About cec

Status:

Repatriate 

Gender:

Female

Currently Lives:

Massachusetts, United States

Citizen Of:

United States

Past Expat Posts:

India

Israel

Japan

Some Forum Posts:

India: Female Legal Business Attire in Delhi:

Hi Erin – You’re right, your skirt suits will not be appropriate for business in India. I can't give you advice about attire for court, but in most business settings, including legal process outsourcing firms, women usually wear salwar kameez, sometimes western business casual slacks and tops. Offices are usually air-conditioned, so light jackets or sweater sets can work well (just remember to keep your shoulders covered). You should probably bring a couple of summer pantsuits for court dates – you will feel comfortable in them and your Indian colleagues will recognize that you are wearing business attire appropriate for western women. Once you arrive, ask a female colleague to take you shopping for some salwar kameez, appropriate for various settings where you will work - you may feel a bit awkward in them at first, but they are considered pants suits and are great for Indian weather. For shoes, I recommend that you bring a couple of pairs of your sturdier, comfortable pumps for your western wear, then buy some dressy, work-appropriate sandals, following your female colleagues’ example, to go with your salwar kameez. Open toes are fine; skip the high heels so that you don’t twist an ankle. One thing to keep in mind is that dry cleaning is expensive and not commonly available - stick to clothing that can be washed, air-dried and ironed. Also keep in mind that the monsoon usually arrives in Delhi in July, so be prepared for rain and mud. I worked in India for a year, and wrote up some tips on my blog, you may find them helpful, though they are aimed more at typical business travelers: http://localworldstrategy.wordpress.com/2008/02/02/so-youre-going-to-india-for-the-first-time-1-of-3/ Sounds like are off for an incredible experience! Cindy

India: Baby Play Groups in Pune:

India doesn't have a system of public libraries, and I think there's only one English library in Pune, the British Library (http://library.britishcouncil.org.in/Profiles.asp?id=PN). I think it is mostly focused on core library services, but it may be a way to connect with other English-speaking families with children in the area.

India: Mercedez-Benz International School in Pune,India:

SFO1 - We had kids in MBIS a couple of years ago, and can talk with you about their experiences then. I can also connect you via email with other families with kids in the school. Please contact me at cindycarpenter1[at]gmail.com.

India: Western food market in New Delhi:

I understand your concern - we lived in India with three kids who mostly wouldn't eat Indian food. I don't know the specific stores in New Delhi, but all large Indian cities have markets that sell international groceries, and the grocery sections in department stores now offer some western groceries and many Indian-produced products that are similar to western groceries. In New Delhi, you will also be able to find many restaurants that offer pizza, pasta, fast food, etc. They won't be exactly like what you're used to at home, but they will provide an alternative to spicy Indian food. You'll also find some common Indian foods that aren't too spicy that you and your kids may develop a taste for - rice & dal, breads, masala dosa, lassi, etc. We found we shifted our diet over to more fresh foods and less packaged foods. Fruits and vegetables are plentiful and inexpensive, especially compared to international groceries! We hired a cook/housekeeper who did most of our marketing and cooked Indian dishes with very mild seasonings and simple American food for our kids. She had worked for another expat family, and was quite creative about finding food that even our pickiest eater would enjoy, such as crepes and fruit milk shakes. We did find that we needed to bring a few items that we never found in India: a salad spinner, pie dish, muffin tins, American measuring spoons & cups (for American recipes), and a coffee-making system that didn't need electricity (e.g., french press or filter cone), for the many mornings when the power was out.

India: Moving to Pune:

Hi SFO1 - We lived in Pune a couple of years ago with three kids of similar ages to yours now. I'd be happy to talk to you about our experiences with different schools, and life there in general. We're now back in the U.S., so probably it's easiest just to talk by phone. Please email me at cindy[at] cambridgecohousing.org and we can exchange phone numbers. (I tried sending you a private message through the ExpatExchange network, but I am not sure it is working.)

India: International Schools in Mumbai:

You might want to contact School Choice International, www.SchoolChoiceIntl.com (they've written a couple of articles here recently). I know they have an online resource, although I haven't seen it. We lived in Pune for a year when our oldest was in the 9th grade, and she went to a local English-medium school, while our younger kids went to an international school. There are pros and cons to both experiences, and it is worth doing your research up front.

