Arriving Tomorrow in Mumbai for a long-term stay (for life?)

GQwerty123

Hello all,

First, let me thank the various members of this community that made my visa application process and initial flight to the UAE go as smoothly as possible. You guys truly do wonderful things here, and are a great service to all of mankind! OK...maybe that's the gin and tonic talking (have to fight malaria).


Anyhow, I've spent the last 8 weeks living with my Indian (Kashmiri) fiancee's family in Sharjah, UAE. Before this time I'd never even left Eastern Standard Time Zone (USA). It's been quite an amazing experience, as I've picked up a little Hindi, along with 7 unwanted Kgs...damn Rogan Josh. I've never had live-in service before, and I'm getting a little too comfortable with this whole "Narayan...masala chai? Ji!".

Thankfully, my time of pampering is drawing to a close, as tomorrow I leave for the city of 19 million, Bombay! My fiancee grew up and lived in Bombay for the first 19 years of her life, before coming to the States and falling in love with little old me. Now, she's accepted a job working in Andheri West, while I'll be working in Cuffe Parade and staying in her paternal grandmother's flat. We cannot stay together as of yet, seeing as how I am only just beginning my job, and we aren't allowed to formally announce our engagement. I know about 40 words of Hindi while her grandmother speaks broken English, so this should be more than interesting. Up until 4 months ago her Grandmother was still searching for a nice Kashmiri boy, only to be told that her granddaughter had already found a little American Nawab.

My mother-in-law and my fiancee will be there to pick me up outside Mumbai International, as my mother-in-law and my GF went to Bombay two weeks ago to get my fiancee set up in her new flat in Andheri. From there...I go to Cuffe Parade to meet the infamous grandmother, where I will be staying for at least a month or two.

I plan on entering the flat playing the santoor, wearing Kurta Pajamas, saying namascar, touching her feet, and eating her famous Dum Aloo...all at the same time.

I'm trying to keep a positive attitude going into all this, but I'm a little nervous, to say the least. I have just a few questions if some of you could be so kind as to help.

Is it possible to purchase 5 gallon water jugs, like the ones available in America?

If it doesn't go well living with the grandmother, and I've been warned it may not, I have to move out and live somewhere by myself. The prospect of this is exceedingly frightening, as I have no idea where to eat. Can anyone recommend a service that delivers food, one that has served you well in the past in Mumbai?

Can anyone recommend a gym (extra 7kgs again) in Cuffe Parade area that would be happy to take on a firangi?

If I'm lonely will someone from this community meet me for lunch or a drink? My contact with my fiancee is going to be very limited, and this is understandably going to drive me crazy.

Can anyone recommened a place to get Bhang lassis in Mumbai (I've abstained for two months now...and I'm not a big drinker)? The authentic ones, not filled with cough syrup and other nasties.

Can anyone recommend a place to hear or buy classical music (western) in Mumbai, as I must have my weekly dosage of Mozart/JS Bach/Schubert/Beethoven. I'm interested in diving into Indian Classical as well, especiall gazals, they are beautiful.

Is there a satisfactory library/university where I can rent books? I read voraciously, and I'll simply perish without the opportunity to read new material. I can't just buy books constantly either, as that would be half my budget!

Thanks again guys, I'm looking forward to the adventure of a lifetime!

You guys are great.

pennylessinindia

There are lots of folk in your position
come and enjoy
Why not let fiancee stay in family home and you in Andheri
will do your sanity the world of good!!
have sent you PM
happy landings

navinkurian2002

Wow so many question. I feel you just need to get here and start exploring thats where the excitement is in visiting a new place lies and like you said an adventure of a lifetime! .

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GQwerty123

She's working in Lokandwalla and doesn't want to commute every day. I'll be working in Cuff Parade and in Churchgate Station area, and don't want to commute that far as well.

Also, by me staying with the Grandmother I'll be forced to use Hindi and she'll get an opportunity to see that I'm not a big, bad cheeseburger eating American coming to steal her little granddaughter away from her!

Plus, my girlfriend is fiercely independent, and she wants to "fend for herself" instead of living how she's always lived.

Thanks for the PMs guys, I'll definitely look into the Yahoo expat group!

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Livin' and Lovin' in Mumbai!

icetea

Well after all that elaborate description above, I sure was expecting a different set of questions (cultural differences and worries like that), it was amusing to see this one!

Hey if your fiancee grew up in Mumbai, I'm sure she can also help you out with your questions, or knows some local who can (especially your food problem), or your work colleagues will. You'll easily find large water cans, gyms happy to take foreigners, plenty of bookstores filled with a wonderful selection of books (relatively cheap too), an same goes for music stores. Don't worry, you'll figure it out once you get there; you won't be alone after all.