Interviewing you ...interviewing me

Mr Jules and I were recently interviewed by Swaraj Dhanjal, writer of the informative blog Discovering Mumbai . Having studied his blog in detail, I had then seen that Swaraj was interested in getting an Expat's view of Mumbai. So I contacted him through a Bombay Expat site on Facebook with a link to my blog. He immediately came back to me - seemingly we fitted the bill for his purpose. 

The 'Discovering Mumbai' Blog by Swaraj Dhanjal

I was impressed by Swaraj's patience when he interviewed us.  We met at Suzette in Bandra and chatted over a couple of cappuccinos for two whole hours!  I was convinced that he could barely hear us over the noise as we droned on and on about ourselves.  Anyway, I was proven wrong, as you will see from the piece that the write up is quite extensive. Read the interview here.

Since becoming a blogger myself, I have come to realise that the 'interweb' is awash with bloggy trash.  So many blogs are just so self indulgent - people writing about their feelings and filling space with crappy poetry and amateur photography (hmmm no comment about BombayJules please!). None of it is of use to anyone. But what I love about Swaraj's blog, is that it actually tells you some very interesting information about people, sites and businesses in Mumbai that you may not otherwise get to hear about.  He goes out of his way to find a slant on things and writes about 'out of the ordinary' subjects (not that we are either interesting or extraordinary but I was flattered to be asked for an interview anyway!)

Swaraj is a highly intelligent young chap who is actually in the IT business during the day but from what I can tell, spends a lot of his spare time, searching out new subject matter, interviewing them in depth and then taking time out to write up a decent bit of prose. A serious journalist in the making if ever I saw one.

Expats and Bombay residents/visitors, please visit his site, you will find it very interesting. Plus if you are a Mumbaikar with a story to tell or an interesting business or pastime, you should get in contact with him.  Thank you Swaraj for writing about us....next stop Bollywood!!!



Swaraj Dhanjal.  Lovely Fella.

http://discovering-mumbai.blogspot.in/

 

What it means to be greedy in this city

This is a very short post/lecture (Mother-in-Law, you may want to look away!) 

I have been feeling very guilty about the amount of food that we waste here in Bombay.  Either when we don't finish everything on our plates or when something goes off in the fridge or when we over-order in a restaurant.  I always felt bad when this happened back in the UK, but here, there's just no excuse for it when there are so many malnourished men, women and children around. 

Now, when we have some food left over from a restaurant meal I always ask the waiter to package it up so that we can try and give it away to a hungry child at a road junction.  Although they don't really want it, they just want your money.  But sometimes it can make someone's day.

Here are some images to focus the mind.

This picture is a WHOLE room dedicated to desserts at the Sunday Brunch offering at the JW Marriot in Juhu.  Every dessert imaginable is on this table.

Just in case you need a closer look?
What is amazing about this is that it is about 3.30 in the afternoon when the restaurant is almost empty and brunch service is nearly over.  Look how much is still left over!!

 

Now see this (rather terrifying looking) girl ferociously tapping on the window of our nicely air-conditioned car on the way home.  You can't really see from this shot, but this eight year old child is carrying a smaller child aged about two.  She is making a sign with her hand that she needs food.  We did give her 20 rupees (about 25 pence) when I snapped her on my camera but normally you are advised not to do this and try and 'ignore' them as best you can.  Which as you can imagine is extremely difficult.

Look again.  A child with no shoes ...probably about 6/7 years old, begging in the same way.  I am hoping she gets lucky.

NOW BE SURE TO FINISH EVERYTHING ON YOUR PLATE AND DON'T WASTE STUFF IN YOUR FRIDGE!!!!

Another day...Another Slum!

Actually this is not really a post about a slum, rather what I get up to on a daily basis and why I visited a slum area today.  I am sure a few people are wondering what this 'volunteering work' is that I do.  In fact, I am not supposed to talk about the NGO (Non Government Organisation) that I am working for on my current three month agreement so I will not.  Instead I will talk about an amazing experience I had today that was associated with what I am doing.

In short, I work for a Foundation that promotes the importance of good health and nutrition to impoverished mothers and children in a particular slum in Mumbai.  I am working on various projects and surveys.   When I was placed with the Foundation, I envisaged working in a back office somewhere, plugging away at figures and telling people to pull their fingers out and raise more money.  However, it hasn't quite worked out like that.  I am operating at 'shop floor' level much more than was envisaged and this has involved getting down and dirty in the community to see what is going on.  And it's been fascinating.

So today we were invited (as representatives of our organisation) to Jari Mari slum in Andheri to visit another NGO operation which is concerned with empowering girls by teaching them English and teaching them important life skills that will enable them to become mobile (ie give them the power to reach beyond their current situations). This was with the intention of swapping some ideas and skills with my NGO - by exchanging classes on nutrition for information on their community programmes.

