To be continued...

I've decided to keep my blog up and running to share mine and Ani's travels through the US in May. So far we are planning to visit Louisville, New York, Pittsburgh, and Miami, in addition to spending a fair amount of time in DC. Sure, Louisville and Pittsburgh aren't the most exciting places in the US, but Ani has a friend in Louisville and my sister is in Pittsburgh. It's not only about the places, but also the people, right?

And from there, I'll share my future travel adventures on the blog too. I'm sure there are more to come!

Final Tally of My India Checklist

I love checklists and when I first arrived in India, Louise and I put together lists of things that we wanted to see/do/experience while there. Over the past 6 months, I checked off most of these items. Here's my final report:

Go to an Indian Wedding - Done. I went to an awesome Indian wedding in a sari in November. Definitely one of the highlights.

Get henna on my hands - Nope. I never got around to this and then when I remembered last week, it was too late. I was a bit worried that the henna would remain on my hands too long and wouldn't impress Mrs. Kondor at Diane's upcoming wedding. Next time I will make sure to get this done.

Travel to Goa - Done. I actually did this twice. Once for a weekend with Louise and once for a week with Ani. Had a blast both times.

Ride on a cool animal - Done. I rode on a camel in Jaipur when Joey and Jarret were in town.

Learn basic Hindi - Done. Although I still have a long way to go, I definitely made some progress in this area. I'm like a little kid though as I try to read aloud street signs every time I'm in the car. My friends and colleagues are very amused.

Visit the orphanage in Amritsar - Nope. I never had a chance to return to the orphanage, but at least I did get one trip in during my first weekend in India.

Travel to Kerala - Done. Spent a week in Kerala at the end of my time in India. Had a wonderful time there and I got to experience a very different India.

Incredible India

Incredible India. The Ministry of Tourism's catchy slogan (with accompanying theme song) perfectly sums up my thoughts of India.

I've just left after being lucky enough to live and work here for just over 6 months. I definitely didn't want it to end. I loved the work, the experiences, and the people I met. I loved the cultural differences I encountered everyday. I loved the challenge the living in a world where I couldn't always be understood.

Plus, I hate goodbyes. Fortunately, this one was considerably easier than most I have dealt with in the past. First, I only had to say goodbye to Ani for a week since he arrives in Washington next Thursday for his month-long visit to the US. Second, I only had to say goodbye to my friends for a few months, since I plan to return by September. And third, I said goodbye to the work, but I know my colleagues will keep me updated on our projects by email and I may even check in on them when I return.

Here are a few of my favorite things about India:

1. As crazy and chaotic as many things are, things still manage to function. Somehow.
2. Family is the center of Indian life and the most important thing - above work, friends, and everything else.
3. Eating with your hands is not a bad thing.

As much as I love India, there are still a few things I could never get used to:

1. Women are revered and respected, yet are still not regarded as equal to men.
2. Infidelity is rampant and this is often attributed to arranged marriages. But why boast that the divorce rate is so low if it also means the amount of cheating is so high.
3. Toilet paper is not readily available. Many Indians prefer to use some water and a hand.

And India has also taught me a thing or two about life back home:

1. Central Air Conditioning is a wonderful thing. I left India just as the weather was hitting 105+ F on a regular basis and I'm sort of happy that I will be missing the scorching, dry summer in Delhi.
2. The racial, cultural, religious diversity in the US is an amazing thing and something most Americans take for granted. I know I did. It's so ingrained, that I don't usually even notice it.
3. India isn't so far away, thanks to email, cell phones, and friends that are willing to travel to the other side of the world!

In the end, I found that India was truly incredible and I'm looking forward to returning and continuing the adventure.

Highlights of Kerala

Yesterday Ani and I returned from a week long trip to Kerala, in southern India, which was absolutely amazing. I think the best thing about it was that it was so different from the rest of India that I've seen. The people were very friendly. The surroundings were green and lush. The food was incredibly fresh and very tasty.

