Return to the "City of Destiny"

Jeff Sheehan,Jessica's(Parker's friend)dad, was our first house guest. How he managed to find himself in India was because of me. This is a story of it's own, that I will share, but let's just say that it was another one of those strange things that took place that made me think that India was where we belonged.....destiny.

Luckily he was here on business, a trip that I was to attend with him, but was unable to because of my need to be in Vizag. The Doubletree in Vizag is positioned to be open in a few months, and we are in the window of identifying our Management Team.

Notice periods are long in India, a minimum of one month and they can be longer.....3 to 4 months for the more senior positions.

Two other members of the team and I were returning to Vizag on Monday January 19th for 3 1/2 days of final interviews for key positions throughout the hotel.

Although this marked the first overnight trip for me, I was comfortable leaving Linda and Preston to experience India without me.....all in all they had 18 days in Delhi, and they were adjusting amazingly well. Linda was getting a bit more adventurous and learning.....and Preston was busy at school.

My flight was scheduled to leave Delhi at 5:55am, which means with the tightened security at the airport my day started at 3:00am, to be ready to leave the house by 4:00am; by 4:15 the driver and I were to reach Sonya's house and then on to the airport. Although the driver was here on time, the fog was so thick I instructed him to go very slow....I did not want him to hit anything, or anyone! This is Delhi after all and there were people walking on the side of the road at 4:00am, and we were using it to guide us as me crawled along. Winters in Delhi are notorious for fog....and having grown up in Louisiana, I am intimately familiar with fog, but honestly, I have never experienced FOG like this in my life until moving here.
It is thick......very thick and dense,mixed with smoke, which is common in Delhi due to the many people that use wood for keeping warm, and cooking. It made the journey to Sonya's and to the airport very long. We arrived to find that our flight had been delayed 5 hours.
By 11:00am the fog had cleared enough that we were able to take off and were airborne. Vizag and several candidates were waiting for us. Monday was a very long day of interviews, but the end of the day was most special.
The team and I had been invited to the owners home for dinner with his family. although we were interviewing candidates for Executive Chef for the Doubletree, I am convinced that the best Chef in Vizag is Sarat's wife, Bhavani.
Her food was fantastic......and was such a treat at the end of such a long day.
Tuesday was similar, but without the flight delay.....interviews started at 9:00am, and went throughout the day. Lunch was prepared by a candidate for Executive Chef.....it was very good, and dinner was prepared by another culinary team candidate. We selected both of them.....
Wednesday more interviews......and two hours touring the hotel site with our General Manager, Shoeb. Things are falling into place and the Doubletree by Hilton-Visakhapatnam is "destined" to open in a few short months. After the tour of the property, we had approximately an hour or so before the sun disappeared, so we took a quick drive north on Waltair Beach Road......Vizag was named "Waltair" during British Colonial times. Sonya urged us to take a walk down to the beach even though we were all in business clothes. While I was on the beach, I missed Preston's second soccer game.....this time against the French School......another loss for his team.....
Vizag is gorgeous......and each time I visit the city I fall in love with it again......here are some snapshot's of my most recent trip to the "City of Destiny".
The pictures: The Doubletree by Hilton-Visakhapatnam, Ashish Hasrat, GM F&B;Shoeb, GM of the Doubletree;Sonya, Corporate Director of Human Resources on the beach in Vizag, Visakhapatnam Sunset, Tombs, Vizag Fishing Boats at the end of their day.

Meaningful Thanksgiving.......Indian Style!

After not much sleep from receiving and placing phone calls, answering and drafting emails, and then a 4:00am call from my concerned sister, another call to Linda and an alarm set for 7:00am to make it too a Breakfast Meeting with a client.....I was honestly not thinking much of Thanksgiving.

Our breakfast meeting had lasted until almost lunchtime and I arrived back at the Home Office to a desk filled with flowers and a card from the staff wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving!

They had also asked Hiralal, my cook, to do his best to make a traditional Thanksgiving meal for me.......it was a wonderful surprise and another example of how well I have been being treated and cared for by everyone. I have been truly blessed by being surrounded, in a foreign country, by such truly caring and hospitable people.

The meal was delicious as usual.......Chicken, Mixed Vegetables, Potato's in Brown Gravy, Garlic Bread, Green Salad & Dressing and Fried Potato Wedges.....followed by a cake with a Happy Thanksgiving message.

It appears that yesterday, while I was out of town, they planned this special event for me.....and as none of them have ever celebrated Thanksgiving I received many questions about the Holiday. I was also able to clear up some misconceptions about the holiday as well. These misconceptions typically emerge as a result CALL CENTER TRAINING SESSIONS....a phenomenon that is unique to India. Due to the vast amount of jobs in the Call Center industry, Indian employees are constantly receiving "culture training" about our holidays and events, so that they are able to make small talk and be sensitive to people they are dealing with in the United States. If you haven't seen the movie "OUTSOURCED", rent it....Linda and I rented it just before I left in September. Lorraine, our newest addition to our staff (she replaced my Indian wife, Jeshri)was not here, but one day she explained why I saw Halloween Costumes at the market a few weeks ago, as Call Center Employees are encouraged to DRESS UP for each Holiday to help them remember the event. (Lorraine is not in the picture, as she was injured in a car accident on the way to work yesterday)

I reminisced about Oyster Dressing, and Smoked Turkey......Stuffed Merliton's, Creamed Spinach and Sweet Potato's topped with Pecan's...and all of the other YUMMY THINGS that will enjoyed in New Orleans by my family.

