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Ajay and I ....
... at Ego Lounge The temperature here is now reaching a balmy high each day of 44-45 C. For some strange reason I am enjoying it (some of the time). Maybe it's the lack of humidity. Or maybe just the novelty of it. It's also interesting to see how Indians, and the city of Delhi, cope with it. You will be happy to know they complain about the heat as much as we Canadians complain about the cold. (Though mostly they complain about the daily power outages and water shortages. Last night the power was out fIn South Delhi or six hours ... )
I had some more gastrointestinal problems when I returned to Delhi, and several Indians told me it was the change to hot weather. Who knows? They seem to blame a lot of illness on the weather. However, I am feeling better now, and enjoying life in Delhi. There is so much to do and see here. I am making a list of things I want to do before I leave (which will be on May 27, arriving in Toronto on May 28).
I have connected with a group of expats here through the Delhi Network (a women's group that
blue wedding
I just happened to match the colour scheme at the wedding Tessa and I attended meets every week at the Hyatt Regency), and I have discovered a whole other world. When I was first in Delhi, staying with Ajay and his family, I only saw and met Indians. I think Rebecca was the first foreigner I talked to (last December), and I had been here almost a month at the time. But I have discovered a lot of foreigners living in Delhi, and they seem to be prospering, doing creative things, holding networking meetings, starting businesses, etc. I enjoyed the expat life when I lived in Tokyo, and I think I would enjoy it even more here. There's something about being an expat that really appeals to me, and suits me. It's fun to bond with other people who are also facing similar challenges trying to live in a foreign culture.
So who knows, maybe I will end up living here ... if I can get a job ...
In the meantime, I am staying at Caryl's place on the Canadian compound oasis, and visiting Ajay's place almost every day or every other day, often staying overnight. I go back and forth by cab so much I know the route like the back
of my hand. It is always 150 rupees (about $4). Still a nomad ...
I feel so much a part of both worlds, and so welcomed -- the group of friendly Canadians at the compound (they are so nice!!) and Ajay's family. I think I am officially a member of the family now. I am included, very naturally, in all family functions, such as birthdays and anniversaries and religious festivals. It's great, I love it, and feel very at home. Plus I am getting a wonderful opportunity to discover what India is really like through getting to know one family very intimately. Of course India is EXTREMELY diverse. I am only getting to know what India is like for this particular family. But it's certainly much more than the average tourist experiences.
Other foreigners agree with me that Indians must be the most hospitable people in the world. They have a philosophy of hospitality based on the idea that a visitor is a visiting diety (or god), and that's how they treat you. Ajay's family has made me feel completely welcome, and they are always going out of their way to make me food that I like and
the shoe
Here is the shoe that I ransomed for an invitation to the wedding assure that I am comfortable.
I am continuing to have adventures here in Delhi. A week ago, I went out for dinner with Tessa, the English woman I met in Simla. It was her last night in India, and she wanted to go to the Imperial Hotel, so I joined her. We sat outside, though it was very, very warm and had a fabulous dinner. Everything about the Imperial is fabulous -- the service, the food, the building. As we were eating, suddenly a shoe sailed through the air from the second floor balcony and landed on the ground next to us. It was a very elaborate women's evening shoe. We found out that there was a wedding going on upstairs and it was the bride's show, and that we might get money for it if we held it for ransom! So I grabbed it and eventually the bride's brother came down looking for it, and invited us to the wedding. It was a very stylish Hindu wedding, a mix of traditional and modern. Tessa and I ate delicious desserts and stared at the incredible array of gorgeous, colourful, hand-beaded saris.
Another night, Ajay and I went out
at Hanuman Mandir in CP
One of a dozen booths that sell bangles outside at Hanuman Mandir in CP to a place called Ego Lounge (very funny name, given that India is home to the ego-transcending philosophy of yoga ...). But in spite of the name, I liked the place a lot. It was filled with big, comfy sofas to sit on, the Thai food they served was excellent and the music hilarious. There was a young Indian DJ playing a lot of western hits from the 70s and 80s. I requested Prince and the DJ beamed at me, obviously delighted with my request. It was a very relaxed place. People were smoking hookahs (very common here, very trendy) filled with flavoured tobaccos. Toronto could use a place like this, if you ask me! But that's what I like about Delhi: it's so CIVILIZED. It's also chaotic, but as Ajay's friend Rohit would say, there's peace in chaos. Somehow, despite rigid social roles and the caste system, etc., I find you can really be yourself in India, and people have a high level of acceptance. They have to -- there's 1 billion people crammed into a country that's about as big as two provinces.
It's hard to explain, but paradoxically, given the poverty, cruelty and violence that exists
Paul Tea Stall
I took this with my friend Paul -- who has been to India many times -- in mind here, there is a very high degree of humanism. People seem to have a lot of time, and patience, and acceptance for each other -- even in a restaurant or wherever. For example, if you do not like your food for ANY reason at a restaurant, they take it back and apologize profusely, and take it off the bill. They don't hassle you. I didn't like my dessert at a place in Simla, and the chef came out to apologize and ask if he could make me anything else! Can you imagine that happening in Toronto?!
Indians must be among the warmest people on earth. Each day there are many small warm moments with people. (I just took a break from writing this to teach Varada to sing "967-11-11, call Pizza Pizza for pizza today." She loves anything Canadian and is running around the house singing it!) You could be just buying tea, or asking for directions, and you could end up in a very personal and warm conversation. I was sitting at Nirulas (an upscale Indian version of Macdonalds) having lunch yesterday, and the three Indian men at the table next to me struck up a conversation. When
yes, they have Macdonalds ...
.. in India, but with some Indianized menu items they found I was Canadian, they wanted to buy me lunch. That is typical.
Someone I know said that India is the heart of the world. I find they love so easily, and so quickly. It's like they are just ready and waiting to love you, if you are open, and show an interest in their culture. In North America, it is thought, and the energy of the head, that is valued and emphasized. In India it is love, and the energy of the heart, that matters. It will be very hard for me to leave.
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Michelle Bullard
non-member comment
YAY!
Thanks again, Mariellen, for sharing your experiences with us! I'm sorry to hear of your return date, but so pleased I'll be seeing you again soon!