Keep Talking

Old Meets New on BEL Road
Originally uploaded by qiubuo.

So, in a couple of days we will have passed the two week mark in India; not unsurprisingly, we're shocked at how fast time goes, and also at how slowly! It feels like we've been here a long time already, which I suppose is a sign that we're getting used to the place.

Today we managed to get our lease signed, which was a long and arduous process. We were more out of our element than we have been up until now, especially when it came to the formalities involved. The landlord, a middle-aged man with a business card so long it is folded in three, really enjoys talking. The first time we saw the apartment we spent about three hours with him, missing our next appointment. The second time we saw him we spent another two hours discussing water resource management. This time we brought him a huge wad of cash (Bangalore landlords require a 10-month security deposit!), then accompanied him to the bank, then spoke to the building watchman about hiring a maid, then traveled to Gilles' workplace so that the landlord could speak to Gilles' advisor personally. The advisor then signed the lease as a witness, vouching for Gilles' identity. Of course, that in itself was a long process, as the two gentlemen spoke at length about water resource management and other interesting topics.

I then set about trying to arrange a DSL and telephone connection for our new place. The company representatives actually come to your home to describe the different services offered. Of course, you realize that everything has a price when you see how much broadband costs. It's about 3 times the price of internet access in the US or Europe, at one third the speed. Still, it's hard to complain when everything else is so much less expensive. We are already feeling guilty over the whole domestic help issue. The landlord's mother suggested we pay no more than $4/mo for the maid to come for two hours a day. (Apparently, after I send Gilles off with his breakfast I should then do the rest of the cooking so that the maid can wash the dishes in the morning).

Our lesson for the day is that everything takes a lot longer than we expect it to in India. Everyone seems to be rushing and taking their time simultaneously. We'll have to figure out how they do it.