Post Trip Perceptions, a response to #5

Cultures and religions are very prevalent in everyday life and work just as I had imagined. Families usually lived in multigenerational homes. Elders are taken care of my children and children go back and live with their parents after they are married. Also, hired help sometimes stays with the family that they work for, but not very often. I would have to say that I did feel a sense of family in visiting the country of India as most people were very welcoming. The people were as unique as the colors that could be found anywhere in India.

From the places we were able to visit, I did not experience the diversity or the religions of the many people or the exact effect of democracy on the population. What I did observe when visiting the Hare Krishna temple, Jain Temple and the Akshardham temple is that everyone respects each other's religions and deities and goes on their merry way.

Post Trip Perceptions, a response to #4

As for my thinking that the entire country would be colorful, I was right and it was even more colorful than I could have imagined with all of the textiles, food, flowers and places of worship.

First, the textiles and traditional clothing always incorporated at least three colors, some complimentary, some secondary and some tertiary. Some you wouldn't even expect to be next to each other, but they all looked great and rich and wonderful. Personally, I think the people look happier just because they are wearing colors; it really brings out their personality and lights up their eyes.

Name a color and I am pretty sure I could find a food dish, a spice or a drink anywhere from a nice restaurant to a street vendor. The food and drinks were as rich and flavorful as the colors they exuded, sometimes even more flavorful than I could have imagined! The vegetable and fruit markets were very vibrant.

We visited a Jain Temple in Mumbai and it was the most colorful place I have ever been and I took one of my favorite pictures there! I am not exactly sure what was going on, but the use of color was everywhere. At first, I thought, a color explosion, but the more time I spent there, the use of color was deliberate and thought out in a subconscious fashion. AMAZING! It was almost like a dream world with the different textures and paintings complimenting each other.

Flowers were everywhere and beautiful and fragrant; buckets and strings all over the markets. Marigolds flower garlands were used in worship as an offering to their deity or to decorate their place of work.

Post Trip Perceptions, a response to #3:

I can't say that I saw too much similar to a Hollywood life, Bollywood life or a bustling area of possibly famous people. Maybe we did not go into those specific areas to experience it. We did have the pleasure of dining at a condo in Mumbai on the 26^th penthouse that was amazing and very beautifully decorated and western-like, but not Hollywood!

We did drive by the slums in Mumbai where movies have been filmed, but I have no idea what it is actually like on the inside. We could only see the outsides, not the small communities living inside. And as in the movies, the unbelievable amounts of construction going up all over the place.

The television programs and MTV videos were dramatic, but in the sense of colors, singing, dancing and speed of the story line. Some of the programming that we watched while in our hotel rooms was very colorful and everyone looked to be having a grand time, whether they were eating or had a gun in their hand!

Post Trip Perceptions, a response to #2:

I would have to say that I was not too far off on my perceptions of the workplace in India that we saw. When the companies were big, they were really big and advanced. There were a lot of help desks and IT centers, but there were a lot of small businesses on the street as well. I did learn that Indian's speak British English and probably know the rules of grammar a lot better than we do! The offices were set up very similar to the way I imagined, with conference rooms, cubicles, bathrooms, and kitchens.

One thing that surprised me the most was that outside of the IT companies, the likely hood of brown outs and not having connectivity was prevalent, for example getting on the wireless internet at the hotel or using the computers seemed to be more of a challenge than I could have ever imagined. I thought more of the country would be connected and technologically advanced, but I was wrong. One example that sticks in my mind is when we went to visit SpiderLogic in Pune and the bus was unable to travel close to the business because the telephone and electrical lines were too low for the bus to pass under!

Yes, I was right to say that people will do anything to make money (as similar to the USA), from work at a big MNC to a family business, to picking up my luggage and carrying it to the bus for me. For those not specifically employed by a company, tips were the way to earn wages on the street for services performed, such as shining shoes, carrying bags or putting jasmine flower bracelets on your wrists even when you said no at least 10 times.

Post Trip Perception, a response to #1:

It is true that all cities we visited were very busy with people, autos, animals and motorcycles, but the one thing I was very surprised about that nothing was as much real chaos, as I thought it would be. Despite the amount of items on the roadways and non-existent walkway, there was language to the traffic that I cannot really explain. Everything ebbed and flowed in all directions while horns were going off and people were still smiling. The noise pollution was absolutely unbelievable, yet nothing like the noise pollution here in the states. From the amount of noise, first thought would be that 'this place is a mess,' but that was not the case. The reasons for honking were pure consideration, not unhappiness (at least most of the time!).

