Back from Amritsar

Well my weekend was wonderful. As for trains in India, well, there are pros and cons...
But, I'm very busy today so will blog more tomorrow; with pictures!

choo choo

Before coming here lots of people told me I just HAD to take a train while here. Well I haven't yet, not on purpose, I just haven't gone anywhere where a train made sense...until now.
Tomorrow I'll be hopping on a train and going up to Amritsar. I'm soooo excited - not about the train but about Amritsar. It was one of the few places in India I'd heard of before I came here so it was one of the two places I really wanted to see while here (the other being the Taj, of course), and finally I'm going.
Am a bit concerned about why everyone says that the trains are so interesting. I love riding trains but mostly because they are rather uninteresting. You get on...choo choo for a few hours and then you are there...what is it about the trains in India that make it so interesting?
Well stay tuned and next week I'll have updates.

Fun with Indian English

Recently I’ve seen some signs around the city for a new fitness program for you to “Loose Weight, Loose Inches”. I like that one. I suppose in theory if your weight is loose you will lose it quite quickly. I’ve actually noticed lose misspelled very very often, to the point that I actually thought that they spelled it ‘loose’ here – they don’t, just a common typo.
And…an ad campaign is out to buy something on sale while stocks last…but rather than ‘while stocks last’ it is ‘til stocks last’. I really don’t like that one. Not sure why it bothers me so much but it really does.
But I’m definitely getting better at understanding the nuances of Indian English. I got an email the other day that my colleague (also an American) couldn't understand but I got it right away. I've finally mastered it...just in time for me to leave.
Aside: winter is over. 3 weeks of 'cold' with space heaters and slippers and I’m back to my open toed shoes. Man I’m going to be in serious trouble next winter!

Belonging to someone

On Monday one of my colleagues got her PAN card in the mail; sort of the Indian equivalent of a social security card; and she commented that it had her father's name listed on it. I checked mine and it has my dad's name there too. I remembered when I filled out the form having to mention "daughter of" but didn't actually notice that his name was there until just then.
On every official form I've had to fill out here I've had to mention who my father is so I decided to ask one of the guys in the office about this. My first question was - what if there is no father? What if a woman gets pregnant, doesn't marry the father and he isn't involved? This question was quite confusing to him and he replied quite simply "I don't think these things happen in India".
Next question; when he fills out a form does he have to mention who his father is? The answer is no. When a woman fills things out she must state who either her father or husband (if she is married) is. When a man fills a form out he just is himself. To which I said "so a woman has to belong to someone but a man is his own person" and the response was a very matter of fact "yes". It occurred to him after he answered that it was a bit of a double standard; but that's just the way it is.
I wonder how long it will be before that changes and women don't have to belong to someone. Probably will be quite a while since it seems to be only us silly foreigners that ask questions like this.

trying to buy a book

At several of the really busy intersections in Delhi there are boys selling books and magazines. It is totally legit to buy from them, the books and mags aren’t stolen. I’ve always wanted to buy a book from them because I feel sorry for them out there all day in traffic trying to sell stuff, but they have never had anything I’ve wanted…or anything I didn’t already have. Well this past weekend I saw that they have that new Dan Brown book, the Lost Symbol, and I thought it would be a fun read so when one of the boys came up I asked how much. He asked for 1,000 rupees – that is over $20! I said no way…and immediately regretted even asking. He wouldn’t go away and suddenly the other boys with magazines were swarming around the car too. My driver helped me out by saying that I didn’t want it. But they persisted and the price slowly came down, 800 rupees, 600, 500. Right before the light turned green it was down to 200 rupees – from $20 to $4 in a matter of minutes and all I did was sit there. Well I didn’t buy it – for me it is the principal of the fact that he thought it was okay to crazy overcharge me just because I’m foreign (I asked an Indian person and they said that the kids will try to get an extra 50 or 100 but never 700 rupees more). It did keep my driver and I quite entertained though; but from now on I think I’ll stick to buying books at book stores.

mixed emotions

I got my ticket for my return flight yesterday and now I'm freaking out about leaving.
On the one hand I'm so ready to leave; I don't want to spend another summer melting away here, and I'm tired of living soooo far away from my friends and family, and my job is very unfulfilling.
But on the other hand I'm not ready to leave. I guess part of that is because I doubt if I'll ever come back and I will miss so many things about living here (the food, my maid, random elephant sightings, to name a few), and there are so many other places I'd love to see in India. It is just so far away from the US and an expensive flight, and there are so many other places in the world I want to visit that a return just isn't likely.
Although if you had told me even 1 minute before I was offered the job here that I would live in India I wouldn't have believed you so really it is entirely possible that I will come here again.
For now I'm trying to live up every single moment until I leave to pack in as much of India as I can.

