india days 8-10. adios delhi =(

First we went to Wiipro which was really cool because they werent always known for IT. They actually started as a Western Indian vegetable PROduct company. One thing that was interesting was that when they take over a company or when they start a business in a different country, they learn all of the social aspects of that country, the government, and the culture. However the CEO of HCL said that culture doesnt matter, business is business everywhere. I’ve learned that each company in India has their own way of doing things and the diversity makes that all successful. They also set up a company in China to gain insight on how they conduct business and learn new tips which is a good business strategy. Also in these companies, 70 percent of the people were hired directly from school. They want fresh new minds which is a similarity with USA companies.

The next company we visited was ICICI bank. This was also interesting because they are the largest private bank in India and also the first ones that started most of the banking ideas and techniques such as introducing the ATM. I learned that Indian culture doesnt like to have debt and so thats why there is no real credit debt and which is why the economy wont crash as hard as ours did. The housing market doesnt give houses on credit as much as we do.

The astrologist came, Professor Kahai’s uncle and it was so scary. Even though I don’t believe what they say are going to be true, the thought is still in the back of my mind and I still get very worried. I do  believe there are crazy people out there that can predict the future. I was disappointed because I thought he would tell something about everyone’s future but he only told Rachel that she would have lines on her back and she woke up with lines on her back because she slept on a shirt. I was pretty freaked out.

The next day included a really fun bike tour. We got to feel what it was like to actually be like the Indians. Bike riding was SO hectic but so much fun at the same time. We kept ringing the bells on the bikes to show the Indians how annoying it is to consistently make noise with your vehicle. We saw the spice market which was probably the only part of India that smelled decent and we also passed the red fort. We also went on the top of a rooftop and looked over the city of Old Delhi.

looking over Old Delhi

We went to Humayun’s tomb and the Lotus Temple. I learned that Hindus burn the dead and Muslims bury. The lotus temple was for all religions and was so quiet inside that a pin could drop. Then at night we went for another memorable night at the Gupta residence. They made the house so beautiful and we had so much fun that.. lets just say… some people couldn’t make it back to the hotel. The next day we went shopping which was so much fun because we were on our own and we felt normal. Nothing was weird and I didn’t even take that many pictures because nothing was of interest. My favorite part was bargaining – I could do it all day. I dont want to leave India=(. The subway was also a fun experience because they pack you in like sardines and to get in they give you like a monopoly token which was really cool. They have high security and you have to put your bags through a machine like in the airports. There was security even at McDonalds which I thought was really funny. Overall I would recommend this trip to anyone and everyone. I LOVE INDIA!

tomb

lotus temple

party time!

India days 4-7!

First we went to the company called DSCL. It was interesting because it was family run and a lot of things in India are family run. They talked a lot about growing in the rural sector like Retail Reliance, the company we did our case presentations on. Although the urban areas are growing rapidly, a lot of these companies see growth in the rural sectors.

Then we went to Chandi Chowk which was an EXPERIENCE. It was soo crowded, noisy, and it felt like NYC. You would be pushed but no sorry was necessary. There were people smoking on the sidewalks, traffic, and bargaining! I love bargaining because its so easy. All you have to do is walk away and they give you the price that you want. All of the stores seem the same in India. Unless you’re in a SEZ, its either street markets or Indian dresses, hats, etc. It was weird how in the middle of all of this commotion there were a couple of temples along the way which further emphasizes India’s way of coexisting every aspect of their lives. There were also all of these sketchy side streets and we even got to see the metro which had a lot of security. It looked like the airport. We’re probably more likely to get an attack on the subway and we don’t even have security but I guess it’s too much wasted time. There was one instance where I was on the line at McDonalds of course and all of these Indians were cutting. I was offended and I had asked them if they could go to the back of the line. They literally laughed at me and said…. you’re in india… there are no lines. This emphasizes that when you go to a foreign place one must adapt to the culture and not assume that everyone else is like you because you will fail that way. Things you may think are universal are actually not and vice versa. Indians like to give and help others which is why I found it cool that there were stands giving out water and food on their Holy Day which is Friday. It was really nice considering there are so many hungry people and beggars on the street. What I found ironic was that there was an outside peeing area for men. The funny thing was that I didn’t care that it was outside but rather that it even existed because men to me just pee wherever they want. Also really funny, there was a sign that said “littering will cost you 50 rupees.” Is that a joke? The whole street was a garbage – I wonder if they really fine people?