As for the squeezing into every last space, we did not feel the effects as much as I thought we would, probably because the train portion of our trip was cut out because of the fog in Delhi. The understanding that in India personal space is nonexistent in India, it is true in all aspects of life, especially the roadways!

The disparity between the rich and poor was evident as the rich, were very well off and the poor were in the slums or on the streets. The one aspect of India that shocked me the most was that the entire country was happy. Absolutely unreal. One of the guides mentioned that the caste system was prevalent in everyday life, so the Indian people are happy where they are now, for hope that in their next life it will be better. I can't say that I saw anyone that was angry and mad like I see daily here in the USA.

The cleanliness of the places we visited was as expected. If it was dirty, it was really dirty; if it was clean, it was really clean. The one surprising aspect was just around really clean places, it would be really dirty, for example around the Jal Mahal was clean on the street, but then in the gutters and grass it was filled with pollution. I can't really grasp it, but I might be more of a neat freak than originally thought! It was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined especially the Taj Mahal and the surrounding area.

MDI ... these students are way smart

The visit to MDI (Management Development Institute) was probably one of my favorite in interacting with students in a similar program. We visited on Saturday, 1/9/2010 and it was like any other day of the week. The students are in class full time, six days a week. We started off the session with an informational video about MDI and then a skit put on about Americans by the MDI students ... and they hit it right on the head for management perceptions in the USA!

We then moved into a discussion about if outsourcing was outlawed in the USA. The MDI students has a lot of opinions, but it seemed as though they had the perception that our government has more of a hand in our everyday workings of business, which I do not believe is true.

We then moved into perceptions from both sides (American & Indian) on outsourcing and India in general. I shared the story that I was at a wedding the weeekend before leaving and everyone acted like I might not come back to Milwaukee. The band stopped and the song "Jai Ho!" played at the reception and the crowd went wild. The song is quite a hit in the USA, but mostly because of the movie Slumdog Millionaire and it has a catchy tune. The reality is that most Americans in business have no plans of actually coming to India to see what it is all about. Which is sad to me, but the truth nonetheless!

After the classroom session, we walked across campus for a cup of chai and some time to chat with the students. Those 25 minutes are probably where I learned the most and realized that these students are REALLY smart. They talk to us like English is their first language and since most of the students had some type of engineering or computer science undergrad, the knowledge base is only going to expand exponentially for the country in my eyes.

Do I have to tip for that?

One of the most surprising concepts to me in India was the amount of tipping that was expected. From the beginning, we were asked for tips. I figured that there are two types of tips, those for a service well done, and those to ensure good service.

I do understand for service well done, tips I would expect, like carrying our bags, a bus driver or tour guide. The tipping I did not necessarily agree with was the bathroom, taking a picture with someone dress in traditional dress at a tourist attraction, a person watching our shoes at a temple (you would assume the worshippers would be honest?!) or the guy who was directing our elephant or horse drawn carriage.

I did bring my own toilet paper and paper towels in my purse in the event that the supplies were lacking. In a few instances, the 'attendant' did not look happy that I was not taking her toilet paper or paper towel on the way out or giving her a tip. I felt bad at first, but as the trip went on I was used to it.

Twice when we had already paid for a ride on either a horse drawn carriage up to the Taj or an elephant up to the Amber Fort, the driver asked us for his tip before we reached the destination. I was quite taken aback, and maybe they should have asked if we enjoyed the ride, but then remembered that they were only asking for a $1USD at the most.

Tipping also was challenging for me as we did not have small amounts of money at the beginning as the the ATMs only shoot out higher bills, but in the end the concept that 46 rupees = $1, still throws me for a loop. I felt like 100 rupees was a lot, but in reality, only about $2!

Personal space, or lack thereof.

Personal space as we are used to in the USA, is not relevant to those in India and I think the main reason is the size of the population, almost a billion, and 24 million just in Mumbai. I was preparing to really experience this phenom on the train to Agra, but the fog was a bit heavy and the train was running about 3 hours behind. I have seen on television that people trying to load the trains are literally pushed in before the doors are closed.

