Appliances – to bring or not to bring?

August 22, 2008 · Filed under Preparing to Move · Tagged , ,

We brought our refrigerator, washer, dryer, television and all our small appliances with us from the US.  I would say our experience has been mixed.

I love my American washing machine.  It is huge by Indian standards. I can do one load in my machine that would take 3-4 loads in a typical Indian machine.  However, I think my machine uses more water, more electricity and does not do as good a job at spinning out all the water at the end.  I have a great washing machine repair man and I have had to use him quite a few times.  I think operating on the Indian power grid (even through a transformer) is really damaging the major appliances.  The machine is not grounded and I have been shocked on a few occasions.  Finally, most utility rooms will NOT have a provision for hot water.  Your American machine is used to pulling in hot water from one tap and cold water from another and self-regulating the mix.  In your house in Bangalore you will most likely only have a cold water tap. You will have to add in buckets of hot water by hand!  Indian washing machines heat the water internally so it makes things quite a bit easier.  In the end  – we should have left this one at home.

The clothes dryer has not been used since moving to Bangalore.  It has been sitting outside in the garage for over two years now.  At first it was because there was no room in the first house we lived in.  Now it is because we have to have some re-wiring done in the utility room to place a 30 AMP plug in order to run the dryer.  It would be nice to have because during the monsoon it can take DAYS to dry out clothes – and then it rains on them again!  In the end - we should have left this one at home.

Television – all your appliances will most likely require a transformer so they can be plugged into the Indian plugs.  In addition, your TV will need a “converter box.”  We did not hook up our tv for the first two years we were here.  Now however we wanted to get a flat screen tv so we purchased one at Costco and had friends bring it in their shipment.  We made sure to buy one that would work on the Indian power grid.  (I am going to have my husband post on all the technical topics!)

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Household staff in Bangalore

August 19, 2008 · Filed under Life in Bangalore · Tagged , , ,

Here is a brief introduction to the members of your Bangalore household:

Maid -  Whether you choose to have a live-in, a full-time, a part-time or a top-down, a maid is actually a necessity for living in Bangalore.  As I explained to my husband, the housework is actually twice as much thus making having a maid not really a luxury.  Because of the dust, the ants and the general lack of automation there is plenty of work to keep a maid busy!  Most homes do not yet have dishwashers and I noticed that my maid spent a good portion of her day washing dishes.  Floors have to be dusted and wet mopped on an almost every day basis.  Washing will have to be hung out to dry, taken in, organized for the dhobi to iron.  A live-in maid is usually cheaper than a full-time maid because she is getting her room and board as well.  Many people don’t feel comfortable with the kind of intimacy required from having someone living with you, however.  A full-time maid will generally work 9-6 or whatever time is convenient for you.  She will generally work 6 days per week.  In addition to a full-time maid some people also hire a top-down who comes in for two hours a day and just does dusting, wet mopping and bathroom cleaning – freeing up the maid to do everything else.  Maids often help with child care and grocery shopping as well.

Cook – Many homes employ either a part-time cook or a full-time cook.  I have a two-hour per day cook who comes in and prepares one Indian meal a day (two curries, rice, chappattis, etc.)  Some people just have girl come in to do “prep” work – the cleaning and the chopping.  On the other end are the families that have full-time cooks versed in all types of western and Indian foods as well as baking. 

Driver – Given the state of Indian roads, you will want to have a driver.  Usually the deal is for 10 or 12 hours days, 6 days per week.  Salary for drivers is becomming a difficult issue as the new airport has lured away many good experienced drivers to “company jobs.”  Driver salaries in my neighborhood range from Rs 5500 to Rs 10,000.  It is important to check the credentials of any driver you hire.  Talk with previous employers, see the driver’s license and keep a copy of it.  Generally, don’t give too much salary in advance – you many never see the driver again!  While we have had a few great wonderful drivers during our time here, we have also been scammed and cheated a few times.

Dhobi – Most neighborhoods have someone who comes house to house to pick up the clothes for ironing.  There is usually a per piece charge (Rs 2-3 per item) and most will run a monthly tab.  It is a good idea for you to count the pieces and note them in a notebook.  Our dhobi is illiterate so he depends on a notebook that all the customers write in and keep track of all charges.

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Water, water everywhere…but nothing in the tap!

