I arrived in Delhi, India about 36 hours ago, after a mostly-uneventful journey of over 24 hours. I have already learned a few important lessons. The first is that while Guatemala may not care if you have a ticket back out of the country, India does - they won't even let you on the plane without a return ticket. So after much creative footwork by the sales agent, I have one, subject to change with a small fee (having picked an arbitrary date in April). The second is that they are really quite strict about those weight limits - and the real reason one needs to arrive 3 hours ahead at the airport is because it will take that long to re-pack one's suitcases and move stuff around until they are sufficiently satisfied to let you on the plane. Suffice it to say, I used the entire 'extra' time that I had, (having arrived uncharacteristically early) and I got on the plane at the last minute, a little harried with no coffee. I should point out, for those laughing at this image, that I had managed quite proudly to jam everything into 2 large suitcases - and only one was so far over-weight that they wouldn't accept it (even with a fee). I still maintain that this is directly related to how heavy the suitcase is empty. The other bag was well within weight limits. So there.
Once on the plane, I learned another important lesson. If you are on a plane that is less than half full, and you have the misfortune to be traveling economy class, don't wait to move. Grab that stretch of three seats IMMEDIATELY and hoard it, because it you will need it to sleep. Don't contemplate the possibility - just do it. I did not. I also did not sleep. 13 hours later, I arrived, very tired in Hong Kong, where I stretched out on the waiting benches and snored for 2 hours. (PS: truly, I don't usually snore - but I swear I must have I was SO dry from the airplane air.) Fortunately, on the Hong Kong - Delhi leg of the trip I was so wiped I passed out there too for a couple of hours. The upside to my difficulty sleeping in transit has been that upon arrival I have been able to switch my clock around quickly and sleep through the night, despite a 13 hour time difference. Sheer exhaustion is a powerful sleep aid.
I arrived in Delhi around 2 am, and navigated my way through customs and luggage retrieval, and then out to where a nice man had a sign with my name on it. What a strange feeling. He took over hauling my luggage and we pushed our way through the crowds, in and out of elevators and down and around parking lots, finally arriving at a little Toyota Corolla. (rather than the Innova mini-van I was promised). I mention this only because with 2 big suitcases, a carry-on and my laptop, the Corolla couldn't fit it all in the trunk. This meant that I had to sit in the front seat for the drive to the hotel. It provided a great view, but was a little unnerving, as the seat-belt was non-functional. I was very relieved to be doing it at 3am, when the traffic was light. I don't think I could have handled that in full traffic.
Which brings me to my next lesson: Indian driving. I still haven't figured out what purpose the lines on the road serve. Unlike back home, drivers here feel no need to stay within them, but rather appear to take great pride in driving directly between two lanes. It's bizarre. And the horn is a VERY important part of driving. What's remarkable to me is that it all seems to work. Really. The rule of the road here seems to be: honk and go. Others will work around you . . . and they do. I found myself trying very hard not to laugh out loud today as my new colleague drove me around, drifting from lane to lane, across lanes . .. whatever worked. There were some points where the lanes just disappeared altogether. Truly confounding. I expect I have more to learn on this one. It might even get it's own post at some point. We'll see. For now I'm simply grateful that I won't be doing any of the driving while I'm here. I just don't think I'm that brave.
In the mean time, I'm settling in at my guest house. I'm not positive yet, but I think I will likely stay here as my primary 'nest' for the duration. As in Guatemala, it is taking some adjustment to adapt to the different standards of cleanliness and conductivity. (Electrical sparks? What problem?) But it's coming. And the family here is lovely: warm, welcoming, helpful and eager to have me. Apparently this is a hobby for them rather than a profession - which has both pros and cons. The house is large and lovely, my room is simple, and faces an absolutely beautiful temple. The noise here is constant, but that seems to be par-for-the-course in Delhi. It's interesting for me to recognize how often I am seeing comparisons to my experiences in Guatemala. I am so grateful for my time there- truly I think this journey would be much more difficult without that base.
