Running My First Race

Last weekend I ran in my first race: The Bengaluru Pinkathon. I ran the 10K race (they also offered a 5K and a 3K) and despite some timing issues and the overuse of the phrase “Pink Sister” it was quite fun and well-run. Pinkathon puts on races across India throughout the year to promote running in women and also teach about proper technique. And, India’s beloved heartthrob Milind Soman (who is somehow related to Veena) even made an appearance, causing the ten thousand women preparing for the run to go crazy. It was like Justin Bieber walked on stage in a high school auditorium.  Luckily, 10K runners were already lined up to run and I hastily made my escape.

We waited at the starting line for a few minutes…apparently there was also a half marathon which was unadvertised, and the course consisted of running the 10K course two times. We waited for them to pass, and off we went! The course was well-planned and well-marked along the way with big banners every few kilometers to remind you of your distance. Traffic was stopped (at least for the first group) and included a nice sprinkling of minor hills. The hills were small enough that the uphill portion wasn’t too bad and the downhill portions were just inclined enough to give weary legs a rest. Just around 8.5Km, when I began to get pretty tired, there were two cows in the middle of the course AND two drummers on the side of the road, drumming away. These provided me with enough amusement until I reached the banner that said  1000 METERS. Woo! I was quite proud of my first race: 10K in 1:04. Not a winning time, but not too bad for my first attempt and faster than my practice runs. I’ll take it!

After I finished my run I picked up my snack bag and found a nice, empty spot on the ground to relax, stretch and enjoy my snacks while waiting for my friends. Despite stating that there was a 5:30am reporting time for all…5K participants didn’t actually begin their run until around 7am. Veena was running the 5K so I had some time to kill. While I relaxed and enjoyed the fantastic people watching which never disappoints in India, a man walked up to me and asked if I wanted a free foot massage. There weren’t many things in that moment which could have made me stand up, gather my acquired prizes and move from my comfy little corner…but the phrase free foot massage was certainly one of them. Nice touch, Pinkathon.

Veena, Gayatri and I hanging out in the Winner’s Area before the race.

Pinkathon had photographers along the route to snap shots. Mine came out pretty horrible…they’re so bad they’re actually quite comical. Here is the only one which is was acceptable. The guy in the bottom left corner with the pink head wrap is my drumming buddy.

Zumba-class warm-up, starting line, and my favorite: the Avon table which was set up to “refresh make-up” for all of the sweaty runners. Only in India.

 

Happy Republic Day!

India’s Republic Day falls on January 26th each year. It celebrations the signing of the Declaration of Independence and their proposed split from the British Empire. Note: it’s not the same as their actual Independence day. Basically, it’s the day they said “We’ve had enough,” and began their quest to be recognized as a separate nation. Other fun fact: Republic Day is one of only three national holidays in India. Yes, I said three. Despite the weekly festivals, only three days are recognized holidays by every single state. The vast majority of holidays are celebrated regionally (can you imagine if California didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving??) so many festivals in Bangalore aren’t a big deal in New Delhi and vice versa. The other two holidays which garner national observance are Gandhi’s birthday on October 2nd and Independence Day on August 15th.

2016 marked the 67th Republic Day, which was primarily celebrated in the capital city of New Delhi with parades and, of course, lots of fireworks. Each year they invite a guest of honor, usually a head-of-state or high level government official from an alliance country. Last year, they invited US President Obama, making him the first US President to receive an invite. This year France’s President Francios Hollande was in attendance, making him the 5th Frenchie to receive the honor.

Bangalore didn’t have too many celebrations (nor many firecrackers, thank goodness – I still haven’t quite recovered from Diwali) but they did have their annual Republic Day Flower Show in Lal Bagh Gardens. This year’s show paid tribute to the 150th birthday of Gustav Krumbiegel – a renowned horticulturist and architect who is primarily responsible for planning the streets of Bangalore. Personally, after living here for six months, I’m not quite sure that the person responsible for the city planning of Bangalore would be at the top of my list to honor (think: Boston’s anti-grid system with 10x the traffic) but oh well. I’m sure he had good intentions.

