- One week mark on India soil.
- Apartment is on 9th floor - nice balcony with plants, has a TV with about 15 English movie/entertaining channels (including HBO), smells like sewer sometimes.
- Apparently we have housekeeping 5 days/week. The apartment caretaker refers to them as “the boy”. They clean the house, wash the dishes, and empty the trash. However, I’ve been doing the dishes myself. Hoping to keep it up.
- Hindi phrase I can say: Namaste, meraa naam Thien hai - Greetings, my name is Thien.
- Have been going to Adam’s office everyday this week. Got lots of homework done.
- Thoughtworks Pune provides free breakfasts, lunches, coffee, and snacks. Hot chai is served at 10 and 3.
- Cooked dinner twice: brinjai masala, sauteed flat green beans and long green beans.
- Guava sellers tow about 50kg of guavas on their legendary rugged bicycles 25km each way from the orchards to Pune daily. 60Rs/kg.
- Had two street food: pani puri - thin crispy hollow bread ball filled with spicy tangy tamarind water, samosa: flaky fried pastry with savory fillings (spiced potatoes, onions, peas, lentils…).
- Favorite items purchased: guavas, custard apples, a pair of cleaning gloves.
- Tip is about 10% at restaurants.
- Prices for beer (and maybe alcohol in general) are printed on the can/bottle, no negotiation.
- 2.0km ride on a rickshaw costs about 25Rs to 30Rs, depending on traffic. However, we have been quoted 50Rs, 60Rs, and even 100Rs. People are relentless when it comes to overcharging us.
- Adam found a pretty accurate rickshaw price sheet online. When he showed it to the drivers, they say that such prices are only for locals. Adam’s reply? “Bullshit!” - of course accompanied by his usual booming laugh.
- Most people speak very little English.
- I have been messing up all the names of the people at work. I shall prevail next week.
- Gandhi’s birthday is October 2nd, which is a national holiday.
- Hindus are currently celebrating Navratri - the most celebrated Hindu festival devoted to Goddess Durga - September 25th to October 3rd this year.
- Registration with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) proved to be a nightmare as expected. Adam had to make countless trips, most involved long period of waiting , and many of which he came back with nothing accomplished.
- Daily operations and activities start much later than in the U.S. People get to work at about 10:00. Lunch is around 1:00-2:30. Dinner is around 8:00-9:30. Most restaurants do not serve dinner until 7:00.
- The streets are extremely busy at night, especially where there are street food vendors.
- From what I can see, the men run most of everything here.
- Tuborg - a Denmark pilsner launched in India in 2009 - is 65Rs each and is pretty drinkable.
- Adam’s curiosity is about to get the better of him. He will eat pizza to see if they are anything like the ones at home.
- Too bad we missed Octoberfest this year.
- Children do play outside a lot. They are very loud too.
- Traffic, pollution, and the heat are not bad. Bearable!
- Walking in sandals is not recommended.