Its tough to write

I was requested by some of my friends to blog about my experience of moving to India. Why me? Because otherwise I am lousy at keeping in touch. Ok .. I am trying to get better at that .. as well as a host of other things.

I just reached India two weeks back. I can't say that there are any surprises so far, maybe because I am so used to coming to India for holidays. The traffic in Delhi is atrocious. No matter - how bad you think it is - it is worse than expected. I have not even dared to try to drive. I will try to get behind the wheel, but I am definitely not ready yet. So, I happily sit in the back seat trying to think to new ways to wile away one hour each way. Now I understand why so much business in India gets done on the mobile phone. It is a good way to keep on top on things. And to kill a lot of idle time.

Several things are new to me. For example, work does not start till 10:00 am and that some offices still work on Saturday. This was very frustrating to me in the beginning - but now I understand why. It would be impossible with all the tasks of family life coupled with the traffic to make it in any earlier. So I have now taken to going to the gym in the morning which is in the house. Ok - let me clarify, not my house - but my sister-in-laws house. I am staying their until my new apartment is ready.

Living at my sister's in law place is great . And I am availing of the luxuries such as a trainer every other day. I train with my sister-in-laws sister and her sister-in-law. Complicated. Yes I now. But these woman have a grand time egging on our trainer - whether it be about cricket or about marraige. The trainer is a sweet guy in his late twenties or possibly early thirties, and giggles at everything we say. Although, he is in good shape physically - he has a terrible time keeping us in shape. We rag on him way to much .. which he has smilingly puts up with. I guess we pay him a lot for this torture.

But anyway coming back to the trainer, he is from Kerala and his parents are searching for a suitable girl for him to marry. They had almost found him the perfect bride, but dowry came in the way. Now there are a couple of suitable brides and the only thing being negotiated in what will be the dowry. So this is our topic to harrass him with today. "Why can't he earn enough to support one girl - that he needs to get a dowry. Should we start a collection fund for him. How can he even think of such a thing?"

" TO which our trainer replies, " It is only right, maam, why should I not take dowry. Isn't it my right. It is the girl's fair share - no - isn't it. Think tomorrow, I will have children, then what? I too have four sisters - and we gave dowry for each of them. And then, the dowry would only help her (her here meaning whoever was his future bride) get started in something - maybe set-up her own business or something". Well thank God, atleast our trainer was open to the idea of his wife working. By know you know that our trainer thinks that there is nothing wrong with dowry- it is ofcourse tradition. But more so according to him - he has surveyed his client roster - which I must say - does consist a lot of the whos whos in Delhi - that 70% of his clients think that it is OK to take dowry. Actually not only OK - but actually right. Now ofcourse, we have asked him to supply us with a list of each and everyone of his clients that support this position.

Strange, that I have been but two weeks in Delhi, and already it is quite clear that somethings will never change.