Monday 23 June 2014

How do I say 'Goodbye Bombay'?

I have been putting off writing this for some time.  I wasn't really sure how to word it.  Or how I would feel whilst writing my swan song. How do I say 'Goodbye Bombay'?

Yes, it's true - I am leaving Maximum City.  Mr Jules has been called back to take a position in the UK, the packers are in and I have one foot out of the door.  My doggie Bartlet is preparing for a new life on pastures green.  In fact, I have known for some time that the inevitable was going to happen but I felt such a strong connection to my blog, my readers and Bombay, that I have put off mentioning it for as long as possible.

I've never properly revealed myself before on this blog...here I am!
It's very emotional.  My Mumbai journey has been the most rewarding of my life. It has brought me so much and changed the person I am for the better. There is too much to hark on about that I don't really know where to begin with it all.  The people, the city's hidden gems, the people, the travel, the people, the food....and of course the shopping!

And here is the fabled Mr Jules (us on our weddnig day)

When I started writing my blog almost exactly two years ago - it was only ever intended as a communication with friends and family and perhaps other expats.  It soon became much more than that. As I began to explore the city and shop for furniture for our apartment, I also began to share information on the best stores with newcomers.  Whilst sharing personal cultural experiences with those back home, my blog seemed to help other 'accompanying spouses' arriving in the city - who were apprehensive or did not know where to begin with setting up home.  Then, within about five months, BombayJules started to attract a local readership as well - Mumbaikars began to tell me that they enjoyed the alternative perspective on the city that only a foreigner could bring. Not too rose-tinted I hope: the city has many flaws for sure! Thank you to those city-dwellers who have written to me personally to show appreciation of those posts. Please continue to explore and enjoy Mumbai - it's not an easy place to live but there are lots of hidden gems yet to be discovered.

Having never written publicly before I started blogging (other than business reports and English Language exam entries), the whole thing has been a revelation to me and opened up a creative side that I never knew I had. Certainly, I could improve the standard of my writing (and grammar!) but it has given me a massive ego boost when a few pieces have been picked up by newspapers and websites. My feed can also be found on 'We are the City' and 'We are Mumbai' and I have had many requests to write for online sites such as Times of India, The Scribbler, Style Dabba etc etc.  However, I do believe that specially written content should be paid for - that's why kids go to university to study journalism and I feel sad that free content from bloggers should threaten that institution. Blogging should be a showcase for writing and opinion, not a free-for-all bargain basement opportunity for the media industry!

Our belongings (and my many Mumbai purchases!) being loaded on to a container.  So sad.
The amazing cultural and travel experiences that I have had in India are, of course, far too numerous to mention: From spectacular Indian weddings and intimate Ganpati celebrations; to visits to the ethereal Taj Mahal and the Golden Temple; riding on elephants in Assam and learning to photograph Bengal tigers in Tadoba; floating up the Ganges in Varanasi or the backwaters of Kerala; bargaining for rugs and brass collectibles in Rajasthani bazaars; the refreshment of smoggy city air by the crashing rains of the monsoon; learning to cook butter chicken with the Pandit sisters and becoming addicted to Parsi cuisine; dancing to Daler Mehndi in the Hawaian Shack; drinking chai in Dharavi and gorging myself on Vada Pav on the side of the expressway; learning to appreciate tribal art and buying up crates of Indian textiles and crafts; buzzing around in Mumbai's bumble-bee auto-ricks; photographing everything I can possible photograph from the inside of a car. Two years have brought me and Mr Jules endless delights. Incredible India indeed.

Very little comes close to seeing your first Bengal Tiger.
Some of you will know that I have been working with The Foundation for Mother & Child Health for two years - a far departure from the corporate accountant that I was before - and the wrench of leaving this organisation is also very hard for me.  In those two years, FMCH has gone from being a staff of five and a managing committee - helping a few hundred malnourished children in the Dhobi Ghat slums - to a staff of nearly 20 and and an Executive Council reaching out to thousands through the replication of our model in other parts of Mumbai and rural Maharashtra.  Exciting times.  I have been so lucky to have been involved with the strategic planning process that will help evolve this wonderful organisation - I just hope that I can somehow continue to contribute. Thank you all at the Foundation for welcoming me in June 2012 - and putting up with my opinionated self all of this time!