Personal space doesn't only include my usual two foot invisible circle around me for strangers, but also staring. I felt that as we were walking around different areas many people tended to stare, and not just for a moment or two, but very obviously. I did notice a lack a tall blonde females in the country, but please. Most stares were deliberate and penetrating, but almost as if they were more curious and trying to be offensive.

Also asking questions about personal information was pretty interesting. The cab driver asked if we were married or had children, and when everyone responded "no," he reminded us, "without a wife, is no life" …. Clearly different than the USA! Personal questions here in the USA, are free game in India. My only question is "why is it someone else's business?"

I was prepared for not being able to have as much personal space in India as I do in the USA, but our visit to SpiderLogic in the conference room almost made me uncomfortable, and I really have never been claustrophobic in my life. After a short Q & A session with the lead of the center, we (13) and the rest of the office (25) all gathered in a room the size we would have in the USA for 10-12 at a conference table to listen to a half hour presentation by Kate. The chairs were packed in together and people were standing in the doorways. This was definitely a fire hazard, but the employees did not appear to be uncomfortable at all. I knew the time that we would be so crammed would be short, so it did not make as nervous as possibly the train would have for a longer amount of time.

I think that if you are prepared for having little personal space while traveling in India, you will be better off, but I do also have to mention how I love my space and peace of mind back here at home.

Honk, please!?!

To state that honking in India is prevalent, would be an understatement. Nothing can prepare an American for the amount of honking that takes place while traveling the roads of India. Here in the USA, most people follow a honk with an unpleasant hand gesture or a few fingers, but not in India. The noise pollution from honking is overwhelming.

Following is a short list of what a beep, or honk can mean on the roads of India:

• I'm here
  


• watch out
  


• hi
  


• get out of my way
  


• move over
  


• hurry up
  


• I might hit you
  


• I am here for a valet
  


• I am coming
  


• Stop
  


• Go
  


• just because
  


• move
  


• speed up
  


• because the back of the truck states "horn please"
  

A few of us took a pink taxi to a textiles mart in Jaipur, and that ride from the hotel to the mart about a 30 minute ride and was one of the scariest rides of my life, and I was in the back seat! The driver was great and said that you just had to worry about your vehicle and moving forward, not who is next to you. His tip was in order to drive like he does; you need "Good Horn, Good Brakes and Good Luck!" And was that the truth.

Taj Mahal, how great thou art!

The Taj Mahal was one of the most fascinating places I have been this far in my "young" life.

We took a 4 person a horse drawn carriage up to the Taj, as polluting vehicles are not allowed within a certain distance surrounding the structure. On the way, our horse had a small collision with a van, neither party was injured or damaged, but the driver was not happy. The horse was quite slim with ribs visible at all angles. About a half mile later, we reached the entrance to the Taj. I knew the Taj was going to be quite grandiose once I saw snow globes, key chains, postcards, books, figurines, t-shirts and tea with the name being sold on the street!

We entered through gates and had a small pat down, and we were in. The first word that comes to mind is symmetry. Everything was symmetrical, offices, gardens, walkways, plant motifs, painting, the Taj itself as well as the two outlying buildings.

The first glimpse of the Taj in the distance was breath-taking. It was truly amazing and the pictures do not do any justice. All the facts are maybe the most impressive to me: 23 years to build, 1000s of artisans and craftsman involved, all marble brought in quarries of Makrana and elephants were used for transportation of the marble. I was also impressed with the minarets and how they are all learning a few degrees away from the dome in the event of a disaster, they would fall away from the tomb. Once inside the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, photos are not allowed. The details of the walls were incredible, there were 28 different kinds of precious and semi-precious stones used in the inlays, and everyone was perfect and beautiful.

I probably could have walked around and sat and stared at the Taj Mahal for the good portion of a day if we would have had the time. The reflection of the sun and the effect of the weather was very interesting to me. When we arrived, the fog had not completely lifted, but by the time we left, the fog was gone and the blue sky was a perfect complement to the white marble structure and green gardens.

Global Climate Talk and Coal in India

The UN is currently having their Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen right now. The goal is to stabilize greenhouse gas, aka GHG. Leaders from all over the globe have made speeches and the program lasts for about a week.

If you are interested, here is the website for the conference: http://unfccc.int

In anticipation of this conference, MSNBC is featuring picture stories dealing with climate change in a few different countries.

It is true that we, the USA, are a reliant coal nation, if we only knew all the information about depending on this mineral. We mine coal in the Appalachian region of the US, but the gases that are emitted affect everyone .... carbon dioxide and methane, both greenhouse gases that are directly linked with global warming. These gases pollute the air as well as the waterways and into the land.

