Top 10 Things I'm Going To Miss About Mumbai

With Ami's last day of work today, I'm feeling nostalgic.  After all, I only have one more week of work left as well before I head off on my travels around India and Nepal.  How has my time gone by here so quickly? 

Marine Drive - aka "the queen's necklace"

 

With that in mind, I've compiled a list of the things I'm going to miss most about this wonderful city.  Some are predictable, but perhaps others will surprise you:

 

10. Lunchtime gossip sessions.  Every day at lunch, my group of friends and I go downstairs, sit together and eat lunch.  This is the time of day when we catch up on the events in everyone's lives - work, family, love, friends - and it has allowed me to get to know these people so well in a short timeframe.  I love how people here reserve time out of their days to back away from their laptop screens and interact with their colleagues for an hour.  It's not that much time, but it makes a huge difference in the quality of relationships built.

 

9. The pugs in my building- Socky and Mugume (I most likely butchered the spellings).  These two puppies have come to recognize me as the lady who gets very excited and sits down on the ground so that they can jump up and lick my cheek.  They get almost as excited to see me as I do to see them!  Yes, they are no substitute for the Tiki Monster, but they've provided me with much-needed moments of joy and affection during my time here.  Plus I always get a kick over how their owners react to the crazy white lady who sits down on the sidewalk to molest their dogs.

 

8. Indian fashion.  I know I've said this before, but the clothes here are so freaking comfortable.  I love wearing Indian fashion to work during the day.  Not only is it ridiculously comfortable but it's adorable and ethnic and funky.  I don't think I'll be able to pull off most of my Indian outfits in the states, however.  Sigh.  Knowing me, that doesn't mean I won't try :)

 

7. My cleaning crew.  I haven't cooked myself breakfast, cleaned my shower, done my laundry, or mopped my floors since I've been here.  I haven't made my bed in months!  It's going to be rough to have to do things for myself once I'm back in the states.  All visitors should prepare themselves for a house that appears like a tornado has blown through it, at least for the first couple months until I get back in the groove of things...

 

6. The prices.  The cost of living here is ridiculously low - particularly when you consider that I'm not paying rent because my company is taking care of it.  I pay 50-100 rupees for lunch every day - which is the equivalent of about $1-2.  Movies here cost $7 for the most ridiculous premium seating - leather loungers with blankets and full service food and drinks.  Ridiculously luxurious pedicures cost $25 - and that's considered very expensive. You can buy funky street jewelry for $1 per item, handmade silk scarves for $5, and Diet Coke for 40 cents.   Oh, how I'll miss the 40 cent Diet Cokes...

 

5. My driver.  Narayan Kamat is the name of the man with whom I've entrusted my life on a daily basis.  He opens doors for me, carries my bags, and works overtime to make sure that I get home safely.  He's a total sweetheart, and I'm going to miss having him around.  Plus you all know how much I hate driving, so the idea of getting behind the wheel again back in the states is causing a little stress...

 

4. The dating scene.  Now that I've figured out how to handle the creeps out there, I've had a lot of fun being a white girl in a brown city with more men than women in its population.  I get a lot of attention - admittedly not all of it is welcome - but it's made for some hilarious stories and wonderful memories.  I'll always remember the time that a date took me to Marine Drive for midnight chai and conversation by the sea, or when I rode home on the back of one date's motorcycle (don't worry, Mom - I'm fine).  I have to admit I have developed a preference for Indian men, so even once I'm back in the states, prepare yourselves for more interracial dating happening in my life...

 

3.  The view from my balcony.  I've shared photos with you all of this before, but it's just so peaceful and beautiful.  I like to stand out there and stare at the city below and imagine what all 20 million people in it are up to.  Cheesy, I know.

2. The food.  I've tried so many new and wonderful dishes during my time here - and most of them are things I had never heard of before coming.  And all of them are vegetarian!  Delicious Maggi noodles, crunchy khakhra, spicy soya chakkri, melt-in-your-mouth paneer hot garlic Frankies, manchurian Indo-Chinese dishes, chickpeas in any sauce you can imagine, crispy banana chips, fresh watermelon, silky mango cream, crunchy papadum, buttery pav bhaji, dosas bigger than your head, thick uttapam and parathas, sweet ladoo, sticky jalebi, fried okra, veg cutlets, pani puri, samosas, aloo tikki, onion pakora, idli sambar, spicy chutneys, chaat masala and ketchup on everything - even if ketchup isn't called for (e.g. pizza).  And more.  I seriously love the food here.  For realsies.

1. The people.  This one is obvious, of course.  I've made so many wonderful friends during my time here - from work colleagues to networking functions to Booth classmates to friends of friends.  I also have to mention how lucky I've been to room with Ami and Kevin - who would have thought that we'd end up being so close?  My friends have made my time here memorable in more ways than I can ever hope to write about, so I won't even try.  But to all of you - thank you.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you. 

Now that I've gotten all sappy, I'm going to sit down and write a list of the 10 things I'm not going to miss about Mumbai.  That should provide oodles of opportunities for my trademark sarcasm and should restore balance to the universe...