To Move or Not to Move

Teacher G

Hello Chennai expats,

I'm thinking about making the move to Chennai this July for a fantastic teaching position. I'm trying to do research on what it's like to live there. I traveled around northern India summer 07 for two months: Mumbai, Rajathan, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Varanasi, Rishikesh, Delhi. It was hot but I endured.

How much different is Chennai?

Yesterday I met an American living in Bangalor and she made Chennai sound like I'd be living on Mars! Heat beyond imagination, no water, no electricity How realistic is that information?

Also, I'm a BIG fresh salad, vegi eater... Traveling in India had me straying from those foods but living there for 2+ years would be hard if I couldn't continue my herbivore ways.

All advice is appreciated!

I've got more questions but I'll start with those top two.

Haylo

Edited to add: Only just noticed it's your first post! Welcome to the site!

Can't advise about Chennai, but I know a bit about food, it's a favourite subject!
If you are living in India as opposed to travelling through, it is so much easier for you to eat fresh salad and raw veg.

Basically you wash it and soak it for 20 minutes in a disinfectant solution, some use iodine, but baby bottle steriliser type stuff is better for you in the long term. It is a bit of a faff, but if you are on even a half decent income you could always get someone in to do things like that for you.

There are plenty of salady things in the shops so don't worry about availability either.

Apart from that of course, it will probably WILL be like living on Mars!

Nick-H

I don't know any of those Northern places, so I can't make comparrisons on personal experience. Everyone says it is a lot more laid back here.

We have electricity. We also have regular cuts, sometimes of the irregular sort, and sometimes of the scheduled sort. We have had bouts recently of scheduled 2-hour daily cuts. In the day, one can live with it.

We have water. How much water we have depends entirely on the last monsoon. When I came here it was a bad year, but my house had it's own bore (well) and we never went short. Even this year, we (outside the main city) get local authority water only for a few hours every other day. There is a 1500-litre sump, and one just does not notice the mains supply.

We have heat. It is nowhere near the desert heat of Rajastahn, but they have dryness whereas we have humidity. You will drip.

We do not have cold. You will be hot even in December, although only around 30C, compared to April/May's 40+.

We have salad, I suppose. Not really a salad person. Can't remember seeing a lettuce!

wonderwomanusa

It might be a good idea for you to visit Chennai for a week or two, before making your decision. Walk around the markets, ride the buses, meet some people, see what it might be like to live there ...

__________________
The map is not the territory. --Alfred Korzybski

mirjamd

Veggies are abundantly available. The only problem might be finding fresh crispy lettuce. But if you make do with other veggies, you are fine... There is a whole threat somewhere about salad suggestions.

The problem with water and electricity depends on where you live. It is worse in the suburbs. We live in the city, and we have never had a water problem, and rarely have electricity cuts. Of course the quality of the water is not what you get in the US, but you get used to not drinking from the tap and separating your chores in: with tapwater vs. with filtered water.

And, as Nick said, yes, it is always hot. But I find it manageable. Some people get sick of it, and hide in AC all day

I have never noticed living on Mars And most people who live in Bangalore don't like Chennai, because it is much cooler in Bangalore. But Chennai has many advantages over Bangalore. First of all, the traffic is not so horrendously stuck most of the time. Chennai does get traffic jams, but at least they move... And nightlife in Chennai is much better than in Bangalore, now the Bangalore police has decided to ban dancing, live music and anything going on after 10.30 pm. But that is of course only important if that is your thing.....

I know a lot of expats here who have a good time.

But I second wonderwomen: a trip to get a feel of the place might be a good idea.

Good luck with making a decision!

Teacher G

Thanks everyone for all you answers. They help a lot. I'm going to keep reading the past threads to fill up my cup on Chennai. I feel better knowing that while it may be hot at least you all seem to think it is manageable. Won't have the chance to fly over to assess the place first - so just trying to learn as much as I can. Thank heaven for the internet!!!!!

