I came as a woman to India, my choice of destination for fulfilling the next endeavors…

… and guess what, I’m still in India and believe or not: I am still a woman!

What is it like to be a woman from Germany living in India? What a simple and complex question at the same time! Let’s begin with the daily routine, pulling the bicycle out of the garage, preparing for the regular ride to work. This seemingly not worth mentioning act is today welcomed by a burst into heart full laughter of the by now well-known neighbor. Shortly after he asks in Hindi at least for the third time, what in the world I’m up to. Despite all the attempts of the most obvious explanations, ranging from the enjoyment of riding a bike, exploring the new city, saving money, looking for an exercise - to mention a few - he still seems to bang his head on what to make of this shockingly awkward picture. I will come across this almost paradigmatic reaction several times more on my way to work. I don’t mind, not the least, because it adds a significant amount of entertainment to my daily routine. I am grinning over some of the ones out there, bumping into each other or on good days crashing into street lights while staring towards the cycle lane.

Continue reading "Living in India as a Western Woman"

An alto saxophone squeals, then quickly fades away. Soft strums on a guitar creep in, backed by gentle taps on a snare drum. I can’t help but bob my head. And then a mellow voice croons: “What’s going on? Oh, what’s going on?”

Marvin Gaye’s provocative query has wracked my brain since the moment I left home and set down roots in this unfamiliar land.

Continue reading "Immersed: What’s Going On?"

Since 2002 Shammi Kapoor (age 33) is working as a Hindustani language teacher in New Delhi. Besides being a brilliant trainer, he is a fantastic communicator, who loves sharing his cultural knowledge with his students and wants to get them in touch with the local people. He talked to us about his passion to teach, the importance to study the local language and his experiences working with language students from all over the world. If you ever thought about learning Hindustani / Hindi / Urdu, Shammis point of view will surely be an interesting read for you.

Continue reading "Hindustani Language - The Key to Immersion in Indian Culture"

In those days, I still thought I could keep my shoes clean—a fool’s errand, I quickly realized, and a concern that, like many others, I’ve put to bed since setting down roots in Delhi two months ago. I was standing my new pair of spotless blue Nikes on the dusty, crumbling asphalt outside a mobile phone shop in Delhi’s bustling Lajpat Nagar Central Market. Leaning against the cold concrete frame of a vacant storefront, I tapped the keys on my new mobile phone, sampling a dozen or so ragas and Bollywood-inflected tunes in search of a fitting ringtone.

Continue reading "Immersed - Leave a Message"