I'm Here!

Readers, I have a feeling I'm not in Michigan anymore! Yes, just like Dorothy's was taken through a cyclone and her house plopped down in the land of Oz in one of my favorite childhood storybooks, I now feel like I'm in a place different from anything I've ever experienced before. Twenty two hours of travel, four airplane meals, two mediocre movies, and 100 pages of reading later, I have made it to the land of India!

The first flight from Detroit to Amsterdam felt like a typical flight -- a lot of Americans, a lot of Europeans, typical American movies shown on the flight -- nothing too culturally unique. When I got on the flight to India, I knew my adventure was beginning. About half the flight was Indians, and I saw Sikh men in turbans, women in traditional apparel, and in general had a feeling that I was going someplace unlike anywhere I'd been before.

On the airplane, I watched an Indian movie aptly called Delhi-6, was about an American teenager who goes to live with his grandmother in India and falls in love with a girl, who he rescues from falling into an arranged marriage against her will. The movie felt kind of contrived, but it gave me an interesting perspective on how arranged marriage is still something that happens with some traditional families in India, and it also had some nice shots of Delhi and the Taj Mahal.

I also continued reading White Tiger, the 2008 Booker-prize winning novel about a chauffeur working for a rich Indian family. The book had some passages about Gurgaon, where I'm staying, which I found to be really interesting: "Ten years ago, they say there was noting in Gurgaon, just water buffaloes and fat Punjabi farmers. Today, it's the modernest suburb of Delhi. American, Express, Microsoft, all the big Americna companies have offices there. The main road is fiull of shopping malls -- each mall has a cinema inside!" (pg. 101) Google has an office here as well, and so far, based on my limited observations of Gurgaon, the description seems pretty accurate.

Perhaps most exciting is that I met some nice Indian people on the airplane -- and no joke, was invited to attend an Indian wedding tomorrow that I might go to! The guy sititng next to me was an Indian guy who is now living in Atlanta, Georgia. He decided to surprise his family by coming to Delhi to go to his nephew's wedding. His wife and son are also in town, but he lied to them and told them he would be to busy with work to come to India (they flew out earlier). His scheme sounds kind of like when my parents surpsied my relatives in Greece and left me in a baby stroller on my great grandma's doorstep. (I of course don't remember it myself, but that's how the story goes!) Anyway, he invited me to go the wedding, and I thought it was kind of a joking invite, until he wrote out his telephone number, email and address on a piece of paper and told me to text him tomorrow. If I choose to go, it would certianly be a cultural experience. Indian weddings are huge celebrations with song and dance. Actually, the prewedding ceremonies go on for days before the actual wedding. If I decide to go tomorrow, I'l let you know how it is!

When I landed in New Delhi, my Google taxi driver was waiting for me, but I was kind of surprised that he spoke almost no English. He left me on the sidewalk to wait while he got the car, and during that time period, a gentemen who claimed to be an airport worker told me I was blocking people and helped me move my suitcase to another spot. Really, he was just trying to get me to tip him and I didn't have to move at all. I give me a $1, and then he asked for $5. The whole situation was kind of uncomfortable, but I think I'll have to get used to the beggers here. I must admit, despite the fact that my driver had a sign with him, the whole fact that I could hardly commnuicate with him made me kind of nervous. He asked me where I was going, and I thought to myself, "Gee, you should know that better than me! The company sent you to pick me up."

Thankfully, he did know where I was going and dropped me off safely at the guest house. Along the way, I saw pickup trucks with dozens of people riding in the bed. And people would often hop out of the trucks right in the middle of the road. When I commented on it, my driver shrugged and said, "That's India!"

The Google Guest house in Gurgaon is spacious and comfortable. I have my own private bedroom with a queen size bed, TV and private bathroom. There's a large common area with a dining room table and a swing. When I got here, one of the helpers here (who looked about my age), cooked me grilled cheese, and gave me tea and ice cream. He kept offering me more and more food, like potato chips and fruits or even a full dinner, but I insisted that I was fine. He is incredibly friendly, but agian his English isn't perfect. At first I didn't really understand what he meant when he asked if I wanted grilled cheese becuase of his accent, so I decided to just say yes and be surprised. He didn't understand what I meant at first when I asked him if others were staying here, but eventually told me that Tanya (the other girl staying here) is currently at a party. I guess I'll get to meet her tomorrow. Elyse, a friend of mine from Ann Arbor, is here as well, but is currently vacationing in Mumbai and will return late Sunday.

My apartment is in an industiral area that's not really walking distance from anything, and even if it was, I wouldn't feel comfortable navigating the streets of India alone. I have a private driver at my disposal who will take me wherever I want tomorrow. He asked when I wanted to be picked up and I thought around 10, but given the time here right now, I think I may end up sleeping later! I'd like to see Delhi, but I also want to see what the other expats staying here are up to. And given the culture shock I'm feeling and the communication barriers with the driver, I'm not sure how comfortable I am venturing off alone.

Anyway, all in all things are shaping up well. I've experienced Indian hospitality by being invited to a stranger's wedding and by being very well taken care of at the guest house. Tomorrow is a new day and will bring new experiences. Now what my body really needs is SLEEP!