The flower show provided me with both excellent people watching and flower displays which left me quite confused about what the designer was trying to convey – which was quite entertaining. Veena and I went a few days early to check it out and beat the crowds. We had a nice morning run inside the garden grounds and then made our way to the Glass House where the main showing took place. Check out some of my favorite photos below 🙂

The highlight of the show for me was this lovely creature. We dubbed her as “Bertha” and were so delighted at her existence in the center of the show. Locals flocked to take selfies and seemed to appreciate her for a whole different set of reasons than Veena and I. My only question was: Why?

Second to Bertha was this creepy-looking baby. Again, it garnered a different type of appreciation from these ladies than from me. I would like to know what this designer was trying to convey when creating this baby head among the flowers.

Bertha’s guard, perhaps? This fellow was stationed outside of the glass house, and I can only imagine that he is patrolling the red-flowered seas to make sure no unworthy suitors come to court young Bertha. Or, potentially he is on the lookout for her hairdresser, who I would guess is not welcome back.

This is the replica of Gustav Krumbiegel’s home. Nice, but it doesn’t hold a candle to my friend, Bertha.

This lovely totem pole sat next to the baby face…again, I’m not quite sure what they were going for. Also, the green material they put outside of the Glass house makes all of the photos appear to have a strange Instagram filter.

Some of the more typical, flower show photos.

 

How to Drive without Brakes

Here in India, people don’t really believe in braking. The streets of Bangalore are like the racing video games I would play on Sega Genesis as a kid – my goal was to get through the course as fast as possible. I never quite got good enough to master the skill of braking…I preferred to wipe out. I was convinced it was faster. After all…why would anyone voluntarily slow down? If you hit a tree, scratch the bumper or take out a street lamp in the process…oh well. (Side note: Obviously I was never very good at those games.) In India, braking is more of a philosophy than a key element – it’s an optional strategy…just like the video games. It’s something you do if you want. If it’s not for you, no worries. You see…India doesn’t need brakes. They have something else – they have the horn.

I know what you’re thinking – I have a horn, too! I am sure, however, that you are not using it properly…at least according to Indian standards. Follow these simple principles and you, too, can drive without brakes!

1. Beep when you accelerate. Don’t just tap it, either. This is a minimum of a three-second beep. This lets others know you’re speeding up.
2. Beep when you’re slowing down. Again, just lay on the horn instead of pushing on the brakes. People will eventually move out of the way when you get close enough. Best strategy for this is to continually press on the horn until you can speed back up again – and don’t forget to beep to signal acceleration.
3. Beep your horn any time you approach a cross street. This allows potential traffic ready to pull out onto your road to hear you coming, so they can stay out of your way.
4. Beep when you want to turn left or right. This allows you to take intersections at full speed – no brakes needed here!
5. Beep when you’re on a crowded road to let others know you’re n a hurry – they might not realize how precious your time is and how little you enjoy sitting in traffic. To make sure they really get the idea, keep beeping until you can move again.
6. Beep when you’re driving down a big empty road – you wouldn’t want any dogs, people, other vehicles to think the entire road is empty. Give them fair warning you’re around!
7. Beep when there are pedestrians walking down the street. Sometimes people aren’t paying attention. You don’t want them to accidentally dart in front of you. Better let them know you’re passing by.

See how easy it is to drive brake-free?

Flooding in Chennai

Chennai is a city in Southeast India, it is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu. It’s about 200 miles east of Bangalore (which is dry). Recently, they have been hit with a super monsoon, causing extreme flooding. This is what the airport currently looks like:

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The super monsoon was caused by an extremely strong El Nino – possibly the strongest in recorded history. In Chennai, 300 people are already dead and heavy rains won’t let up for at least three days. The airport is closed until December 6th, and all trains have been canceled as well. Most are without electricity, and the shops that are actually still open are charging double and triple the rates for water and basic foods. Long story short – it’s not good.