Now it's time for an afternoon nap. Despite sleeping through the night, I still feel pretty whupped. They (whoever 'they' is) say that recovering from jet-lag takes a day for every time-line crossed. I've got a few days to go yet.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The journey continues: Getting ready for India
Before I left for Guatemala I was encouraged to journal or blog my 'leading up' process as an integral part of the journey. I don't think I did a great job of it as I was just too busy flurrying around getting ready. This time I was sure I would do it differently, having experienced how integral the pre-flight part of the journey is to the process. Like last year, however, the pre-flight part of the journey has been the craziest time: emotionally volatile, full of hurry-up-and-wait details, logistics and general mayhem. So here I am, two days prior to departure, starting up my blog again after a hiatus of 3 months of intense journey preparation.
For those who don't know, I'm heading to India in two days. Delhi to be exact . . . .at least as my starting point / home base. I will be there, we anticipate, for about 5-6 months, returning in late April or early May. If all goes well, I'll head back there again sometime between July & September of next year for a second stint, duration as yet undetermined. Let's see how the first trip goes first.
At this point, the how-I-got-to-this-point background might be helpful for some. It's all part of the my 'transition summer'. The part I didn't write about as it was happening, because I was sitting on the hurry-up-and-wait train to yes-it's-for-real.
After my return from Guatemala, I spent the first few months job-searching like crazy, determined to line myself up with a good, responsible, lucrative J.O.B. aligned with my passion and values, that would enable me to be financially free within two years so that I could be free to make big choices again. I discovered in late July / early August that universe appeared to have a slightly different agenda for me. I got a call from the consulting firm I've worked for over the past two years to explore whether I was interested in going to India on their behalf. Yes, really. But I didn't want to post it to the world in case it wasn't for real. Because, in the way of true Indian time (which makes Latin American time look positively prompt), it took a LONG time to get to the for-sure-yes-I'm-going confirmation. Truthfully, while talks began in late July, I didn't have a ticket in hand until less than a month ago. And once I was fully confirmed to go, it has been full-tilt forward in preparations ever since.
So, here I am, with a 6-month business Visa, a one-way air-ticket (again) and a huge agenda, headed to one of the most interesting, daunting, exciting, different, countries in the world. An emerging economic world-player with poverty like I've never seen, heritage and culture that is thousands of years old, and a powerful reputation for causing immense digestive discomfort. I'm excited, terrified, curious, confident, humbled, and prepared (I think) to be completely unprepared for the wonder that is India.
As for the 'reason' I'm going . . . .it's an interesting intersection of forces. I have wanted to go to India, personally, for a number of years, and knew I would eventually. I never imagined I'd be paid to go though. How cool is that? It appears the universe conspired with me to make it happen. Certainly if you'd told me a year ago that I'd be in India this fall, I'd have said you were nuts. Most certainly, if anyone had told me 5 years ago that this is what I'd be doing now, I'd have laughed until my gut hurt.
Of course, along with the metaphysical / personal reasons for going to India, there is what I'm getting paid for while I'm there. Ostensibly, I am going to help support the launch of a coaching-skills training program for managers. I will be training trainers and coaches, helping to market the program, and generally supporting the unfolding of this program and the book that goes with it, in the Indian market. There's probably more to it than that, but as this is a personal blog . . . that's about all the detail that's relevant. More relevant for me is that this feels like a deep stretch both personally and professionally. I am being called to step up to the plate and play full-out, using my education (finally some justification for all that money spent!) and my experience. There is no room to play small. It's time to pull on my big-girl panties, put on my business suit and go be a professional.
Ok . . . have you had a good giggle at that image? Good, me too. Turns out the business suit will be mostly metaphorical, as I will be wearing Saris and Salwar Kameez as my professional clothes - with general consensus that they will be a much better fit for me. I was told at one point that the reason I was chosen to go was because the team could envision me delivering training in a Sari - who knew how true that would be???
