Checklist

Today I got chased down the hotel hallway by a bat. Since this didn't completely surprise me, I figure I've seen too much. So, I decided to make a checklist.

Number of animals attacking me in hotel: 3 (rats, cockroach, bat)
Number of times my power went out in apartment: too many to count (2 due to toaster though)
Number of times water was shut off: 2
Number of movies I can watch in a trip from Minneapolis to India: 6
Number of planes I've been on during this assignment: 12

That's all I can think of right now. I'm sure there are other stats that I'll add as I think of them.

Last Weekend

Well, I just had my last weekend in Mumbai. Leaving is bittersweet. I can't wait to see my friends and family but I'll miss the people I've met here. Being my last weekend, I had a virtual checklist I wanted to finish up. I went to a movie, dinner at Out of the Blue in Bandra, Drinks/Dancing at Gadda Da Vida on Juhu Beach, Brunch at Indigo in South Mumbai and one last mani/pedi in Powai. All of it was fantastic but I want to tell you a bit more about my movie experience. At first I wasn't going to put this on the list because I thought, how different could it be? After talking to another expat, I knew I had to go. You buy your ticket by seat so you have an actual seat assignment. I sprung for the expensive seat in the last row. It was 50 extra rupees but it was also a lazy boy. How could I resist. The movie was Pirates of the Caribbean 4 and in 3D. The movie had an intermission about half way through so you could take a break and order food if you want. I ordered two delicacies: a cup of corn (not popcorn but a cup of actual cooked corn mixed with salt - very tasty) and a pizza cone (a savory cone filled with pizza topping). Neither of these have made their way to US theaters yet. When I purchased the corn, I got it right away but with the pizza cone they delivered it to my seat after the second half of the movie had started. Now, since I had never had a pizza cone, eating my first in complete darkness was a bit scary. Except for the ketchup on top, it was delicious. I can't get used to ketchup as a pizza condiment though.

Toaster

What happens when you push down the lever of a toaster? Well if you believe Weird Al Yankovic, the wires get hot. Alas, that is what I always believed too. But apparently, sometimes the power goes out. Yes, I blew power to my entire apartment. I called immediately for assistance since a breaker box was no where to be found. When help arrived, they fixed it and had me push down the lever again and boom, out went the power. I have gotten a new toaster out of the experience. My old one served me well but this latest behavior is unacceptable.

Delhi & Agra

Sorry for the long break in blog activity. I was pretty scarred from the cockroach attack :) Last week I was lucky to have a visitor from home, my fiance. We spent several days in Mumbai but also visited Delhi and Agra. I was surprised by how clean and green Delhi was. Driving up to Parliment, it had parkways and trees between the traffic lanes. It was beautiful! Sites we saw include: India Gate, Red Fort, Lotus Temple, Raj Ghat, Capital Buildings, Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and the Baby Taj. The Taj Mahal lived up to expectations and mine were pretty high. The only downside was the entry. As a tax paying Indian resident, I am supposed to pay the resident price for entry when I show my resident book. I have yet to have this work. This means instead of 20 rupees, I had to pay 750 rupees. Frustrating when you have no recourse as there isn't exactly a complaint hotline. I'm including some pictures so you have an idea of what we saw. The upper left picture is of the Taj. The upper right picture is of the judgement area in Agra fort. The lower right picture is of a street in Dehli with interesting electricity line organization.

Time to come home

Well, I had my worst fear happen today. Maybe not worst but definitely up there. I had just woken up and was wondering about the backroom when I noticed something on my foot. After my eyes focused a bit, I realized it was a cockroach! A very large cockroach on my very bare foot! I screamed, shook it off and when it started running around, I covered it with a towel. It is now locked in the bathroom. Hotel staff is on the way. I can handle furry rodents but large bugs I can not handle.

National Park

Today I had a very different experience than yesterday. I went to the Buddhist Caves (Kanheri) about 45 minutes north of my apartment. They were really fascinating, much more interesting than the caves on Elephanta Island and much closer. Again, the monkeys sort of stole the show. We fed them for a bit on the drive up to the caves. We ended up hiking to most of the 100+ caves. Besides being interesting, it was a great work out! After the caves, we went on the Tiger/Lion safari in the park. The two tigers and one lion we saw were all sleeping. It was about 12:30 in the afternoon, I don't really blame them. No pictures of the safari because the animals are too far away for the pictures to mean much.