Technology and social media are helping residents navigate the city. Crowdsourced map apps are popping up, allowing people to mark which roads are passable and which are not. Facebook groups, Twitter hashtags and Google docs were made for people to either request housing, offer a spare room, report a missing loved one or say that someone is stranded. Uber offered free rides and is transporting medicines and food. Zomato, an Indian food rating and delivery app created a program where customers could send a meal for two to Chennai and Zomato would match it. After starting this a day ago, they’ve had to pause – in today alone they’ve had 55,000 orders (so with Zomato’s match, that makes 110,000) and they had to stop as to not overwhelm the restaurants. They hope to have it up and running again tomorrow.

If you’re in India, please consider ordering from Zomato once they have resumed their service. This website also has some pretty awesome ways to help, most involving apps and social media for donations if you’re in India. If you’re abroad and want to help, you can check out AID India. They have a relief team on the ground and are constructing camps and temporary shelters for those in need. You can check out their website here.

Not Quite…

Anyone who’s ever traveled to a country where English is not the first language has surely seen some translations which didn’t quite convey what the writer intended. India is no exception. Below are some of the best ones I’ve seen so far.

Nope. Not what they meant.

This restaurant probably didn’t intend to be named after a contraceptive…

They do have more than ice cream, as in other desserts – but no special ingredients added. Just normal desserts.

Ok, no double meaning here, but this one is great! I wonder what they serve…

Again, no double meaning, but pretty hilarious. As with the last one, I guess at least there’s no question as to what type of establishment this is. All buffet, all the time.

Happy Belated Birthday, Gandhi!

Last Friday, (October 2nd) was a holiday in India called Gandhi Jayanti in celebration of Gandhi’s birthday. This year he would have turned 146. It is recognized around the globe as the International Day of Peace by the UN.

Gandhi Jayanti is a bank holiday in Bangalore, so I used my day off to explore some of the many temples which are scattered throughout the city. I searched online, found a top ten list and discovered most were located within a few kilometers of each other, so I packed my water bottle and set off on foot in search of beautiful architecture. Temples come in all shapes and sizes, but most are small, with one to two rooms for prayer around an idol of one of the deities. They are typically decorated with ornate, brightly painted carvings and statues on the roof.

I also learned that temples are closed on holidays. Oops…good to know. I still got to see the outsides, though! The only temple which was open was the Bull Temple, which was the last stop on my list. I would also wager to say it was the best.

I learned afterwards that it is bad luck to take pictures of the deities…but I didn’t know any better at the time, and there were many other people taking pictures. My rule is that if locals are doing it, it must be okay. Now I know. I guess they’ve resigned to the fact that tourists will be tourists. Here is my forbidden photo: 

Upon entering the temple, a man rings a bell and put a red mark on my forehead. The bull idol, called Nandi Bull, is in the center of a small room. Nandi Bull is over 12 feet tall and takes up much of the space – there is a small path all the way around the idol and some small idols on a shelf in the wall for prayers.

Legend says that the Bull Temple was built to appease a bull that used to destroy all of the peanut crops in the area. After the temple was built, it is said that the bull stopped ruining the farms. To celebrate, the local farmers organized a Peanut Fair near the temple, which still happens today. Many people visit either to pray or as tourists every day; it is one of the most visited temples in Bangalore.

Here are some of my favorite pictures of other temples around the city

Beautifully painted and hand-made decorations along the top are customary

Small prayer station across the street in honor of my favorite elephant god – Ganesha.

This hand-carved door is amazing

Some of the statues on top of the Bull Temple

Skyline in the distance

This is one of the brightest-painted temples I have seen

Prayer station with flower offerings near the Bull Temple

The Tradition of Nose Piercings in India

In Western countries, getting your nose pierced is generally done because you think it looks cool, is trendy or as a small sign of rebellion. Body jewelry in general is not something we typically associate with tradition or respect. Most piercings, in fact, (with the exception of earrings) are looked upon negatively in a professional setting. In India and many other Asian and African cultures,  however, that is not the case. Getting your nose pierced is seen as a symbol of traditional culture – it actually is semi-rebellious and modern to NOT get it done. When I came into work yesterday, one of the men laughed and said Indians are always trying to be more modern, and you come here from the USA to be more traditional! I laughed. The whole concept that I came to a foreign country without any family or friends is incomprehensible to some of them, and they look at me as a strange, friendly, little anomaly – but that is a story for another post.