In the mean time, I need to complete my preparations, pack my suitcase and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime. Tuesday afternoon I embark on 24 hours in the air, followed by a couple of do-nothing-but-sleep days, some clothes shopping, and I should be ready to start work in India by next Monday.
As I sit next to my best friend, blogging in a Starbucks in Delta, it's hard for me to even fathom how different life will feel this time next Sunday afternoon.
For those who don't know, I'm heading to India in two days. Delhi to be exact . . . .at least as my starting point / home base. I will be there, we anticipate, for about 5-6 months, returning in late April or early May. If all goes well, I'll head back there again sometime between July & September of next year for a second stint, duration as yet undetermined. Let's see how the first trip goes first.
At this point, the how-I-got-to-this-point background might be helpful for some. It's all part of the my 'transition summer'. The part I didn't write about as it was happening, because I was sitting on the hurry-up-and-wait train to yes-it's-for-real.
After my return from Guatemala, I spent the first few months job-searching like crazy, determined to line myself up with a good, responsible, lucrative J.O.B. aligned with my passion and values, that would enable me to be financially free within two years so that I could be free to make big choices again. I discovered in late July / early August that universe appeared to have a slightly different agenda for me. I got a call from the consulting firm I've worked for over the past two years to explore whether I was interested in going to India on their behalf. Yes, really. But I didn't want to post it to the world in case it wasn't for real. Because, in the way of true Indian time (which makes Latin American time look positively prompt), it took a LONG time to get to the for-sure-yes-I'm-going confirmation. Truthfully, while talks began in late July, I didn't have a ticket in hand until less than a month ago. And once I was fully confirmed to go, it has been full-tilt forward in preparations ever since.
So, here I am, with a 6-month business Visa, a one-way air-ticket (again) and a huge agenda, headed to one of the most interesting, daunting, exciting, different, countries in the world. An emerging economic world-player with poverty like I've never seen, heritage and culture that is thousands of years old, and a powerful reputation for causing immense digestive discomfort. I'm excited, terrified, curious, confident, humbled, and prepared (I think) to be completely unprepared for the wonder that is India.
As for the 'reason' I'm going . . . .it's an interesting intersection of forces. I have wanted to go to India, personally, for a number of years, and knew I would eventually. I never imagined I'd be paid to go though. How cool is that? It appears the universe conspired with me to make it happen. Certainly if you'd told me a year ago that I'd be in India this fall, I'd have said you were nuts. Most certainly, if anyone had told me 5 years ago that this is what I'd be doing now, I'd have laughed until my gut hurt.
Of course, along with the metaphysical / personal reasons for going to India, there is what I'm getting paid for while I'm there. Ostensibly, I am going to help support the launch of a coaching-skills training program for managers. I will be training trainers and coaches, helping to market the program, and generally supporting the unfolding of this program and the book that goes with it, in the Indian market. There's probably more to it than that, but as this is a personal blog . . . that's about all the detail that's relevant. More relevant for me is that this feels like a deep stretch both personally and professionally. I am being called to step up to the plate and play full-out, using my education (finally some justification for all that money spent!) and my experience. There is no room to play small. It's time to pull on my big-girl panties, put on my business suit and go be a professional.
Ok . . . have you had a good giggle at that image? Good, me too. Turns out the business suit will be mostly metaphorical, as I will be wearing Saris and Salwar Kameez as my professional clothes - with general consensus that they will be a much better fit for me. I was told at one point that the reason I was chosen to go was because the team could envision me delivering training in a Sari - who knew how true that would be???
In the mean time, I need to complete my preparations, pack my suitcase and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime. Tuesday afternoon I embark on 24 hours in the air, followed by a couple of do-nothing-but-sleep days, some clothes shopping, and I should be ready to start work in India by next Monday.
As I sit next to my best friend, blogging in a Starbucks in Delta, it's hard for me to even fathom how different life will feel this time next Sunday afternoon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