If I have any more questions I now know where to get ridiculously fast responses.

You are all WONDERFUL!!!!

Gabahd

Hi!

I. Really. Miss. Raw. Veggies!
But Haylo is right about the whole soaking thing... I haven't done anything to help the situation because doctors have traumatized me so much by repeating "NO SALAD"!

I wouldn't say Chennai is Mars! If you are the type to adapt to a new environment easily and if you accept that things are different here and you can't change anything, you do get used to most everything. But to be honnest, I don't particularly love the city. Other cities have charmed me, and Chennai hasn't really done that yet. For sure there are things I like about the city: I am here to study carnatic music, and it's THE place to be for that (lots of concerts etc.) Otherwise, it's a bit "meh..."

Haze

Gabahd

"meh" - that's pretty much how I'd sum Chennai up as well. I know Nick and Mirjam really enjoy it there, but it's a place I would go out of my way to avoid!

Haze

Nick-H

Moving to live here without any prior knowledge would be a big, big shock to the system!

Probably applies to most Indian cities.

Krishnamurthy KR

Teacher,

I was born in Chennai & have lived there for 30 years, so i would be able to answer your questions

How different is it from the cities you mentioned?
Well for starters, it is a lot more mellow than the places you have already visited in India, but equally colourful & interesting. I say mellow because the people at Chennai are a bit softer & frendlier when compared to North India. The pace of the city is a bit slower too. The traffic is as chaotic, but the quality of life is better due to better infrastructure, but does show some growing pains. Power cuts or water dont really affect you if you live in the city. You should be able to afford back up power if you work at International School (dont you?). It does get very hot in April - May though compared to SFO.

Veggie Food:

A large part of Chennai's populance is vegetarian. You can get every thing you need for a salad & more . Chennai will expand your veggie horizons so to speak.

I would suggest you give it a go. You would probably not have too much of a hassle.

crvlvr

Pretty realistic. On the upside, the vegetarian food there is just BRILLIANT!

Nick-H

Power cuts and highly erratic voltage are an almost daily part of life, city or not, unless you live next-door to a politician or big official. They tend to be from five to thirty minutes, and one just lives through it, although there are various pieces of equipment one can buy, from battery-backup to generators, to keep whatever you consider essential going. I have a battery backup for my PC and a lightbulb; keeps me happy!

But, in recent months, 'loadshedding' has taken place, with scheduled power cuts of one or two hours in city or suburbs, and several hours elsewhere in the state. Seems to happen a couple of days in a row, leaving us feeling lucky when we get a couple of days without.

Water supply started to become less of a problem in 2005, when floods took over. The politicians spend the year promising that the drains will be ready for the coming monsoon...

All these things we take in our stride and, mostly, it is not at all a bad place to live.

mirjamd

I wouldn't really say that... Living in India itself IS a hassle. Especially for expats who have to find their way. They are not life threatening things, but small things that can irritate you very much. From slow staff at the supermarket, to navigating traffic with idiots driving motorcycles, to getting anything repaired or dealing with people who might work for you are all things that can make for hassle.

That is not to say that there aren't things that are enjoyable as well, but life is not hassle free...

But that goes for any Indian city. So if you decide to move to India you will have to deal with these things anyway. And I have also heard from many many people (mostly people from the North), that Chennai is a lot friendlier than other cities.

obione980

Culture shock is a reality whenever you move from one country to another - even within the western world (USA to Europe etc).


A move from the USA to India will provide a significant shock - but wide reading, frequent posts to this forum and questions to your prospective employer (and teachers currently employed by them), should help reduce the trauma of the move to manageable proportions!

Nick-H

I don't notice that; I only notice how pretty they are!

As to the other things, I agree entirely with Mirjam. However, it takes about a year to 18-months before it starts getting to you, and if you do not undertake any major project like starting a business or building a house, you could probably stretch this to two years!

And I still prefer driving here to driving in London. Just.