I've yet to have my own internet on my own laptop where I've been staying and I haven't had a chance to write a blog yet, so e-mails will have to do for now in regards to keeping in touch. Last night I went to Happy Hour (just a bunch of us sitting by the pool drinking a beer or two) and spoke with a few employees about their experiences or Indiain general.
We all agreed that the heat can't be understood until you're here, it's just a different breed. It's consistently windy in the sense that the breeze doesn't change in strength, if that makes any sense. The best way to describe it would be that whenever you're outside, it feels like there are about four people on all sides carrying hair dryers aimed at you. My eyes have yet to adjust, this weird wind dries them out immediately and my eyes have to tear up. Yeah, that's just one adjustment to make lol. I've been 'sick' since Tuesday when I had my first real Indian meal for lunch. The expats have told me they have never felt 100% since they got here either, whether its the diet or the weather, the body is always shocked and trying to adjust. Either way, it really puts a damper on my general mood and yesterday I was grumpy.
I moved in with Andrew last night, he lives in a nice walled in apartment complex with armed guards that charges $9000 rent.. per month. The Canadian government pays for it all and he enjoys his marble floors, gas stoves, air conditioning and other things. It's considered a posh area, but right outside our door there is raw sewage flowing in the gutter, with stray dogs and cows laying in the hallways or under cars for shade. Only in India. We spoke for about two hours last night, he's a talker and it's difficult getting a word in edge-wise. I assume living alone in India takes its toll on people, and he seemed to love that I knew what he was talking about when he wouldmention Queen's Park, Whitby, and could understand Newfie jokes.
He has been almost everywhere in the world, and I mean that quite literally. I would name a country and I'd expect a "I know a friend of a friend who's been here", and he would instead say, "oh, yeah, I camped along that coast and so and so happened while I was there". I tried to stump him by asking if he's beenin some pretty obscure places, but he always nodded and had a story to tell. Apparently DFAIT provides about $4000 tax free travel dollars a year for employees to travel while they are posted, and it's very common for diplomats to make the most of it while supplementing their travels with their income. For example, they don't just come to India to see India, almost all the people posted here have seen most of the country (and can pronounce all thecities/villages) as well as Sri Lanka, Pakistan, the Maldives, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, Nepal, China, Tibet, and I could go on. Look on a map of anywhere they've been posted and most will tell you they travelled toalmost every country surrounding it. Endless stories and experiences.
The downside of it is the loneliness of course. Most of the year they don't see their wife or kids (unless if they come along, in which case they areconsidered jokingly STUDs (Spouses Travelling Under Duress) and it clearly takes a toll on them. Yesterday was the holiday for Quebec I believe and a few of them burst into the official song after work. I thought they were joking. But,it seems they just really miss Canada.
I saw my first real glimpse of poverty today as I was driven to work. Two young girls (maybe 5-7) were in the gutter on the side of a busy street (cars driving by only a foot or two away) and had dirty empty jugs. They were shovelling street sludge into the jugs and licking their fingers. I couldn't look for long, even writing it is getting me choked up. I felt like a complete fool sitting there in a nice suit and briefcase and just watching from my safe car. I have signed up to volunteer at an orphanage on Sundays. Honestly, it may just be my attempt to ease my conscience, but I also would really like to help some kids. I think I will get more out of it then them, but I hope I can make them happy too.
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Wow, intense post Eric. So you are thinking about a career in the foreign service. Now that you are seeing how the bloom comes off the rose, is it still your cup of tea?
ReplyDeleteI think there is a correlation between the heat and the grumbly belly. I swear when it is that hot, your stomach just doesn't work the same. Take it easy and build up to Indian food. I have only had the Toronto version of Indian but I LOVE it.
I am really glad to hear that you are doing some volunteer work outside the compound. While it all sounds great, it also sounds a little like a dream. It would be a shame if you were just having a Canadian experience in India. It sounds like you are finding a good way to have some Indian experiences as well. I look forward to reading about it.
Take care of that belly.