bad blogger

Sorry, I've been a terrible blogger lately; work has been quite busy and today I had to go back to the FRRO - the worst place in all of India - the foreigners registration office. I got there around 8:15 and was done by 11:30...3 hours faster than last time. They changed two requirements- one of which caused me (and the french man in line in front of me) to have to run out to a notary whose office is located in the middle of a very confusing building and then run back to try and keep our places in line. Actually not that bad to have a break from standing in lines (my legs were so stiff). It was not a fun morning but now it is done. Whew.
Back to work...tomorrow, I promise, a real post.

the sound of honking

Lately I find myself longing for quiet. I decided to have a lazy Sunday at home this past weekend. I was mildly successful but found that I was never able to be completely zen due to the non-stop noise. The construction on the houses being built and torn down; the really noisy birds - there was one crow that was so loud I was convinced he was actually in my apartment. And, of course, the honking that sneaks through.
I started listening to the honking and decided to try a little experiment for a few days...to see, while in the car, how long I could go without hearing a honk. Usually it was constant, maybe a 3 second break between honks. Once I got up to 10 seconds...that was pretty exciting.
I've never been the type of person to care about peace and quiet but I really seek it out over here since it is so difficult to find. Maybe I'll go back to my favorite art museum here this weekend; there is rarely anyone there and the few people that are there are usually westerners too which keeps it quiet.
Its funny, back home I usually always had the radio on because I wanted noise; I guess I just always want what I don't have.
Aside: last night the power went out. I'm so out of practice with power outages because once the heat subsides the power outages do too (no more AC units being used). But now that it is winter the space heaters are on so the power outages are back. Luckily I was able to find a candle and matches pretty quickly and then find my flashlight within a few minutes but I was very confused at first.

I forgot...

I completely forgot to blog about something that I saw way back in September. Not sure why this just popped into my head, but it did. So way back when I went to Dharmsala, we had to take a night bus back because our flight was cancelled (which, amazingly, we got a refund for!); our bus arrived back in Delhi at 5 a.m., at which time I have never been more happy that I have my own personal driver.
Anyway...as we were meandering through the bus station up to the car we saw probably about 100 people, almost all men, who seemed to live at the bus station. It is pretty common in Delhi, well in all of India I guess, to see people setting up 'house' in public places; bus stations, train stations, under bridges, etc. I suppose I should call them homeless but for whatever reason I just call them 'people that live at the bus station' or 'people that live under the bridge'. I saw this show about some of the boys that live in the Mumbai train station and it showed the sort of mini-society they have and how they eke out a living.
So as we were coming through the station these men were all in various stages of starting their day, some still sleeping, others eating breakfast, etc., etc. And there was a group of maybe 10-20 of them with tons of newspapers around them. I looked a little closer and realized that they were putting together the newspapers; taking all the different sections and making one paper ready for delivery. The bus station is fairly close to the major Delhi papers and while this could be done by machines I think it is a great way for the newspapers to save a bit of energy on machines and for these men to make a little bit (and no doubt, it is a very little bit) to help them to survive.
Its interesting; one of the first things that people usually comment on when they come to India is 'why don't they just do that by machine' to any one of a million little tasks being done by hand. And while they could (and I mean building a house by hand is kind of crazy slow) the fact is that there are millions of people that earn a living by doing these little things.
That's one of the things about India; you have to completely forget everything you know as being logical because what makes the most sense to me or you isn't actually the most logical thing here.
Aside: solar eclipse today. I doubt we'll see much of it as it is pretty hazy here in Delhi but I'll have my eyes and ears open for any strange superstitions people mention today.

feeling at home or completely out of place

I've been here over a year and a half now and yet I'm pretty much always aware that I'm a foreigner and that this isn't my country. It isn't a bad thing, just a constant awareness that this is not my home. The best thing I can relate it to is if you have a nagging injury; you may get used to living with the pain but it is always there. Not the best analogy but the best I can come up with.
It does happen every once in a while though that I will completely forget that I'm in India. It is strange when it happens, usually it is when I'm at a restaurant or coffee shop just sitting reading a book and am just lost in my own world and then when I get up to leave I suddenly realize that I'm here. This doesn't happen often but I really like it when it does; it makes me feel like somehow I've conquered India by being able to feel completely at ease here.
Then there are other times when I suddenly look around and am overwhelmed by the feeling that I cannot believe I actually live here. This happened to me last night, sitting in my car in traffic. I suddenly looked around at the cars and buses and autorickshaws and bicycles and just the sheer volume of people and I just couldn't believe that this is actually my life. I know it has been a year and a half but still sometimes I cannot believe that I actually got on that plane and moved over here. I mean I'd never been anywhere in Asia and to just up and move here...its kind of crazy.
Just some of the thoughts that go on in my brain. Now I'm beginning to wonder how long it will be when I move home before I feel completely normal there again. It will be quick, no doubt, but I kind of hope it isn't too quick.

