that I already knew. Because I work with and interact with so many people from the Commonwealth, I’ve picked up many new words and phrases based on the Queen’s English and their local variations of it.

Here are just a few of the new words and definitions I've encountered. I've listed my current definitions of them (with the help of Merriam-Webster), along with the “new” definitions and example of how they are use.

Keen: Acute or sharp
New definition: Interested
New use: "Are you keen to go to the party tomorrow?" "Yes, I am quite keen."

Robot: A machine that can perform human tasks
New definition: A traffic light
New use: "This is the longest robot ever!" (This is of particular importance when you are waiting at a long robot and being harassed by beggars).

Digs: The act of digging, turning up soil (v.)
New definition: Apartment or flat (n.)
New use: "You should come and visit me and my digsmate at our new digs."

Jersey: A top worn by an athletic team.
New definition: A top made of wool, worn by anyone.
New use: "Chanda, I really like your new jersey."

Tracksuit: Another top worn by an athletic team, particularly when they are warming up.
New definition: A sweatshirt, worn by anyone.
New use: "Hey, can I borrow your tracksuit? It's quite cold outside."

Mission: Specific task or assignment (n.)
New definition: To hurry or rush (v.)
New use: "Since we were running late, we had to mission to the train station to avoid missing our train."

And there are a few other words that I had heard before, but never really used, such as revert and loo (bathroom). And I use the word quite way more often than I ever have before. Just take a look at my examples above for proof.

It really amazes me that the same language is spoken throughout the world, but has so many variations. And now when I come back to the U.S. and start using these words and phrases, you will know what I am talking about. This should prevent the blank stares that I have been giving in return when I don't understand. Unfortunately for Louise (who is from South Africa) has often been on the receiving end of my blank stares. But now that I have (most) of her lingo down, we can converse just fine.

The Christmas Extravaganza

This Saturday was the biggest and best Christmas Extravaganza to date. Over 400 guests joined in on the festivities and traveled from all over the country to help us celebrate the holiday season. In addition to my arrival from India, one of my friends and former co-workers came from Vancouver and won the longest travel award.

My day started before 8am when I received a call from the stage and dance floor company. I soon made my way into the city to meet them as they set up for the event. The rest of the day was filled with last minute errands and preparations for the party. It was all worth it as we were able to pull off another awesome party.

This year, we also had some cool and extravgant additions, including an ice sculpture with the Christmas Extravaganza logo, a light display also with the logo, and Carolers to greet guests as they arrived. The highlight of the night was definitely the band, Mr. Greengenes, a great cover band that is known through DC and the Shore area. While the band was incredible, our friend Ayana definitely stole the show when she joined the band on stage for Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On.

Here's a link to more photos from the party, which will be posted on the website soon: Christmas Extravaganza Photos.

Back Home

I've been back home for less than 24 hours and I'm amazed at the contrast between urban Delhi and suburban Washington, DC. Here are a few of the highlights for me so far:

- Driving my own car and going where I want to go, when I want to go. No need for a rickshaw.
- Eating prime rib for dinner last night.
- Seeing Christmas decorations.
- Not constantly hearing car horns. I don't think I have heard one since I have been back.
- Leaving voicemails. This concept is unheard of in India.

At the same time, there are things I miss about India. Things are expensive here. $3 for a coffee? On my 50% salary, I'm going to have to watch my spending over the next few days. And of course, the people. I've met some great folks during my time there. For instance, Louise! I'm missing her last week in India. Fortunately, I will return just in time to see her off and to attend Delhi's Biggest Bash (Maybe Nic and Louise's answer to the Christmas Extravaganza?).

So while, it's nice to be back home, Delhi has been my home for the past two months and I'm looking forward to getting back.

Leaving for the States

Today, after just shy of two months in India, I'm returning to the States for a short visit. I'm a sucker for big parties and I just can't bear the thought of missing the 9th Annual Christmas Extravaganza! So, I'm packing my bags (there are many at this point), checking out of my guest house and returning to DC for a week. Aside from the Christmas party and the early Christmas/Birthday/New Years celebration with family and friends, I get to go to Ray Lamontagne concert at the 9:30 Club on Monday! Very excited.

But I have to admit that I'm not quite ready to come home. I've only been here for two months and the novelty of living in India hasn't worn off yet. I think that after 3 or 4 months, I would be in much need of a break, but for now, I'm having a great time and don't really want to leave yet.

And my early trip home, means I will have to last from mid-December to mid-April without a break. Fortunately, I will be entertaining visitors throughout January, February and March, so that should give me a good dose of home.

In any case, I look forward to seeing many of you in the coming days and catching up on everything. See you soon!

Goa Getaway

This past weekend, Louise and I treated ourselves to a romantic, inexpensive getaway to Goa. This was thanks to the all of the Marriott points I've acquired by living out of a suitcase for the past few years. Our room offered a spectacular view of the ocean (which turned out to be just a river). We arrived on Friday evening and enjoyed one of the most spectacular meals of my time in India. We selected our red snapper and tiger prawns straight from the fresh seafood bar and enjoyed them by the waterside.

We spent the bulk of our days lying by the pool which was right on the water. The highlight for Louise was the pool bar, where you could enjoy your cocktails in the water. The highlight for me was the little flag on the side of our beach chairs. When you put the flag up, a pool boy would come running over to attend to you within seconds. Absolutely wonderful.

On Saturday night, we teamed up with two other foreigners we met in the hotel. Marco, from Switzerland, and Gilberto, from Italy, were also enjoying a weekend away from their work in Lucknow. Only their company was paying all of their expenses, and some of ours as a result. Together we explored the night market, where I literally spent all the money in my wallet and had to stop by an ATM to get more money for the rest of the night. Then we had dinner at a restaurant on Calangute Beach and we ended the night at Club Cabana, a huge club on the top of a hill with incredible views.

Proving just how small the world is, Louise bumped into a girl she knew from Delhi. She was also in Goa for the weekend with two friends. One of these friends was Mark, a guy from Vienna, Virginia, a town just next to Reston. It's funny that you can travel half way around the world and meet someone who lives next door.

The weekend in going was short, but very relaxing. While I've already checked this off of my Things To Do List, I'm already planning a return trip for New Year's. And that time, I will stay much longer.

Casino Royale Delhi Style

The other night, I met up with a few friends to check out the latest James Bond film. Going to the movies is the same anywhere, right? Well no, that is not the case with India. Here are a few of the differences I observed.

First, there are assigned seats! I learned this when I suggested that we split up before the movie to get seats and popcorn. I immediately received several blank stares and I knew I was off. Louise and Nic confirmed this is also the case in South Africa.

Second, I had to walk through a metal detector to enter the theater, my purse and wallet were thoroughly inspected and I was subjected to a thorough pat down. I thought I was going to see a movie, not board an airplane. But as my friend reminded me, “This is India. There is always the threat of terrorism.”

Then, I discovered that there are intermissions during movies! Louise and I were quite confused when Bond and the latest Bond Girl headed off towards the bedroom and the film cut off, we were quick reassured that it was just an intermission and the film would resume in 10 minutes.

And the best part. Our tickets to Casino Royale, for which all of you in the States are paying $9 or more, was only 150 rupees ($3). Nice, huh?