Bombaby Part 2: October and November
Since graduating college, I have had two very broad goals towards which I have been working. One was to spend my time more intentionally and consciously, and the second was to become “more awake.” T0 me, this means being more consciously in touch with my senses and my mental processes. Part of this effort means meditating, practicing yoga, and reflecting more habitually. This is all in an effort to make my attitude more consistently positive and generous. A big part of that is making the effort to appreciate things that aren’t typically appreciated, like the beauty of the reds in the above photo. As an outsider building a community practically from scratch, it is these intentional appreciations that keep me going in a big, bad city like this one.
That said, I am experiencing some great pockets of community here and there. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner among all the American-educated employees that was hosted by one of my co-workers.
I have also discovered an event company and youth culture magazine that I really like called Homegrown. They have thrown some great live shows while also giving me an insight into the changing face of India’s youngest (and biggest) demographic. We went to one of their events after this dinner above. In addition, I went to a somewhat bizarre birthday party once for a woman who works for one of Mahindra automotive’s component suppliers. It was on a rooftop of the building her family lives in. There was a big fish tank, a mountain of Domino’s pizza, and plastic balls scattered everywhere like the ones you would find in a McDonald’s play pen. It was a big extended family of kids in their early 20s and mid to late teens. Everyone was so goofy and playful with each other. It is always fun to get a peek into family life here.
Speaking of family, I was invited by a friend who I met here who went to college with my roommate to visit her family home in Mauritius over the Diwali holidays (early November). I made a stop in the Seychelles first for a few days, which was easily one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It was nice to have a few days on my own since I am almost always around people while I am in Bombay. I did a lot of reading and writing during that time as well, particularly on a technology I am really interested in, called the blockchain. The real highlight of the trip, however, was meeting my friend’s extended family and being a part of their family celebrations during the Diwali holidays. A close second would have to be finishing my SCUBA certification alongside another of my new friends.
As for work, it has been improving in cycles. As I understand better and better how to work within the organization, I find myself more engaged and able to contribute. Going from college to a first full-time job is quite the transition. Instead of working alone and living close to lots of friends, I work in groups and my friends are far more spread out. The project I started on earlier in the fall, doing digital transformation for Club Mahindra (an Indian holiday timeshare brand), has progressed considerably since last I wrote. Sometimes it feels like things move slowly, but when the changes do come they can be quite big and exciting. One of my favorite parts of working in a big company is that there are a lot of things going on so there are a lot of chances to learn if I want to. For example, in October I participated in a design thinking workshop on the future of luxury in automotive and in November I attended a couple of educational events for digital marketing professionals. I have also made the effort to get out of my neighborhood and go see lectures, talks and films around the city. This was one of my favorite parts of Harvard and I am glad I am able to keep exercising my curiosity here. Some things I have gone to see include a lecture on Marx’s early writings,an Audrey Hepburn film, and a transgender dance performance.
One of the highlights of the fall was a visit from my mom and aunt. They stayed in Mumbai for a week at the end of a separate trip to Central Asia that they were on for their work in crafts. Their visit gave me an opportunity to see the city with new eyes and reflect on all the progress that I have made in becoming accustomed to the hustle and bustle of the city. Of course we also ate some great food! The coolest thing we did was a “dabbawalla” tour which showed us the process for how lunches get delivered from homes to offices in Mumbai. Every day thousands of homecooked meals are brought to central processing centers, and distributed out over the city via trains, carts, and finally bicycles. It was a great experience to get a little taste of the working class experience in Bombay, for myself and for my mom.
With one “semester” finished, I am feeling quite settled into my new life. I still miss my family, my college friends, and my high school buddies a lot, but the distance is a price I am willing to pay for now. Mumbai is teaching me a lot of lessons about myself and about the world, while Bombay is proving to be lots of fun. I didn’t make the effort to travel outside of the city much this fall, but I definitely will in the new year. So many places to go! I have very much enjoyed bonding with other foreigners over their experiences in this massive and strange country. It is great to share reflections in an effort to make sense of what often feels completely unintelligible. It is a humbling experience, and it leaves me feeling deeply grateful for the home I have to go back to and for all the opportunities I have before me. 2015 was a great year for me and I think the next one could be even better.
