Daily Living Archives - Learning India

Neil Miller March 29, 2016 Filed Under: #ChaosBeatsLogic, Transportation

What To Do If You Are In A Car Accident in India

Editor’s note: Dear Mom and Dad, the kids are ok. Everything I learned here happened a long time ago, so no need to worry.

This is one of those articles you don’t read until it’s too late.

Driving in India is dangerous. More road fatalities occurred in India in 2013 than in Brazil, Indonesia, Nigeria, the US, Russia, and Pakistan combined. (Those countries ranked numbers 3-8 respectively. China was #1.)

However, based on the rules of driving in India, you might actually be surprised at how few accidents you get in. I drove in India for several years before I had my first official accident. Here is what you need to know. [Read more…]

Neil Miller January 13, 2016 Filed Under: Daily Living

Is India Safe?

“Are you safe in India?”

If you come to India often, you probably get this question a lot.

My impulse answer is usually, “Yes, things are unbelievably safe here.” I can send my wife and kids on a train, knowing the other passengers (complete strangers up to that moment) will take good care of them. My wife can go out on her own in the evening without much worry. In Mumbai, Reader’s Digest recently left 12 wallets with about Rs. 3,000 each on the streets to see how many would be returned. Our Mumbaikars returned 9 of them (2^nd most in the word).

Yet, there are still authentic reports of petty crime, rape, corruption, and mob violence that are at least enough to make relatives worry. (This article discusses crimes done by a human intending to harm you. If you are looking for staying healthy in India, see the link.)

Many factors affect your safety in India. Men have very few concerns, whereas women need to be more cautious. The region of India you live in can make a big difference. For example, I would not be as comfortable with my wife going out on her own in Delhi as opposed to Chennai. Travelling with children actually endears you more and makes you less likely to be the target of a serious crime. [Read more…]

Neil Miller December 30, 2015 Filed Under: Be Prepared

The Overwhelmingly Complete Guide to Packing for India

The questions start to sit in as you stare at your full closet and your empty suitcase. Will I find my razors in India? Do they have Vegemite? Should I bring cotton balls?

Emotions drift from one side of the pendulum to the other. I’ll just buy everything when I get there vs. I will take every paperclip I own.

When you start packing for India, begin with four rules that will help you make your decisions on your packing list.

Rule #1: If a very stressed-out version of yourself might possibly go on a rampage if this item is lost, stolen, or broken – don’t bring it.

Things have a way of breaking, rusting, corroding, and falling apart here. The last thing you need on a bad day is to have your maid accidentally knock over your Stradivarius and watch it splinter on your tile floors. [Read more…]

Neil Miller December 18, 2015 Filed Under: Be Prepared, Cultural Adaptation

How to Not Look Like a Tourist in India

A tourist is defined as someone who is travelling or visiting a place for pleasure. Yet, those who claim to be ‘world travelers’ avoid this label like Salman Khan avoids driving.

The reason, of course, is that this image comes to mind when we hear ‘tourist’:

And no one wants to stick out like this.

But in order to avoid that, people also stick out like this: [Read more…]

Neil Miller November 5, 2015 Filed Under: Daily Living

Taxes for Expats in India

Taxes for expats in any foreign country are a serious matter. This article is the result of thorough research, but you should consult a specialist to determine your best course of action.

Do I have to pay taxes in India?

If you made more than Rs. 2,50,000 in a single financial year from any Indian source, OR if you were a resident of India during a financial year, then you must file a tax return.

The Indian financial year is from April 1^st – March 31^st.

How do I determine my residency in India?

There are three classifications of residency for non-citizens or expatriates. They have strange names, so we will call them Peacock, Tiger, and Elephant for now. Answer the following questions to determine what you are. The answers to these questions should be supported by your passport. [Read more…]

Neil Miller October 26, 2015 Filed Under: Daily Living

My Luxuries of India

Some things about living and working in India are ridiculously hard. But other things are ridiculously amazing.

I took the last week to write down all the ‘luxuries’ I experience – great things about living in India that I am very thankful for. My list could be a lot longer, but it would be great if you could add your own to this list!

