So, week one is over, and I haven’t really had too much of a chance to reflect on what has happened so far. So, I’ll do my best to recall them now….
I’m really enjoying Chennai. In a way, it reminds me a lot of my time in Jinan, China. The main advantage here is that language is not an issue at all here. Although the English skills of many of the locals I encounter every day (auto-drivers, shopkeepers and so on) is very choppy, I haven’t had a situation where I was unable to express myself adequately. That certainly makes things easier for me.
People here are generally honest, although having to bargain can be more frustrating than fun here than in China since sometimes initial prices are ridiculous. Last night, for example, we had one auto driver ask for Rs.50 but ended up paying Rs.15 for it instead. On the other hand, I have it a bit easier than Amy, because at first glance most people aren’t quite sure of my “Indian-ness” and look at me differently than Amy. It also helps a lot that I now know my way around better, so especially when I take an auto (which is one of the most common times I have to bargain—I haven’t been shopping too much), I can bargain more effectively by throwing out the names of a couple of streets and showing them that I know where I’m going.
I’ve already started my new class, so that has been taking up quite a bit of my time. I’ve found a nice café downtown that sells good coffee and has internet access for about $1/hour, with no minimum connection time, so I can literally go online and download messages, then disconnect and read them offline to get the most out of my money… as if stuff is so expensive here, right?
Classes have been going well, and I’m seriously considering doing a research project here on India’s education as part of my final action research project. I’ll have to see if my academic advisors approve the topic, and also see if there are any NGOs who are conducting any research that I can “piggyback” off and do a more narrow, short-term study. I think this fits in well with my economic background, and considering that Amy and I plan to be here at least a couple of years, I think would be a good idea in general.
But back to the city…. It’s funny how your senses can become desensitized to certain things like the funky smells or pollution of the city in such a short time. That’s not to say that I don’t have to hold my breath when I cross the river, but the smells don’t bother as much now as they did a week ago. I can also deal with the smog a little easier, so walking around has gotten more fun. The city is really compact and pretty easy to navigate, so walking around is ideal. It’s also reassuring to know that for the most part, I only have to shell out about a dollar if I walk far away and get too tired to walk back home.
Meeting people has been slow, but it has been happening. Of course, I’ve met most of the people Amy works with, but hanging out with coworkers all the time can get old sometimes, so I’ve been trying to meet new people. Having a bit of a routine visiting the café has actually been helpful to that point. A lot of the attendants have started chatting with me regularly, and telling me of places I should walk around and so on…. I’ve also met a guy that produces about four CDs each year of South-Indian music. He’s an Indian from Amsterdam who spends half his time here and half in Amsterdam, and we’ve actually spent quite some time talking at the café. I’d be interested in going with him to one of the recording sessions and seeing how things operate here in India.
I haven’t touched any of my website stuff, which I want to start back working on…. But at the same time, there is so much to see in my new home that I’m trying to figure out what the best way to fit it all in would be. Add to that the fact that today I’m going over to Amy’s work to talk to some people about doing some work there (maybe three days per week, so that I have some time for myself too) so I think that my schedule will become quite full very soon….
Oh well…. Better than not having anything to do right?
No related posts.
Crammed like the Chennai traffic
So, week one is over, and I haven’t really had too much of a chance to reflect on what has happened so far. So, I’ll do my best to recall them now….
I’m really enjoying Chennai. In a way, it reminds me a lot of my time in Jinan, China. The main advantage here is that language is not an issue at all here. Although the English skills of many of the locals I encounter every day (auto-drivers, shopkeepers and so on) is very choppy, I haven’t had a situation where I was unable to express myself adequately. That certainly makes things easier for me.
People here are generally honest, although having to bargain can be more frustrating than fun here than in China since sometimes initial prices are ridiculous. Last night, for example, we had one auto driver ask for Rs.50 but ended up paying Rs.15 for it instead. On the other hand, I have it a bit easier than Amy, because at first glance most people aren’t quite sure of my “Indian-ness” and look at me differently than Amy. It also helps a lot that I now know my way around better, so especially when I take an auto (which is one of the most common times I have to bargain—I haven’t been shopping too much), I can bargain more effectively by throwing out the names of a couple of streets and showing them that I know where I’m going.
I’ve already started my new class, so that has been taking up quite a bit of my time. I’ve found a nice café downtown that sells good coffee and has internet access for about $1/hour, with no minimum connection time, so I can literally go online and download messages, then disconnect and read them offline to get the most out of my money… as if stuff is so expensive here, right?
Classes have been going well, and I’m seriously considering doing a research project here on India’s education as part of my final action research project. I’ll have to see if my academic advisors approve the topic, and also see if there are any NGOs who are conducting any research that I can “piggyback” off and do a more narrow, short-term study. I think this fits in well with my economic background, and considering that Amy and I plan to be here at least a couple of years, I think would be a good idea in general.
But back to the city…. It’s funny how your senses can become desensitized to certain things like the funky smells or pollution of the city in such a short time. That’s not to say that I don’t have to hold my breath when I cross the river, but the smells don’t bother as much now as they did a week ago. I can also deal with the smog a little easier, so walking around has gotten more fun. The city is really compact and pretty easy to navigate, so walking around is ideal. It’s also reassuring to know that for the most part, I only have to shell out about a dollar if I walk far away and get too tired to walk back home.
Meeting people has been slow, but it has been happening. Of course, I’ve met most of the people Amy works with, but hanging out with coworkers all the time can get old sometimes, so I’ve been trying to meet new people. Having a bit of a routine visiting the café has actually been helpful to that point. A lot of the attendants have started chatting with me regularly, and telling me of places I should walk around and so on…. I’ve also met a guy that produces about four CDs each year of South-Indian music. He’s an Indian from Amsterdam who spends half his time here and half in Amsterdam, and we’ve actually spent quite some time talking at the café. I’d be interested in going with him to one of the recording sessions and seeing how things operate here in India.
I haven’t touched any of my website stuff, which I want to start back working on…. But at the same time, there is so much to see in my new home that I’m trying to figure out what the best way to fit it all in would be. Add to that the fact that today I’m going over to Amy’s work to talk to some people about doing some work there (maybe three days per week, so that I have some time for myself too) so I think that my schedule will become quite full very soon….
Oh well…. Better than not having anything to do right?
No related posts.