Reality

Saturday I toured the largest slum in Asia, Dharavi, which just happens to be in Mumbai. I can't say the tour was fun but it was very interesting. We saw two sides of the slum, the industrial side and the residential side. The primary industry of Dharavi is recycling in all forms. They recycle plastic, oil cans, paint cans, leather, etc. Honestly, the hardest part of touring this side was seeing the toxicity. They burn the labels off the paint and oil cans and boil off whatever was inside. Melting the plastic and recoloring it also created a lot of smoke and odd liquids. I felt bad because I was uncomfortable breathing the fumes for the two hours I was there and the people that live there breath it all the time. Especially the workers who live over their workshops.

Most of the 1 million plus residents live in what is called the residential area. Here the houses are packed in. Each one is about 10 square meters. The alleys that run between are about 18 inches wide. Even I felt very claustrophobic walking through. Only 1% of the residents have toilets so the rest share one public toilet where you have to bring your own water. Right outside of the public toilet is also where the trash is dumped. The trash pile seemed to be a favorite place for the children to play. All of the kids we saw were very happy, telling each of us an enthusiastic "Hi" at every turn. The guide said that when the trash pile gets too tall, they burn it. Again, not great for the environment. It was disturbing to hear that there are government workers paid to clean the toilets and carry away the trash but they just don't do it.

All in all, I was amazed at how organized the slum is. I was also impressed with the very strong sense of community there. Most disturbing for me was the pollution and how dirty it was. However, I really wanted to see this ever present side of Mumbai. I've seen the luxurious side but wanted to see this as well. One misconception is that only the poor live in slums. You may be surprised to know that most of the residents work in the city and even in many of the call centers you may talk to on a regular basis. Most of the houses have satellite dishes and electricity. Almost all of the residents have cell phones.

Mango Taste Test 2011

We are getting into Mango season here in Mumbai. As one of the only fruits grown in Mumbai, I knew I needed to try it. What I didn't know was how many kinds of Mango there are. In the grocery store I went to, there were five variations. One of my team members was able to eliminate 2 right away leaving 3 for the taste test: Badami, Alphanso, and Tapuri. One of the mangoes (Alphanso) was about 3 times the cost of the others so it was the front runner right from the start. I recruited Mike, currently visiting from Minneapolis as well, to be my fellow taste tester. After trying all variations, Alphanso was indeed the best. It wasn't even close. It was by far the sweetest and you can tell from the picture, the most colorful (left most mango). I fancy myself a true mango connoisseur now. I'll probably repeat this test in a month to see if the results stand. I'll keep you posted.

It's Raining

No, not outside but rather in my apartment. We're months away from monsoon season but my ceiling decided it couldn't wait. Unfortunately I didn't notice it until I had quite a puddle. The hotel staff fixed the leak (apparently from the AC unit) quickly. It was a good display of separation of duties. The maintenance man came and fixed the leak and the housekeeping team was then called to clean up the mess.

Who Knew

I've been having problems with the corners of my mouth since just days before my visit to the US. The corners seem to have cuts that are pretty painful. At first I thought it was due to stress since there has been so much going on preparing for the trip and then actually traveling. However, when nothing seemed to heal them, I did some research. Apparently, my problem is the leading symptom of a Vitamin B deficiency. When I looked up sources of vitamin B, it made sense since the best sources are red meat and dairy products. Both of which I don't eat/drink at all in India. I visited the chemist (pharmacy) today to get some supplements. Hopefully, they will take care of it and I won't look like I have a clown mouth anymore. Oh the things you take for granted when you can eat/drink anything you want.

Yada Yada Yada

I finally made it back to Mumbai after a very long 24 hrs of travel. For anyone traveling to Mumbai, my advice to you is avoid the Paris airport. There is no comparison to Amsterdam. The Paris airport is so spread out, I had to be bussed from the plane to the arrival gate, from the arrival gate to the departure terminal, and from the departure terminal to the plane. Each bus ride was packed and about 10 minutes long. I also had the wonderful experience of sitting next to a man that loved to talk about himself, how much money he and his children had made, how working for a company was a waste of time, how statistics is the only way to make a decision, yada yada yada. Even when I had my headphones on listening to a movie he would interrupt to talk to me.

Jet lag seems to be much worse this time. I can't seem to get a handle on how best to handle it. I'm hoping a good night's sleep tonight makes everything better!

Paris Airport

I'm halfway through my journey back to Mumbai and have made it to the Paris airport. After a surprisingly long bus ride to terminal C, I only made one faux pas with security. Trying to find the lounge, I accidentally went down the wrong steps and found myself in the security back room. Quickly realizing my mistake, I hitailed it out of there so I didn't land in French prison. I eventually found the lounge and am enjoying a nice French cappicino. One flight to go. I was adding it up and I'll have had 14 flights in 6 months by the time I return from my honeymoon. Pretty crazy year.