We had a friend stay with us for a few days and her mother sent her with a massive box of murukkus.
We took a five-minute drive to the beach to have a picnic, and the kids had a blast playing near the waves.
We rode in our small car with four adults and five children and no car seats.
They sell Magnums right on the beach, as they will in heaven.
I have six potential methods of transportation to get to my office that is 10 minutes away (walk, auto, taxi, self-drive, share auto, bus).
While some rental and real estate prices are very high, we live in a fantastic place for much less that I would pay in the US.
We have a great maid/cook who comes to sweep, mop, wash the dishes, and make food three times a week.
Our maid’s son needed to see a doctor and my wife sent out a message on a Whatsapp group to ask for help from others on the floor. Within ten minutes, one of our neighbors was there, explaining to her how to get to a good doctor she knows in her area.
I went with my kids to a shop to get a present for a kid’s birthday party. They gift-wrapped it at no extra charge while my kids played with their toys.
At the birthday party, a Muslim friend asked, “Is Sarah a Christian name or a Jewish name?” We had a friendly discussion rooted in religion that was not awkward or had any tension.
My wife called the grocery store while we were driving and arranged a home delivery of some items (at no extra charge). We left money with our trustworthy maid who paid for the items when they were delivered.
The owner of the same local grocery store led my four-year-old son around his store as he read out his grocery list to the owner.
Our flat arranged a dandiya dance one evening and we all had a really great time.
I went for a long run with friends from our flat followed by some fresh tender coconut water (see photo above).
Every Saturday, my family goes to Sangeetha, a nice south Indian restaurant where the sambar and chutney taste different every time. We order three to four rounds of food and it is delivered hot to our table within 10 minutes.
I can put all of my shirts in a bag, give it to a lady as I drive out of my apartment, and she will return it with all the shirts nicely ironed and folded. All for about US$0.06 a shirt.

[Read more…]

Neil Miller October 12, 2015 Filed Under: #ChaosBeatsLogic, Into India, Transportation

Do you speak Air Horn?

My dad liked to play this joke growing up. When we were driving and he saw someone he didn’t know doing some yard work outside, he would roll down his window, honk the horn and wave. Being a small mid-western town, people would usually wave back, assuming they knew the ‘honkee’. Dad thought this was hilarious. (Like most fathers, Dad’s jokes were really only funny to him.)

His trick worked because in my culture, a horn honking meant only one of two things. 1) I am six inches away from hitting your car, or 2) Hello, I know you.

In fact, when I was back in the US for about two months, I heard someone honk a horn a total of four times over sixty days, and two of those were at me for my poor driving skills.

Here in India the horn is, shall we say, more loquacious?

Here is a handy guide for understanding the meanings of the Indian horn.

The Single

Short, subtle, proper. Used by passive drivers to calmly communicate unimportant information to neighboring cars.

Possible meanings include: [Read more…]

Neil Miller September 21, 2015 Filed Under: Daily Living

The Minimalist’s Guide to Staying Healthy in India

One of my favorite quotes from Patrick De Ridder’s podcast episode was about street food:

“Maybe you are not sure about the quality of the food. Have it. Get violently sick. Get better.”

There are two kinds of approaches to staying healthy in India. One is Patrick’s caution-to-the-wind perspective. The other is the person who brings their own hand sanitizer to a five-star hotel and insists on seeing the seal being broken on their mineral water before drinking it.

If you are more of the second type, this article isn’t for you. Nothing personal against these people, but it’s just not something you can keep up if you are going to enjoy being in India for a long time.

This is the ‘minimalist’ guide to staying healthy in India, for those who prefer to live a little dangerously, but don’t want to be stupid about it. If you follow this advice, you will thoroughly enjoy your experience, but be warned that most of us have had a stay or two in the hospital as well.

Cover Your Bases

Before you come, check out the vaccination guide and get acquainted with hospitals in India. These are things you don’t want to find out about too late. If you take prescription medicine, bring a good supply of what you need, but basically every medication can be bought here as well (and for much cheaper).

Food-born Illnesses

Rule #1 [Read more…]