Even in my wildest fantasies, I never imagined that after living in Paris, I would live in India… I didn’t know anything about it. Actually, in my mother tongue (Bulgarian) there is an expression “it’s India to me”, meaning “I don’t understand”. But I fell for a Sikh. And soon the Euros I was saving for a backpack trip around England materialised into a Paris-Bombay-Paris ticket. Then two more later… I was getting addicted to life in Bombay, Goa trance, rum & coke and cold coffee, the crows waking me up, drives in an open Gypsy on Marine Drive, lunches at Fountain Sizzlers. I imbibed the Bombay accent like a sponge, learnt to bargain like a pro, had a crush on Salmaan Khan and learnt to eat garam khana (with a tissue handy). Until one day it was just a one-way ticket.
Thus started my great firang experience. My husband’s jeeves welcomed me in the house with trepidation, but soon realised that I was clueless about the local ways, and sunk comfortably in his role of the boss, twitching with displeasure every time I entered the kitchen and watching over my shoulder every little thing I put in “baba’s” food (I had to significantly curb my creativity to fit his standards). The cleaning lady came in shyly, throwing curious glances at the strange new m’em sahib, who let her fake cleaning, sitting in a corner with her feet on the couch. Then in came my Hindi tutor, who, excited to have gotten her hands on such soft clay, proceeded to teach me with great enthusiasm how to pronounce “Mera pati parmeshwar hai” ("my husband is my god"). My driving school appointed the most handsome and perfumed instructor for me, who reassured me, with artistic gesticulations, “Madam, India – many people. You kill one, two? No problem!” And of course, I fell head first into every single tourist trap imaginable.
But I have to admit, my fascination in return was not less. And I almost miss it now, having acquired a significantly thicker skin and having learned to play the firang game to my full advantage. For example, if a policeman stops me for honking (in a country where survival depends on honking) in front of the Bombay Court, I can look at “uncle” with blue innocent eyes and pretend I don’t speak a word of Hindi. Until poor chap, frustrated of me not understanding that he simply wants a bribe, lets me go. Or when an exasperating repairman gives me an insane estimate, I just act dumb and say I need to call my husband (it works every time!). I revel the moments when I can give a full lecture in civic sense to an unsuspecting taxi driver, in Hindi of course (pathetic grammar though) and shout at him to watch the road and not turn around, giving me a surprised look. I now even reply to other newcomer’s puzzled questions “we are like this only!” Thus provoking even more puzzled glances from my Indian friends. Has the big adventure really turned into a comfort zone? I struggle to keep it alive, and search for a hint of the old me in the enthralled eyes of every foreign guest I give the grand Mumbai tour to. And just when I get desperate, Bombay makes sure to throw something or the other at me: It keeps me awake at night with the story of a little boy who ran 68 kilometers just to see this crazy city; makes me thank god for surviving another ride with my driver who thinks my red Alto is a red Ferrari; or makes me want to become a neuroscientist, just so that I can understand what’s going on in the brain of my carpenter who beams with pride every time he infallibly hangs a painting upside down. And keeps me longing for my daily dose of chaos whenever I travel abroad. I am far from having enough of it.
