this weekend i'm heading to akshardham, an indian wedding and the taj mahal! watch this space for updates... camera will certainly be in tow
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
mmmm
i'm pretty sure that no chicken korma i ever had in the UK had actual rose petals in it! delicious!
indian marriage
i was told today that it is a trend for unmarried women who work in the noida office to get married within 6 months of joining the office. i told the team they have some work to do as i'm only here for 3 more weeks! ha ha ha...kidding! don't worry family...i'm not planning on staying here forever. :)
there was another cultural difference that came up today that i must mention...not to pass judgment, but simply to note it. when considering hiring a young, unmarried woman, you have to consider her a possible flight risk. if she gets married soon, she may leave to follow her husband. if he lives in the same area, she will probably stay. but if he lives somewhere else, she will leave to follow him. women also generally cannot be kept at the office for as many hours as men. they must go home and cook and prepare things at home, while men do not have this resposibility. oh the culture shock...
there was another cultural difference that came up today that i must mention...not to pass judgment, but simply to note it. when considering hiring a young, unmarried woman, you have to consider her a possible flight risk. if she gets married soon, she may leave to follow her husband. if he lives in the same area, she will probably stay. but if he lives somewhere else, she will leave to follow him. women also generally cannot be kept at the office for as many hours as men. they must go home and cook and prepare things at home, while men do not have this resposibility. oh the culture shock...
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
dichotomy
to the left is a picture inside my hotel grounds
to the right is a picture outside the front gate of my hotel
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
day 3
i can't believe it's been only 3 days. with jet lag, time differences and new experiences, it feels like it's been much more than a few days.
i got to have lunch with the ladies of the office today, and i'm hoping they've taken me under their wing as they're all quite sweet. in an office of 70ish, there are only around 10 woman. the canteen lunch here is delicious - rice, chapati, chickpea curry thing, potato & cauliflower dish, a dumpling and spinach dish, yogurt and a slightly strange sweet cashew dish.
i had to say goodbye to my roommate tonight when the hotel asked me to switch rooms (something about a water leak in the shower). after talking with the ladies at lunch, though, i think it will not be uncommon to get a new lizard pet. apparently they like to hang out in corners...i think i know some people like that. oh wait, maybe that's on corners... :)
i got to have lunch with the ladies of the office today, and i'm hoping they've taken me under their wing as they're all quite sweet. in an office of 70ish, there are only around 10 woman. the canteen lunch here is delicious - rice, chapati, chickpea curry thing, potato & cauliflower dish, a dumpling and spinach dish, yogurt and a slightly strange sweet cashew dish.
i had to say goodbye to my roommate tonight when the hotel asked me to switch rooms (something about a water leak in the shower). after talking with the ladies at lunch, though, i think it will not be uncommon to get a new lizard pet. apparently they like to hang out in corners...i think i know some people like that. oh wait, maybe that's on corners... :)
Monday, February 23, 2009
indian tv
in my spoiled little hotel/apartment world, i have satellite tv. there are only a few channels in english, but the shows they have are hilarious. i actually caught a week-old episode of the soup - who would have guessed?! one channel has a set of programming called "old skool" with shows like 90210 (the original) and gilmore girls - yay!
the commercials are quite different. almost every shampoo commercial advertises that it helps with "hair fall". indians have such thick and luxurious hair...i cannot believe they are so worried about losing a few. now when you have hair like me, that's when you have to worry about each and every one that falls out! the commercials for skin lightening creams look like US self tanner commercials shown in rewind.
there are a few movie channels that have subtitles in english, even where the movie is in english already. i can see how this would make it easier to follow...kinda like closed captioning. the part that cracks me up is that the captioning is censored while the film is not. example - the character says "what a bitch" but the caption says "what a witch" - hilarious.
as this morning the oscars were happening, just about every news channel was giving updates on the winners. every single broadcast was completely focused on slumdog millionaire...not a surprise. one news channel went so far as to ask every actor they interviewed on the red carpet whether they enjoyed the film and thought it would win. when they asked sophia loren, her look of disdain for them asking about slumdog and not about her dress or jewels was priceless.
the commercials are quite different. almost every shampoo commercial advertises that it helps with "hair fall". indians have such thick and luxurious hair...i cannot believe they are so worried about losing a few. now when you have hair like me, that's when you have to worry about each and every one that falls out! the commercials for skin lightening creams look like US self tanner commercials shown in rewind.
there are a few movie channels that have subtitles in english, even where the movie is in english already. i can see how this would make it easier to follow...kinda like closed captioning. the part that cracks me up is that the captioning is censored while the film is not. example - the character says "what a bitch" but the caption says "what a witch" - hilarious.
