The first time i went out of India was in circa 2006 to London for about 10 months. The duration of the trip was initially was for 6 months and then it got extended to a year, which I cut short to be back with my father as he was retiring... The first trip was all fun, I enjoyed... after that it has been mostly business trips with 2-3 weeks being the max duration outside India.. I enjoyed them as well as it would help me to see some places and have a different perception..This time in Switzerland for a trip, whose duration is again in the 6 months range...
I find it quite difficult. Primarily reason is the country shuts itself down on Sundays. Not even convenience stores are open. This is is like a bolt out of the blue for an desi guy who has been lured with the new shining malls that spring up in every corner of the city.. what would a poor guy who plans his shopping exclusively on sundays do... well grumble and change routine.. but as they say old habits die hard, I am still not yet up to terms with the Saturday shopping....its not about shopping.. on sundays its like someone has imposed Sec.144 curfew...
Banks have their own process.. Some documents can be collected from the branch. but the main ones will be sent via post. The post box should have the name as same as the one in the letter, else the letter will return. Now how do I tackle with tis. I have to follow up with 3 different people that too between Monday to Friday 8 AM to 3 PM exclusively.. I remember, the last time I shifted homes in Pune, I had to go to the banks once, put in a request and bulldozed them when there was an issue..
Public transport, though efficient is boring.. if u miss the schedule the frequency is less...
One has to mandatorily eat either chicken or egg or cheese.. else its really time consuming to find a vegetarian food..cooking is out of the window as I cant cook for 1 person and also I cant cook consistently ;-)
The best of all... pressing one's clothes by oneself.. I rarely do that but now thats the usual thing.. more than my family, more than anything else, I miss my laundry service provider.. the uncle who knocks at my door every saturday, takes my clothes, returns them neatly pressed, even safe keeps them when I am out of town... sob.. sob..
I really still wonder how people can sty 4-5 years and then easily fit back to the Indian lifestyle..
I find it quite difficult. Primarily reason is the country shuts itself down on Sundays. Not even convenience stores are open. This is is like a bolt out of the blue for an desi guy who has been lured with the new shining malls that spring up in every corner of the city.. what would a poor guy who plans his shopping exclusively on sundays do... well grumble and change routine.. but as they say old habits die hard, I am still not yet up to terms with the Saturday shopping....its not about shopping.. on sundays its like someone has imposed Sec.144 curfew...
Banks have their own process.. Some documents can be collected from the branch. but the main ones will be sent via post. The post box should have the name as same as the one in the letter, else the letter will return. Now how do I tackle with tis. I have to follow up with 3 different people that too between Monday to Friday 8 AM to 3 PM exclusively.. I remember, the last time I shifted homes in Pune, I had to go to the banks once, put in a request and bulldozed them when there was an issue..
Public transport, though efficient is boring.. if u miss the schedule the frequency is less...
One has to mandatorily eat either chicken or egg or cheese.. else its really time consuming to find a vegetarian food..cooking is out of the window as I cant cook for 1 person and also I cant cook consistently ;-)
The best of all... pressing one's clothes by oneself.. I rarely do that but now thats the usual thing.. more than my family, more than anything else, I miss my laundry service provider.. the uncle who knocks at my door every saturday, takes my clothes, returns them neatly pressed, even safe keeps them when I am out of town... sob.. sob..
I really still wonder how people can sty 4-5 years and then easily fit back to the Indian lifestyle..
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