To and From

I am now in the Minneapolis airport waiting to head back to Mumbai. It has been a productive two weeks back in the states. I had many meetings while here and started onboarding for my new job as Mobility Program Manager. On a personal front, I did my taxes, addressed and sent wedding invitations, had a dress fitting, attended my wedding shower, wrote and sent thank yous, visited my matron of honor's newborn daughter, attended a neighborhood cleaning party, finalized the wedding menu, cake, and rehearsal dinner menu, and even got to see my fiance, family, and friends a little. I do feel better about the wedding after being here for a couple weeks. At least things are in motion. I can't wait to get the final count and really start checking things off. See all of my Mumbai friends soon, and I'll miss everyone I'm leaving behind. 6 more weeks of adventure and then it's home for good. The end will be bittersweet.

Cricket Mania

I'm not even sure how to explain the phenomena that is cricket in India. Then, when you have a game between India and their biggest rivals Pakistan, the excitement is over the top. It is like the World Series and Superbowl rolled into one! The picture included is during the end of India's batting while the snack was being served in the cafeteria. Although you could here cheering throughout the match while sitting in the office. I feel privileged to have been here during such an exciting time. I flew back to the US the day before India won the Cricket World Cup in Mumbai but I was assured I witnessed "the final before the final".

New Friend

Today I met a new friend! I was all set to spend the day relaxing and catching up on work. When I went to the pool to do a little reading and exercising, I got to chatting with a girl about my age from Scotland. She is here for work and the dates of our assignments are almost exactly the same! She was saying the last time she was in Mumbai she met all kinds of people but this time, no one. So of course I responded with, well you can meet me :) She has a ton of restaurant recommendations and tonight we tried out one. It was a beautiful Italian restaurant and infinitely less expensive than the hotel. I should have a lot more choices to show off to my visitor in May. In turn, I was able to share my bakery and produce store finds. The International Relations exercise continues as I expand my reach to Scotland!

P.S. In the spirit of irony, the hotel ran out of hot water today so the pool was actually warmer than my shower. Interesting situation

True Thankfulness

One of the most touching moments I've experienced since I've arrived is singing "Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart" in a church service this last weekend. To watch people that by US standards have little sing that song with passion was beautiful. The service I attended was held in both Hindi and English which was a different experience. The songs we sang were even more varied. We sang songs in 5 languages and even though I didn't understand 4 of them, hearing how the words sounded in song was great.

Holi

Holi is the festival of colors. It is a day full of fun. What happens is everyone throws or smears colored powder on everyone else. While that is going on, people with water guns spray you with colored water. This results in mayhem! The kids were so cute grabbing heaping handfuls of powder. The one in the picture below even had goggles on. I saw him later and he was completely colored except for right around his eyes! The apartments had their own celebration in the courtyard and I'm including a before and after shot of the area. Quite a striking difference! I missed getting lots of color on me because I was going out for brunch and wanted to stay mostly the correct color. However, on the way to the restaurant I got to see how everyone was celebrating. There was a lot of people odd shades of purple and some roads were closed for impromptu dances.

Elephanta Island

I finally visited the infamous Elephanta island. It was worth the trip but not the destination it was built up to be. Actually the most entertaining thing about it was watching the monkeys harass the people. At one point a monkey decided it wanted a bag being carried by an unsuspecting man. The monkey moved in and made a grab but luckily the man was holding on tight. He turned to see what happened and the monkey growled at him! It then made another grab but the man wasn't backing down and I'm glad to say he was able to keep his bag. I'm including a picture of the Indian equavalent of a dog treeing a cat in the states. This situation was also very amusing to me :) The ferry ride to the island was very nice but long! It was 1.5 hours there and another hour back. I did get some nice shots of the Gateway of India and the Taj hotel from the water though.

Cricket

After watching so much cricket during the world cup, I finally got my chance to play. We didn't get to play a whole game but we did get some batting and bowling (pitching) practice in. I went through about 90% of batting practice holding the bat like I would a baseball bat. This, it turns out, isn't even close. You hold it actually closer to a golf club than a baseball bat. Either way, I had a blast! Bowling was especially fun because you have to bounce the ball before it gets to the batsman. I appreciated this because often when I pitch for softball it ends up bouncing and in cricket this is desired behaviour! Overall, I had a blast. The people in the office again showed their hospitality by putting up with a bunch of cricket newbies. I don't have any good pictures of us playing but I'm including my
favorite snap from the day. I've titled it, "How many people does it take to hold a phone?". The back story is that Vishal was holding wickets at the time and the other guys were just helping him out.