I was even describing how to "Smoke a Turkey" and even contemplated how we might be able to SHIP IT with our household items to India.....they do have CHICKEN!!!!!!!

As I am writing this blog entry at 12:00am my time, it is 12:30 in the afternoon in New Orleans......just about the time food is making its way on silver trays, in covered containers from Maw Maw's house over to my sister's for the big gathering.

I am hopeful that they consume more food and less news of the tragedy that unfolded in the past 24 hours in India.

I shared with my staff that this will be a Memorable & Meaningful Thanksgiving for me due to their outpouring of kindness,warmth and friendliness.....although we celebrate the act of giving thanks once a year......if you go through a day like yesterday......you realize that it is something that should be done daily and never taken for granted.

I wish and urge everyone to have a MEANINGFUL THANKSGIVING.....this year, and be Happy and Thankful everyday for the blessings we have received.

Gobble Gobble!

" ......of course I'm married!"

For those of you following the blog, I left you with a cliff hanger at the conclusion of the entry before last. So it is only fair that I share with you, my latest cultural faux pas!

I have lost count, or I would have numbered this one........but be that as it may.....there will be too many to keep track of over the next couple of years.

As I mentioned, the Puja took place just before my appointment with Rahul, the real estate broker I am working with in selecting a place to live. I promised you a picture of Rahul; in the picture above, Rahul is the gentleman sitting on the far right.

Our appointment was for 11:00am, and he was on time, which is uncommon by Indian standards......so he had to participate in the Puja. As you can see from the picture, at the conclusion of the Puja, I was given a flower necklace, (I am not sure if the refer to them as lei's). It was very nice, but hardly something I wanted to wear while I was out looking at apartments. Not knowing what to do with it, I took it from around my neck and placed the "garland" over the head of the lady wearing the sari...(she is the lady sitting on the floor on the left side of the picture next to the priest)

I may be becoming an expert at Puja's, however,one thing I am having difficulty with is names.......pronouncing them, and remembering them...unless I write them down. This lady had been working with us for about a week, and I had been traveling, so I really didn't have the chance to study her name.

Rahul, was in the room where the garland exchange took place. I simply didn't want it to go unused, and thought that it would be a nice gesture to share it with someone who would appreciate it and would get use of it for the remainder of the day.

Nothing was said, Rahul and I left and we began driving to see the first apartment on our list. Rahul and I were speaking about several things; the puja, his views on Hinduism, the commercialization of religion and comparing Hinduism to others.....great conversation; I could only listen, as I admitted that I had not studied other religions and was not familiar with all of them.......he is a very interesting guy to have conversations with.....and he has a wonderful sense of humor.

Out of the blue, Rahul asks me if I am married......which took me by surprise, as he and I have had several discussions about Linda, and have referred to her as my wife several times......so I had no idea why he would ask me such a thing.

Rahul, then kindly explained that my act of placing the flowers around the girls neck not the correct thing to do......this is an act that is performed only during the marriage ceremony and that it is saved only for a groom and bride.

My mouth dropped open.......I stated that I had no idea that this was the case........there was uncomfortable silence....

Sensing no harm was done, and understanding Rahul's sense of humor, I asked how difficult it was to get a divorce in India......to which he replied.....very difficult, you should have had a Pre Nup!

So there you have it...........I inadvertently married a girl(sort of) and I don't even know her name.

No worries Linda.......you are the only one for me......I assure you!

Diwali Puja at our Office! Yes....another Puja

Today was "Diwali Eve" and we actually had a Puja at our office today..........tomorrow the same ritual or prayers will take place in peoples homes all around the globe. Since this was done at our offices, I was able to take a video of the beginning of the Puja......which lasted for approximately 45 minutes. What you are witnessing is just a fraction of the "action"! Watch and listen to the chanting that the priest is doing. It is very interesting. The only thing that would make it more real is if you could smell the incense burning.

I think I am getting to be a professional Puja attendee!

Here are a few pictures of some of my team members as well........notice the "dot" on my forehead......this was put on by the priest. He first dipped his finger in the dark stuff and then into a little pile of rice.....so I had this on all day (I went House Hunting just afterwards). What you can't see in the picture is the string tied around my right wrist......I am not sure what the meaning is, but I will find out. There is another funny cultural "faux pas" to tell...YES, I did something I shouldn't have...again! Enjoy!