Nose rings arrived in India from the Middle East at some point during the 16th century. They are generally associated with Hindu, but other religions pierce their nose as well. Most people get the left side of their nose pierced but some stricter beliefs get both sides done. According to an ancient traditional medicine god, the left side of the nose is associated with fertility and childbirth. Getting the left side pierced is said to make childbirth less painful for a woman. Girls generally got their nose pierced around the age of 16, which meant they were “of marriageable age.”

There are many different types of rings and studs adorned with gemstones and lavish decorations. The types which are the most popular depend on the region of India. The general rule of thumb (which stands for all jewelry) is the gaudier, the better. I was laughed at when I asked for the smallest stud they had. Silly little American. It turns out this idea originated hundreds of years ago for good reason. When a woman would marry a man, all of her positions would become his except for her jewelry. Families would by lavish jewelry for the bride as a type of private savings account. Pretty cool!

Nose piercings can typically be done at any little roadside jewelry stand; they pierce your nose by hand with a needle. I was looking for a slightly more Westernized (and sanitary) approach and asked around to find shops with a piercing gun. When I walked in, I saw the jeweler piercing a teenage girl’s ears with a gun and thought Whew. He even wore gloves and washed his hands. It was at this point when I subconsciously decided I’d investigated thoroughly and no longer needed to be on high alert. I immediately began chatting with other people in line. When it was my turn, I was still chatting and not paying too much attention to the jeweler – he hadn’t yet gotten out the gun so I figured he must not be ready. All of a sudden, he told me not to move and forced the pointy end on the back of the stud through the left side of my nose. He fumbled around to get the back on and laughed when I asked about the piercing gun. “You wanted gold,” he replied. “The gun doesn’t work with real gold. Only these,” which he showed me a box of plastic little rods. Oh well. It was an experience.

image source

Why I Love Living in India

My decision to move to India was made somewhat on a whim. I was working at a nonprofit in Boston, where I was content (other than the Boston winters) until we parted ways abruptly in June. Though I missed my coworkers, it didn’t take me long (seriously…about a day) to realize that I had an amazing opportunity to do whatever I wanted to do and go wherever I wanted to go. My lease was up in August and I needed to move so the landlord could renovate, and with no job tying me to the city I was free. I opened up Google maps to look at the possibilities across the globe, and immediately remembered how much I have always wanted to travel to India but have never quite made it. Due to my impulsive nature, I always require myself to wait one week when making big decisions (like buying a one-way ticket to India) and if at the end of the week, I still feel the same way, I am good to pull out the Visa. My India decision withstood the week-long test, and on the 8th day I purchased my one-way ticket to Bangalore while drinking coffee in my best friend’s kitchen in Pennsylvania.

It was the best decision I could have possibly made. First and foremost, the food is fantastic – which might be the most important element for me. Other than a few overly opportunistic vendors and rickshaw drivers who are always trying to overcharge me, everyone is quite friendly and helpful without being overly so. The climate is great – no more harsh winters! Bangalore is particularly great because it has all of the conveniences of a large, modern city without all of the tourists. It is known as the Silicon Valley of India and home to their tech boom, but generally gets missed on the tourist circuit. Yes, as a white girl with brown hair and blue eyes this means that I get stared at a lot, but its pretty mild.

I love being in a place where I can walk everywhere I need but call an Uber/hop in a rickshaw if I choose. Almost all of the shopping I need to do can be done from the sidewalk. Pyramids of fruits and vegetables piled on blankets, food trucks (I suppose food carts is a more accurate term here), shoes, clothes and jewelry line the roads. I can still order takeout from my phone and have it delivered to my apartment, or I can go out to eat, or sometimes I even cook. Especially in public, eating with your fingers the norm. I’m still working on mastering this one…have you ever tried eating rice with your fingers? A little tricky.

Everywhere you look is filled with colors. Buildings are painted vibrant colors and women are draped in beautiful saris. There are glossy fruits on every corner and brightly colored flowers line sidewalks, building awnings and braids of hair. The colors accentuate the intricate architecture, particularly of the temples and mosques.  Hand-carved decorations adorn most doors and entryways and are quite impressive. Women even cover themselves in artwork by getting mehndi tattoos across their hands, arms, legs and feet. Even the characters of the Kannada alphabet look like artwork.