as this morning the oscars were happening, just about every news channel was giving updates on the winners. every single broadcast was completely focused on slumdog millionaire...not a surprise. one news channel went so far as to ask every actor they interviewed on the red carpet whether they enjoyed the film and thought it would win. when they asked sophia loren, her look of disdain for them asking about slumdog and not about her dress or jewels was priceless.
the office experience
i feel lucky to be a visiting foreigner... i get an arranged car to take me to and from the office each day. the driver picks me up on india time, meaning 20 minutes late. we take the harrowing journey through morning rush hour - even more pedestrians, bicycles (with sometimes 4 people on a single bike), motorcycles, rickshaws and cars.
upon arriving at the office, i can tell that i'm expected as the various levels of security smile and show me the way into the office. i'm greeted at the door by GN and shown to my desk. several people stop by to say hello and ask how my journey was. everyone is warm and welcoming...it's great. the IT guy that sets up my computer looks like hiro nakamura (do you think he can travel through time and setup networks?). after awhile, the head of the office takes me around the office and introduces me to all the people i've been emailing for the past year. i'm getting familiar with the indian head shake...it seems to mean yes/no/maybe and cracks me up.
at 11 and 4 i get to experience the office tea time - a man (chai-walla?) brings tea to everyone's desk and it's delicious. i now understand why my friend aarti says the starbucks chai just doesn't measure up. the office also has a subsidized lunch that is brought in. they bring the lunch to me and one of the managers, but they want my first day to be special so they add a couple of extra dishes. there's the yogurt chicken starter again and a butter chicken curry (YUM!) plus the standard paneer, lentils, rice and chapati. it's fantastic.
the office is amazingly quiet until about 4:30...it seems the second cup of tea has awakened everyone. after 6 i chat with a few coworkers, who offer to show me around markets and restaurants near my hotel/apartment. again...the hospitality is overwhelming and i have to wonder if we would do this well of a job in the beaverton office.
upon arriving at the office, i can tell that i'm expected as the various levels of security smile and show me the way into the office. i'm greeted at the door by GN and shown to my desk. several people stop by to say hello and ask how my journey was. everyone is warm and welcoming...it's great. the IT guy that sets up my computer looks like hiro nakamura (do you think he can travel through time and setup networks?). after awhile, the head of the office takes me around the office and introduces me to all the people i've been emailing for the past year. i'm getting familiar with the indian head shake...it seems to mean yes/no/maybe and cracks me up.
at 11 and 4 i get to experience the office tea time - a man (chai-walla?) brings tea to everyone's desk and it's delicious. i now understand why my friend aarti says the starbucks chai just doesn't measure up. the office also has a subsidized lunch that is brought in. they bring the lunch to me and one of the managers, but they want my first day to be special so they add a couple of extra dishes. there's the yogurt chicken starter again and a butter chicken curry (YUM!) plus the standard paneer, lentils, rice and chapati. it's fantastic.
the office is amazingly quiet until about 4:30...it seems the second cup of tea has awakened everyone. after 6 i chat with a few coworkers, who offer to show me around markets and restaurants near my hotel/apartment. again...the hospitality is overwhelming and i have to wonder if we would do this well of a job in the beaverton office.
first impressions
i'm in india! it's difficult to even put into words. though i was mentally prepared for most of what i'm seeing, it's an overwhelming sensory experience and hard to describe. the airport met my expectations...huge queues for immigration, baggage claim taking somewhere just shy of forever, someone trying to grab my bags to help me (for a tip of course), smog hanging low in the sky, etc. thankfully i have a very kind colleague (named GN) meeting me to help guide me through the hectic airport. his tee shirt cracks me up and surprises me - it has a fake blood splatter and says "i went hunting with dick cheney". ha!
onto the crowded highway, where painted lane dividers are only a suggestion. a two lane highway can fit 3 cars, 1 bicycle, 1 motorcycle and an auto-rickshaw across, didn't you know? making turns is even more frightening - just inch your way into oncoming traffic until they slow down enough to let you squeeze through. this tactic is used by all modes of transport already listed, plus pedestrians. honking horns are the music of the roads - you don't honk out of irritation, but just to announce your presence...constantly. trucks even have painted across the back "please honk!". we got stuck in a 1am traffic jam because wheat had been spilled all over the highway.
