Agra in Installments
There's a lot to see and say about Agra, so I'm going to give it to you in installments starting of course with the Taj Mahal.
Besides the trip events there have been a few other things I've noticed about India I want to share. First of all money (at least for me) is kind of a pain in the ass.
That's a pile of 10,000 rupees - roughly $250 US dollars. I got it from an ATM. It all came out in 500s and a few 100s. Wow! 100 rupees! Equals about $2.50 US, but it's still 100 rupees in India. Get it? I don't. I understand the mathmatical conversion of $1 being equal to about 40 rupees, but what I keep forgetting is 1 rupee is equal to $1 dollar as far as how it's used. For example, I normally leave a couple of bucks for maid service. Mathmatically that would equal about 100 rupees, but leaving 100 rupees for a maid in India is like leaving $100 in the US. Yeah I got it now and it seems so simple, but my jet lag was still lagging this weekend. The other issue was I had a really hard time getting anything smaller then 10 rupees. Most of the stuff I bought was 100 rupees or more. That typically didn't lead to change smaller then 10 rupees. So what do you give the maid, the doorman, or the cripple banging on your car window? I had nothing. I felt horrible, but I had nothing. I could have given 10 rupees, but was told (and read) that can be just as problematic or worse then not giving anything at all. Giving too much leads the population to believe you're some kind rich guy or that everyone from your country is super rich (they obviously don't understand the conversions either). When the next person comes along and gives the appropriate amount (just a few rupees), they could be harassed for more based on the previous persons "poor" example. Giving nothing means you're just rude. There are rude people everywhere.
Other observations:
Women will often ride in the front of cars with their infants in their laps or on the back of a motorcycle with an infant in their lap.
Drivers of motorycles and mopeds often wear helmets, but passengers do not.
Mopeds carry spare tires around here.
You can fit an entire family (parents and two children) on a single motorycle, and I'm not talking about the giant steel steeds we have in the US. These are tiny 100cc motorcycles.
Men will hold hands, walk arm in arm or sit very (VERY) close to each other. I've seen this in other countries too.
Men will urinate just about anywhere.
Some places smell in ways I can't describe.
Women can work right along side men digging ditches, carrying concrete or bricks often on their heads.
Men and women both spit just about anywhere.
Belching in the open, without excuse, is perfectly normal. Blowing your nose, apparently, is not.
Indians have a much larger variety of cell phones then we have in the US.
- b
ps. After a week, I'm getting better with the food. Actually went to lunch today without any digestive anxiety.
Besides the trip events there have been a few other things I've noticed about India I want to share. First of all money (at least for me) is kind of a pain in the ass.
That's a pile of 10,000 rupees - roughly $250 US dollars. I got it from an ATM. It all came out in 500s and a few 100s. Wow! 100 rupees! Equals about $2.50 US, but it's still 100 rupees in India. Get it? I don't. I understand the mathmatical conversion of $1 being equal to about 40 rupees, but what I keep forgetting is 1 rupee is equal to $1 dollar as far as how it's used. For example, I normally leave a couple of bucks for maid service. Mathmatically that would equal about 100 rupees, but leaving 100 rupees for a maid in India is like leaving $100 in the US. Yeah I got it now and it seems so simple, but my jet lag was still lagging this weekend. The other issue was I had a really hard time getting anything smaller then 10 rupees. Most of the stuff I bought was 100 rupees or more. That typically didn't lead to change smaller then 10 rupees. So what do you give the maid, the doorman, or the cripple banging on your car window? I had nothing. I felt horrible, but I had nothing. I could have given 10 rupees, but was told (and read) that can be just as problematic or worse then not giving anything at all. Giving too much leads the population to believe you're some kind rich guy or that everyone from your country is super rich (they obviously don't understand the conversions either). When the next person comes along and gives the appropriate amount (just a few rupees), they could be harassed for more based on the previous persons "poor" example. Giving nothing means you're just rude. There are rude people everywhere.Other observations:
Women will often ride in the front of cars with their infants in their laps or on the back of a motorcycle with an infant in their lap.
Drivers of motorycles and mopeds often wear helmets, but passengers do not.
Mopeds carry spare tires around here.
You can fit an entire family (parents and two children) on a single motorycle, and I'm not talking about the giant steel steeds we have in the US. These are tiny 100cc motorcycles.
Men will hold hands, walk arm in arm or sit very (VERY) close to each other. I've seen this in other countries too.
Men will urinate just about anywhere.
Some places smell in ways I can't describe.
Women can work right along side men digging ditches, carrying concrete or bricks often on their heads.
Men and women both spit just about anywhere.
Belching in the open, without excuse, is perfectly normal. Blowing your nose, apparently, is not.
Indians have a much larger variety of cell phones then we have in the US.
- b
ps. After a week, I'm getting better with the food. Actually went to lunch today without any digestive anxiety.
posted by JenBob at
4:18 AM
4 Comments:
have a contest with your friends to see who sees the most number of people on one scooter. I'm sure you've seen 4 or so. Friends have mine claimed to see lots more. You know, dad driving, mom holding 2 infants in each arm, and 2 small kids sandwiched between mom and dad. I remember seeing mom and dad sitting on a 2x6 that stuck out the back of the scooter for about 2 or 3 feet and kids sitting on the 2x6 holding onto the back of mom. Hope mom and dad don't hit a bump that bounces them up off the seat a little or they drop off a kid off the back!!
uh. i don't have any friends, but yes I've seen a lot and the motorized rickshaws too. i've seen 9 people in those things or 7 people and one goat . it's crazy!
no other cool expats you've met? No Europeans? I guess I got really lucky to meet some very cool people from the day I moved there. But I guess you are in a very small town, correct? What is the largest nearest city?
Largest nearest city is Delhi (it's HUGE). I haven't been there yet. So far I've only been to the office and back to my apartment. In those places there are some Americans and Germans, but I wouldn't necessarily consider them "cool expats" or Europeans for that matter.
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