Living here, I can be completely immersed in another culture with a foreign language and a completely different alphabet, but am still able to speak English if I need to. It’s pretty awesome. So to all of those people who were slightly stressed by my impulsivity, particularly you folks in Central PA, you can relax. I love it. Even if it is hard to find good coffee.

Here are some of my favorite photos since arriving in Bangalore. And if you’re reading this, wondering if you should move to India…DO IT!

Water lily in bloom after some rain in Coorg

view from the main lobby at Honey Valley in Coorg (all of the greenery between the trees in the distance is coffee!)

Seems appropriate as we move into October. Not sure what type of bird these were, but I like the photo.

Ganesha idol with offerings for Ganesh Chatchurthi holiday (Sept 17th)

Sweets and breath fresheners at a local bazaar

Ceiling of a local bar. Pretty cool!

I spy with my little eye…a white girl in a tree??

View on top of the ridge in Coorg

I ❤ solar

My new favorite plant. How cool is this??

Ganesha idols on sale for the holiday

Fruit market – so many colors!

Selling flowers in the market. The flowers are strung together and sold by the arm-length as decorations.

View of the KR Market from above. Largest flower market in Asia! The market opens around 4am daily to sell tons of flowers to the good people of Bangalore

View from my office. Not too shabby.

Guavas for sale!

Selling some flowers on the sidewalk

My first mehndi tattoo!

Five Stereotypes I Didn’t See Coming

I’ve done a fair amount of traveling, and I’ve encountered a fair amount of stereotypes about Americans and/or foreigners in general. Sometimes they’re true, sometimes I have no idea where they came from. Here are the five main stereotypes/perceptions I’ve encountered in India so far that completely took me by surprise and left me scratching my head:

1. Vegetarians are quite, passive, mild-mannered – I learned this one when someone at work asked me if I was a vegetarian, because I “looked like one.” Of course my first question was “What does that mean?” I mean, I’m not a vegetarian, but I obviously needed to know what that meant! Once they told me why, I started laughing. This really couldn’t be further from the truth, but I suppose I’ll take it as a compliment. It was only my first week there when they asked. This is me a few weeks later. I think they may have changed their opinion.
2. Americans LOVE exercise – Whether its walking, running, or healthy eating, Americans love it. This topic comes up on a daily basis, because I walk to work in the mornings (about 5K) Everyone thinks I’m nuts. Every day I’m told “Indians hate walking. Indians are all diabetics and overweight.” Huh?? This basically goes against every other stereotype of Americans I have heard before. I don’t know that either aspect of this is actually true. This photo is failed jumping photo attempt #75…but I think it still looks pretty cool. I got some exercise in Coorg over the weekend and went on some really awesome treks. AND, this pic is a spoiler for #3 on the list, since I am wearing sunglasses!
3. Only rich people wear sunglasses This one really surprised me and drives me crazy for a number of reasons.
   • I have blue eyes which are super sensitive to brightness. I can’t see if it is really bright. I never leave the house without my sunglasses.
   • Even if it isn’t sunny, there is so much dust and other little particles that I don’t want flying in my eyes.
   • Sunglasses only for the rich means no awesome, color Ray Ban knockoffs on every corner. I was looking forward to that.
4. All foreigners smoke – I blame the French for this one. People are surprised when I turn down their offered cigarette. “Don’t all white people smoke,” they ask.
5. Why learn Kannada when you already know English? – Kannada is the official language in the state of Karnataka where Bangalore is located. Most of the north speaks Hindi, but the southern states have diverse languages complete with different alphabets. I currently know about 20 words, but the reaction when I use one or two is complete shock. A white girl speaking Kannada? Why? Don’t you speak English? I generally smile and say “Because I want to.” Why wouldn’t you want to learn the local language?

Here is the Kannada alphabet I had hanging in my kitchen in Boston to learn the characters before my trip – my roommates loved it (mostly at hearing me try to pronounce the characters):