I am so tired of getting ready to move.  I have a lot of crap.  I’ve taken bags of clothes and stuff to Goodwill.  I’ve thrown away a bunch of junk that I’ve been carrying around for years.  I owned a housed from 1996 to 2009.  I don’t like to throw things away.  When I moved out into a HUGE apartment in 2009 I got rid of a lot of my junk but since I had so much space, I moved most of my hoardings with me.  When I moved into this townhouse in 2010, I brought everything with me.  I have boxes that I haven’t unpacked in three years.  Most of it should go right into the trash, but I put it all in storage. How can you throw away memories?

Movers are coming Friday.  I’ve got all the stuff out so all they’ll have to move is furniture. I’ll be staying at the home of a wonderful friend before I leave for India and again when I get back until I find a new place.  Saturday night, May 26, there will be a final Hula’s visit before India.  If you’re in the area, please stop by.  Wednesday May 30 there’s a work dinner and I leave on the 31st.  Time is flying by.

Dinner conversation revolved around the cultures of India. If you think about the United States, we are very diverse. From the Boston lobster men, to the Louisiana Cajuns, to the Texas oil families, to the San Francisco liberal scientists, to the Idaho, the Idaho, um, militant potato farmers (I guess), we are a giant diverse nation. Take that diversity and multiply it four times the number of people and then put them in about half the geographic space. Every part of India differs from the other. We were told that Northern India culture is most like New York – lots of people in a hurry, opinionated and very rushed and very busy. Delhi and Calcutta are in the the Northern and Easternparts of India.  Mumbai is in west India.  Mumbai is the financial center of India as well as the entertainment capital.  It’s like New York and LA combined.  Southern India is the scientific, “brainier” part of the culture. When he said Hyderabad is most like San Francisco I got very excited – until he clarified that it was the center of technology and innovation. (There’s very little overt gay life in India – it’s not a big part of the culture although it is becoming more prevalent in the bigger cities.)

The Phoenix metropolitan area has just over 4.2 million people and is the fifth largest US city. Hyderabad is the fourth largest Indian city and has over 7.7 million people.  Population density in Hyderabad is over twice that of Phoenix.  Sounds a little crowded to me. Mumbai, for example, is about the size of Manhattan Island and has an estimated 25 million people. The richest homes in India are in Mumbai – as are the poorest slums. Many of the people who live in the slums choose to live there; they move to the cities for opportunity from poorer rural areas and take the money they earn and send it back to their families.

Family is a very important part of Indian culture and is often one of the first things people ask about. I’m not married and I don’t live with my family. As a matter of fact, my family lives over 2,000 miles away. That would be very disrespectful in India. Sorry mom and dad.

In other news, I leave in 14 days!  I’ve selected my seats on my flight and I’m getting 31,000 frequent flyer miles on Emirates Air.  I’ll need to plan a trip next year to Dubai to use the miles.  I’m moving out of my apartment in 8 days.  I have so much packing and moving to do before the movers come to take the furniture to storage.  Moving out before the trip seemed like a good idea at the time.

I’ve had my shots – Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Tetanus, Diptheria, Pertussis, Hepatitis  A and B, Typhoid Fever and Polio.  I opted out of he rabies shots and the Japanese Yellow Fever shots.   Frightening stuff for a hypochondriac. I did get a two month supply of malaria pills as well.   I’ve got to take malaria pills every day I’m in India – I hear they have great side effects.  I can’t wait.  Without the rabies shot, the cost was almost $1,500.

Friends, please do me a favor – don’t tell me any stories of people you know who went to India and contracted some horrible flesh eating bacteria, some intestinal malady, or some poor, sad, disfiguring disorder.   I don’t want to know about it!!  Tell me positive stories.  Wish me well.  I’m going to be vigilant about what I eat and drink and I will get through this trip with as little discomfort as possible.  I don’t want to be anecdote for your friends who travel to India in the future.

I can’t drink the water.  I can’t use ice.  Bottled water only, even to brush my teeth with.  I was even told to keep my mouth shut in the shower.  The water is not healty for my sensitive American constitution.  That’s what gets people sick.  I was told to only eat cooked food.  No raw fruits or vegetables.  I’ll be bringing a case of power bars with me.  My understanding is that even bottle water is suspicious.  People repackage tap water and sell it to unsuspecting tourists.  So I have to check the seal and make sure it is truly bottled water.  They say the hotel can be trusted.  My stomach hopes so.

I was told to pack a small pharmacy – Z – Pak for traveler’s diarrhea, pepto bismol, Imodium, hand sanitizer, electrolyte water mix, mosquito repellent – both for my skin and my clothes.  You have to treat all your clothes with permethrin to keep the bugs off.  It’s supposed to last through a few washings- strong stuff.  And you have to keep all exposed skin covered with repellent to keep from getting bitten and contracting some horrible intestinal parasite.

Actually, I wouldn’t mind a small intestinal disorder for two months.  I don’t want to be too sick but I wouldn’t mind a short loss of appetite.  Something short term, curable and not very painful.  Maybe I can lose some weight.