Diwali - Gifts, Gambling, Lights and Fireworks

Hello again everyone.........time to share yet another celebration with you. Deepavali, Devali or Diwali as it is known, is a major Indian festival celebrated by Hindu's, Sikh's and Jain's (the three major religious groups) around the world. Yes, there is probably a Diwali celebration going on right around the corner from wherever you may be reading this from. Today these three groups celebrate it as the "Festival of Lights";where the lamps or lights celebrate the triumph of good over evil in everyone. Hindu's in particular celebrate Diwali much like Christmas/New Years combined......yes, gift giving and fireworks!

I received my first Diwali gift from the wife of the owner of the hotel in Vizag......a decorative box of "treats".....and they were yummy! Knowing that the only way I could share them with you was through the blog, I made sure that I took a few pictures.......they tasted as good as they look! OK, they were pretty, but I must admit that I was leery about eating the "shiny" ones......which are covered in real silver! These Indian sweets are known as "Barfi" and they do taste
wonderful.......the one in the back is almond flavored and the one with the nuts....pistachio....which I admit was my favorite! I looked up "edible silver leaf" and learned this very interesting fact......the use of silver foil in Indian food dates back thousands of years, its claimed; in fact, India converts 13 British tons of pure silver into edible foil each year! That little one shaped like an apple was tasty also!

The week ended with me being invited to my first Diwali party......they have actually been going on for several weeks.......where friends and family get together and play cards and gamble.....the gambling ends on Diwali, which this year falls on Tuesday, October 28th! This party was hosted by a friend of Sonya's, Tanya and her husband, and happened to be just down the street from my "Home Office"! The parties start late.....I was told to arrive between 9:30 and 10:00pm......dinner wasn't served until midnight.......until living in India, I thought that Louisiana had everyone in the world beat when it comes to having festivals, parties, and fun....now I am beginning to wonder! I took some pictures of the decorations and people at the party to share with you...... Happy Diwali!!!!

Meet Hiralal.......my personal Chef!

Before I arrived in India, I received an email from Sonya inquiring as to my arrival date so that she could arrange for a cook and a houseperson to "look after me". Well they have been doing a fine job....it is very uncomfortable to have two people always wanting to do things for you. The first few days, I didn't utilize my cook, Hiralal......partly because I am not used to such treatment, partly because I didn't want to eat alone, and partly because I was busy discovering Delhi's restaurants! Which are great! Hiralal was beginning to feel unwanted, so this Thursday and Friday and Saturday and Sunday, I used him.......yes....I discovered that he is not just a cook, but a Chef! Hiralal can cook anything, but up till now I have kept it simple.....not because of him, but because I don't know what to ask for! The first night I asked for some Dal (lentils), rice and vegetables. It was so good, I asked for it a second night! It was much of the same, for the other nights with a little variation here and there. Today, before I left to wander around with Ramesh looking at neighborhoods again, the following dialog took place with Hiralal. He asked if I wanted some lunch, I declined.....but said that I would like him to cook dinner....I went to the internet, typed Indian Food in the Google Search and asked for images! Bingo, I had a menu from an Indian restaurant located in New Jersey.....filled with dishes with Indian names and descriptions. I wrote down the ingredients and asked Hiralal if he could cook ALOO BAINGAN.....$11.95 at the Palace of India restaurant in Lawrenceville, NJ...at that price I figured it had to be good! My pronunciation of Indian words has much to be desired, so you might imagine how this dish sounded to Hiralal....he looked at me wanting a little more direction. I figured that there was a disconnect with the name of the dish...so I thought i would just tell him the ingredients....."Eggplant, potato's, onion, chili peppers" He repeated "potato, onion, pepper" but he did not understand eggplant! So.....back to the computer...typed the word, eggplant, in the google search and hit Image again and up popped a picture of .......a BAINGAN!!!!!!! His eyes lit up.....I gave him a 100 rupee bill (about $2.25) and he cooked a meal for 4 people. Not since Grade School have I felt the need for FLASH CARDS, but I am thinking about developing a set.....perhaps they can even be marketed and sold! I am always trying to find a way to get rich.....any backers for my "Flash Card" idea?

Lunch at the Club!

I was invited to have lunch by our Corporate Director of Human Resources, Sonya Verma Singh and her family. Being a gracious host, she offered to let me choose the place to eat, and the choices were plenty; the American Cafe', which serves an all you can eat buffet sounded very tempting, but I insisted that she pick her favorite place or her family's. When I saw her yesterday, she informed me that we were going to be dining at "The Club". The Delhi Gymkhana Club was founded in 1913, during the heyday of the British Colonial Rule. Membership is closed at the club and the waiting list is 35 years long; although Corporate Memberships are available for a very hefty price. It is mainly a social club, but they do have some of India's oldest existing tennis courts, 17 in all; clay, grass and composite....if you are a tennis player, they have it. Expansive lawns, a swimming pool, Card Rooms, Spa and Health facilities and some of the best food in New Delhi. They even have a building that houses a Library! There was a buffet in the center room of the main building and a band was playing, but it was decided that we would have lunch in one of the Private restaurants which serves Chinese. The food was great, it was wonderful meeting Sonya's husband and her two son's, and the real treat was hearing "Blueberry Hill" being played and sung with an Indian accent by the band!