House Hunting

So immediately after writing the last post (and before actually being able to post it) my internet connection died.  I had been hacking into a neighbor’s unsecured wireless connection.  They must have been experiencing a slow connection because of me, and they finally added a password, squeezing me out.  Thankfully, my work was able to provide my mobile phone SIM card within a day, so I wasn’t disconnected from the world.  This is my first smart phone, and it does almost everything that I need.  I can’t believe that I held out on technology this long.  Ironic, only upon moving to a developing country do I finally get high-tech…

Househunting has been fun and easy.  Not only did my Piramal Admin guy take me around with the recommended agents, but I also was shown flats and bungalows by my friend Akshay (met on a roommate website), Ketan (the guy who drove me to the mobile phone store), and the cook at the guest house, along with agents they knew.   Everyone wants to help, even though they are not getting any kickbacks from the agents.  I saw about 15 places.  One was perfect, I knew I’d take it from the moment I walked in.  I will save the description for the next post, when I have pictures.  The friendly owner is moving to NYC.  He is meeting me in one hour to sign the lease at Piramal.  I didn’t have to work today, but he insisted on meeting me here.  I guess he wants to be sure that Piramal is legitimate, and that I am actually a somewhat important employee here.  I’m sure he’ll be satisfied.

Flats here are different from the US.  Floors are all tile or marble.  Wood or carpet would not last long in this climate (dirt, heat, moisture).  Kitchens are rustic.  Bathrooms are small and the showers are not in a tub.  You just close the bathroom door and the whole room is the shower, toilet and all.  Many just have “hole” toilets.  They don’t have one big water heater for the whole flat, rather there is just a tiny water heater connected to each shower (if you are lucky).  Therefore there is no hot water in sinks.  Lucky people have a small washing machine, usually on a small balcony, and no clothes dryer.  Wet clothes hang on lines off the balcony, similar to what I saw in Greece and Italy.

Several places turned me away for being a lady alone.  Apparently bachelors have a hard time finding rentals because they are perceived as dirty.  Single ladies have a hard time, perhaps because they are a liability.  Discrimination is not illegal here.

So things are settling faster than I expected, so I have some free time.  I have been taking long walks just to get more familiar with the city.  I’m now quite comfortable in Prahladnagar (where the guest house is).  However, my new flat is in Bokadev, so I’ll have to learn that area too when I get there.  I originally thought I’d reside in Prahladnagar, because it is closest to work, but Bokadev is only an extra 10 minutes on the bus.  Bokadev is a busy happening area, while Prahladnagar is more residential and quiet.  I think Bokadev is the right choice for me.  J

 Goat Herd (one stepped on my foot)

 Side street with various small shops

 Cute stray puppies

Some new friends

I also went shopping for a new hair iron (mine from the US fried immediately upon plugging in, even though I was using the proper converter), and went to dinner and a movie last night with Akshay and friends.  The high end malls and movie theaters here are as nice as anything I’ve ever seen in the US.  The strange thing:  metal detectors and full patdowns are required to enter either.  The “don’t touch my junk” guy from the US airport security video would not like it here.

Now it is time to shift!  (That is what everyone here calls moving, must be a British thing).