Communication Breakdown

My driver and I are starting to get used to each other but we seem to have more problems than successes mostly due to language. I've been trying to get him to take me to a little store called Bread Talk the last two days after work. The first day the conversation went like this...

Andrea: I need to go to Bread Talk, do you know where that is?
Driver: Yes

And then he drove me straight to the hotel.

Then today, I planned ahead and wrote down the name of the shop thinking maybe Bread Talk sounds a lot like hotel. I even tried to direct him this time but we got to the pivotal junction and I said, "turn right here" but we turned left and again drove straight towards the hotel. I tried to navigate him back to the shop but we hit a one way and I gave up. I'm starting to think he may not like Bread Talk.

The second misunderstand was a little more surprising. I talked with another ex-pat to get advice about having a driver. She said some drivers like overtime and working weekends while others don't. I decided to be proactive and ask my driver.

Andrea: Do you like working overtime like nights and weekends.
Driver: Overtime bad.

I thought that was pretty clear so I assumed he would want the weekend off. So today, I told him the next time I would need him was Monday morning. He asked about Saturday and I said, very cheerfully, no you can have the day off. He looked very disappointed and said that's not good. I'm not sure where I went wrong but I'm sure we'll get this worked out.

Car and Driver

Yesterday was the first day I had my own car and driver instead of using taxis and the hotel cars. I'm very lucky to have it but I feel like I'm back at square one not knowing what I'm doing. I'm not sure how my driver gets paid, how long it takes him to get to me, where he goes when I'm at work, etc. I'm slowly piecing information together. I can't ask him directly because he knows limited English but others at work are helping me figure some of it out. On the other hand, my car is totally sweet. It's a fairly new Honda Civic with a decked out dashboard :) I think I've gotten the to and from work drill down but I'm sure I'll have an update about the weekend since I have no idea how that will work!

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary & Crocodile Farm

I finally got to go on my safari today. We didn't see any tigers but we saw plenty of other animals: 3 types of deer, 2 types of monkeys, wild boar, a fox, crocodiles, a porcupine, peacocks, and a rabbit. We heard elephants but they never came out of the trees. At one point, a troupe of monkeys walked right up to us and then kept going down the road. It was pretty amazing.

We were with another couple from Mumbai on their honeymoon. They were great companions! I'm including a picture of the four of us as well.

We're off to Cochin to fly back to Mumbai tomorrow. It's been a great week away but a lot of traveling!

Kerala

So far Kerala has been fantastic. The space that doesn't exist in Mumbai is all down here. There are large estates and some very large, beautiful houses. We had a terrifying 5 hour drive from the Madurai airport to Thekkady. It took us 2 hours to get out of Madurai and at one point our taxi driving said he was banned from the Thekkady area. This made us feel very save with him. We stopped at his office, to get freon, to get gas and then finally we were on the road. The entire 4 hours was some variation of, we're passing a car and there is a bus coming right at us or that bus is passing someone and coming right at us. All this with no working seat belts! We made it to Thekkady and got to ride an elephant!

Wednesday, it was off to Munnar. We had a much better car and driver for this trip. It took a little over 3 hours and I was car sick most of the time due to all the switchbacks. It was constant curving road but the scenery was worth it. We drove through spice and tea plantations the whole way. I had never thought much about how spices or tea were grown but even if I did, it wouldn't be the reality. The picture I'm including is of a tea field and a picker.

Space

For those of you that have asked, my mom's luggage made it to the hotel about 36 hours after she landed. We fly out tomorrow for Kerala so hopefully all the luggage will make it with us this time.

I got to see something through an other's eyes regarding Mumbai this weekend. There are 15 million people in Mumbai and the people are resourceful. Every square inch of land is used. For example, in the middle of the road, on the median, people string up line to be used for drying clothes. This fact made the fire that swept through a Bandra slum even more sad since there is very little space for them to go. It took the fire truck 25 minutes to reach the area which is not surprising with the amount of traffic on the roads.

Despite that, it's been a fun two days of showing off what I've learned and my daily routine. I'm excited to experience a new state in India and for that matter a completely different region. I've heard southern India is much different than Mumbai which is much different than northern India. I'm sure I'll have much to share from our trip.