August 19, 2008 · Filed under Life in Bangalore · Tagged ,

Water problems are common in Bangalore.  Whether it is an actual water shortage or an overabundance of rain we definitely seem to be dealing with water issues all the time!  Bangalore used to be known as the city of lakes.  It is also known for its very pleasant climate.  With the spurt of recent development the lakes and natural pathways for water have been disrupted.  The lovely cooling rains now flood streets and neighborhoods that have encroached on natural waterways.  Development has also prevented much water from seeping into the ground and recharging borewells.  Many of these wells are running dry.  In my own neighborhood we have a constant supply of water brought in by tanker truck because the wells have gone dry.  Many neighborhoods, middle-class and poorer ones, face days at a time without water!

We are very focused on conservation and economical use of water.  While people here generally have the driver wash the car every day we try to keep it to just a few times a week.  We ask him to use a bucket instead of a hose.  Showers and baths are quick.  Water is recycled into the garden when possible.  Because of some technical problems we actually had a day with no water available at all.  It was a wake up call and a good lesson for us all in the importance of taking care of this natural resource. 

To the city’s credit, they are trying to reclaim much of the land for lakes and waterways that has been encroached by builders and developers.  The problem is, what do you do with those people who put their life savings into buying a flat only to have the city come along later and tell you it is illegal?  It is the never ending problem here of doing was is good versus doing what is possible, doing what is right versus doing what is necessary.

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Personal Safety in Bangalore

August 18, 2008 · Filed under Tips · Tagged

I don’t want to be negative or scare people away from moving to Bangalore but it is important to have a full picture of life here.  Life in India gives a false sense of security, I think, for expats.  The reality, however, is that life in India can be dangerous.  Indians know this.  Look around.  Every house has gates, barred windows, sometimes a private security guard sitting in front.  People who live here know the dangers and take the necessary precautions.  We need to learn to do the same.

Here are a few things to keep in mind regarding safety.

Roads – Road accidents kill numerous people on a daily basis in Bangalore.  There is very little you can do to prepare but you should take a few simple steps.  Wear your seat belt and insist that everyone else does too – including the driver!  Make sure your driver is experienced (take a xerox of his license to keep in the car as well.  Keep babies and young children in car seats – even though it is not required by law.  Also a good idea to not send children alone with drivers until you know the driver very well and have had hin in your employ for a long time.

Out and About – don’t wear expensive looking chains out  on the streets – chain snatching is a favorite crime.  Keep your money in inside pockets.  Keep your cell phone someplace inaccessible to the outside world.  Be aware of your surroundings.  Don’t accept rides from strangers (more than one techie has been murdered taking a ride with a group of people.)

At home – make sure you use the boalts on the doors and windows – they are there for a reason!  Don’t talk to people about vacation plans.  Make sure all outside areas are also locked and secured.  Don’t let strangers into the house.  It is best if you have a way to talk to people (a window) without having to open the door.  Keep valuables stored in a secret location or in the bank.  Don’t keep money, cell phones, jewelry laying about the house.  You will have to decide how much security you want in your home.  Some people lock every cabinet all the time.  I couldn’t live that way and early on decided that if I had a maid or someone working in my house that I couldn’t trust – then I needed to fire them.  I have been VERY luck with having wonderful people working for me.  I keep one cabinet that we lock all the time.  We try to confine all valuables to that cabinet.  I trust my maid with my children so I also believe I can trust her with all the belongings in the home.  So far so good.

Kids – teach kids the danger of live wires.  Many, many times children hear are electrocuted by wires lying on the ground or by shoddy wiring of speakers and lights at public events.  Teach kids to stay away from stray dogs.  While most of the wild dogs don’t ever bother anyone, there have been instances of dogs mauling small children.  Teach kids how to identify snakes and what to do if they see one in the yard.  Make sure kids know who it is safe to go with and what they should do if no one is at home.

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What to do with kids in Bangalore?

August 18, 2008 · Filed under Kids · Tagged ,

We are discovering more and more options for kids activities every month!  That being said, there are still far fewer options than what we were blessed with in Portland, Oregon.

One of the main obstacles we find is the distance between places in the city and the horrid traffic you need to face to get from one place to another.  Due to the nightmare of driving in the city we really limit ourselves to places and events occurring in neighborhoods that are relatively close to where we live.

Here is the start of a list of places my kids really enjoy as well as places I have heard good reviews about.

Fun City – Oasis Mall, Koramangala.  This is a typical arcade and play area.  The nice thing is the location next to a good food court.  You can also check your children in to the play area and go down and do your shopping at Spar or Lifestyle.  The play area will call you when the time is up or if your kids have any problems.

Ameoba – Church Street.  This is a much larger arcade that also has a bowling alley and an eatery.  There are a number of good restaurants in the area as well.