India: HELP India Package:

Jay - Not sure what kind of work you do, but many businesses in India no longer offer "hardship" pay or provide expat packages of the kind you outlined. It's common now to offer standard Indian compensation packages, along with some practical assistance in finding housing and schools. What kind of organization are you going to be working for? The answers you're looking for are likely to vary significantly by industry/NGO.

India: Moving to Pune:

Hi Jaydip - My family lived in Pune two years ago. Especially for young children, a key factor in school choice will be the commuting time. Pune is sprawling, and traffic and road conditions are often quite bad, leaving to long travel times. I suggest you look at your work location and possible school choices, and then figure out where you want to live, without worrying too much about where other expats live. We lived in the western part of the city, which had few expats, but some nice housing societies, with many people from the IT industry who often have US living experience and are well-traveled. We found this to be a very comfortable environment for our family. Our next door neighbors had just returned to India after 10 years of living in New Hampshire, and were very helpful to us when we were settling in.

India: Possibility of moving to Mumbai in the next few weeks..:

I have a different perspective on malaria prevention. We saw a knowledgeable travel specialist when we were getting ready to move our family over to Pune, and he strongly recommended that we take Malarone the entire time we were in India. It is one daily pill, very well tolerated with few side effects for almost everyone, children included. The risk of malaria is small, but it is a very serious, life-threatening disease, often leaving long-term issues. Indian medical facilities have more experience with malaria and are often better at treating it than American or European hospitals that don't see it often. However, while we were in India, we were told to treat a possible malaria case with chloroquine, even though most malaria in India is resistant to this drug, and that did give us pause. The older malaria prevention drug, Lariam, has a bad reputation for causing nightmares and many fellow travelers have told me they could not tolerate it. We didn't have any problems with Malarone, even taking it for months at a time. The one big problem we found is that it is not available in India! We had to continually restock our supply when we were back home.

India: Very Nervous - Move to Pune:

Hi AP - I'm an American who lived in Pune last year with my family, including 3 kids. The answers to a lot of your questions depend on what kind a lifestyle you are seeking - traditional expat or more Indian - and how long you are likely to stay. Pune is growing at a terrific pace, and I think you will find the experience very different than what you found in Ahmedabad 10 years ago. ------ There are new schools going up all the time, including new international schools, but they are mostly targeted at the growing group of Indian professionals who want their children to have more exposure to an international curriculum while still focused on the Indian board exams. The traditional IB school, where most (but not all) expat kids go is the Mercedes Benz International School, set up by the MB factory some years ago. I know a few expat kids who are going to Symbiosis, and others go to some of the more progressive private Indian schools. ------ I think you'll find just about any kind of healthcare you need in Pune, including several good hospitals, but with an Indian flavor (e.g., antibiotics prescribed for everything). However, it is not a very healthy city to live in, as it is one of the most polluted cities in Asia. ------ Traditionally, expat families have clustered in Koreagon Park, an old neighborhood in central Pune, but that's changing, as the new software parks and factories are mostly on the outskirts of the city. Now you can find expat families living out in the western parts of the city (e.g., Aundh, Baner) and the new developments in Kalyaninagar. KP tends to be more expensive, and the housing stock is older, often with outdated infrastructure. Newer housing societies are more likely to have amenities, as well as more reliable basics. Also, the traffic and roads are bad, and getting worse (check out http://www.pttf.net/go/ ), so proximity to work and schools becomes an increasingly important factor. (The bus ride from KP to the MBIS school was often an hour or more.) ------ The real estate market is out of control. I don't know about buying, but rental prices seem to be doubling about every 3 years. We lived in a 4 BR attached bungalow in a new housing society and paid 50,000, which my Indian colleagues thought was outrageously high, but we've heard about bungalows in some of the nicer societies going for 3 times that now. ------ Day to day living expenses seem minor, after housing and schools. Movies are about $2. Our big splurge was a weekly trip to Pizza Hut which ran somewhere around $25, I think. I went to a nearby fitness club for swimming, at less than $1 a session. Food, clothing, lessons, etc. are also less expensive than in the U.S. The other big cost you'll find is a car and fuel. ------ Hope this gives you some info to start with. I suggest you request HSBC's country guide for India, which has good info on Pune (they have a large development center in Pune), at https://hsss.hsbc.co.uk/offshoreform/country_guide.htm . And of course, you should visit, and seek help from the company that made the job offer to your husband. It's a big city, with lots to figure out. Good luck in your decision-making process. - Cindy

Date Joined:

9/15/2006

Total Posts:

15

Posts/Day:

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