Oh, and P.S. I saw the crocodile today :)

Mother

Who can manage to lose her bags, get locked out on a fire escape, surprise the hotel painters and see a crocodile all on her first day? Yup, my mother :) I went to the airport to pick her up and no mother. When her arrival fell off the board I started to get a little nervous. Then when my driver asked, should we try the hotel, I got really nervous. I had visions of my mother wandering Mumbai alone. Finally I got a call from her using the baggage claim worker's mobile. They had lost her bags and she was filling out paperwork. Eventually, she did emerge and we made it back to the hotel. While I was at work, she came up with a plan to get a walk in my exiting one floor via the fire escape, going down a level and walking all the way across the floor to the other fire escape, etc. It wasn't until the door closed that she realized the fire escape doesn't open from the outside! She was eventually able to get in a few floors down where the door wasn't completely shut.

Next, as she was taking a nap in her PJs, she was awoken by painters directly outside her window. After covering up, she waited until their backs were turned before closing the curtains. She did get a fright though.

Finally, on a walk she saw what I have been trying for a month to see, a crocodile in Powai Lake. It was apparently a big one but the water buffalo didn't seem to be afraid nor the people paddling in the lake. One of these days, I hope to see the crocodile myself.

Picnic

For anyone who has attended the IS Picnic in Minneapolis, I just have to say, we don't have nearly as much fun as they do in India. This picnic was unlike any I have been to. There were team building activities, there was rock climbing, there was rappelling, there was balancing on a rope and that was only before lunch. After lunch there was swimming and a rain dance. Most of you, like me, have probably never experienced a rain dance. I expected dancing around some object in an effort to make it rain (as in from the sky). Further, I thought this a little pointless since the chance of rain in February is about nil. Boy was I wrong. There was a DJ who kept a stream of high energy music going while lots of sprinklers rained water down on us. It was great in the hot heat of the afternoon. The sprinklers were pool side so there was a lot of switching between swimming and rain dancing. You have to see the pictures to understand.

Are you smarter than a stove?

Well, the issues with the mice was not resolved and I have moved to a new apartment over the weekend. I'm 5 floors higher so hopefully the mice won't be able to follow. I returned to my old apartment after a night away to pick up a couple more things and my decision to move was confirmed after I saw what the mice did with free rein of the apartment for a night. I'm starting to think instead of mice, I had a pack of wild dogs. My new apartment has been more recently renovated than the old apartment and is very nice. I don't have as nice of view but that is a small price to pay. I was lucky to get a heads up from the other ex-pats that the new stove is different because the stove is easily smarter than I am. I figured out how to turn on the stove but the pans from my old apartment never got hot. I was thoroughly confused. My very helpful fellow ex-pats told that the stove works with special pans that when burner and pan link, only then does the pan get hot. After requesting and receiving pans from the front desk, I put this to the test because come on, no stove links with its pans does it??? Sure enough, the pan almost instantly got hot but the burner itself was hardly warm. This is an amazing invention! However, I don't even want to know how expensive these pans are or what happens if/when I scorch one.

Super Mouse Update

I just got word from the hotel that the super mouse has been found attached to the sticky trap hiding under the dishwasher. I actually feel bad for the mouse, it must have been terrified all day. Anyway, I'm assured the problem has been taken care of and all further holes have been patched. Also they completely cleaned the apartment and shampooed the carpet. I'm giving it another go but I have another apartment available to switch to if this fix fails.

Super Mouse and Normalcy

So much to write about today. I have another chapter to share in the rodent drama that has become my life. The hotel has gotten involved in trying to evict the rodent from my apartment. They boarded up where they thought he was getting in but that didn't seem to stop him. Then last night, they put large sticky traps down to try to catch him in the act. This concerned me because if it was successful and we caught the rodent, I would have to face him in the morning and I didn't relish staring down one angry rodent. Fast forward to this morning. I heard him last night so I knew he had been there. I cracked the door but didn't see anything. I snuck out slowly but still nothing. The rodent had taken the whole trap with him! There was evidence of his passing, some eaten bananas, a wrapper, rodent droppings, but no rodent and no trap. Well, this was the last straw for me. I requested a new apartment this morning. He's given me good blog material but I give up, he won.

My other story for the day happened shortly after I arrived at work. I went down to get some coffee at the local coffee shop. After navigating the road successfully and on my own I might add. The coffee shop could have been from the US, it is just like any Starbucks or Caribou. After spending time inside it was almost like being back in the US. But then I walked outside and on the sidewalk on a busy Mumbai street walked a large cow with a dog following right behind. They walked the whole way down the sidewalk while I watched. That site absolutely, without question, reminded me where I was and I know I'll miss events like that when I come home.

