January 30, 2012
It's hard to believe that we have already been here almost a full month. Time is passing quickly and much is happening. We have definitely hit a few speed bumps but for the most part things are going well. It just all depends on how you choose to deal with the setbacks or different ways of doing things here. Sometimes it's tough. But it's always an interesting story to tell later..
“India is simply a minefield of relentless mental, emotional and practical daily challenges for most non-Indians,” according to Denmark native Pia Mollback-Verbic, the director of a Mumbai-based qualitative market research firm who relocated there via the U.S. in 2007. “It’s nothing less than a riddling obstacle course, which only can be navigated with a healthy dose of humor, expansive capacity for patience, and tolerance for the illogical.”.....
True that! A big part of me wanted to rant and rave about the negative experience I have had with Airtel (mobile phone company) but the quote above regarding navigating India with a healthy dose of humor etc...has helped me shrug and think "that's India" and move on. So thanks Sam for posting that article on your facebook, I will refer to it when an attitude adjustment is in need.
So instead of focusing on the illogical, this post will be about all that is positive and all that we have accomplished in the short time that we have been here.
The positive begins with the fact that expats here are REALLY nice. It feels like everyone here is in the same boat and everyone seems to really look out for each other and help each other along the way. There's a sense of "we're all in this together" and it's really wonderful. I look forward to nurturing my new found friendships and experiencing this new chapter in our lives.
Bruce has started school. He's going to a montessori school from 9-1, Mon-Fri. I stayed with him the first day, just kind of hung out in the background to see how he would do. You can imagine my guilty pleasure when after the children sang "good morning to you" Bruce stood up and sang the chorus of " I am iron man" by Black Sabbath. OOps! The teacher looked at me strangely and I just shrugged. Heehee
It's hard to believe that we have already been here almost a full month. Time is passing quickly and much is happening. We have definitely hit a few speed bumps but for the most part things are going well. It just all depends on how you choose to deal with the setbacks or different ways of doing things here. Sometimes it's tough. But it's always an interesting story to tell later..
“India is simply a minefield of relentless mental, emotional and practical daily challenges for most non-Indians,” according to Denmark native Pia Mollback-Verbic, the director of a Mumbai-based qualitative market research firm who relocated there via the U.S. in 2007. “It’s nothing less than a riddling obstacle course, which only can be navigated with a healthy dose of humor, expansive capacity for patience, and tolerance for the illogical.”.....
True that! A big part of me wanted to rant and rave about the negative experience I have had with Airtel (mobile phone company) but the quote above regarding navigating India with a healthy dose of humor etc...has helped me shrug and think "that's India" and move on. So thanks Sam for posting that article on your facebook, I will refer to it when an attitude adjustment is in need.
So instead of focusing on the illogical, this post will be about all that is positive and all that we have accomplished in the short time that we have been here.
The positive begins with the fact that expats here are REALLY nice. It feels like everyone here is in the same boat and everyone seems to really look out for each other and help each other along the way. There's a sense of "we're all in this together" and it's really wonderful. I look forward to nurturing my new found friendships and experiencing this new chapter in our lives.
Bruce has started school. He's going to a montessori school from 9-1, Mon-Fri. I stayed with him the first day, just kind of hung out in the background to see how he would do. You can imagine my guilty pleasure when after the children sang "good morning to you" Bruce stood up and sang the chorus of " I am iron man" by Black Sabbath. OOps! The teacher looked at me strangely and I just shrugged. Heehee
I can admit that I am feeling guilty about Bruce. He has been in and out of hotels since December 5. It is wearing on him being cooped up in a hotel, so starting school has been a good way for him to get back into a normal routine. We will all be so much happier once we are into our "home". That happens on Wednesday, this is India though....crossing fingers.