my 19th century life

Last night I was sitting on my sofa all bundled up in a comforter next to the space heater working on a puzzle and was reminded of a scene from a Jane Austen movie where it is winter and they are all sitting around bundled up near the fire.
Sometimes when I'm at home I feel like I live a life a from a few centuries ago. Especially when the power goes out and I'm brushing my teeth and washing my face by candlelight...quite tricky as I tend to splash water quite a bit, which the first few times caused the candle to go out, but I've managed to perfect my technique.
Now, because it is winter here and there are no radiators, right when I get home I immediately bundle up (its usually colder indoors here), slippers and sweaters and such (and no...I'm not complaining about the cold, it is manageable, just involves lots of bundling). I slip under a blanket and put on my space heater and nest for the night.
Adding to my un-modern lifestyle my DVD player has stopped working and for the past few days my cable has been out. My cable going out is not an uncommon occurrence, although usually it is for only a few minutes, this long is kind of strange. So I have been doing a puzzle, or reading or sudoku-ing.
All I need is for my space heater to be a fire and I'd be right back in the olden days. I must say that the lack of modern things in my life does make me enjoy the simple things. I have a sneaking suspicion that one of the things I'll take away from India is a much diminished interest in TV because I'm really enjoying all my books...and it helps me to get to bed earlier, always a good thing.

the end is in sight

I've officially told everyone at my office, and my landlord and my driver that I'm leaving. As ready as I am to leave it feels weird now that it is so official.
So much to do before I leave. As disorganized a country as this is there is tons of paperwork that must be filled out or else. Although apparently none of this paperwork goes anywhere (seriously, I saw an actual picture from the tax office and there were papers stacked to the ceiling on every wall!). Paperwork is such a drag.
Anyway...it is 'cold' here in Delhi now. Not crazy cold like back home but definitely pretty cold. I don't mind it much but it would be nice if there was heating in houses, my space heater has become my best friend. What is really fun is the fog. It was foggy last year but this year is just crazy foggy at night and into the mornings. Reminds me of the old Sherlock Holmes where someone is out on a foggy moor and can't see anything. In those novels/shows usually something bad happens, but I like the fog, makes Delhi seem mysterious and romantic rather than just a big city. But it is a hazard; this morning someone called in late to work because of fog - they couldn't see the roads! And I completely believe her. Reason number 1 million why I don't drive here.
Anyway, time to work on getting a new copy of my lease so that I can prove that I actually live somewhere here. I've already done this but need to do it again.
Why?
Because someone somewhere decided to change the rules. Good times.

build it up...tear it down

I swear, this whole country is under construction. In every neighborhood there are houses being built, and it is a really really slow process. How slow? There is a house being built around the corner from me that they started work on about 3 months after I got here...it still isn't finished.
The thing that I find strange is that as soon as one house is finished being built another one starts being torn down just to be re-built. About a month ago I started hearing all these big bangs and booms in the morning and figured it was just stuff being delivered for the house that was being built. It isn't, it is another house, just across from that one, being torn down. I was pretty surprised since the house seemed to be quite nice...but I see the materials houses are built with here and they aren't very good quality. Even though it takes over a year to build a house it still wouldn't surprise me if one day one of them just fell down because the materials are so poor (and this in the country that built the Taj Mahal).
So why is this house being torn down? Why are there always houses being torn down and then re-built? Turns out it is not because they are falling down but it is to make more money. The new properties are usually built with an extra story on them so the landlords can rent out 4 apartments rather than 3. Seems a bit strange to me though...if it takes about 2 months to tear it down (all manual work) and over a year to build, and you have to pay to build it, wouldn't that end up costing more money?
I guess I'm probably thinking too much into it. All I know is that I'd really prefer if they started working on tearing down the house a little later than 9 a.m. on the weekends.

and am back

Am back in India after being home (and in France) for the holidays. Am quite tired today as I didn't plan my time-change very well and stayed up super late while in France...which was not smart as I was going to bed at around 8 a.m. India time. Oh well, I guess that means today is a 2 coffee day.
So how did India greet me this time? With Christmas carols. They were blaring at the airport, it was pretty funny.
I was also met by lots and lots of fog, as in cars were driving with hazards on so they could see each other; and when an Indian driver makes the effort to drive carefully you know the weather is bad.
And I also noticed just how terrible the roads are here. We hit about 3 potholes, almost drove into random large rocks in the road (due to the fog my driver only just saw them right before we came across them) and just generally had to do lots of swerving. I knew the roads weren't great but for some reason forgot just how bad they are.
Must get back to work, can't spend my first day back from vacation blogging!
Hopefully more tomorrow.