So, what's it like?

The first thing an expat or traveler does when they arrive in a new country is compare and contrast, compare and contrast. They make comments like, "Wow, it's a lot cheaper here than in Denmark!" or "Oh, the bread is MUCH better in Italy. And the women are hotter, too." or "Everyone seems so much smaller in Japan than in Sweden!" These sometimes sweeping remarks are often partially true. So I decided to jot down a few of my own observations, drawing on my experiences from living abroad and from traveling. Of course keep in mind that I have been in Mumbai for 10 days, which is only 240 hours or just long enough to start gathering my thoughts about this city. Here it goes:

1) Indian food is much more flavorful and spicy than any cuisine I have sampled.

2) Parts of Mumabai are like downtown Miami (if the people in Miami gave up building repair and maintenace for, say, 15 or 20 years.)

3) The heat and humidity in Mumbai is comparable to the heat and humidity in Singapore or Costa Rica.

4) Japanese people wait patiently until the crosswalk signal tells them to walk, even if no cars are in sight. Indian people risk their lives crossing the street wherever and whenever, directly in front of vehicles.

5) Cloudiness is to London as sunshine is to Mumbai. (^_^)

6) According to the news and the people, Indians smoke a lot. But I don't think they can be anywhere near as bad as the Greek.

7) Rotterdam has a lot of concrete. So does Mumbai, but at least they have some trees to cover it up.

8) In France they drink wine. In India they drink moonshine.

9) I wear a t-shirt and pants on most days. Indian women wear pretty, brightly colored saris or salwar kameez and lots of jewlery. (I've never felt so plain before!)

10) When it comes to famous, silver-haired actors of the silver screen, Hollywood has Harrison Ford. Bollywood has Amitabh Bachchan.

11) Water from the Danish countryside is pure, clean, and natural. The water in Mumbai is anything but.

12) In America and Europe, trendy people tan their skin for a sun-kissed look. In India, the naturally tan people use creams to whiten up.

13) England has a lot of double decker busses, America has a lot of SUVs, Holland has a lot of bikes, and India has a lot of rickshaws.

14) Us Americans, we order Big Macs and Biggie Fries. Cow-hugging Indians order a McVeggie or a McAlooTikki.

This list has much to be added once I really begin digging my heels into this new land. Up until now, most of my Mumbai time has been spent in traffic, shopping, and looking at apartments. There is so much to see and experience still. I wonder what it is like in an Indian home, what an Indian wedding is like, what the monsoon will be like, what the festivals (there are many!) are like. I have that "night before the first day of school" kind of feeling. Anxious, nervous, excited, hopeful. A wonderful mix.