Adjusting

It has been roughly two weeks here and I am settled in to the point where I am familiar with how to go about my day without confusion. I know where the ATM it, how to call drivers, the phone numbers for Dominos and Pizza Hut are on speed dial...There are still some regular things like where to get a haircut and a good grocery store that I am not aware of but that will come easily when I need to know. At this point I am adjusting to life here without the sensation of novelty I had when I landed.

So far, mostly so good. I really love being in such a different world and am thankful for the lessons it is teaching me. The work has been arduous and the hours at the office are many which, while tiring, is what I wanted; the chance to prove you can do something bigger. There are some elements of interacting with the people here that I have yet to adjust to and some I see now will never be my favorite aspects.

The part which I do not like right now is how people communicate. The differences between here and home are both subtle and omnipresent. Outside of the office, merchants, waiters, people working in stores, seem to be working with a set of rules on how to talk and act that I dont understand or agree with. Eye contact is not always used. Speaking clearly is not either and replaced with mumbling. The way people show they are agreeing is not a head nod, instead a side-to-side motion is used like a bobble-head doll. Perhaps the most glaring difference is that when someone agrees they sometimes say softly "No, no, no, no..."! Where am I???

There were fun facts when I got here but now they can be frustrating because for me basic parts of talking to someone are confusing. I don't know why but it is usually men that frustrate me. I can't hear what they are saying and even if I could I would not be able to make sense if they mean "yes" when they say "no". It's like I am trapped in man-hating episode of Oprah, only the guys are tiny, dressed in rayon, and have hair like Alan Thicke.

Luckily, this does not really take place at work which is fortunate since the purpose of my visit is professional and I simply spend a great deal of time with the team I am helping build here.

I could ramble on about the communication breakdown but in the light of the context you find yourself less tolerant of other things. For example, the fact I am a foot taller and 80lbs heavier than most people here, or whatever else makes me stand out, is not lost on the local Hyderabaddians (Hydericans? Hyderabodies? Hyderabadites? -dites...ha...I kinda like the last one) and people stare at me like I am the missing link or King of Bollywood.

We'll see how I feel later on but for now I'll order a medium Chicken BBQ pizza till I figure it out....cuz at least now I am past the hour conversation with the Dominos guy that involved several attempts to recite my local number, me discovering the closest pepperoni available was in Africa, two mis-dialed numbers, and a mixed bag of Hindi and English profanity.