Our first stop was Fort Kochi in Kochi. We spent two days there, enjoying our hotel, the Old Harbour Hotel, exploring the small fishing village, and viewing the Portuguese architecture throughout the town.

From Kochi we travelled to car to Munnar, a hill station in Kerala that filled with tea plantations. The only downside was that most of the tea plantations are owned by Tata Corporation. The company seems to run the city, along with the local tea museum and several of the major roads that climb the hills. Despite this, our two days here was very relaxing, and very cool, compared to the heat and humidity of the other towns we visited.

Next, we headed back the coast of Kerala and stopped in Allepey. Here, we hired a houseboat and spent the next day exploring the backwaters. Life here was quiet and peaceful. No car horns anywhere. On the boat, all of our meals were provided and were prepared with fresh, local produce. Very yummy.

Our Kerala trip ended in Varkala, a small beach town that sits on a cliff above the ocean. Aside from enjoying the views and the fresh seafood, we also visited a Hindu temple that is over 2000 years old and enjoyed aryuvedic messages.

It was wonderful exploring Kerala and there was so much we didn't even get to see everything. A return trip to Kerala is definitely in a my future and next time, it'll be even longer.

Kerala-Bound

I'm off to Kerala, in the south of India, for my final trip in India, this time around. People have warned me that it can be oppressively hot and humid there, but I don't care. It's also supposed to be green and lush, quite a contrast to the dust and dirt of Delhi.

Plus, it's 106 F/41 C in Delhi today! How much worse can it get? It's only supposed to be 91 F/33 C in Kochi, so I am looking forward to the relatively cooler weather.

Kerala is a small state on the Arabian Sea and it's often referred to as "God's Own Country." It has lush greenery, tea plantations, better beaches than Goa, and amazing cliffs on the edge of the sea. At least that's what I've heard. It's also one of the best Indian states, in terms of life expectancy, literacy, infant mortality and gender equality. And surprisingly, Kerala has one of the world's only democratically-elected communist governments.

Here's an interesting National Geographic article on Kerala.

So, I'm off to the airport soon and will be MIA on my blog for the next week. Hope the weather is warming up back home. If you get sick of the chill, just think of me in the sweltering heat of India!

Fear of the Police Part 2

The Delhi Police are also working to enforce laws about residential vs. commercial zoned areas. All over town there are shops and restaurants operating in areas that are supposed to be residential-only. Months ago the Supreme Court ordered the police to close down such establishments, but enforcement has been slow, thanks to significant protests by traders associations.

But the Supreme Court yelled at the Delhi Police this week for their inaction and they are working to "seal" these places again. I just got to witness some of the actions first hand. I was in my local market and saw a huge mass of people gathered. Turns out the police were there to close legal shops and push back legal shops that had expanded their businesses to the sidewalks and areas in front of their stores.

I also noticed that all of the newspaper, tobacco and PCO stalls were closed. I saw people scurrying around closing gates and removing signs. My guess is that all of these shops are not legally operating and their fears got the best of them.

Despite all of the fear and commotion today, I bet that tomorrow, life and business will be back to normal. Until the Delhi Police come through again...

Fear of the Police

The Delhi police are finally out in force this week. They've recently increased fines for traffic violations and they have taken the streets to enforce them now. My friends have claimed that people are actually stopping well because pedestrian crossings out of fear. And people now think twice about running a red light since the fine has increased from 100 rupees ($2.32) to 600 rupees ($13.95).

I think it's great that people are finally forced to obey the traffic laws. What a concept. And if it takes a little money and a little fear to do it, so be it.

Maybe I'm Jinxed?

So today is my last day on my ADP project working with the GSM Association. I've spent the week writing lots of documentation, discussing future plans for my projects and saying goodbye to the colleagues I've worked with over the past 6 months.

Despite all of my efforts, the futures of the 3 projects I've worked on are all questionable because I'm not the only person moving on. During the past 3 weeks, well mainly this week only, I've learned that my key contact within each company are leaving their current position or the company all together. While I've known that the success of most projects is dependent on the people that are involved, this has been re-confirmed 10 times over in India. And consistency is key.

