JC in India

I returned to India a few days ago, having spent the two weeks prior in North America mostly on business, but with a few days off added to the end of the trip. Spending time in the developed world and then returning straight to the ‘developing’ is a culture shock, and even two weeks away from this country requires a degree of reorientation on return to acclimatise again.

However, now I know my way around, it’s not a challenge any more to get back into the proverbial groove, instead it is just a case of readjusting to the required way of living and working again. While I was sad to leave the USA, the reality of arrival and quick injection back into Indian society was actually better than I had built it up in my mind to be. The feeling of being ‘home’ now I’m back here is far more comforting than I ever would have expected it to be prior to starting this journey.

While this is a journal about life in India, I am going to say a few words about the USA in this post, given it has been my existence for the last few weeks. I love being ‘Stateside’ and really enjoy the country, but in recent times I have seen a change in some of the dynamics over there, and with the location of this last trip that was really prevalent at times. The business side of the visit was mostly in Las Vegas (tough job I know, but someone has to do it!).

Then the personal side was further south in Laughlin, which is in Nevada but right across the river from Arizona. Nevada is Democrat and Arizona is Republican in terms of political leadership. And wow was that Republican attitude evident each time we crossed the border. From a gun supporting driver in a gas station shouting at some Latinos, to bikers with trump endorsing outfits, and a small old wild west town (Oatman) with Trump 2024 signs plastered everywhere.

It wasn’t just the imagery and posters, but the fact that opinions were eagerly expressed, and if you are not a Trump supporter then when in that part of Arizona you absolutely keep that to yourself otherwise you are asking for trouble. It verged on unsettling to see such division, and forceful presentation of opinions. The country (in these more ‘strong willed’ parts anyway) seems to have become so much more politically charged and a hotbed of opinions recently these last few years, which is sad to see really.

To be clear I am not expressing any political or religious opinion in any of these posts, that is not my intention. I respect everyone’s right to believe what they want and support who they want. It’s the level of vitriol and absolute conviction to force that opinion on others which is the sad part. I only hope that the events of the next few years in America, however they play out, eventually restabilise the country.

Which brings me back to India… It is easy to criticise developing nations in their approach and culture sometimes, but while India is a hotbed of different religions, and of course differing politics I have yet to experience the strong imposition of beliefs here in India as it is seen in America. I also feel safer here in India. Of course, there will be crimes to watch out for, and reason for caution at times as there is anywhere in the world. But here in India people are not wandering the streets with powerful weapons in their cars, professing their right to do so because of a historic document written 250 years ago.

Anyway… that’s as close to political commentary I’ll get! The core message though is that nowhere is perfect, and developed or developing in its lifecycle each nation has it’s strengths and weaknesses, and the world would be a better place if people respected each others beliefs and values and didn’t try to enforce their view of what is right on others. Healthy debate is good. But not enforced will of one opinion over the other.

And so, here I am now back in Delhi, where one resounding issue has hit me since my return – the air quality…

Right now the AQI is 342, which according to the standard definition is “Hazardous – Health alert: everyone may experience more serious health effects”.

When I took off from Montreal on Tuesday evening (my transit point on the return) for my 14 hour non stop flight back to Delhi, the AQI there on my phone was showing as ‘1’. Quite a difference.

And yes, I can feel it. I had a sore throat instantly for the first night and my sinuses flared up for a couple of days in reaction. I have almost adjusted now so not having the same adverse reaction, but I am using my inhaler about 3 times a day now. It is quite scary really just how bad the conditions are. And this is actually quoted in the press as being the best conditions post Diwali in 7 years!

As we get into the coming couple of months it will deteriorate further as the stubble crops start getting burnt in the surrounding country and Delhi will continue to earn its title as the most polluted city in the World. Staying indoors with air purifiers running and getting out of Dodge as often as possible is the recipe for the next few months for sure.

There are a number of reasons for the step change in pollution levels now, one of which is Diwali, which was last Monday 24^th October this year. During this festival, order of the day is fireworks and firecrackers which result in a lot of residual smoke. Personally, I missed Diwali as I was still in the States, and returned two days after. I had originally been meant to land back on the Tuesday but a delayed flight meant a missed connection and an unplanned 24hrs in Montreal. I had actually deliberately planned to return the day after Diwali, and not on Diwali itself as it is the equivalent in India as Christmas is in the UK. So transport from the airport could have been more challenging and I just figured easier to stay away for an extra day to avoid any issues.

I made the most of my extra day with a short outdoor run while in Montreal as there is no hope of that now in Delhi – running outdoors in this air quality would do far more damage than good.