Bank

Today I visited an Indian bank for the first time. My task, changing large ATM bills into smaller usable ones. I have been on a quest for 50 rupee bills to use for tips. I had already asked at the exchange counter at the airport and the hotel. Anyway, back to the story. Upon walking in the door, I was startled by the man standing there with the very large gun. I wouldn't want to rob a bank here when the guards carry that fire power. Not knowing where to go, I asked at the "Can I help you" sign. They directed me to the "Cash" counter which made a lot of sense but was one I was hoping to avoid since right by the counter was, you guessed it, another man holding a very large gun. While standing in line, I tried not to make eye contact with the guard in case I looked guilty. After getting to the counter, I handed over my bills which were then counted by a machine that basically flips them. It was pretty cool actually. He then gave me the smallest bills he had, 100 rupees. My hunt for the elusive 50 continues.

Confirmation

Ok, I am definitely not alone. Now I just have to figure out what species my roommate is. I've started sleeping with my bedroom door closed and locked. Any guesses on what is eating my fruit? I'm guessing mouse (please don't be a rat) or bugs. Out of those, I would definitely prefer a cute little mouse. Please comment with your votes!

On top of the world

I've been missing home and loved ones this week. This is the longest Dave and I have been apart and communication is more difficult than I anticipated. Sometimes when you're feeling low, something happens to pick you up. Another colleague from work, Jack, was visiting this week and last night we did a little touristing. At the end of the night, we visited InterContinental hotel in South Mumbai. The timing ended up just right to view the sunset over the Arabian Sea. It was wonderful and the open air restaurant was so relaxing. I was reminded of how much I have learned about the area and people since I arrived. It's amazing the subtleties you pick up by co-existing and not just talking on the phone. I know this experience will make me a better person and employee. That purpose really makes the homesickness worth it. I know the pictures don't do it justice but it will give you an idea!

Challenges

I've written a lot about challenges in my personal life and adjusting but since the majority of my time here is spent working I thought I would devote one post to that topic. There are some things I take for granted in the states. One is our working hours. When in Minneapolis, I tend to get in early and leave for sure before 5 PM. This means all of my free time is chunked together in the evenings. Here, my free time is split between the morning and the evening. This really limits what can be done in either free times. I also feel for those that have to commute up to 2 hours each way due to traffic and train schedules. This greatly extends their day. The second thing I took for granted is having a guest wireless network. That doesn't exist here and is rough when trying to work with my iPad and/or phone. Finally, due to my PC being Win 7, I can't use any sort of wireless with my PC. I've been relying on a broadband card and cables. A fix is in the works and I can't wait! I'm learning so much here about the people and the environment in which they work. What an experience!

Dosa

I am attempting to cook for myself and decided to be adventurous and try to make a local favorite, dosa. For anyone not familiar with dosa, I am including a helpful link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dosa. Dosa is supposed to be a nice thin cracker/crepe type thing. Mine turned into more like a rice pancake. I tried to make it better by adding nutella. Nutella in my experience makes everything good :) But this turns out to be a less than appetizing preparation. I got some advice from my coworkers and hope next time will be better.

Target by any other name...

I found my India mecca today and it is called HyperCity. About 45 minutes from my apartment there exists a place called HyperCity. One thing I noticed here is that the stores are quite small and you need to visit several types of stores to get everything you can get in one trip to Target. This isn't bad, just different. I actually find it quite quaint and European. However, every once in a while, a girl just wants to go to one place and get everything. HyperCity is that place. It has groceries, cosmetics, toiletries, furniture, household goods, gifts, etc. As if that isn't enough, across the street is an entire mall with clothes, electronics, shoes, etc. It's kind of far away but it's nice to know it's there.

Does this look dangerous to you?

Today I saw three men in hard hats with no shoes and no safety line dismantling the scaffolding they were standing on. Something about the situation screamed "This is dangerous" but they didn't seem too concerned. Oh, and we're on the 8th floor!

I'm not alone

I am starting to think I am not alone in my apartment. The latest evidence is that some fruit I left out yesterday had several small bites taken from it this morning. I'm thinking mouse but I don't really want to accept that. As much as I would love a pet, a small hairy rodent is not what I had in mind. However, even though I don't appreciate a live mouse on my counter, I think I would like a dead mouse on my counter less. Therefore, I am not going to report this situation just yet. I have removed temptation and am hoping my little mouse friend will move on to greener pastures. Please comment with additional advice on how to make my little friend move on.