mens bathroom on the street

free food

crazy street

red fort light and sound show

 

day 5

The picture above is from the Red Fort where we ended the night. What was thought to be a laser light show turned out to be a history lesson. I fell asleep and wasn’t that interested as was the other group. The tour was cool and visiting this big fort was cool too but the show lasted too long or maybe it was because I was tired. Anyways, sidetrack, whenever you open up a water bottle here it explodes! They fill it up to the very top so when you open it, it spills all over. The next day we left for Agra and I think Agra and Jaipur were one of my favorite moments on the trip. So youre thinking that a 4 hour bus ride might be long and difficult however it was the total OPPOSITE. Our first stop along the way was in front of a snake charmer. How these people play out of an instrument and make a snake stand in that position amazes me. So, we went out of the bus and I got to put a snake around my head. It was slimy and gross but I had to have the experience. Just when I thought that was crazy, we landed in front of a monkey business. We stopped the bus and about three monkeys started jumping on our windows. These monkeys were harmless, cute creatures that could do flips and tricks. I was impressed and even had a monkey sit on my head which was awesome. I love monkeys and I love watching them interact because they are so alike to humans. This reinforces the fact that everyone has their similarities and differences and even in animals can you find that. Also on the way to Agra, I noticed that EVERY bus had a “blow horn” sign. It’s totally a part of their culture – so much that it’s written on the backs of trucks to engage people in this activity.

snake!

monkey on our bus

how many people can say theyve had a monkey on their head!

"horn please" sign

The main reason for traveling to agra was for the Taj Mahal. Now, going to the Taj Mahal is cool in itself but we got to ride camels up until the gate which was awesome. Camels are so cool and it’s funny how instead of eating the animals here they use them for business. So the Taj Mahal I learned was made for the king’s third and only wife who could bear children. She gave him 14 children, built this place for her, and she died before she ever got to see it built. The main building is a museleum, and one of the side buildings is a mosque and the other a place for guests. There is also something called the black Taj which some historians say was made to show his depression and sadness for the loss of his wife. The plans were made but nothing was every completed and the king died. So there is much debate – it wouldn’t have been the same if there were two Taj’s. The tour guide also showed us a really cool illusion on the side of the building. The columns look indented but really they are flat.

camel ride

taj mahal

taj mahal

The non-western toilets are crazy. They don’t use toilet paper and it’s just a hole in the ground. I do have experience with squatting but their thighs must be steel. Anyways, our next stop was at the Fatehpur Sikri which was another one of those palaces. We saw places like the Queen’s make up room, where the king sat when he was in a meeting and how he wanted to combine and integrate all religions and welcome all religions. There was a body of water in one of the spots and some of the guys paid 100 rupees to see him jump quite a height into dirty, musty water. The things people will do for money is crazy. The snake charmers all hide their snakes if youre not willing to throw them some rupees for it.

We ended the day with a bonfire which was warm and amazing to just talk to everyone and relax for a couple of hours. The hotel was also gorgeous and all of the surrounding hotels were all named after birds for the bird sanctuary nearby. Our hotel’s name was Bharatpur.

bharatpur hotel

day 6

Bird Sanctuary! This was cool because if I was going to India myself I would never be interested in a bird tour but it actually wasn’t that bad. The funny part was that the bicycles were ratty but that was no excuse for how everyone was struggling to ride a bike as if we were learning for the first time haha. We saw all types of birds, one being an eagle owl animal that flies into nests, kicks the mother out, and keeps the eggs warm takes over.