Running for me for the next few months is confined to whenever I travel elsewhere sadly. My little run in Montreal just reinforced to me how unfit I have become now given I cannot run anything like the levels I was doing last year. That genuinely does get me down a bit, as I had got to a good level of fitness last year, and it is sad to see this fall away. I know from experience that rebuilding this is hard work, and when I do leave India in the future that road to fitness again will be tough going. I will be very glad to re-join those ‘Eric sessions’ again at my running club at home, Knaresborough Striders, but I know I will be some way behind for a while. Still, it is all part of the sacrifice to have this experience – it is hard at times, but no regrets.

Diwali is a time of giving, and it is customary to gift staff and friends during the festive season. My apartment building security guards, Pushpender and Vikas, were very much aware of this and the hints to make sure I knew this started before I even left for my trip. Because of their expectations I actually messaged them on Diwali itself to say that I would give them their ‘gift’ (also known as cash) when I returned. Needless to say when I got out of the taxi on Wednesday evening they were both there looking expectant and I had to disappoint them that they would have to wait till the next day as I still had to get cash out of the machine. But they were happy when their ‘Diwali bonus’ did arrive the next day, and Pushpender even called me a very good man. Made me smile. He’s a good lad, they both are, and I can vaguely converse with Pushpender as he has a basic grasp of English. Unlike Vikas who barely speaks a word of it, and as a result I have a strange ritual of gestures and fixed phrases with him at this stage.

I also left some money for my maid with a handwritten note saying thanks as I very rarely see her as she comes while I am at the office usually. It was nice to get home to have a note of thanks on the table left for me by her. My assistant also got her favourite perfume – more appropriate than cash for an office employee really. Diwali has cost me quite a bit! But all good, and a really nice way to be able to help where I can in this way. At least for the next month or so I have some happy team members and will be well looked after!

I also splashed out a bit with my own Diwali gift to myself yesterday. It wasn’t planned, but my cupboards were bare when I got back to Delhi, and so a visit to the local shop was needed. To be honest my cupboards are always bare, as I don’t really cook here.

I do need to have basics in though, and bread was the most staple item missing as I rely on that for breakfast (milk here is not as stable as I would be used to, let’s put it that way, so cereals are not an option). I also had exhausted my stocks of powdered milk, so no bread and no powdered milk meant serious crisis in the cupboard department! And the horror further unfolded when the local shop didn’t have any powdered milk, so a walk on Saturday down to the larger shopping area was in order with the obligatory Starbucks stop while there for a Cappuccino (steamed milk = generally safer). And this led to the discovery of my personal Diwali gift… Bacon! Very very expensive bacon. But there it was in the fridge section freshly imported from the USA (ironic given I had just returned from there). Given it is imported I am comfortable enough to consume against the level of caution I usually have here (generally I’m vegetarian in India, as it is one way of further de-risking the digestive problem potential). So, the equivalent of nearly £20 spent on a large pack of bacon – most I will ever spend for such I expect – but it was a ‘sod it I want it’ moment, and the whole of the coming week will now include bacon and eggs for breakfast. Happy Diwali!

And the final ‘win’ in the shopping world this week came on Friday night while enroute with some friends to one of their apartments for a team expat dinner, we stopped at his local liquor store in Gurgaon. Compared to the government liquor store establishment here in my part of town it was like being a fat kid in a candy store. The stock was plentiful, and they had regular brands of wine and beer at reasonable prices. Here in Vasant Vihar the only beer you can buy in the local shop is stupid strong stuff, which is not what you want for a couple of quiet beers in front of the TV. But there in Gurgaon, they had.. Heineken! And Guinness! My friend George was in his element and we both walked out with full bags, me with a few bottles of wine for the stocks and some Heini’s, and George with half a crate of Guinness. Ah, it’s the simple pleasures!

I since learnt that you are not supposed to buy alcohol in Gurgaon and then bring it back to Delhi. Gurgaon is in Haryana and technically a different state to Delhi, and it is subject to different licencing laws – hence the wider range of products available. Still, we first went to Gordon’s apartment and had dinner and a few drinks before returning to Delhi so I’m figuring by that point I was not going to be causing a diplomatic incident for such a misdemeanour!

Life in Delhi has its quirks, with its poor air quality and its limited shopping options compared to what I would normally be used to back at home. But finding little happy moments become all the more important, and simple things which are taken for granted at home become more special and rewarding here. It makes for higher peaks and troughs of emotions, more ups and downs. But the ups outweigh the downs. India is great. America is great. India is hard work. America is hard work. Both are very very different. Each could learn a lot from the other I am sure, and over time as our world continues to evolve and merge into a more global society, assuming we get beyond the current nationalistic focus of some extremists in power, then I am optimistic we will see the best of both in time. It might take a very long time, but as with travel it is not all about the destination, but often the journey itself. There will no doubt be a lot more ups and downs ahead before this journey is over – both figuratively and literally.

Now where did I put that Heineken? Happy Diwali!