Temple, Car Towed, Engagement Party... Just another Day

Today I visited another temple in South Mumbai, this one for Ganesh. I am amazed by the temples. There was a group of five of us: Myself, Manisha, Virendra, Anjele, and Virendra's mom. We paid to take the shortcut in otherwise we would have had to wait for at least 2 hours. Up to the temple there are tons of people selling offerings to take in. We also had to check our shoes as they of course weren't allowed. The temple itself is made almost entirely of marble and it was packed. As we filed towards the center it became more and more crowded. In the middle part itself it was a surge of people and you just sort of pushed your way through keeping an eye on at least one other member of your party.

My favorite part of the day (Virendra won't appreciate this) was after we left the temple we walked to the car but alas the car wasn't where Virendra had left it. I was a little confused at first until I heard the word towed. That I understood have had that situation happen to me at least once! Virendra had it all under control though, he quickly found the lot it was towed to, which surprising for those in the US, was only about 2 blocks away. All was resolved quickly and we were on our way.

Next on the list was Madhura's brother's engagement party. I was so honored to be invited and they were all so welcoming. It was a great experience and I got to wear my first traditional outfit from the shopping trip in the previous post. Another excellent weekend but Valentine's day is making me miss home and Dave. Wish I could share this all with him!

Shopping

I'm officially better. It took a full 4 days and lots of different medicines but I feel like myself again. I didn't realize how weak I was until I got better. I decided to celebrate my new found health with what else... shopping!

Manisha and Virendra took me to R City mall to Lifestyle. It was one of the most fun shopping experiences I've ever had. I got a few traditional shirts and one leggings outfit. Apparently February and March are when the stores put everything on sale so it was perfect timing. We spent so much time in Lifestyle we didn't have time to go anywhere else. We are planning a return visit sometime in the future.

Traffic and Electrolytes

On the way home yesterday, I saw something I had never seen before. In the US, it is frustrating when you stop at a stop sign with one or two others and no one knows who should go first. Manisha, Virendra and I came upon a signal light that was out with no traffic cop to direct traffic. It was chaos! The stream of cars who had a path just kept going whether they had to stop and block everyone else or not. We sat there about 5 - 10 minutes before the rickshaws and motorbikes started pushing their way in. At that point total gridlock, no one could move an inch! I still don't know how it got sorted out but eventually Virendra was able to find a way through. I wish I would have gotten a picture for you to see.

The other part of this post's title is electrolytes. The doctor here prescribed them with some other things I was already taking. First this means I had to visit a pharmacy (medical shop) which was actually a very pleasant experience. I would equate it to a Walgreen's for anyone from the US. Anyway, you mix this powder with water and it is supposed to help with my weakness. First of all, yuck! the stuff tastes terrible. But, it does work miracles. I feel stronger than I've felt in days.

Where don't you want to be when sick?

I'm going on day three of being sick and I'll tell you the last place you want to be is in a government office! My task today was to register at the FRRO office making me an official resident. Let me set this up for you, a long alley, no signs, climbing 3 flights of stairs. That is just to get to the fRRO office. I would never had made it without the professional General Mills hired on my behalf, Jay. Once there, I was told i would be on my own. Jay couldn't go into the room with me. So off I go, into a room with many people waiting and a few computer terminals. Trying to remember what Jay told me to do, I filled out my application online and headed to desk 2B. I'm not sure but i think i jumped to the front of the queue at this point - oops! After a very awkward conversation with the worker who spoke little English, I understood through gestures I should go pay now. In line to pay, I was happy to realize the lady in front of me was just as if not more confused than me. I know, that doesn't sound nice but it was a little comforting :) The last part finished up quickly and I was on my way. The whole process took about 2 hrs with 3 hrs travel time. I don't understand how people do it without a Jay. I know I wouldn't have made it!

It had to happen...

Well, I got a little careless and got sick. Let me tell you, it isn't pleasant. I blame the very yummy food and drinks over here for tempting me into it. My team got to tell me a very well deserved "I told you so". They had recommended I start slow but I had to jump right in! I woke up with cramps, fever, and a headache that wouldn't stop. After sleeping 36 hours I woke up weak from lack of food. I ate some cereal and an orange and felt good enough to go back into work. It's nice to be around people again and contious. I have to give a big thanks to the medicines and thermometer sent with me! I am a little disappointed in the SOS card I got. It is supposed to be for emergencies and medical advice. I waited on hold 30 minutes before giving up. Not ideal if this was in fact an emergency.

