I've been in India a little over a week today, starting by walking the India-Pakistan border. Expectedly, I began seeing small cultural differences on the way to the train station in Amritsar; women on scooters, something you would never see in Pakistan, lots of turbans (the majority is Sikh) and a little less conservative attitude. I thought I would melt away by the time I boarded the train. Luckily the train was air-conditioned and I let out a sigh of relief as I walked to my assigned seat, which, unfortunately, lasted for two minutes, because then, the smell took over! And that was much worse than the heat. It would be hard to describe it, but it was like a mixture of urine, sweaty armpits, cow dung and Indian food. Sorry. As a result, I tried hard not to breathe the entire six-hour journey!

Delhi was a flash. I could not see much because I had a flight to Bangalore where my volunteer project with the media was to start in less than two days. So I shall comment more on Delhi after I revisit. Bangalore. Well, to start off, lovely weather. I never imagined it would be this pleasant. The monsoon season has begun and, frankly, I like getting soaked unexpectedly - it's an experience!

I am in Bangalore for four weeks working with a local magazine through a worldwide organization that places volunteers in their field of interest across the globe, including accommodation and a pretty decent support system for first-timers in India or any other country for that matter. I am staying at a guest-house with a local Christian family in a, what's the right word, village-like neighborhood. I requested a single room, which is basic but clean. Bangalore's weather doesn't require air-conditioners, so I hardly notice it missing. Shirley, the guest-house owner, is a great cook and I have managed to charm her into making me non-vegetarian meals about three times a week! Not that she's a veggie, but there are other volunteers sharing the house who happen to be. It's a quiet neighborhood just a ten-minute walk from a bustling market, which seems to sell everything but a decent cup of coffee!

I really like Bangaloreans; I have made tons of friends, at the cafes, while shopping and at work. Work. I'm working for Explocity and I'm on the Cafe Beat team. I've already finished the cover story for next month's issue on India's young and their career choices. It was fun going to the cafe and interviewing random people, and writing about it was even better. The work environment is quite different from CA; the bosses freely scream at their employees, the water in the bathroom ran out once, we don't have generous office supplies and one person is doing the work of three! But I have to admit, I'm having a good time, apart from occasional bad rickshaw experiences where I'm stuck in traffic for more than an hour on my way home.

Click on the images to view gallery.

Back to Bangloreans. They're very hospitable. One of my co-workers offered me her place the first day I met her, and another picks and drops me to and from work every day as she lives as she lives quite near my guest-house. I have invitations to do something or the other almost every single day!

It's about 6 p.m. now and the workers are wrapping up here (I'm at work). So I shall call it a day and write more about my joyous travels later.