Coming Home...

Once again I’m in the Frankfurt airport, only this time – I’m on the way home. Frankfurt is one of the largest, if not the largest airports I’ve ever been in and I didn’t have my traveling co-workers this time to navigate me through. Rebecca is staying in Germany on vacation with her boyfriend and my boss decided to stay an extra day in Bangalore. My only mishap however, was walking into a linen closet in the bathroom as opposed to the exit. Apparently verboten means ‘No’. ;-) I have made my way to my gate now though and I’m in the ‘Gummy Bear’ Lounge again.

It was with mixed feelings that I left Bangalore last night. The airport leaving was worse coming in. You had to run your own bags through the scanner, fight to pick them out amongst everyone else (Indians, I’m convinced, have no concept of standing in line, as evidenced by their complete ignoring of traffic ‘laws’) and then make your way to a counter. There was no business lounge but, here ma’am, have some coffee instead, the man at the counter assured us. There are, literally, two gates where every plane takes off from and we were all packed into the waiting room there. It was, much like the rest of my journey here, quite an experience.

There are some things about India that I want to remember so I’m going to write them here in case I don’t return:

First, if you ever go, pack plenty of chewable pepto-bismol and drink lots of water your first three days. It takes a bit for your body to get acclimated to its new home. Best advice my immunization nurse ever gave me.

Travel during the monsoon season. Yes, it rained here and there but the weather was quite beautiful otherwise. Bangalore, I was told, was renowned for its weather and I believe it. Much more seasonable at 65 to 70 degrees than the humid Virginia weather 85+ than I’m used to. July and August are quite pleasant in Bangalore.

Apparently, if you pick up a few words, they are quite impressed with it. Their faces broke out in the most wide grins when we would greet them with ‘How are you?” or “Thank you” in Kanada.

It was so interesting to exchange ideas and cultures with our hosts. I feel as if I’ve lived in a box most of my life up until this point. The simple act of showing them quarters and how we have states on each quarter, they loved. So we gave them what we had in our pockets. Virginia, North Dakota, and New York.

They have different ideas of cleanliness than we do. Even at fast food places (McDonalds and KFC are prominent here) there are public sinks where everyone washes their hands and faces afterwards. It is custom. Further, they only eat with one hand. It is considered cleaner.

I want to remember the woman in the market who waved me off when I tried to hand her rupees over her husband’s back as I was paying for an item (he was bending down digging for an item for another custom). Apparently, it was her superstition that I was trying to buy her husband too if I handed her money ‘over’ him. I apologized profusely and all was well again.

One of the women happened to name her dog Bingo. When I asked her if she named it after the song or game she had no idea what I was talking about. Rebecca and I began singing the song ‘Bingo’ and they were absolutely delighted. “We did not know, we did not know!’ they exclaimed to us. It was a very funny moment.

The stores there are very big on feedback. After many of our shopping excursions or dining experiences, we were asked to provide feedback and fill out feedback cards. When I commented on this, someone asked me if we did not do this in the states. Well, there are cards on the tables in some places, I told him, but noone ever fills them out and, even if we do I doubt any action is taken upon them.
Finally, I really want to remember what the team and people's attitudes were like. How friendly and unassuming they were and so open to us. Americans are like that but we are so much more stressed on the whole than the Indians are it seems. At least in a lot of areas. The simple act of driving, for example. Road rage is a problem in America whereas Indians just go about their combination Nascar/bumper car commute everyday and seem to take it in stride. When I mentioned I liked chocolate, when I was about to leave, one of the teams presented me with a box of it, one of them having taken time off work to go and get me a sample of Indian chocolate. This is not to say that Americans are not good hosts. :-) I think we are. I just suspect that a lot of this goodwill and attitude carries forth into Indians' everyday lives as well. I think Americans deal with a lot less stress and the Indians, while having so much less on the whole than we do yet many work just as hard, also seem to have less stress than we do.

There were so many things there that I’m sure I’ll remember more later as it was such a big culture change for me. And, despite all the hand washing, I came back with a summer cold. But I would not change the experience for anything and am now encouraged to travel more and I see my perspective on what I once thought of the Indian culture is entirely changed now that I’ve seen it first hand. Thanks to all of you who have read and written to me at TLButcher@cox.net. I’ll be putting all my pictures up that I did not post here (several) up at Flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/contextual/

Until next time…

-Tammy

The Working World in Bangalore...