At Partner #1, the executive sponsor left the company last week and a new guy has come in. This could be a positive change in the end, but right now, the new guy's commitment to our project is up in the air.

At Partner #2, the executive sponsor is moving to a new position within the same company. This guy has been very energetic and supportive of our work and there's a lot of concern that the momentum will be lost without him.

At Partner #3, the marketing director I've worked with is leaving the company for a competitor. To make matters worse, I handed over this project to an Accenture colleague a month ago, but this week she announced that she was leaving the ADP program and India immediately. So now she's gone and the marketing director is on his way out, leaving me to pick up the pieces (while I am on vacation)!

I'm trying not to take this personally and I keep reminding myself that the Indian job market, and particularly the wireless industry, are very competitive and people are constantly jumping from one company to another. But I can't help but wonder if I've done something wrong.

Holy Cow

I get a lot of questions about cows in India, so I figured it was about time to write about them. Plus, I have a great photo to share.

In Hinduism, which is followed by nearly 80% of Indians, cows are viewed as sacred animals because they provide milk and are seen as matriarchal figures. But they are not worshipped. In any case, most Hindus do not eat beef and many do not consume meat at all, and some are lacto vegetarians and do not consume any milk-based products.

So yes, I often see random cows roaming the streets throughout the country, even in my neighborhood. It doesn't really phase me anymore. But when Jen and Mike were here, we saw a cow laying in the middle of the road tying up traffic. That I don't see every day.

And yes, to answer the question asked by many (including myself), the random cows have owners.

So, today I stepped onto my balcony in the afternoon and saw this random cow hanging out in the alley across the street!

Easter in India

I'm back in Delhi where the low temperature is twice the high temperature back in DC. I must admit that it was nice to escape the usually cold weather in the US. It’s now 4:30am and I can’t fall asleep. I was sleeping fine until my doorbell and my phone rang at 2:15am. See below for why.

My return flight was rather eventful and involved a delayed flight from DC, an airport change from Dulles to National, a sprint to my connecting flight at Newark, and missing bags upon arrival in Delhi. I boarded by 8:45pm flight at 8:44pm. I was thrilled that I made it, especially since I’d gotten off the plane when it was delayed in DC because I didn't think I would make the connection. I decided to take a chance and it paid off.

I wasn't surprised that my bags didn't make the flight since I barely did. But I was surprised when my bags appeared at my door at 2:15 in the morning. I still can't figure out how they made it to Delhi because the next flight from Newark wasn't scheduled until the following night. But I guess that doesn't really matter.

In any case, I’m really excited that my bag arrived because now I can dye Easter eggs in the morning. I know it’s a silly thing, but little things like this are important when you’re living away from home.

So, Happy Easter from half a world away!

Scheming

Scheme. This is one of my favorite terms I've come across in India. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines a scheme as "a plan or program of action; especially : a crafty or secret one." In the US, a scheme has a negative connotation and we usually think of the "crafty or secret" ones or pyramid schemes.

But in India, a scheme is simply just "a plan or program of action," so I come across schemes all the time. When I buy talktime for my prepaid mobile phone, I have to choose a scheme (or promotion). The government sponsors all sorts of schemes for education and health care initiatives.

Even though I understand how the word is being used, I can't help but grin when I get to pick from one of the latest schemes.

Where's Chanda?

For anyone wondering about my whereabouts these days, I'm back in DC - but only for a week. I had to come home to renew my visa because apparently, it's nearly impossible to get this done without leaving the country. And while I could have gone to Nepal or another nearby country, I opted to come home. It all worked out because I also have to have a bridesmaid dress altered. Diane's wedding is just a few days after I return home at the end of the month and I wanted to ensure that I had enough time to get it done.

So, 2 days from now I will be back on the long flight from Newark to Delhi (about 14 hours)! Next week, I'll finish up my projects with the GSM Association and next Friday I'm heading down to Kerala in the south of India for a week of relaxation.