The amazing team behind Foundation for Mother & Child Health
Clinic at FMCH.
The most important contribution that Mumbai has made to my life is of course...Bartlet the street dog.  I adopted him at an animal welfare event in November 2013. He nearly died within the first 48 hours of owning him (unbeknown to us, he had a serious case of dysentery) but we soon nursed him back to health and he has been an absolute joy ever since.  He's cheeky, sometimes naughty (but he's just a puppy) and he adores people and other dogs. I just love his welcoming, smiling face with his tongue hanging out when he greets me (even if I have been out of the room for only two minutes!) Unfortunately he has become very scared of walking outside, due to the noise and the traffic and it is for this reason, that I am looking forward going back to the UK - where he can run in the green fields to his heart's content.  I know he is going to love it - and he will enjoy the cold weather too.  I have to admit, I think I will enjoy being in the cold again too!

Bartie has grown from this.....
....to this!

That just leaves me to say goodbye to you, the reader.  I can't thank you enough for all the support and interest that you have shown in my ramblings over the last two years.  It's been so much fun and it's given me so much satisfaction to gain the support of Indians as well as friends and family and people from all over the world who have written to me.  I hope to blog again sometime in the near future - I will put up a notice on the BombayJules Facebook Page in case you want to see what I am up to in the UK.

So long dear reader, so long!

In the manner of 'The X-Factor' or 'Big Brother'...here are the 'best moments' of my blogging career!

Very exciting moment when my blog gets picked up for the first time by DNA newspaper.

My Beanbag post was a revelation to me - I never knew 'Beanbag 26407383' was such a mystery!  This story was my most popular post ever and brought BombayJules lots of new readers (and a bit of media attention - as highlighted above on Midday and below on the Redbull website)



A personal highlight....being featured along side a pic of Salman Rushdie... ;-)
My first 'media appearance'! Culturama June 2013

Absolute India online newspaper

"Captures the essence of Mumbai"....thanks for your kind words Deliverychef!



33 comments:

  1. Aaaah! I almost met you, and then Bartlett turn up and was too busy!! I love reading yr blogs, so sad to see you go ! Good luck going back to England, is it going to be reverse culture I wonder?
    Anyway, take care.....
    joanna

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    1. Thanks for your lovely message Joanna...sorry I was distracted by Bartlet! Yes I am sure there will be some reverse culture shock - the lack of colour and noise will upset me I think! I will no doubt bog about it...stay tuned for a bit longer! All the best with photos etc x

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  2. Why are you leaving Bombay? It was so much fun reading your posts.

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    1. Hi chandan..Thanks for reading the blog. My husband is returning to a post in the UK with the same company and I am of course following him! Such is the expat life....

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  3. Seeing my city through your lens has been an education. Your writing is honest and refreshing. Glad that I accidentally stumbled upon it. I hope you will continue to blog (whatever be the subject).

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    1. Hi J - I will be keeping tabs on your blog , hope you will write a bit more to keep me in touch! I am sorry we never met, thanks for being such a great supporter and for liking my FB posts so much! Best wishes Jay....x

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    2. Jules! Just saw your reply. I'm so glad that we did meet at the food walk. And thanks for the photo too.

      About my blog, I will try my best to keep it updated. Hopefully, there'll be fewer rants and more substance.

      Stay connected. :)

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  4. Nice to see your photo
    Loved your posts
    always interesting and colorful
    very inspiring
    Good Luck!

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    1. Thankyou Annette....thanks for your kind words!

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  5. I will miss your posts about life in Bombay.

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    1. Thank you Amanda...not as much as I will miss life in Bombay though! I am entering a period of grey.....

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  6. I will miss your posts so much. Your beautiful pictures always gave me hope.

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    1. Thank you! I loved taking pics - always something new every day to stimulate one's vision!

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  7. wow, this sucks! Can't Mr. Jules go on his own?
    good luck to the Jules family! I used to read your blog at work during lunch time. Will have to find out something new to do!

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    1. Haha no sorry, wherever he goes I go (and vice versa I would hope!). Thank you for following my blog, I am going to miss writing it so much. I haven't been posting so much recently...now you know why! Thanks again, best wishes

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  8. Best wishes for the future. We have really enjoyed your blog and will be using it as a resource when we visit Mumbai next Feb.
    And also a big thanks for your work with FMCH - the world needs more people like you!