HAL Museum - Airport Road.  This is a very little known but nice airplane museum.  There is space for kids to run around, a small snack shop, some planes and engines to look at.  It is nice for a few hours out of the house and the entry fee is very small!

Wonder-La – Amazing, world class water park and amusement park.  Entry prices are high but totally worth it for the experience!  The only negative review I would give was for the food – not a great selection.

Movies - There are a number of nice movie theatres all around Bangalore.  The think to keep in mind, however, is the high demand for seats.  It is best to book early (yes you can reserve movie seats!) and have the tickets delivered home ahead of time.

The Mall - if you have older children who like to hang out at the mall or even shop – then Bangalore will be a paradise for them!  There are huge malls all over the city and many new ones are planned to open in the next few years.  One note of caution – malls are generally considered to be relatively high on the terrorist threat list.

Classes – Dance classes, swimming classes, music classes, language classes – find out what people in your neighborhood are doing and chances are you can arrange something for your children too!  Lots of people come home to teach “tuitions” in all areas.  If you live in a community with a pool and a gym chances are you can joint swimming, “baddy” (badminton), roller skating, tennis, yoga and a variety of other classes.  All without having to drive anywhere!

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Setting up house in Bangalore.

August 8, 2008 · Filed under Housing · Tagged , ,

So, you have found your house or apartment and are ready to shift out of your temporary accommodation into your new home.  Here are a few ideas to make the transition smooth for you and your family.

First, if the agent or the owner tell you the house is “clean” and “ready to move in” – it isn’t!  Not by a long shot!  Not at least by most people’s standards.  In my case the house was not move in ready  – even though we were the first people to live in it!  You will need to set aside a few days for you (or your maid) to clean the house.  You probably don’t have a maid yet so see if your neighbor would be willing to let her maid work a few hours in your home to earn some extra money.  You need to sweep all the ceilings and floors, wet mop everything, clean out cupboards, clean out bathrooms, etc.  You can get all the necessary cleaning products from the local shops.

You also need to call in a pest control company to spray the home before you move in.  Some people have found “organic” cleaners but as nothing is really licensed or checked out I have my doubts about exactly how “green” those services are.  You of course can use your own natural products and natural remedies for keeping pests at bay.  We contracted with Godrej to come and spray our new house before we moved it.  We took a one year contract and they will come every 4 months to re-spray.  In addition, if you have any pest problems in the meantime they will come back and deal with them.  I hate ants.  In particular I had the really tiny almost invisible sugar ants we get in the kitchen.  So far, in the new house, no major pest problems.  We had one episode in an area where they did not originally spray but they came back and took care of it free of charge.

You should find out what the situation is with the garden around your house.  Will you be paying for the upkeep or will the homeowner?  Can you do your own gardening?

Your neighbors can give you all the phone numbers for the local shops.  To give you an idea – in my neighborhood the following people deliver to my house – 3 grocery stores, pharmacies, a bakery, the drinking water company, the ironing guy, the newspaper, the milkman, etc.  You also want numbers for any electrical and plumbing problems that might crop up.

If you need to rent some furniture there are a few companies in town, like Adam’s Rental, that rent out all manner of items.  Once your  arrives you should get it out of the boxes ASAP!  I’ll post separately about the dangers of leaving those boxes in your house.

Good luck on your move!

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Moving to Bangalore? What to Pack!

August 8, 2008 · Filed under Preparing to Move · Tagged , ,

If you are planning a move to India you may feel totally overwhelmed by what the question of what to pack!  Here is a list that I will continually update as I think of things or get ideas from other people.

First, the good news.  Bangalore is probably one of the most cosmopolitan of all Indian cities.  Every month more and more items become available.  The days of having to pack peanut butter and toilet paper when you travel to India are long gone!  We have Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Donut Baker (not quite Krispy Kreme but it does the trick), good ice cream shops and many more of the kid must haves!  However, many items that you might want or need (sometimes it is hard to distinguish) may be unavailable or very expensive. 

If you are packing your shipment you might want to include the following:

Paper products(paper plates, napkins, paper towles, plastic cups, cutlery).  The quality of these items is pretty bad in India.  Use that Costco membership and stock up!  They are very useful to have for those times when the maid doesn’t show up or you want to have all the kids over for a party.

Diapers and Baby Wipes.  You can get these items here but again either the quality is poor or the price is way too high!  Again, the Costco option is best.

Kid specific items.  By this I mean the fun hand washing soap, kids toothpaste, kid shampoo, detangler, kids vitamins, etc.  This level of specific type of product has yet to really reach the Indian market in any reliable way.