bicycle tour through bird sanctuary

Off to Jaipur! It’s also called the pink city because all of the buildings are mainly pink. It’s a really pretty city, and probably my favorite one. We first went to the janta Mantar which was my favorite historical site we visited. The tour guide was also very good and it was more about how smart the Indians were, not about where the Queen did her makeup, although that’s very interesting too. The instruments they used back then were incredible and I’m still not sure how they came up with all of this. We were shown their sundials, how they tell what zodiac sign there was, how they found the date and time with these instruments as well. There would usually have to be two of each instrument because to work on them you need to walk in the middle so the pieces were spread a part for that to happen. The tour guide also talked about how astrology and all of that means a lot to the Indians and people believe that you either have to be the same sign or the exact opposite sign on the calender to have a successful relationship. Next was the Hawa mahal. This palace was really pretty except I feel like everyone was short back then. The staircases were short, the entranceways were short. This was also the place where the creepiest people would follow us, pretend they were on our tour, and take pictures of us right in front of our faces. Lastly for our day activities we stopped at the Jal Mahal which means palace on the water. You can’t drive to it but it looked beautiful.

sundial

hawa mahal

jal mahal

zodiac signs

There never seems to be a dull bus ride when talking about Agra and Jaipur. On our way to the hotel we came a across an Indian wedding. The procession is led down the street to the party where the bride is getting ready. The groom rides on a horse as all of his friends and family follow. Since Hindu’s are sooo welcoming into their homes and it’s rude not to invite someone in, he kept telling us that “we were his own daughters” and that we MUST come to the party. It was so cute but of course we went back to the hotel for our own party. Going back on the Indians are welcoming theory, when we got to the hotel they put on a song and dance and put red dots on our head to welcome us properly. It was so lovely and I felt like I was being treated like a Queen. We ate dinner indian style and then RODE ON ELEPHANTS. The ride was really short but it was an elephant! I rode an elephant! India is so great! The elephant was hairy and not how I expected although I shouldn’t think that the tv shows I watch depict elephants as they are haha. The Indians of course paint the elephants because theyre so decorative and fun and colorful and the elephant looked beautiful. This hotel was beyond gorgeous and I wish we could stay there all trip long.

indian wedding procession

welcoming dance by young boys

elephant ride

chowki dhani hotel in jaipur

day 7

First we visited Jaigarh Fort which wasn’t really that interesting for me except the part where one of the workers showed us how to wrap his headpiece. The canon was really cool because it was the biggest in the world and can shoot as far as 20 miles which is extremely far. The next visit was to Amber Fort which was beautiful. It was huge and there was a tunnel that leads from the fort to the palace but we weren’t able to walk down it. One of my favorite things about this palace was that it had a welcome window. So whenever the king would come through the doors, the Queen would sit at the window and throw rice and various other objects. The wives had their own apartments – can you imagine a world today with multiple wives. I would love to live in a day back in history to understand that culture better. Last but not least was the orphanage – an eye opening experience. This company seeks children off the street every other week and takes them under their wing. They grow up in this place, no one is allowed to adopt. They make the kids go to school and learn two skills to be successful in the real world. When the time comes where they are 18 years old they venture off into jobs, etc. with their own bank account and some money. This was THE place to be. The owners really cared about the children and the children’s rooms were so thought out and geared for them (cushion in the middle to play on). This whole company also makes me believe that when you have a dream you should chase it. It’s only when you pursue your idea, stand up for what you believe in, have confidence that it won’t work on the first try, and word hard that you achieve your dreams. It is very possible. It was so inspiring watching these kids interact with each other and with us with open arms. They came from nothing and now their futures are so bright. Something as simple as dancing means everything to them. The things we take for granted, they appreciate and for that they are much happier people than most Americans I know today. The dance-off was amazing. The way they got up in front of us, showed us a routine, and then had Tara teach them dance moves and vice versa was incredible. We saw the interacting of cultures right before our eyes as they were exchanging dance moves. This emphasizes the idea that we are all the same. The same things make us smile no matter how rich or poor but what age we are. Happiness is universal and we all want the same things in life. These children were so inspiring and made me want to do more with my life. Some of the girls were talking about fundraising for this group since they get no government help when we get back to Binghamton. I really enjoyed my time here and wish we could have stayed longer.