the conversation is entertaining. GN asks me at one point if i'm a christian, then assures me that there is one in the office so he will tell her to say hello to me. he asks me if i go to pubs and discos (yes); when i ask him if anyone in the office does, he says they might "in secret". apparently religion is an acceptable topic for the office, but drinking and dancing is not - ha! he asks me if i'm married and i think is shocked that i say no. when he later asks me my age, i think the shock deepens - 30 and unmarried?! tragedy! :) GN tells me about how the office has been planning for my visit, and they will make sure that i have things to do on the weekend. they take great pride in showing off their country, and they want me to have a fantastic experience. i heard hospitality would be overflowing, and it's true! he says the office has asked if they can "play holi" with me during the upcoming festival...can't wait to post about that!
after a few hours of sleep, GN meets me to take me to lunch and grocery shopping. we go to the new mall in the area, which surprises me with its size and modernity. security checks bags and pats us down at the entrance. most of the shops i don't recognize, but a few surprise me: GNC, papa johns, KFC, benneton. GN helps direct me in the grocery store so that i may find a few "eatables" for the evenings. the lychee juice is delicious! we then go to a very nice lunch at what i think is a quite posh restaurant. the food is delicious - yogurt chicken and honey lamb for starters, followed by indian vegetables and lentils with rice and chapati. GN and i each have an alcoholic beverage, which he assures me he will keep a secret. i mean, what would the girls at the office think of me?! after lunch we head to a local market for a SIM card. everyone stares at this strange white girl waiting outside the vodafone shop. i use the term shop loosely...it's really a small storefront in a cinderblock crumbling building. this description really doesn't do it justice...it's so hard to describe what this average street market area is like. there's a man next to me who is hand-stitching up car tires for a fee, while he sits on a homemade bridge that runs over stagnant water with an unpleasant smell. there are street dogs and cows everywhere, chewing on the garbarge that litters the side of the road. one woman empties her garbage into the median road divider. it makes me feel guilting about throwing away anything here...knowing that it will probably end up somewhere similar. apparently the cows are continuously having stomach problems from the garbage bags getting stuck in their guts. while everyone stares at me, i can't help but stare back at my surroundings and drink it all in...
onto the crowded highway, where painted lane dividers are only a suggestion. a two lane highway can fit 3 cars, 1 bicycle, 1 motorcycle and an auto-rickshaw across, didn't you know? making turns is even more frightening - just inch your way into oncoming traffic until they slow down enough to let you squeeze through. this tactic is used by all modes of transport already listed, plus pedestrians. honking horns are the music of the roads - you don't honk out of irritation, but just to announce your presence...constantly. trucks even have painted across the back "please honk!". we got stuck in a 1am traffic jam because wheat had been spilled all over the highway.
the conversation is entertaining. GN asks me at one point if i'm a christian, then assures me that there is one in the office so he will tell her to say hello to me. he asks me if i go to pubs and discos (yes); when i ask him if anyone in the office does, he says they might "in secret". apparently religion is an acceptable topic for the office, but drinking and dancing is not - ha! he asks me if i'm married and i think is shocked that i say no. when he later asks me my age, i think the shock deepens - 30 and unmarried?! tragedy! :) GN tells me about how the office has been planning for my visit, and they will make sure that i have things to do on the weekend. they take great pride in showing off their country, and they want me to have a fantastic experience. i heard hospitality would be overflowing, and it's true! he says the office has asked if they can "play holi" with me during the upcoming festival...can't wait to post about that!
after a few hours of sleep, GN meets me to take me to lunch and grocery shopping. we go to the new mall in the area, which surprises me with its size and modernity. security checks bags and pats us down at the entrance. most of the shops i don't recognize, but a few surprise me: GNC, papa johns, KFC, benneton. GN helps direct me in the grocery store so that i may find a few "eatables" for the evenings. the lychee juice is delicious! we then go to a very nice lunch at what i think is a quite posh restaurant. the food is delicious - yogurt chicken and honey lamb for starters, followed by indian vegetables and lentils with rice and chapati. GN and i each have an alcoholic beverage, which he assures me he will keep a secret. i mean, what would the girls at the office think of me?! after lunch we head to a local market for a SIM card. everyone stares at this strange white girl waiting outside the vodafone shop. i use the term shop loosely...it's really a small storefront in a cinderblock crumbling building. this description really doesn't do it justice...it's so hard to describe what this average street market area is like. there's a man next to me who is hand-stitching up car tires for a fee, while he sits on a homemade bridge that runs over stagnant water with an unpleasant smell. there are street dogs and cows everywhere, chewing on the garbarge that litters the side of the road. one woman empties her garbage into the median road divider. it makes me feel guilting about throwing away anything here...knowing that it will probably end up somewhere similar. apparently the cows are continuously having stomach problems from the garbage bags getting stuck in their guts. while everyone stares at me, i can't help but stare back at my surroundings and drink it all in...
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