Saturday Jan 29
I was thinking about my first entry 3 weeks ago on what I expected out of India and I think it was rather accurate. OK, so I didn't see a body being cremated by the river BUT I did see people carrying a covered dead body down a busy street! That's definitely not something you see any place in Phoenix! In all seriousness, now I understand why one of my colleague told me that even though India is not necessary a comfortable place to visit but I should go anyway and that it will be an experience of a lifetime. How true. Yes, it was dirty and chaotic. And yes it was a country riddled with poverty. But it was so much more than that. What you don't understand unless you are there is how strong and resilient these people are and how proud they are with what they have. Admittedly I was way outside of my comfort zone for most of the time. I cannot begin to imagine what it would be like to be homeless and reduced to begging on the streets in order to feed yourself and your family. How demoralizing that must be. Yet these beggars become of the landscape. One day when Laszlo and I were having dinner at the fast food place down the street from our hotel we sat by the window and watched a beggar women stand outside the banquest hall next to our building. She looked sad and pathetic as she had her hand opened and outstretched to the people passing by. I watched as Indians coming out of the banquet hall would hand her coins without even looking or stopping.
One memory that stuck with me was last Sunday when I decided to go to the nearby mall for a couple of hours of mental break. I took the hotel taxi but on the way back I decided to be brave and take the metro back. After the short metro ride it's less than a mile from the metro station to our hotel so I decided to take one of those cyclos back. There were a dozen of them lined by the street but I locked in on this very fragile old man at the end. I already knew that these people are stronger than they look but still, I felt guilty that this man about my father's age wearing rags and flip flops was pulling my fat ass along the street. I know you are supposed to bargain your way through india but it just felt wrong to me. I gave him 100 rupees which was just over $2. This was small change for me but at least half a day's wages for him. Hard to explain why I actually felt bad when he looked so greatful for the 100 rupees.
Our final meeting on friday went well because we spent the day before negotiating all the difficult points. Going in we knew what we couldn't give up on but I think there was a good balance of compromise. I did amazingly well given my struggle with their accents. It takes a little bit of concentration and a lot of "sorry, can you please repeat?". There was one person that for the life of me I cannot understand. I'm looking at him as he might as well be speaking a foreign language! I think the problem is that they are talking without moving their mouth. I have good days and then I have days when someone is saying something to me multiple times and I just could not understand. I've been to many countries where people are speaking english with thick accents but india has got to be the worse.
Laszlo and Bea loves it when I correct their english and was greatful to improve it. However, they do expect a lot from me since I was considered a native speaker. In writing the report they expect me to catch and correct everything. Some of the times I had to talk them through what they really want to see and rewrite what they wrote. Still, I never said my grammar was perfect! I still get some corrections when germany does the review rounds and catches some spelling errors.
We had a good audit team this time and I was greatful to get to know Laszlo and Bea better. Everyone was easy going and hard working. It was really funny to watch my two colleagues interact. Laszlo is very slow and articulate in his speech. He is very clear and methodical. Bea is the extreme opposite. As a spaniard she is very fast in her speech. She is usually impatient for you to finish your thought and your speech. She knows she has to improve in this but it took some getting used to for me. Bea wants me to stay by the media harbour next time I am in germany. She lives nearby and would pick me up to go out. One of the bonus of this job is making friends from around the world.
After India I realize that there is so much you take for granted like basic hygiene! Living in the US when do you ever have to worry about brushing your teeth with bottled water?! or not being able to eat raw vegies? or the basic feeling of security. Sure, there's crime everywhere but when do you have to get in line to get patted down and get your purse checked just to go into a shopping mall?!
Anyway, my flight home was a long one. 15 hours from delhi to newark. At the airport they told me that flight from delhi was delayed 1.5 hours and since my connection in newark was 1.45 hours they were concerned about my connecting flight. If you do the math you would figure out that I was pretty much screwed. When I checked in they asked if I just want to rebook my connection for 3 hours later. I just wanted to get home so I told them that there was a chance that the time would be made up so let's see what happens. Turned out they did make up for some of the time but still, I had 45 minutes to go through passport control, get my luggage to clear customs, re-check my bags and haul ass to the gate. I figured it was a long shot and all the stars had to align but what the hell, worse case I have to get on another flight 3 hours later. Well the stars did align, kind of. 15 minutes were wasted waiting for my stupid suitcase even though I was the first one off the plane. When I re-check my bags I was expecting the guy to say sorry it's too late to check in bags for the flight, the guys took it and told me to run. Thank goodness it was at least in the same terminal (even though it was a big ass terminal) so I had a fighting chance. I was sweating by the time I got to the gate but at least I heard the sweet sound of "last boarding call for flight 1535 to Phx"!! It took me at least 15 minutes to cool down and stop mopping up sweat. Who cares, I was coming home soon!
Gary picked me up and we stopped in the house long enough to drop off luggage and change into hiking clothes. After sitting on a plane for 20 hours I was dying for some excercise, fresh air and sunshine! We did a nice leisurely hike at spur cross and enjoyed the nice weather. Afterwards we enjoyed a burger on the patio of a cave creek restaurant called "Earls Eats" while watching the harley davidson rumbling by. I realize that the simple things in life are usually the best things in life.
Back to India in 3 weeks!
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