jaigarh fort

The bus ride back to Delhi was miserable! It was about 6 hours and it was bumpy and uncomfortable mainly because I hate trying to sleep in upright chairs. Home sweet home! Only three more days left =(

Days 2-3!

The day started off with a presentation by Professor Gupta’s cousins which was so cute. I loved the name of their brand because it had meaning to them – S.P.A Apparels with the initials of the first letter of their little girl and nieces/nephews. Unfortunately I am not very creative so I’m not sure how helpful I can be with spitting out ideas for their jean company. Next we went to the Shiv-Murti Complex in Gurgaon which was similar to all of the religious statues and temples we’ve seen. The Indian typical day starts much later so as we arrived there were people still sweeping the floors. The statues were huge and I loved them. It’s nice not to be in such a touristy area although I wouldn’t mind the typical souvenir shops of shot glasses to take back to the family.

Next were the two business visits to PWC and Dunnhumby. First was PWC and it was cool to finally step into a wealthy building and be served coffee and cookies. It was out of the ordinary for most people because we weren’t used to meeting with the upper middle class or even the upper class. PWC talked a lot about culture which is my favorite aspect of visiting different countries- learning more about the social part. So, I learned that Indians were once geared to teaching their children to become engineers and scientists and now their focus is more business drive. PWC also talked about e-governance which I wasn’t aware of which is what kept my interest. It was all about how the government can be more efficient in delivering their services. They really went into detail about India, how the GDP is growing over 9% and how by 2032 they will be the third largest company after China and the United States. They also taught us about special economic zones and how they exist as flexible environments. Why is it that the United States has not yet done a lot with e-governance?

PWC - nicest atmosphere

Dunnhumby was an amazing presentation and they really sold their company to me. I believe in employees first, however, their whole company was surrounded by the idea that customers were first. It really showed that businesses all have their separate plans for success and they reach their goals in different ways. Dunnhumby was especailly interesting because when I walked in the room expecting Indian presenters, I was faced with a man from the UK and the other man from the USA. It lightened the mood and it was nice to hear the Indian’s market in the view of an American. I want to see where they live though and how they survive with their families because I’m not sure I would able to do that. I really liked how they explained the whole history of the company and how it grew internationally. The Indian office is a hub for doing business internationally. One of the main concepts that Dunnhumby taught was long term relationships. They even said they turned down companies because they only wanted to fix problems short term and then run off. The company doesn’t want to invest their knowledge if the firm isn’t going to receive consulting advice for long periods of time. They seemed honest and really willing to help the customer. I wish they had opportunities in accounting because I would have jumped on their Manhattan site. It’s great how many professors at Binghamton have connections with companies in India and I’m so happy we were afforded the chance to take this amazing trip.

Then we spent the night at the kingdom of dreams which was cool because we got to see what the Indians do, or more the upper/middle classes do for fun besides playing cricket which is the only type of entertainment I’ve seen them have. The show was amazing because we got to be submerged in Indian culture, see how they dance, and listen to their songs. The dances were beautiful and the songs were amazing. I didn’t really get the whole inside- yeah there are foods and shops but there should be games or rides but I guess that’s not part of the culture. I feel like you can get those shops and food places anywhere so it wasn’t that special to me. The fact that it represented different parts of India was cool but I’m not sure if I would ever go back there if I came to India again.

day 3!

