After 2 months in India...

I've been scolded by some for not having yet visited the Taj Mahal or other attractions, but really it's like asking those of you working in Shanghai if you've visited the Great Wall. True it's certainly worth seeing, but I'm not here for vacation nor can I just roll out of bed and walk over to see it. The Taj Mahal is a 5 hour drive from here and I do plan to see it before I leave next month, but for now I'll really be talking about life as a normal working Indian resident.

First, I must say that while English is the national language, it is often mixed in with Hindi. In my experiences outside of the office, about 50% of people speak English well enough to hold a coherent conversation. So it can be a challenge to get around. 

Another aspect of living here is that the power really does go out several times each day. Sometimes it's out just for a minute; other times, up to 30 minutes. However, everyone just goes about their business as if nothing is wrong. Really makes me appreciate the little things we usually take for granted such as clean water and available electricity!

Contrary to popular belief, I do NOT eat curry every meal! And I'm happy to say that so far, I haven't gotten sick in India (knock on wood). With that said, I've probably been overly conservative about food.

If you look up Gurgaon on a map, you'll see that I'm a 40 minute drive from Delhi proper, and that the surrounding area really just consists of some office parks and otherwise undeveloped space. Just a few years ago, most of this area was farmland. There is no public transportation around me, so to leave I have to call several hours in advance to reserve a taxi. For food and supplies, I go to the nearest market which is a good 30 minute walk. Because of this, outside of work I usually just stay home and hit the gym, watch TV, read, or sleep. 

Speaking of time, my Indian co-workers laugh and shake their heads disapprovingly when I joke around about everything here always running late. When people say "5 minutes" it typically means 30; when they say 15, it typically means an hour. During my first several weeks, this was probably my largest source of frustration. I've since adjusted the way I schedule meetings, taxis and other things. 

I realize that this account could come off sounding a little depressing, but this is far from the case. While I haven't exactly been a social butterfly, I really have come to appreciate the simple livelihood afforded by this arrangement. I believe everyone has, to varying extents, a need for attention, companionship, and distractions. Not having easy access to any of it has actually been nourishing for my soul (and probably my body). 

While I may never want to live here long term, I very strongly believe this is and will continue to be a fully worthwhile experience. I definitely have a better understanding of the Indian culture and mindset now. And I've certainly learned a lot at work about the business. Most importantly, I've had a lot of time to be introspective and settle myself. After I leave next month, I may end up missing the simplicity of it all. 

Local Saturday afternoon pick-up cricket game near my place

The streets of Bangalore

Sad: one of many billboards protesting sexual assault/attack in response to a recent well-publicized gang rape 

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In other news, I'll be back in Hong Kong from February 19-23, then spending two weeks in New York through March 9. After that, two more weeks in Hong Kong, then taking some much needed vacation in California for the week of March 25.

The Lee's in Taipei during the holidays for Irene and Will's ceremony

Happy 2013!