Saw this Satyam Ad in the Bangalore Airport: Count on us to transform the game of business
How True
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Category Archives: Fun
Only in India…
I just returned for 2 trips, first to Goa for New Years, then to Israel for my cousins wedding. The trips were complete opposites though I enjoyed them both very much, Goa was one long party, and Israel was (mostly) wholesome QT with the fam.
Goan highlights included:
hammerheads for sale:
cows on the beach:
and awesome parties:
This morning I arrived back in India, decided to take a prepaid taxi to my apartment (not sure if this is cheaper or more expensive then using the meter). The guy told me the price was 250 rs, then charged me 240 and handed me a receipt for 220. What I got a real kick out of though, was the second bullet point on the receipt:
“In case of breakdown on the way driver will arrange another taxi for onward journey and pay part fare to next driver”
Only in India…
A Poem
Yesterday I had my 3rd Hindi lesson. Combining everything I know I’ve written a poem:
Chidya udthi hei
Nadi beti hei
Ek aurat gati hei…
Unke daanth safedh hein
Unke paanv lambhe hai
Mere dil ko chot lagi hai…
Translation:
The sparrow flies
The river flows
One woman sings…
She has white teeth
Her legs are long
I have hurt my heart…
I also like saying mera nashta guhrum hai, but I couldn’t fit “my breakfast is hot” anywhere in the poem above. Next week I’m learning about food, which I’m sure will really get the creative juices flowing.
Every Tom, Dick and Harry…
People here use really antiquated, ambiguously British phrases, here’s a short sampling I’ve recently heard:
- When I miss a shot in basketball people yell out, hard luck! A good shot is lovely!
- I’m often asked, What’s your good name sir?
- When Indians refer to their hometown it’s called their native place
- Older, unrelated people are often referred to as Aunty and Uncle
- Fortnight is used frequently (I still have no idea what this is and refuse to look it up)
- Men are referred to as gents
- We have guys who take care of logistical stuff who are called office boys and peons
- Saw this on a resume I recently checked out: Born on the 17th day of July, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty
- And my personal favorite: Every Tom, Dick and Harry was at the restaurant. This one especially doesn’t make sense since wherever it is they are referring to, there is undoubtedly no Tom, Dick or Harry present.
Tomorrow I’m starting Hindi lessons and very excited. Here’s a short email I got from a tutor I contacted:
Hi Amit
It seems you are an Indian.Why do you want to learn Hindi?Lets know then accordingly we will arrange.
Regards,
Sandhya
Breaking all the rules…
Since I’ve been here I’ve had to break two fundamental rules that were drilled into my head from early childhood:
1. Don’t eat with your hands (unless you are at Medieval Times in which case you are required to mercilessly rip chicken apart and demand more beer from your wench) – Eating with your hands is the norm, very satisfying and way more efficient (except when eating rice).
2. Don’t call people “Indians” (They’re Native Americans!) – I constantly pause before I refer to people as Indians, in fear that I am going to accidentally offend someone’s cultural heritage.
On a totally unrelated note, they have cricket batting cages here:
hello worldl
setting up this blog is something ive wanted to for a while all the posts before this, i wrote for my previous company and just ported them over with their original dates. moving forward im gonna try to write a lot more. the main focus is web technology, though im moving to india at the end of october, and plan to record and share my experiences from there… enjoy
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