the first thing we did today was visit the Akshardham Temple Complex. Although you would think temples are all similar, each time I visited one I found out something new. This temple was devoted to a certain sector of Hinduism that believes in  a guy called Swaminarayan who as a young boy taught the principles of love and having no fear. Apparently this boy traveled mountains in unbearable weather and made peace and was not eaten by lions, but who knows. I can’t ever see myself being totally religious and idolizing a person. We watched a movie, had a tour of his life and how he came to have so many followers and then took a simulation boat ride through his life. It was very interesting and the rides were really fun, although it felt as if I was in Disney Land. We got pizza at this complex and of course Indians can’t just have plain pizza so there were peppers and pineapple in it which was interesting. The temple itself had 501 elephants surrounding it for the saints and the inside was beautiful – the whole taking off your shoes concept is relaxing and refreshing so I enjoy walking into these temples. I learned today that the peacock is the national bird. The temple is only 5 years old and it took five years to built and there are a bunch of these across the world and Swaminarayan has many followers even today.

blog that I wrote on my phone to add more details ->The only bad part was that it was foggy so we couldn’t take good pictures. The girl that gave us a talk in the beginning was actually a student from long island studying at hofstra who just wanted to do something fun for the winter and i thought it was great that she was giving back to her community. So I’ve learned about Sikhism, one of the branches of Hinduism, but today I learned about those that follow Swaminarayan. We went through three exhibits that explained the story of this little boy. The first exhibit was my favorite – I love little things that look like Disney world where there are scenes set up that teach you the story. So basically this boy was watching men fish and told them not to kill, not to promote violence. The fisherman laughed, lightning struck, and the fisherman had to beg for forgiveness and this little boy become a leader. No harm came his way and he promoted peace. In the movie we saw, he climbed mountains along the border of India, left his home at a very young age, and lived through conditions that were unbearable. Even the most ferocious lion stopped in his tracks and didn’t attack. He just brought peace everywhere. Now, millions of people follow him. For me, it was like a Indian Jesus. The temple looked ancient and beautiful also but it was really only 5 years old which I thought was funny. I don’t understand how people can worship other people but today I understood. I grasped that sense of prayer and hope through this little boy and although it’s not something I would do, I understand why some Hindus do practice this. I also love taking off my shoes when I go into temples because it makes you feel so free and relaxed. We had pizza here too which was alright – they don’t eat ANYTHING plain – everything is either veggie or chicken which is what I’ve learned after eating at all of the businesses. The pizza had pineapple and peppers in it. I am a very plain person so it was hard for me to adjust. The boat ride was also really cute. I just feel like everything that was said was “This was invented in India” and it was getting hard to believe that all of those things were made in India. Even in the companies we visited, I felt overwhelmed because I felt like every business was saying they were the best, we invented this, and so forth.

Time to meet the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company… no big deal. This man was well spoken and had a strong viewpoint about the fact that once you encourage the employers, you encourage the customers and they gain a high value out of this whole transformation. This man is so interesting because he came up with an idea, fled with it and now is a huge CEO gaining a bunch of media attention. He believed that one of the problems in companies is the gap between managers and employees and one of the things he did was dance in front of them and show them that he too is a real person. He also stressed that because customers are second doesnt mean they are at a disadvantage. One cool point that he made was about the culture of a company. He said that one should only fire someone based on performance, and thats what he does. You can’t fire/lay off hundreds of thousands of workers because they will be unmotivated and scared that they are next so they might not give the company all that they have. That is why HCL succeeds in recessions. We also learned how the marketing part of HCL wants to use gen-y as their campaign because they are the future leaders and im excited to see how that sector will grow in upcoming years. Employees first, customers second.

Time to party!

The Indians were so amazing and so nice I couldn’t have asked for a better night. It was the celebration of Lohri which marks the beginning of warm weather. You could walk around the bonfire and throw popcorn and nuts into the fire and dance and sing. It’s so much fun and everyone enjoyed wearing traditional clothing and being submerged into the actual culture as opposed to stage culture in the show the past night. All of the girls also got henna which is so pretty and lasts a long time. They do it incredibly fast and beautiful but the ink is so cold. Professor has a beautiful house and a wonderful family. Seeing some e-buddies was also really cool to interact with kids our age instead of beggars on the street or those people older than you. They played some American songs which was funny because although they didn’t know what they were saying they knew a majority of the words. It was a wonderful celebration.