309 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 309 of 309buy viagra los angeles buy viagra canada online no prescription - generic viagra discussion forum
buy tramadol online tramadol 50 mg snort - cheap online tramadol cod
buy viagra professional online cheap viagra 100mg australia - buy viagra online boots
buy brand viagra online buy viagra online one day shipping - viagra online ship to canada
tramadol 100 mg tramadol withdrawal effexor - tramadol withdrawal oxycontin
buy tramadol online tramadol 50 mg used for - order tramadol with mastercard
cheap viagra online buy viagra cialis canada - buy viagra women india
buy tramadol online tramadol 50 mg contraindications - ultram tramadol 100mg
order viagra professional what is the most effective dosage of viagra - how to purchase viagra online
buy sildenafil online order viagra online south africa - buy cheap viagra online with prescription
buy tramadol online tramadol withdrawal neurontin - tramadol ultram eq 50 mg
cialis online cialis daily use 5 mg - safe buy cialis online canada
buy tramadol with mastercard tramadol online bluelight - generic for tramadol medication
buy cialis generic generic cialis online india - buy cialis from canada
tramadol online no prescription tramadol pregnancy - tramadol no prescription us pharmacy
generic viagra buy genuine viagra no prescription - generic viagra cialis or levitra online
buy tramadol order tramadol american express - tramadol online overnight
buy tramadol online tramadol withdrawal worse than vicodin - tramadol 50 mg 377
tramadol online order tramadol usa - tramadol hcl side effects 50mg
buy tramadol usa cyclobenzaprine and tramadol high - dosage of tramadol for dogs
tramadol online buy tramadol with mastercard - tramadol hcl tab
tramadol online where can i buy tramadol for my dog - tramadol no prescription overseas
buy tramadol 180 tramadol 50 mg is it a narcotic - tramadol for dogs drowsy
tramadol online cod buy tramadol online for cheap - ultramadol us tramadol buy
buy tramadol tramadol dosage men - tramadol veterinary use dosage
buy tramadol tramadol 50mg oxycodone - buy-tramadol.info
buy tramadol online cod tramadol 50 mg tylenol - tramadol withdrawal pregnancy
tramadol 100 mg ultram tramadol 50 mg side effects - tramadol online us
tramadol online what does tramadol 50 mg look like - tramadol 50 mg and pregnancy
buy tramadol online tramadol zoloft taken together - tramadol withdrawal in infants
buy tramadol tramadol hcl and acet - tramadol high dose
buy tramadol india tramadol for dogs how much to give - tramadol overdose fatal amount
buy tramadol online reviews tramadol 50mg price - best place buy tramadol online
buy tramadol in florida tramadol 377 dosage - order tramadol online forum
order tramadol tramadol recreational use - tramadol 50mg how many can i take
tramadol without prescription order tramadol paypal - buy tramadol online overnight usa
buy tramadol tramadol hcl tramadol - tramadol hcl online
buy viagra online buy viagra kolkata - does viagra work for diabetics
tramadol 100mg tramadol max dose - tramadol hcl usage
how to order viagra viagra online testimonials - viagra buy singapore
tramadol 50mg tramadol dosage 15 pound dog - order cheap tramadol cod
buy tramadol tramadol vs norco - buy tramadol tablets online
tramadol online tramadol addiction withdrawl - side effects for tramadol 50mg
tramadol 50 mg buy tramadol online in florida - ultram tramadol hydrochloride tablets
buy tramadol online order+tramadol+online+in+florida - buy online texas tramadol
tramadol without prescription purchase cheap tramadol online - buy cheap tramadol online cod
tramadol online no prescription can you really buy tramadol online - buy tramadol cod overnight delivery
buy generic tramadol buy tramadol online cheap - tramadol high off
buy tramadol online tramadol 100mg beipackzettel - tramadol 37.5
tramadol online tramadol overdose signs - illegal to buy tramadol online
tramadol 50 mg how to order tramadol c.o.d - tramadol can get u high
can you buy tramadol online legally tramadol 50 mg and ibuprofen - pet meds tramadol no prescription
buy tramadol generic tramadol online no prescription - tramadol online doctor
buy tramadol tramadol dosage information - tramadol pills
tramadol no prescription tramadol dosage per day - tramadol dosage erowid
buy tramadol tramadol dose to get high - buy tramadol overnight shipping
tramadol online buy tramadol online mastercard overnight - buy tramadol overnight delivery
buy tramadol tramadol hcl 200mg - tramadol online missouri
nolvadex pct nolvadex pct reviews - buy tamoxifen tablets
buy tramadol is it legal to buy tramadol online uk - tramadol 50mg tab
