What I learnt today

Here's what I learnt today.

1. When you're new to a city, and your cab driver is also new to the city, and you're both trying to find a house which neither of you knows how to find, it helps if you laugh. No, no, no. Not the crazy maniacal laughter that signals your desire to kill someone, anyone (there was some of that too), but the oh-look-at-me-I-am-all-grown-up-and-mature-and-know-how-to-tackle-these-things-calmly-and-ha-ha-to-see-the-lighter-side-of-all-things kind of laughter. It also helps if the person whose house you are trying to find has some clear idea where they live.

2. If you want to have lights on in your home, and have a cold drink when you get home, and watch TV, and bathe in hot water (all of which I want), it helps if the previous tenant has paid the electricity bill.

3. If you have had a hard day where you have lost your way and lost your lights, you are looking for an excuse to also lose your temper. It helps if the waiter at the restaurant you are having dinner at treats you politely. Helps him, I mean.

Quite a day. Quite a lot of learning.

Finding friends

When you've moved to a new place, it seems logical to assume that you'll be finding new friends too. In fact, that's one of the exciting things about a move. Getting to meet and getting to know a whole bunch of new people. That's right. New people. People you've never met before.

Some are people you work with. People whom you see on a daily basis. People you're getting to know pretty fast. And like, in many cases. These are people with whom you have something in common. Work. So, starting up a conversation is easy. You can talk about the latest, hottest campaign and voila, you've found points you agree on or points you violently disagree on, but whichever, you've found a topic of conversation. And there you are, you have a work buddy.

Some are friends of friends. Chances of making friends with them are pretty high. First of all, your friend and you have something in common. So does the f-o-f and said friend. So there you are, something to talk about. And you hope this is going to be one of those times when you make a new friend.

Some are people you met randomly. Now, these are the interesting ones. You don't know them. They don't know you. But for some reason you smiled at each other. maybe you were both thinking the same thing at the same time. Maybe you were both standing at the same checkout counter in the supermarket and noticed that your baskets were filled with similar stuff. Worcestershire sauce, bitter marmalade, dark chocolate, a slice of gouda and white wine. And brown eggs. Or something like that. Whatever. You've definitely got something in common, so a conversation is easy.

While I was writing this, it suddenly occurred to me that moving to a new city is so similar to setting up a new blog. First, it was just me and my blog. I'd write. And then I'd write again. And again. But no one read it. Or so I thought. And then, out of nowhere, the comments started to come. But I also realise that I ventured out from my blog, visited other blogs, left comments and became a friendly blogger. First one, then two, then a third, and slowly, I found so many new friends. So, yes, am now sure that in time, I'll have new friends and oh yes, you can bet your last penny, I'm going to enjoy the whole process of making new friends.

Making up my mind

It’s been over two months since I landed in this fair city and I’m still no closer to making up my mind about whether I like it – or not. This evening, I found myself dishing out the same old line “Oh I haven’t yet decided what I feel about the place” and decided right then that it was time I thought up a better answer. Well, I don’t want to look like a wishy-washy-don’t-know-how-to-make-up-my-mind kind of person. So here I am with a list of the pros and cons and here you are – you poor things – my collective sounding board, as usual.

1. The weather’s great. I like it. Even when I forget my woollens and am dying for someone/something to keep me warm. Preferably someone.
2. The city looks good at night. Especially at 3 a.m. when I’ve finished work and wend my way home. The roads are empty and I get home in about 15 minutes. I love this.
3. Nice restaurants. There are about three vying for favourite eating joint in my head and yes, once again, I can’t make up my mind. There’s The Only Place, am in love with their mustard sauce, Mangalore Pearl, oh, the fish curry, and then this newly discovered rooftop place, of which I don’t remember the name, but am definitely going back to.
4. Living on my own. I thought I’d miss my family. I thought I’d want to go back home to all that is familiar and comfortable. I thought I’d be lonely. Yes, I miss my family. I don’t know how to get around this one. I love getting comfortable with all that isn’t familiar. I’m not lonely. Discovered that I love being alone. And the advantages of living alone.
5. My apartment. My cousin rented me her apartment. I was lucky. Really lucky. It’s lovely.
6. My work. Comes with a great boss. Nice colleagues. Lucky again. It’s a rare combination.
7. The traffic. The less said the better. Drives me crazy. And I really don’t need much encouragement on that front.
8. Time. The lack of it. To blog. To go places as often as I’d like. To read. To browse through bookshops. To make new friends.
9. Style driven. This city. I’m not. Don’t know how to get around this either. I like myself. Very much. Not planning to change to fit into style-driven-new-city-where-I work.

So there we are. Still undecided. But, like the city or not, I’m happy. So maybe, just maybe, I do like the place.