HappyKerky International

When I go home in some time, I will miss many things. I will miss the Riksha drivers refusing to take me somewhere because it is raining, there are too many potholes or the journey would be too short. I will miss the buses, hopelessly crowded with people, with advertisements on the sides for Java trainings. I will miss the dogs on the roads, which seem to be totally unterrified of the traffic and the people. I would like to have such a dog as a pet. I think they are very cute. I will miss the diversified Indian food – I have never tasted so many different things in such a short time. I will miss the strange habits I have read about in books, and then I came here to experience that most of them are true… And after all, I will miss the people. Some of them are just staring; others have a sunny smile and ask for my name. They always ask the same questions like “Where do you come from?” and “Do you enjoy your stay in India?” I will also miss the gesture to say “Yes” – a rolling gesture with the head, which would mean “Well, I don’t know” in Germany. When I came here, I did not recognize the gesture as anything and waited for a nod although I have been warned before by my aunt. Many people try to help when there are some problems, for example with catching a “Rik”. After some time, a crowd of people are standing next to you, watching the map you have unfurled and give some hints for your trip. The people here seem to be very happy if you say “Namaste” instead of “Hello” – but I have not managed to learn Hindi properly yet. I just can’t pronounce the words. People are giggling if I try. Yesterday I heard “I like your pronunciation of that word, say it again” – well, see… I think it is as hard as learning Chinese.
My friends and family at home in Germany are promising things when they talk / chat / sms with me. “I will make some French fries and fish fingers when you come home”, “Do you want a steak in our favorite restaurant?”, “We will have a barbeque”, and “Let’s go eat some ice cream when you come”. Yes, it’s all about food. There are some things I miss here, but I believe, if I go home to Germany, I will miss the “real” Indian food as well. There is just one Indian restaurant in my hometown in Germany, I have been there with my friend Nina a few years ago and we did not like it. The food was ok but… well; we did not like the atmosphere there. There was an odd guest shouting “This is not an Indian curry” (In English!). The waiter answered politely, “We can talk German also, you do not need to talk in English” and threw him out of the restaurant. We never went there again.
I will miss the Indian dresses also. Indian girls look very proud and self-confident if they wear a saree or the other thing which name I have already forgotten (Salwar Kamiz? That is what I found in Wikipedia…). I tried to fit some of those suits, but there was nothing in my size, which made me sad. I try to lose weight, but I don’t think I will manage to lose so much in such a short time (I don’t even think this would be healthy). So I am going to look for something for “big girls”. I hope there is any…
There are some things I don’t like, of course, like the climate and the impossibility to cross the road in the mornings because there is so much traffic. But those are just small things you can bear pretty easily. I will miss India, and the people there. I hope I will stay in contact with my Indian friends and will come back to India sometime.