You know what? I seem to have writers block today. Wait, ok let's see. We have purchased a vehicle. Yuk a mini-van, but hey the process was quick and painless and we are happy to have that out of the way. It was easier than getting my cell phone, how weird is that? And we also have hired a full time driver. Shankar so far has been a great help. He shows up every morning, early, and always wearing very stylish attire. I like his personality and he has been great in helping me find my way around the city. Together we have scoped out where my dentist appt is at, where we will be buying fresh meat and even helped me find a Panasonic dealer (another story, another time). He is always respectful, dependable and kind to us and especially Bruce. I hope he'll be happy working with us, I know we are happy with him. John read that India, the most important person on your staff is your driver. Did I mention that his ringtone is "Go, go, go, shorty, Cause it's your birthday, wee gon' party like it's yo birthday, we gon' sip Bacardi like it's your birthday"....ha ha, how could we not get along?
Ok, so we've met nice people, Bruce has started school, we are moving into our home on Wednesday, we have a car, a wonderful driver...what else.....hmmmmm Oh yes, now I remember. I also stole from McDonalds last week. Well sort of. Her name is Hema. Yes, I'm a terrible mother blah blah blah, I take Bruce to Mickey D's at least twice a week. I do it for a sense of security or normalcy, just
something familiar to our very new life here. Anyway, every time we have popped into that McD's this smiling, very nice young lady would cross the counter and kneel in front of Bruce and chat with him. She would then scoop him up in her arms and take him to the ice cream machine and give him a free ice cream cone. We could never get Bruce to even try ice cream. Now he loves it of course. Anyway, after seeing how comfortable Bruce seemed around her and how consistently nice and playful she was to Bruce every time we saw her I offered her a job. I felt kind of awkward, like I was "stealing" from McDonalds, but she literally jumped at the chance to leave her job there and she starts this Saturday. It was strange going into see her last Friday. She came straight to us, and did her usual with Bruce. Told me she had given notice and that she was excited to be working for us soon. While we sat at the table, every single one of her co-workers came over, patted Bruce's head and told us how "happy we are feeling for Hema's good fortune", they genuinely seemed happy for her and made me feel less guilty for "stealing her away". I hope we meet her expectations and vice versa and that this will be a good fit.
I leave you now with my favorite pics from the past two weeks, till next time!
You know what? I seem to have writers block today. Wait, ok let's see. We have purchased a vehicle. Yuk a mini-van, but hey the process was quick and painless and we are happy to have that out of the way. It was easier than getting my cell phone, how weird is that? And we also have hired a full time driver. Shankar so far has been a great help. He shows up every morning, early, and always wearing very stylish attire. I like his personality and he has been great in helping me find my way around the city. Together we have scoped out where my dentist appt is at, where we will be buying fresh meat and even helped me find a Panasonic dealer (another story, another time). He is always respectful, dependable and kind to us and especially Bruce. I hope he'll be happy working with us, I know we are happy with him. John read that India, the most important person on your staff is your driver. Did I mention that his ringtone is "Go, go, go, shorty, Cause it's your birthday, wee gon' party like it's yo birthday, we gon' sip Bacardi like it's your birthday"....ha ha, how could we not get along?
Ok, so we've met nice people, Bruce has started school, we are moving into our home on Wednesday, we have a car, a wonderful driver...what else.....hmmmmm Oh yes, now I remember. I also stole from McDonalds last week. Well sort of. Her name is Hema. Yes, I'm a terrible mother blah blah blah, I take Bruce to Mickey D's at least twice a week. I do it for a sense of security or normalcy, just
something familiar to our very new life here. Anyway, every time we have popped into that McD's this smiling, very nice young lady would cross the counter and kneel in front of Bruce and chat with him. She would then scoop him up in her arms and take him to the ice cream machine and give him a free ice cream cone. We could never get Bruce to even try ice cream. Now he loves it of course. Anyway, after seeing how comfortable Bruce seemed around her and how consistently nice and playful she was to Bruce every time we saw her I offered her a job. I felt kind of awkward, like I was "stealing" from McDonalds, but she literally jumped at the chance to leave her job there and she starts this Saturday. It was strange going into see her last Friday. She came straight to us, and did her usual with Bruce. Told me she had given notice and that she was excited to be working for us soon. While we sat at the table, every single one of her co-workers came over, patted Bruce's head and told us how "happy we are feeling for Hema's good fortune", they genuinely seemed happy for her and made me feel less guilty for "stealing her away". I hope we meet her expectations and vice versa and that this will be a good fit.
I leave you now with my favorite pics from the past two weeks, till next time!
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