It’s also going to be hot.  Highs this week in Hyderabad are around 108 degrees.  I can handle that in Phoenix where there is no humidity.  I don’t expect the same in India.  I’m planning on being hot – and probably very cranky for two months.

But, this is the opportunity of lifetime – I’m grateful for the opportunity and I’m looking forward to the adventure.  17 days to go and I still have to finish packing and get all my stuff to storage.  So much to do… and so worth it.

More to come…. namaste.

Despite all of my travel anxieties, I’m really excited about this trip.  I always get a little anxious about flying anywhere – thank god for Xanax – but I’m surprisingly calm about this trip.  I guess flying in luxury will do that for you.

I guess jet lag is a big deal when you’re going to a time zone that’s 12 and a half (a half?!?) hours different.  I’ve heard some tips on adjusting quickly – from melatonin to adjust my sleep schedule, lots of water, stay up as long as possible, sleep as much as possible.  It seems every one has jet lag tips.  I’ll let you know how I adapt.

I arrive in Hyderabad at 3 AM on Saturday morning and start teaching at 9 AM Monday.  Hopefully, I’ll adapt enough to stay awake through class on day 1.

More to come!

The company keeps growing.  This is critical start to our international expansion and it’s just the beginning.  Who knows what future opportunities will be presented? For this round, some of the leadership team from India is currently in the states sitting in my current training class.  They’re awesome guys and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know them. They promise to show me the ropes in Hyderabad and I have no doubt they’ll follow through on that promise.  I’m looking forward to all the good food.

One of the biggest concerns we have is the cultural differences that might come up during training.  I was afraid that my training style might not translate to a foreign audience.  Hell, some of my style doesn’t translate to an American audience- sometimes only I think I’m funny.  But according to our current visitors, the whole class will work – my bad jokes and all – in India.

I just want to mention here – and I’m legally required to mention here – that all comments and opinions expressed on this site are mine and mine alone and do not represent any one else or any company paying for my travels.

Namaste.

1.  It is not ok the drink the water.  Water supply and sanitation in India continue to be inadequate, despite longstanding efforts by the various levels of government and communities at improving coverage. I am supposed to only drink bottled water.  And – I’m supposed to check to make sure it’s actually sealed since people grab used bottles and refill it to make money.

2.  Watch your food.  Anything that needs to be washed to be eaten could be deadly.  Since the water is not clean, food washed in the water is probably just as bad.  No salads or fresh fruit – unless you can peel the skin and eat inside.  Cooked food is fine as long as it’s not from a street vendor.

3.  Hyderabad is not humid like other parts of India.  It’s inland and has a climate like that of Arizona.  Of course I’ll be there in June and July – the beginning of the rainy season. Highs are expected to be in the low 100s, lows in the mid 80s.  Ah… home sweet home.

4.  I’ll be working at a building called Cyber-Gateway in High Tec City.  How cool is that?  But I will be working 6 day work weeks.  I’ll need a vacation when I get home!

More to come….

Namaste

In my class this week, I have the call center manager, one of the new supervisors and one of the Indian trainers. We’ve been hanging out and I’ve been learning a great deal about the culture. Bottom line – people are people – we laugh at the same things and care about the same things. We do like different food. I’ve had some Indian food with them – very good. They seem to really like Mexican food. And though my initial research said that Indians aren’t big drinkers, a couple of these guys put that concern to rest.

There have been so many things to do to prepare for the trip. First, I”m moving out of my place. I love my apartment but the lease was coming up at the end of May anyway and I decided rather than pay rent for an empty apartment for two month I’d rather move out, put my things in storage and find someplace new when I get back. I’m hoping to buy something since I miss being a homeowner.

Secondly, I had to find a home for the puppy. She’ll be staying with Dory which is great. Dory will take great care of her. And thanks to all my other friends who offered to provide a home for Ella. I’m sure Dory will need occasional relief while I’m gone.

I had to apply for an Indian Visa. This requires a small amount of paperwork to get a little sticker that goes in my passport. I’m approved!

And finally, I had to get a series of shots. There risk of all kinds of illnesses in India. Yellow Fever, Typhus, Rabies, Japanese Encephalitis, Hepatits and more. I got most of what was recommended. I’m going to be in an urban area so some of the possible diseases are more rare. I didn’t get the rabies shot. I don’t plan on cavorting with wild animals while I’m in India. The shots cost a fortune. Thank god the company will reimburse. I also need to take one anti-malaria pill every day that I’m there and cover myself in mosquito repellent daily. There’s permethrin that you spray on your clothes and lasts through two or three washes and then a skin repellent that contains DEET. The EPA has some real limitations on the use of DEET. It was developed by the United States Army, following its experience of jungle warfare during World War II. It was originally tested as a pesticide on farm fields, and entered military use in 1946 and civilian use in 1957. It was used in Vietnam and Southeast Asia and is linked with seizures and several skin maladies. Joy. I got all my shots and bought the recommended supplies from Passport Health – a great medical clinic specializing in international travel.

Stay tuned – more to come.

Namaste.

Join me as I share my anxieties, my planning and my travel experiences – as I begin for two months in a hot, humid environment where it’s NOT OK to drink the water.