It’s a Pleasure to Meet You, India!
India is huge. This vast country in South Asia is difficult to wrap my head around. It’s hard to even know where to begin to talk about it. We’ve only been here two weeks, but we’ve already seen that when someone says they’re from India, you have to ask, “Which part?” because this ancient land is divided into regions that are diverse in every possible way and one’s experience of India will be unique to the region visited.
To answer the question “What is India like?” is not easy to do which is why books about India are usually quite big! Take a look at a map of India and see it has natural boundaries which define its borders - mountains and desert to the north, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast.
An Indian may be a Punjabi, a Kashmiri, a Gujarati, a Bihari or other but, unlike a Texan, a Californian, a Floridian, etc., they probably speak different languages, have different foods and dramatically different customs and cultures from one another. In spite of so much diversity, the people of India somehow manage to get along with each other. They use the phrase, “Unity in Diversity.” Imagine that?
Each region has its own unique weather patterns and vegetation. Monsoon season comes to the entire country, but some experience more rain than others. We happened to arrive in Monsoon season, first to New Delhi then to Wayanad, Kerala, a state in southern India. These two places could not be more different. We were in Delhi for 6 days and will be in Kerala for 6 weeks.
Delhi is hot, dusty, noisy, and wild. It’s a sensory overload. Could be quite startling had we not lived in Jakarta, Indonesia, for four years. Like other mega cities in developing nations, Delhi is one big paradox.
High-end, glitzy fashion malls bordered by smelly slums. Cows walking the streets alongside fancy cars, ladies in high heels, men in skinny jeans. Kerala, on the other hand, is much more rural, laid back, peaceful, harmonious, and community-oriented.
Some observations about Delhi and India in general:
It is ancient and modern at the same time.
Delhi men have some of the best hair and most pristinely groomed beards. And shoes.
FACT: It is illegal for a pregnant couple, when getting a sonogram, to ask the doctor to reveal the gender of the baby so Indian couples often go to other countries to get a sonogram.
It is a foodie’s paradise.
You can get a lassie (cold, sweet yogurt drink that tastes AMAZING!) on the streets of Delhi in cups made out of clay. After you drink the lassie, you throw the clay cup in the trash! Single-use!
Electric wires and fiber optic cables are haphazardly strung like silly string from trees, poles, corners of buildings, or what have you. If you are tall, beware.
Body language is confusing - “the head wobble”, we call it - where they seem to be shaking their head “no” but they are actually expressing agreement. This is used all over India.
You should carry tissue with you at all times because public restrooms often don’t have toilet paper.
The subway system in Delhi is really good. The coolest thing about them, though, is they have a women-only car!
Cows are sacred in India, so they share the road with cars, busses, motorcycles, and humans.
Kurtas (the Indian woman’s outfit consisting of a tunic top and pants, usually made out of a lightweight fabric) are awesome. Highly recommend.
Not knowing the language truly is a barrier. In Indonesia, Melanie spoke the language fairly well, so we could understand what was going on and could make connections with people. But in India, we know nothing of the languages, and we really feel the isolation that brings.
Traffic is absolutely terrifying, so it’s best just not to watch. It works, though, because, as someone explained to us, “Indians know how to do it.”
Some observations about Kerala (at least the area we are staying in which is rural Kerala):
The “ubiquitous stare” is experienced on a daily basis. We are such an oddity in this region that, when we walk by, people stop whatever they’re doing and just stare at us.
The smile is a universal language. We can’t understand a word of the language here, but just giving a wave and a smile builds an immediate connection!
The people of Kerala are very friendly and helpful.
India is mostly a Hindu nation, but Kerala has the highest number of Christians in all of India.
During monsoon season, it rains all day every day.
“Hurry” is not in the vocabulary of Kerala. Life moves at a verrrrrrrrry slow pace.
Our biggest decision everyday is which direction we will take for our daily walk.
Autos (pronounced “ah-u-toe”) are the coolest forms of public transportation. They have 3 wheels, make a distinct putt-putt sound, turn on a dime, and are super cheap to ride in.
Just because Google maps says there is a restaurant doesn’t mean there really is one.
“Hotel” on a sign doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a hotel. It could be a shop, a restaurant, or who knows what.
There is no such thing as H-E-B, Target, Walmart, Kohls, etc. here.
During rainy season, the power goes off constantly.
To get hot water for your shower, you must first turn on a gas heater a good hour beforehand.
It’s rare to find hot water at a kitchen sink.
Before eating fruits or vegetables, it’s important to clean them to kill any parasites or other nasties. We soak them in a mixture of water and vinegar.
In the front of each residence you’ll find a tube of sorts fastened to a post. The tube will be made out of bamboo, a hollowed log, or plastic pipe. This is where your newspaper will be delivered!
It’s time for our afternoon walk to the village . . .