cheap nolvadex online nolvadex pct duration - gaspari nolvadex pct
tamoxifen no prescription nolvadex dosage gyno - buy tamoxifen in the us
cialis online cialis online with mastercard - cialis and poppers
buy nolvadex liquid nolvadex for sale - buy nolvadex pills
order tamoxifen purchase tamoxifen online - 3 weeks nolvadex enough
buy nolvadex nolvadex pct dosage - buy nolvadex tamoxifen citrate
buy tramadol generic tramadol 627 - tramadol 50mg what does it look like
cialis pills reviews on cialis 20 mg - cialis online 4rx
buy cialis online buy cialis online for cheap - generic cialis online pharmacy
buy cheap tramadol buy cheapest tramadol online - tramadol for dogs human consumption
buy cialis online internetdrugcoupons/cialis-coupon - generic cialis brands
purchase cialis generic cialis without prescriptions - cheap cialis au
buy soma soma 5 panel drug screen - discount coupon for soma
buy cialis online buy viagra cialis online - buy cialis 100mg online
buy cialis online generic cialis online overnight - cialis 0.5
buy soma online soma images generic - soma san diego bar
buy cialis online compare generic cialis price - price for cialis daily use
buy tramadol cod mekanisme kerja tramadol hcl - buy tramadol 50mg net
buy tramadol online no prescription cheap tramadol without prescriptions - tramadol 58 93 dosage
purchase soma soma xmas frisco - what does soma pills look like
buy cialis online cheap cialis ireland - cialis free printable coupon
buy tramadol online vicodin tramadol withdrawal symptoms addiction - order tramadol with paypal
cialis tadalafil cialis overdose - where to order cialis online
buy tadalafil online cialis price in usa - cialis online no prescription usa
discount soma soma drug test detection time - buy soma blocks
buy cialis online cialis 4 mg - cialis online no rx
buy tramadol online order tramadol online cheap - get through tramadol withdrawal
buy soma buy soma seeds - soma pills sale
buy soma online there drug test soma - buy soma online from usa
cialis online cialis price in australia - buy cialis cheap usa
buy soma soma 350 mg muscle relaxer - order soma online overnight delivery
soma drug buy soma online $0.45 each - aura soma 89
cheap soma soma cube - soma wiki
soma cost soma 350 mg dosage - buy soma cod overnight
soma online soma prescription pills - soma bras discount code
generic soma online soma medication cost - soma bras nyc
soma online soma dot drug test - wash soma bras
soma online buy generic somatropin - buy europharma somatropin
soma online soma pills 446 - online drugstore+soma
buy generic soma soma triathlon 2011 results - soma san diego ca
tramadol 50 mg cheap tramadol online - tramadol for dogs after surgery
tramadol 50mg tramadol addiction 2012 - buy cheap tramadol in usa
buy tramadol online buy tramadol cod next day delivery - tramadol dosage half life
Yоuг articlе has established
beneficial tо me. Іt’ѕ quite
educаtiοnal and yоu're certainly extremely experienced in this region. You have got exposed our face to be able to various opinion of this kind of subject matter with intriquing, notable and solid written content.
Take a look at my page code.arc.cmu.edu
http://hermeshandbags.finniwolf.com lots of the systems backed up with tires might be of interest london hermes as it cuts down on adventures to cart the high travel luggage. I is only able to handle if you want to glance at the statements. company constantly exposes thanks to "produce a barf case" form migraines, after that maybe handbags hermes your physique is more essential more than the patient needing lower or n't any headaches, Or chance hermes wathces factors of migraine should be unable to cope, Or the particular body is more critical and possibility purposes are unquestionably uncontrolled.
http://hermeshandbag.finniwolf.com
Nice post. I was checking continuously this blog and I am impressed!
Very useful information specifically the last part :)
I care for such information much. I was looking for this certain information for a very long time.
Thank you and best of luck.
Here is my website vestal
It's difficult to find educated people about this topic, but you seem like you know what you're talking about!
Thanks
Feel free to visit my web-site remote control
Your post feаtures eѕtаbliѕhed necessary tο uѕ.
It’s very eduсatiοnal and уou rеallу are obviously really well-informeԁ οf thіs tуρe.
You pοssess popρed my еyes to numerous views on this
ѕubject matter together with intriquing, notable and reliable articleѕ.
My ωeblog ... buy viagra online
It's amazing designed for me to have a web site, which is helpful in favor of my knowledge. thanks admin
my blog post: victorinox watches
Post a Comment