For the past couple of days we have been working ten to twelve hour days so we can get everything done we need to do in the week we are here. Today we worked thirteen. It is hard work and tiring. On top of that, the physical adjustment of being here is harder than I anticipated. I’m not sure if it is the work, the being “out of my time”, the food and climate adjustment that my body is being forced to make or what but I’ve been slightly nauseous every morning and afternoon. It does not subside until around evening. It could also be the breakneck speed and constant starting and stopping my driver puts me through with Indian traffic every morning as well. My co-workers tell me they feel the same and my boss, who has been here five times now, tells me this is a natural reaction to traveling halfway around the world, working hard while you are at it, and with such a drastic culture change involved. We should get beyond it in three to four days. In other words, right about the time we are leaving. Rebecca was very sick today beyond the mild nausea as well. She thinks, perhaps, she should not have had the sherbert she tried last night. And indeed, as I finish this post on Thursday morning, I feel somewhat normal today with no ill effects for the first time.



That aside, however, I would not change the experience I’ve had for anything. I cannot say enough about the Indian people and I’ve such a different perspective on them than I had when I was in “the States”. They are the most polite people I’ve ever met; All very soft-spoken and exceptionally friendly. It was interesting to see how their corporate culture differs from ours.

For example, in the corporate environment (and in the general culture) here there is still very much a hierarchy in place. When I try to obtain answers or feedback from the entire team, they defer to their managers to speak for them. Only when their managers are out of the room do they speak up and joke with me. Unlike America where everyone has an opinion and wants to be heard.



There is also a large “service industry” in place as well inside the corporate buildings. As soon as we step in the elevator, there is a man there who sits on a stool all day and waits for us to tell him what floor.

I will say, “One please.”

And he will reply, everyday, “Yes, ma’am.” In his soft voice.

In the washroom, there is a lady there at the ready with a towel. “Do you require a towel, ma’am?” she will ask. And I will reply, “Yes, please.”

I am told this is the norm for the corporate world as are the free lunches in the cafeteria and the free cappuccino machines. That is a nice change from America.

India seems to be the world of the haves and the have-nots. There is no middle class really so far as I can see. You are either unfortunate enough to be born exceptionally poor or into a good family where you will go to the University, get your degree, and then obtain a good job either in the tech industry or beyond. My counterpart here, Harish told me, it is unthinkable in India to try to obtain a job on his team without a degree. Most people, in fact, have Masters degrees. This, I found interesting, considering two people on my team do not have college degrees and none have Masters.

Harish also told me that it is not uncommon for young Indian professionals to make job jumps for 50% to 100% raises. This is why attrition rates are so high in India at the moment for the tech industry. They move from job to job in search of higher salaries every three to four years if not sooner. Indians from the outlying villages obtain their degrees in Banglore with the intent of moving their way up through various companies with the intent of saving enough money to eventually move back to their homes and start a family. This before retirement age hopefully. “And are you all able to do this normally?” I asked him. “Yes, normally we are.” Judging by some of the conditions I’ve seen in this country, I really cannot blame him.



I asked him about the women in this country when one of Harish’s team leads, Moupiya joined us the next day (Mo-Pee-ya – Piya for short). She told me that single women often live in pairs or in what are called “Pgs”.

“What does PG stand for?” I asked.

“Paying Guest.” She told me. “I am a paying guest in someone’s home. I live in one without rules.” She smiled proudly.

“Rules?”

“Yes. Often women have curfews if they live in Pgs. But some do not. I chose this one. I only have to pay for my room. Meals are included.”

“Is it a problem if women are unmarried here for long.”

“Oh, yes.” They both said in unison. “Some marriages are still arranged by families here. But, if a woman by 30 still has not married or had her family arrange one, that is still somewhat frowned upon.”

“But not for men.” I say.

“No.” Harish smiles. “Not for men. Especially if he is trying to further is career.”



Something I found interesting is the Indians follow American politics very closely. They have just elected their second woman leader in fact though some say the position is largely ‘ornamental. Moupiya pointed out that the US is still largely behind in that regard in that we still have not shared our highest office and, despite the fact that Hillary Clinton is seeking to make history with that, many American women do not support her in her quest to further that cause, was how it was put. I smiled. She was not far from wrong. Many women do not feel as if she represents them I told her.

And finally, one other thing I have discovered. I have tried lots of Indian dishes and several of them, I did not much care for (though a few were quite tasty). But a universal truth remains, you can’t go wrong with sugar! Every singe dessert I have tried, I liked! Even dates with syrup. YUM. On Friday, we have another day off that we plan to spend walking around town (Bangalore itself this time instead of a day trip) to do some shopping for people. I have no idea what to buy but I play to buy some stuff. I’ve hardly spent a rupee here so far because everyone insists on treating me. This is good and bad. Because now I will have to do the same for them when I take them to NYC (my boss told me they are coming in Sept. and he wants us to go to Manhattan) in two months. He recommended that I take them to see a Broadway show because that would be a treat. Hey, who am I to argue with the boss, right?