Conquered Fear

I did it! I ventured out alone! My goal this weekend was to get groceries and other necessities like laundry detergent and dish soap. This would help to break my dependency on the very expensive hotel food. I was very afraid, I'll admit it. My fear was only compounded when there wasn't a hotel driver to use. All of a sudden I was dependent on a taxi driver who I wasn't sure spoke English. We made it to the grocery store alright and that's where the adventure began. I was stared at and watched from the moment I stepped through the door until I left. They had guards in every aisle and the other shoppers seemed overly interested in me and my choices as well. I was shocked by what was expensive and how expensive it really was. The soy milk was almost $5 a quart and the Tide laundry detergent was $10 for a very small bottle and I won't even mention the laundry softener. Now I know why most expats bring cleaning supplies. They seem to be a luxury items here. Anyway, on my way out of the store, I was stopped by the security guard speaking Hindi. After my earlier experience, see "Security Optional?" below, I made a special effort to understand what he wanted. Turns out, I needed my receipt stamped. Simple request, just not so simple via awkward sign language. My taxi driver waited for me while I was in the store and actually turned out to be wonderful. I felt like I had conquered the world upon returning to my apartment!

My first weekend

I've had a whirlwind of a weekend. In one day Rathish, Sujit, Raul, Virendra, and Vishal showed myself and several coworkers around Mumbai. We saw the public laundry, the area where the Bollywood stars live, a huge bridge connecting two parts of Mumbai, a temple, the trains, a local art festival, 2 local pubs, and an Arabic restaurant! It was an amazing experience and so helpful to be shown around by locals. The Arabic restaurant had to be my favorite experience. We sat on cushions around a large table and ate family style. The place was packed when we got there and we ended up shutting it down. I'm having a good time but definitely miss everyone from home.

Cows

I saw my first cow today and was probably overly excited about it based on the reactions of the others in the car. For some reason I thought they would be everywhere but having gone 4 days without seeing one I had lost hope. I can now enjoy my first weekend in peace. Now, for more about the cow. It looked very different than the cows back home. No black and white milk cow here. It was brown with a big hump. I wish I had a picture but I was too busy pointing and shouting cow to think about a camera. Anyway, like all the other animals here, it looked very happy and content. I wonder how the cow and dogs get along? The next thing I can look forward to seeing is a dog chase a monkey. Apparently the monkeys here think that is great fun.

Living in a Video Game

I've come to terms with the driving in Mumbai by pretending I'm in a video game. Then the switching lanes and quick passing don't seem strange at all. I learned today that the average speed of the car in Mumbai is 15 mph and 1,000,000 cars are added to Mumbai streets every year. In Minnesota we would just add new lanes but they have no room to expand roads. I'm glad I'm not in charge of figuring out how to update the infrastructure! It's amazing the variety of vehicles and obstacles you can find on the streets everyday. There are cars, buses, motor bikes, bicycles, rigshaws, people, cats, dogs, cows, and trees. Most visitors agree that simply crossing the street is an accomplishment. I still have not done this without an escort but my goal by the time I come home is to cross the street unaided!

Getting things done

There are many things to get used to in this new culture I have found myself but one thing that didn't take long is the morning beverage service. The first morning I was here, Manisha made a call and minutes later there was a very nice man here with water and Diet Coke. Then this morning, he was back as soon as I arrived with the same. I'm a pretty independent person and usually have trouble being served but I very much appreciate this part of my day!

Security Optional?

I made my first rookie mistake although I'm sure it won't be my last. After going through the hotel security and getting my bags scanned I was invited into a black tented room by a woman. I politely said "no thank you" and kept walking. Who knows what I was thinking, actually I think I was thinking that looks like a photo booth and I certainly don't need my picture taken. After asking other visitors what that was all about, I realized it was a security procedure. Apparently the tent was not for pictures after all but where the women went to be wanded. I'm surprised I wasn't tackeled after refusing the procedure and blithely going on my way. I have since conformed and made ammends with the confused female security guard.

Movie Buff

I've arrived in India after two very long flights. I was able to catch up on all the movies I could ever want to watch. My flight got in about 11:30 PM and by the time I got to my apartment, I was ready to crash. I think this helped since I was able to get some sleep and be at least fairly awake for work this morning.

I had a small fight with my hair dryer when it started smoking but quickly gave in in the interest of not burning my apartment down on the first morning. The hotel hair dryer worked well enough.

I feel a bit dizzy trying to figure out how everything works but the people in the office are amazingly helpful and I hope patient as well since I'm sure I'll have a lot of questions.