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India isn’t good at bars
I don’t have a picture of an Indian pub, but I have a picture of an India mall! – From Blore Walk to Work I’m in a pub in Cambridge, UK, typing this up on my Macbook right now, 1.5 Guinness pints deep, enjoying the atmosphere around me. The pub is called Alexandria Arms, and […]
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Different Cities, Different Lives
In Toronto, I am a pretty boring person. Whenever I am not in Toronto, I’m pretty awesome. I get to not be in Toronto fairly often, more than most people. When not in Toronto, I am more extroverted, adventurous and I do things that locals might consider a waste of time. Example: (in Toronto) Frenchwoman: […]
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Indian Moments, Part 4
[Today, I have a bad cold, with a sinus headache and running nose. The amount of mucous I’m producing is pretty epic. I’m trying to at least conserve mass, so I’m drinking lots of water.] [At a pharmacy.] Do you have Eriecedamol? [I had called a local friend who pronounced this for me over the […]
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Indian English
The lingua franca in India is English. If you can only know one language in India, this is the one to know. A common misconception if you’re from outside India is that the entire country is culturally and linguistically as one. This is incorrect! India is more culturally diverse than Europe! There are thousands of […]
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Indian Moments, Part 3
Indians refer to Native North Americans as Red Indians. We ordered bottled water to our table and it was…Foster’s branded. Foster’s branded water. It would seem kind of okay with, say, Coca-Cola, if they put their brand on water, but a beer company putting its brand on water is just plain suspect. An Indian told […]
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How a Strike Ruined my Weekend
This past weekend (June 26th and 27th), me and two other ex-pats in Bangalore (French, Italian) decided to go to Cochin on the west coast of India. After spending most of my time at the 900 meter elevation of Bangalore, I was really excited to get down to sea level and touch the Indian Ocean […]
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Indian Moments, Part 2
Apparently, if you get high marks on an exam, your face gets put up on a poster in town. Indians find it hilarious and wasteful that I use toilet paper after going to the bathroom, instead of the ubiquitous squirter hose in every toilet. (As we’re leaving a Chinese restaurant to go on a weekend […]
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Indian High School Dance on a %#$@ing School Bus
So this past weekend, I went on a visit to Kodaikanal, a hill station in Tamil Nadu south of Bangalore. 2100 metres elevation baby! (minus the snow I’m used to expecting at that elevation). The air was amazing. I went with the same three other students from France and Switzerland I visited Hampi the previous […]
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Comics Cafe: possibly the best spot in Bangalore
As I think I’ve already said, it is hot in India. Bangalore is known for having the nicest weather. In fact, it was recently rated the nicest place to live for ex-pats. However, it is still crazy hot. There isn’t a day for the next few weeks that has a high forecast under 30 degrees […]
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Indian Moments
“You are Christian, yes?” “Well, no…I’m not really anything.” “Oh. What are your parents?” “I think my Mom was Lutheran a long time ago, which is a type of Christianity.” “So who do you pray to?” “Uh, no one?” “Indians are very religious.” “Drinking is part of your culture, yes?” “Well, I wouldn’t say its […]