India day 1! Welcome!

Welcome to India!! The fourteen hour plane ride was a bit much but we made it! The airplane was so uncomfortable and for about ten minutes the condensation from the air conditioning was dripping on me.. awesome.. but anyways I didn’t sleep so it was nice to finally come to a hotel and rest. The plane ride was only about 40-50 percent Indian which I thought was cool because I expected it to be 99 percent Indian. However, I have only seen maybe one American couple or foreign couple here so far. Where do all of the tourists travel to in India?

Delhi Airport

The Almondz Hotel was really nice, nicer than I expected. When we first stepped out of the bus, I was a little skeptical but after being in India for three days you come to learn that the extremely wealthy coexist with the poor in the same area. So while there were Indians surrounding a bonfire and barely having a bed to sleep in or clothes to wear, across the street was this nice hotel. When we first walked in they had trays of Indian cookies and soda. It was so nice and the men that worked there were eager to get our bags out of the bus and into the hotel. They were so kind and it really gave me a good first impression of India.

poor area across the street from the hotel

our nice hotel!

It’s really interesting to see how different America is from India. It’s very dirty, there are slums everywhere, scaffolding made out of wood and cows and dogs everywhere! Just as Indians coexist with the different classes, they coexist with nature, with the animals too. They also DONT STOP HONKING and/or squish two cars into one lane. It’s too hectic and I could never be able to drive. How do they take road tests?

cow!

One of the first things we did was visit the India Gate which commemorates the 90,000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who lost their lives while fighting for the British Indian Empire in wars such as WW1. They were also preparing for a march to celebrate the 26th of January which was interesting because we got to see the opposite holiday of something we celebrate, something were not used to. The bands were practicing and it was awesome to watch and special to know how much this holiday means for them. What was really interesting was as we were taking pictures of them, they were snapping pictures of us. So when we come to a different country and think they are the outsiders, so are we. We are such a diverse group of people that it was probably weird for them to see us in a big group like that. The three-legged dog that followed us was also really adorable. 

bands for 26th of january

Next we went to the Sikh Temple which was really cool to learn about what exactly goes on in the temple and what it is that Sikh’s do. First of all taking your shoes off feels beautiful and comfortable and the temples are so beautiful here. It’s fun to step into another person’s religion for a day and see what they see and face what they face. All of the temples that we visited just reinforces the fact that everyone is different and while Sikhism may be a branch off of Hinduism they don’t believe in idol worship, but instead have gurus. This guy sitting outside of the temple with these awesome glasses was someone I wish I could take home and put in a china cabinet.

outside of the Sikh Temple

reallly cool guy I wanted to take home

Lastly we walked around the area surrounding our hotel and shopped for clothes. The actual walking around and not on a bus was an awesome experience because it was as if you lived there. You were submerged in this chaotic scene where walking on the street was taking a chance at survival from all of these crazy drivers, kids coming up to you begging for money, and shopping as a typical Indian would. We got to witness the everyday life of the citizens and how they operate from us both similarly and differently. For example we saw signs for face whitening creams. Americans want to darken their faces while Indians want to be more fair-skinned.

We also ended up at an Indian restaurant just around the block which was so good that everyone thought the appetizers were the main dish. All of their food is spicy, even the rice! Their desserts were also interesting to eat and look at. Indians eat dinner later than Americans and also start their day later, which I would prefer.

dinner

dessert

However before all of this we were greeted properly by the people of the hotel as they put over us a flower necklace and the traditional head dot. This just adds on to their sincerity and the whole theme of being welcomed after our arrival at India, like when we went to the parliamentary museum where we learned about India’s history or the american embassy where they taught us that we are role models and they can help us if we are ever in need of assistance while in India.

I love India!