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    1. Hello truckers! Thanks so much for following and for your messages...I hope you enjoy your trip to India - I hope it will blow your mind like it's blown mine. Stay cool, best wishes J

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  9. You sure will be missed for all the lovely stories about Mumbai and India that you kept us enthralled with and especially the blogs on furniture that I kept looking forward to always!!! Thanks so much for enlightening us with your tid bits about everything local that we enjoyed seeing through your eyes and camera lens. Sad to see you go but I am sure there are some people who are awaiting your return back home. Take care and hope you return here someday too.

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    1. Dear Aadil, I cannot thank you enough for all the support you have shown my blog and my FB page and all the comments you have left over the last two years. I think you might even be my number one fan ;-) I wish you the best too and thanks for your lovely comments. Sad times for me indeed.....Cheers Julia.

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  10. Bombay will always be 'home' to me no matter where I am. Your blog brought it a little closer and I will miss clicking on your link to check if you had posted anything new.

    Nice to finally see 'you' :-) Will check back to see if you start blogging from the UK.

    Good luck!

    Brenda

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    1. Hello Brenda. Thank you for those lovely kind words. A little piece of Bombay will forever be in my heart (or lungs haha!). Thanks for following and best wishes to you.

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  11. Good luck and all the best for you ,your family and the dog! Enjoyed reading your blog about India and especially the shopping in Mumbai! " Good Earth"? What a shop!!
    Hope you will settle well back into your new / old life.

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    1. Hello Chai - thank you also for following all this time. I do like a fellow shopper! I am sure the transition will be a little challenging and i will miss the vibrancy of the city. Thanks and keep blogging! x

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  12. For long time I was silent reader of your Blog, it was your blog that make me addicted for reading other expat’s India blogs. Still love to read about India from foreigner’s point of view.

    Best of Luck to you and Mr. Jules

    And here in India we never says Goodbye instead say see you later or will come back.

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    1. Hi Jay. Thank you to my 'silent reader' - yes it must be good to get an outsider's view although some can be a little negative or patronising. I tried not to be either. Thanks for your good luck...something tells me it won't be the last I see of Mumbai! Bye for now....see you later!

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  13. Sad to see you go, I can understand what you must be feeling leaving Mumbai. You should keep up the blogging though when you return to the U.K. I also have similar feeling to you..after living in Delhi for 2 years, we packed up and moved to Dubai a few months back and lost the urge to blog now and taking a break
    Best of luck to you Jules, nice to read about your experiences in Mumbai :-)

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    1. Thanks Amelia! I did not realise you had moved to Dubai - that is a huge loss to the Indian expat blogging scene. And your website is so professional now! (website more than a blog right?) You really took it to the next level. I doubt that I will find any place as inspiring as Bombay...but let's see what happens. Wishing you all the best for your pursuits and your family. Ciao!

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  14. Finally we get to see the beautiful lady behind the interesting blog that I love reading about :-) I am Indian by ethnicity but born and brought up in Kenya, only travelled to India twice, most recent being last year and I must say your blog and insights of Indian life has been really interesting to follow :-) I hope we get more to read about England and any other countries you may visit :-) All the best to you in your future endeavours and safe travels :-)

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    1. Thanks Hafsa for your very sweet comments :-) I hope to blog again one day...but nothing will be as interesting to me as Bombay I am sure! Wishing you the best as well :-)

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  15. Hi Julia. Presume you are back home in the UK? How is Bartlet enjoying the weather/green fields? Curious (1) did he have to be quarantined before being allowed into the UK? (2) is it common for expats who adopt animals in India to take the pets home with them when they leave the country?

    Brenda

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  16. One suggestion if you start a new blog (or continue with this one). It is helpful if the 'comments' show up near the header otherwise you have to scroll down to the end of the post to click on the comments section - especially tiresome if it is long post (like this one) and the reader keeps checking back to see if there have been any new responses.

    Regards
    Brenda

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  17. You'll be missed but you made a lasting impression through your blog and writing and I'm sure you're leaving Mumbai enriched. Good luck on your next adventure.

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  18. Lovely Blog, vibrant and colorful just like our dear Bombay.... although I reached late, I am going to enjoy reading it at leisure. Have a great trip!!

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