Beauty Products.  Bring your skin products, favorite lotions, must have scents, etc.  While Bangalore is full of high end shops with high end products if you have very specific needs you should stock up!

Transformers.  If you are bringing your lamps, stereos, kitchen appliances, etc you should also purchase and bring the necessary transformers.  You need little ones for most items and a few high power ones for the larger items (tvs, washing machine, fridge.)

Dish Washing Powder.  This is VERY difficult to find in Bangalore.  Lots of the houses now have dishwashers but it is still next to impossible to find the powder for them.

Detergent.  Again, if you have that Costco membership you should stock up on a few big boxes of detergent.  You get all kinds here but the size of the packaging is very small!  I would much rather not have to run out and buy the stuff every two weeks.

Batteries.  (Check and see if you can include in your shippment.)  The ones available here seem to run out much faster.

School supplies, paper, art supplies, etc.  It has been great having our own large supply of construction paper, art paper, colored paper, pencils, markers, art projects.  There is a new hoppy shop that recently opened in Indiranagar but if you have art loving kids you might as well stock up with the larger size packages from home.

Gifts.  Again this is really if you have kids.  I really like having some special items from home to give the kids on birthdays, Christmas, etc.  I also stock up on gift wrapping and gift bags.

Holiday Items.  I have my mom go and shop the sales the days after Halloween, Easter, Valentines Day, etc.  I then have a stock of special items to break out for those holidays.  Those three are very difficult to find items for in Bangalore.

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How to pick a place to live?

August 8, 2008 · Filed under Housing · Tagged , ,

Picking a place to live in Bangalore is going to be one of your greatest challenges!  Relocation companies seem to be almost useless in helping out in this search.  They have unrealistic limits, their own priorities and very little interest in helping you find the place you will be happiest in.  They limit the number of properties they will show you, the agents they will work with, the amount of time they will spend with you.  You need to take charge of your search.  I would recommend that you focus on a few very important factors as you will probably not find someplace that fits all of your requirements.

I suggest focussing on safety, location, facilities, lifestyle and rent. 

In terms of safety the highest level can probably be found in a gated community or in an apartment facility.  If you choose to live in an independent house you might want to arrange to have your own security guard hired to sit outside.  That is what a lot of Indian families do!  In a gated community there is usually a security company that is responsible for monitoring who is entering and leaving the compound.   They also patrol the roads during the night, keep out stray (wild) dogs and in general monitor the situation.  Some neighborhoods have more security than others.  One of the larger gated communities has instituted checking all incoming vehicles for bombs!  Some other communities are more laid back. 

Location, location, location!  It is the mantra for real estate in the United States and should be a prime focus of your search in Bangalore.  Traffic in Bangalore can be mind-boggling!  A simple comute can turn into a two-hour journey.  You want to make sure that your home is not too far from your office.  You also need to check the bus routes for your child’s school and find out how long they will have to ride the bus.  My older child is on the bus for over an hour each way – and this is a relatively good commute!  You also need to look at the intersections you need to go through to get from your neighborhood to anyplace you will go on a regular basis.  For example, the intersection at Marathalli is notoriously terrible.  Therefore if you will be working closer in to town you need to take that into consideration before you decide to live in the Whitefield area.

Facilities vary widely between neighborhoods.  Most gated communities will offer a pool, small gym, a party room.  The larger communities may also have a library, squash court, badmiton courts, basketball, children’s park and spa facilities.  The largest also have grocery shops, movie rental stores and very lovely restaurants and club houses.  All this comes at a price.  You need to ask when you rent a home whether or not a club membership comes with the rent or if it will be an expensive add on. 

You need to think about what type of lifestyle you want for yourself and your family during your time in Bangalore.  If you really want the “Indian experience” you may want to live closer in to downtown or in an independent villa in an older established neighborhood.  In those places you will be more in the middle of Indian daily life.  You may make more Indian friends and be witness to more holidays and traditions.  If you want to live more of a international expat life you should look at the gated communities.  They can offer a great experience to meet families from all over the world who are also in Bangalore on a temporary basis.  Many Indian families have left the more expensive neighborhoods in order to rent the houses out to expats.  Of course, you can find gated communities in which you get the benefits of an enclosed community but you also get to experience lots of India.  It is up to you to talk to people living in the neighborhood an to try and figure out if you will be happy there.

