May I interupt your day again?

[lithera]

This is me.

I took the day off yesterday because I thought I was going to explode.

So, I get a mysterious e-mail from my boss' boss, yesterday, asking if I have my passport.

I, being a fool, do not instantly go looking for it. I instead, reply, that yes, I have my passport. This question comes up every now and then at work and it doesn't really mean anything - just checking things out. Being prepared and all.

Sooooo. Cut to today.

I come in to the office and find out that...

I'm going to India.

On the 18th.

This is me now freaking out. AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! I don't even know WHERE in India I'm going to. The flight is like 24 hours long.

Meeep. Help? Anything I need to know? Any horrible faux pas I need to know about to avoid?

Comments

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

WOOOOOOOOOW! INDIA! How cool is THAT!

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Dear Lord, need to make sure I know where my passport is and I don't even know what to pack. What the hell season is it there... I don't even know where in India I'm going!

Am I going to fly over the Himilayas? The flight is like 24 hours long...

[arian1.livejournal.com]

Not much hockey in India.

NO TIME FOR LOVE DR. JONES!

[jeditigger.livejournal.com]

Wow.

Congrats! I bet it'll be one of the big cities. I'll see if my friend Sarah can get in touch with you; she's been several times and works for the State Dept. OK?

[tattermuffin.livejournal.com]

My parents are there right now - northern India. It's north of the equator, so same as here, winter season ... however it's still fairly warm. My mother bought Salwar Kameezes to wear for comfort.

[jameel.livejournal.com]

Find Dhalsim and learn how to breathe fire!

[jeditigger.livejournal.com]

Probably not flying over the Himalayas but south of them, since your flight, if not direct, might get routed through Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo or Bangkok. Does depend on where you're going in India. :) It's a big country!

[apestyle.livejournal.com]

Don't bathe in the Ganges?

[skidspoppe.livejournal.com]

I have a friend who just moved to India. You want his e-mail?

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Am I going to need a power converter for my laptop? I...

eeeeeeeeeeeee.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

*laughs*

Thanks.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Yeah! That would be great!

Thanks!

[sharkcowsheep.livejournal.com]

That is SO awesome. :)

I don't think there's much you need to worry about, faux-pas wise. American companies with Indian facilities usually try to make those facilities as American as possible, so English is spoken all the time, everyone in Western clothes, American junk food in the vending machines, all that. I don't know if Amazon's different but probably not. You'll be fine.

AND I AM SO FUCKING JEALOUS.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Okay. I just wasn't sure if it was all north of the equator or not, which seems stupid when I slow down to think about it...

[lithera.livejournal.com]

..... Right. I'll put that on the list.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Not at all on the list.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

That would be awesome.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

I'm assuming I'm not always going to be in the company building. Or at least I'd hope not. And, India being India, I'm generally comforted that there will be plenty of English being spoken. (As 2 weeks is too short of a time for me to even really learn much of anything in a language.)

Freaking out. This is me....

[fireballof3.livejournal.com]

NO TIME FOR LOVE DR. STRANGE!!!

How long you gone for?

[lithera.livejournal.com]

About a week.

[frostedelves.livejournal.com]

Hey COOL! :) Real Indian food!

Made with real Indians! Mmmm.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Heeeeee.

[fireballof3.livejournal.com]

So, my uncle Tom went to India a few years ago (he works for Hewlett Packard), and he said that there were a few things that really struck him:
Pollution - it's BAD there. Be prepared with asthma meds a plenty.
Poverty - Again, it's HORRIBLE. Many people are REALLY poor, and you will inevitably see this, at least going to/from the airport.
Dirty - There is quite a bit of trash & such around. Not a big surprise.

Overall, it's nothing too crazy or out of your league. Just be prepared for the pollution end of things (see your Dr before you go?) and you'll be set!

[jeditigger.livejournal.com]

The beggars there are plentiful and very experienced. They don't take no for an answer. Be careful with the amount of cash you carry.

[skidspoppe.livejournal.com]

His name is Joe Cameron and his email is BigJoe@writing.com. He is in the MFA program with me, a rather good (if bizarre) writer and he's living in India for the next 8 months or so and then plans to emigrate there when he finished his degree.

I'm sure he'd love to hear from you!