In India, the area where a majority of the coal is mined is called Jharia. The area is so poor that families steal the coal to make a few bucks for their families to live. Also, families live directly with in the most dangerous parts of these coal mines and fire with children using these areas as jungle gyms.

I am scared to see what type of health problems creep up in the next few years, not only in India but also in the US from these fumes.

Take a look for yourselves.

Burning coal deposits pollute lives in India
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34114624/ns/news-picture_stories/displaymode/1247/?beginSlide=1

Bombay Sweets = Delish

So today after having an interesting class in Indian Culture and Outsourcing Animation a few members of the class headed to Bombay Sweets on S. 13th Street, an adventure in itself!

This was my second attempt at Indian food and I like it thus far. Last class, about a month ago, we went to Maharaja before class to celebrate Diwali. I couldn't tell you what I had to eat as it was buffet style and I had a bit of everything, but it was delish! I do know that I really liked the Naan and the ice cream for dessert.

So now onto my second attempt: Bombay Sweets .... wonder if they will ever change it to Mumbai Sweets?!?

So now for my experience .... I was the first one to arrive and asked for the reservation, please keep in mind there were 95% open table and only two other people in the restaurant. Wasn't sure if there was a back room, those mirrors can be tricky sometimes!

So after receiving a few tips from Simar I ended up going with:
a Samosa for an app, Masala Dosa for meal, a Mango Lassi for drink and tasted a jalebi for dessert (and ohh was it delicious and sweet and fried!). I would have to say the meal was delicious and it is amazing how many flavors can be packed into one dish. I am scared for myself with the desserts as they all look phenomenal and I LOVE sweets.

I am excited to try more Indian food!

See a video on how Jalebis are made: www.geobeats.com/videoclips/india/new-dehli/jelabis

Dear India, I am so excited to meet you.

Welcome to my blog, so this is new to me but I think it is going to be fun. So here we go in the world of cloud computing with a dash of higher education.


I will be posting before I depart, while I am in India and after I return to the great city of Milwaukee. I have been out of the country before to include Europe, Mexico, Aruba and China, but I have ha feeling that nothing is going to compare to this upcoming trip to India.

What I know of India so far is probably very naive and based on TV programs, books and movies as well as calling various help desks for work or personal computing. I do have a habit of recording anything on cable that has India in the title to try and prepare myself... whether it be The Food Network, PBS, The Travel Channel or Business programming, hopefully it helps a bit! I have been to Maharaja once for lunch, it was my first time, and definitely not my last ... I really enjoyed trying all the foods. I also have browsed a few travel books and cultural books about India, but words and pictures can only tell so much, I can't wait for the experience and the envelopment of the culture.

Assignment 1:

Post my pre-trip perceptions about India by 11/1/09, at least 5 about the people, social and cultural environment and the business world.

• I think the country is going to be very busy with people, autos and animals which translates into pure chaos in my mind. I have the picture in my head of people squeezing into any last space on a train or bus. I also have a feeling that personal space is not as we have it here in the USA. I also feel that there will be a great disparity between the rich and the poor. And I think it will be dirtier than I expected, but amazingly beautiful at the same time.

• Another perception is that a lot of help desks are located in India and the people of India are better able to speak the English language than we are! Very smart people. I also have the perception that companies that deal with USA are set up very similar in the style of the workplace. The technology business world is up and moving quickly in the right direction. Also in reference to business, I feel that anyone will work to make money, whether it is for a large multinational company, a family run business, or a street vendor with food or textile.

• I also think of the media I have seen in reference to Bollywood and Slumdog Millionaire with the fast speed of a 'Hollywood' type life. I also envision very dramatic movies and televisions programs for some reason.

• Another perception would have to be that entire country is colorful whether it be clothing, food, flowers, spices or celebration. I feel like every time I see a picture of someone or something or some place in India, the colors are vibrant and evoke a sense of happiness because they are so rich in color and texture. I also imagine flowers everywhere, especially used for worship.

• As for the culture and the people, the notion of family is the most important and religion plays an important role in daily life. I imagine families staying very close to other members as well as their lineage. I am also excited to see a people that have been around for 1000s of years, 100s of religions and various languages, yet the democracy is so 'new'.

So these are my perceptions for now, I can't wait for them to change!