My colleague and I were allowed to sit in on one of the life classes which was specifically about 'what it means to be Indian'.  My colleague introduced herself and the big scary lady from England and then each in turn, these adorable girls introduced themselves back, in English.  It was amazing when you bear in mind that these girls have come from utterly impoverished and degrading living conditions and have been educated by this incredible charity, via these community based classes, to articulate themselves so well to outsiders.  Out of the fourteen or so girls, only three were married, only two had children (a remarkable statistic in itself I think), one wanted to be a Bank Manager, one wanted to be a Fashion Designer and several wanted to be teachers.  I honestly felt quite emotional when they were expressing such aspirations! 

After the class (much of which was conducted in Marathi), my colleague pointed out that we were very impressed by their language skills and I also said thank you so much for welcoming me - they all waved and said goodbye in English and I left feeling very uplifted and inspired with ideas for my project (anyone who knows cynical me knows this is a fairly rare occurrence!)

Note I have not gone on about the conditions of just getting to the slum or the slum area itself but from the pictures you will see the kind of place I am talking about.  Very little facilities but a good enough room to get a sizeable group of people together who could learn and expand - all I saw (as usual) were smiles and laughter.  And I had a very nice cup of chai!

The entrance to the slum (thankfully the driver dropped us off and collected us later!)

The entrance to the community centre where the classes are held.  From my short experience in Mumbai I can tell you that these are fairly normal working and learning conditions for NGOs!

But once inside, there is a great atmosphere with lots of chattering and lots of laughing amongst the girls

The girl second from the right is the one who aspires to become a bank manager and the girl in the middle is the one who would like to be a fashion designer.  I came away believing that they have the determination to succeed!

The one mother who brought their child to the class.  He was so beautifully behaved (although our host was distressed that he was being given junk food to eat...our classes on good nutrition are definitely need here!)

Notebooks and pens to the ready

Above and below: Evidence of the English lessons held in the same room. Note the "I want to become a teacher" - so many of these girls are themselves inspired to go and teach the same methods to others.

A snatched photo outside the classroom - it always amazes me the amount of fabulous fresh vegetables that are available everwhere in this city!

See : Gateway of India

So here's for my first 'touristy' bit. Actually, can I say that I wouldn't describe Mumbai as a tourist destination in itself, but more as a good starting point for travelling to other parts of India.  Perhaps then the 'Gateway to India' is an appropriate place to start my bloggy tour of Mumbai and India.

Having been to Mumbai twice already, this was my first visit to this outstanding monument (too busy shopping before, you know me!).  But it is very near Le Pain Quotidien were I had a solitary lunch, so there was no excuse really. The Gateway is a great Archway overlooking the Arabian Sea with halls either side capable of seating 600 at important receptions (and probably the odd Hindu wedding).

From what I could see today, the Gateway attracts mostly Indian families, couples and youngsters on day visits, I saw only a smattering of Western faces. There were also lots of urchins, offering to take your photo in front of the monument in exchange for a few rupees (you've seen that bit in 'Slumdog Millionaire'?), although a trio of schoolgirls came up to me and asked me to take their picture - as they knew this way, their cameraphone wouldn't get nicked!

The Gateway to India is also in front of the other great Bombay attraction, the Taj Mahal Hotel(so horribly damaged by the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks where several guests and staff were taken hostage and killed). As you can see from the pictures of the Mumbai Police cordens and signs, security is very tight and the terrorist threat still seems to be fresh in peoples' minds. 

I have yet to go inside this most famous of hotels but apparently it is great for a (posh) bite to eat or drink, and is very popular with the young rich of Mumbai - of which there are plenty.

Just what you need on a hot day...a balloon

Mumbai Police...Sponsored by Famous Travel Operator!

A reminder of the threat of terrorism (aimed at English Speaking people only)

Random tree providing welcome shade

Find an abridged history of the Gateway of India on Wikipedia here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_of_India

Postscript dated 5th January 2013.

Please see my blog on Elephanta Island - catch a boat there from behind the Gateway of India!

Postscript dated 31st January 2013.

Please see my blog on Spending 48 Hours in Mumbai - what to see, where to go and what to eat.

Goodbye Blighty, Hello Maximum City!

Well this is it. I've finished my accounting job and waved adieu to my (ex) colleagues, the boxes have been packed and put in storage and our lovely house-sitters have moved in.  I've said goodbye to the cats (many tears) and I've put the key in the lock of our little London house for the last time. I can't say when we will be back for sure.

I've spent the last two weeks frantically trying to get the house ready for handover as well as trying to pack in as many 'goodbye' visits to friends and family as possible.  It's been quite a roller coaster. 

And all of a sudden, I have had the realisation that this is not just going to be a fleeting visit or a holiday.  This is IT, I am moving to Mumbai!!

Before signing off I would like to introduce Bobby the Jubilee Bear.  I was given him recently and promised that I would take him everywhere on my new adventures.  Expect to see him around quite a lot.  The first pictures are of him are just before we left the house and at the BA lounge at Heathrow Terminal 5.  This guy is going to be a well travelled buddy!

Packing Box Hell

Bobby sits on the stairs for one last time

Bobby relaxes in the BA Lounge at Heathrow