The Rubina Pilot Project: India

Settling in India… I’ve been in India almost three weeks now and am finally starting to get the hang of things here (at least, I think I am). As this week marks the first official week of work on the pilot, I wanted to share some photos of my first 2 weeks of sightseeing, navigating cultural differences, making friends, and trying to find my own little nook in this great country. Week 1 was spent in Delhi and then I did some awesome traveling through the northern towns of Agra, Orccha, Khajuraho, Varanasi, Gwailor, and Lucknow. 

I’m not going to lie, it’s been a challenging adjustment, for sure. Between living arrangements falling through, being more of a vagabond than expected, and some ups and downs with navigating cultural differences, I feel like I’ve already learned a lot about myself and my purpose here. 

The pics above are from the personal side of settling in, but there will be more to follow on the meetings and talks I’ve been having with some amazing people this week.

Details on the pics in order (from top to bottom, left to right):

1) Delhi living: This was the first spot I hung my hat. My hostess was so kind to open up her extra room to me for the first couple weeks. I even got to do yoga with her personal yoga teacher that came every other morning (oh how quickly you can get spoiled here)!

2) Viva la flip phone (or whatever was before the flip phone, actually)! Oh yes, you heard that right. Apparently my iPhone 4 was “too updated” to break into and use in the tech capital of the world, so I’ve resorted to the basic cell. But this just might be a good thing. I’ve become so reliant the smartness of my previous pocket companion that I found myself lost at 11pm in the middle of Delhi reaching for my iPhone to search for directions home… whoops. So, this little bad boy (purchased for INR1500 total with 500 prepaid minutes and all) is helping me regain my survival skills.

3) Negotiation skills. If there’s one thing I’ve learned already it’s that negotiating is essential. And you better schedule and extra 15 minutes for it to any task. I’ve come to realize I’m not so bad at it… watch out auto drivers!

4) Autos. Lots of them. Their first question is always “Country, madam?” Quickly followed by “Married, madam?” Sometimes they ask my name… 

5) FOOD. Lunch is my favorite time of day lately with the yumminess that comes in these tiny tiffin cans. The tiffin network story is pretty cool too… maybe I’ll write a post on that later. 

6) Delhi sightseeing. This entrepreneurial security guard at Humayun’s Tomb had a pre-drawn map on the inside of his hand to be ready to go into his schpeel at any given moment about the lay of the land… all for a generous tip, of course.

7) Maharajas Express. This was a spectacular treat. I traveled with a few friends through some of the main cities in the north, which was a great start to the pilot project. It gave me a sense of India’s vast history and the ability to see the ancient monuments and hear some amazing stories that has shaped the India we know today. All on a week-long train ride. 

With love from India! More to come soon…