Rents in Bangalore are extraordinary!  If you want to live in a house with facilities comparable to what you may have lived in in Europe or the US you will end up paying much more in rent that you can imagine.  You need to remember that for many expats the rent is being paid by their company.  So while and individual may balk at paying $10,000 per month rent, companies are paying it on a regular basis!  That is, of course the high end.  Depending on the neighborhood and the size of the house, you can expect to pay $2,000 for a small 2,300 square foot 3-bedroom house in a nice quite gated community.  That rent also gets you 24-hour back up power (important when we can have power cuts many times a day), private water supply (again important when some areas have no government water for days on end), security, maintenance, etc.

You should also keep in mind that the higher end neighborhoods also end up having higher prices for many of the other services.  For example, a driver in one neighborhood might accept Rs 6000/month while a driver in a more exclusive neighborhood might not accept less than Rs 10,000/month.  Maids and cooks are also known to expect much higher salaries to work in much pricier neighborhoods.  If this will all come out of your own pocket you should keep it in mind. 

Finally, don’t rely on your relocation company to find you the right house.  You should try and contact a real estate agent who is independent from the reclocation company.  Do your homework and know the neighborhoods that fit your requirements.  Check out available rental listings online.  The responsibility for finding a home you love rests with you!

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Educating “Little A” – Neev

August 8, 2008 · Filed under Education · Tagged , , ,

My son (Little A) has been attending Neev for two years now.  It has been a really great experience.  Neev has classes for children 2 1/2 through kindergarten.  You can check out the details here – http://www.neevschools.com/

The two facilities he attended (they have since opened a third) were both housed in lovely villas.  He first attended the Whitefield branch because that was the only place with a vacancy.  He fell in love with his first teacher.  The staff was very loving and caring, the toddler classroom was right off the playground.  They had a nice place to play, to do art projects and to have special time.  Because traveling to Whitefield required a longer commute then we really were interested in, we placed Little A on the waiting list for the Indiranagar branch.  We did shift him after about a month or two.  We are just as happy there.  They are on 12th Main (off of 100 foot road).  Again it is a converted villa.  He is now in the Pre-K class. 

 

One thing I really love about Neev is the abundance of colors.  Their art director does an amazing job.  Everywhere you look there is a rainbow of art projects decorating all the walls and surfaces  - what a lovely place to go to school!

 

My son’s class has 36 students.  They are divided into two groups of 18 kids each.  Those kids alternate between the classrooms and the playground or art room or other areas.  In the classroom the 18 kids are divided between three classrooms so there are about 6 kids per room.  The class has 5 teachers I believe and a number of attendants.  I often wonder what the American day-care teachers would think about having a maid to change diapers and clean up spills!

 

I chose the school because of its excellent reputation and also because I did not want to put Little A into an intensely academic and competitive environment.  It is amazing to me how many parents want their young children to be put in the most competitive schools from the start.

 

I have friends who have waited in line just for the chance to beg a principal to let their child into the school  One principal of one of the more sought after schools (NPS) is known to have said to parents “Why do you all want to send your children here – go someplace else!”  I refuse to beg a school to take my child.  I think it starts off the parent-school dynamic on the wrong foot.  I want my child to go to a school that wants them.  I want them to be in a school that will value parent’s input.

 

One thing that does bother me about Neev is its closed door policy.  Understandably for kids’ safety, parents are required to wait outside the gate to pick up their children.  They have a very good procedure of requiring the party picking up the child to have the child’s school issue id card.  This also allows you to send your driver or maid or friend to pick up your child.  However, trying to get inside and see the classes in action or to see how your child is coping can be very difficult.  When my son was getting in trouble for pushing (love those terrible threes!) I wanted to see the classroom activities.  I was given every excuse imaginable and eventually gave up.  However the school was very good about communicating with me and working with me to correct the problem and the problem was resolved.

 

If you are moving to Bangalore and want to enroll your child in Neev I would recommend contacting them as soon as possible.  They often have long waitlists for the classes.

 

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Welcome!

August 8, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged

Welcome!  Thanks for visiting. 

This blog hopes to make life a little easier, a little more interesting and a little more fun for those of you who have moved to Bangalore or are planning a move to Bangalore.

 

My family moved to Bangalore from Oregon, USA more than two years ago.  We are a combination expat (foreigner living abroad) and returned NRI (an Indian retuning home.)  We have two lovely (crazy, wild) children ages 7 and 3.  My husband works for a leading chip manufacturer and I am a lawyer who currently works from home (when I don’t find ways to procrastinate – like writing this blog!)

 

I plan to cover a wide range of topics of possible interest to you:  education, recreation, housing, what to pack, what not to pack, culture, tips, etc.

 

I hope you will check back often! 

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