Americans moving to Darjeeling (maybe)

mantru

People in darjeeling are very different if you compare them with the whole of India...anywhere you go to the hills you will find very friendly people...so please do not be agressive till you do not know the locals try to maintain distance,people are very helpful .Only do not attract the wrong type of people like the addicts,drunkard etc...people do keep maids but frankly speaking no nannies..most of the housework is done by ladies of the house but if you are well to do and afford maids to do house work,people do keep as well.

mantru

darjeeling is quite cold...can go up to minus during december and january but it hardly snows...there can be hailstorms or rainfall...so its more of dry...but you will experience wet weather as well....

People do not have heat source but as i told you earlier you can get it fixed..there days the market is full of electric heaters,which are in use these days.
so if you have heaters and the rooms are woden its quite comfortable...

ashakasha

Mantru- thank you for sharing your thoughts.

I honestly hope we don't get into a situation where either of us have to become "aggressive"- more likely that our eagerness will be all over us and perhaps make us a bit of a target for those few with less than honest intentions. Again, this has been a dream of mine for a decade- so I am hopeful to just share some time with friendly folks....kind of immerse myself to whatever extent possible. However, should a situation arise where someone is trying to get one over on me- well, let 'em bring it on...hehehehe...my mom always said she was never afraid of me being kidnapped because she knew as soon as I opened my mouth, they would bring me right back....

more in a minute :0)

mantru

all you need to remember is hilly people are very simple,if you do not rub them the wrong way ,rest all is fine.

Swe_Mats

I'm going back to india this summer for my second time, and I love it. But I must say, I've been travelling quiet alot myself but india is a real experince. It might be nothing to s. and c. america, I have never been there, but I know it is very different from the rest of Asia (exept middle east, haven't been there either). India is so much!
I'm not saying you will have any severe problems or anything. I'm just saying it is different, and for me it was really hard in the beginning.

But I wish you all the best and I hope you will find India and Darjeeling as beautiful as it is. And maybe i see you in Darjeeling in the future!

Sorry for this dizzy respons, I am tired now and need some sleep!!
anyway,
Good Luck!!

ashakasha

Swe-Mats-

Thank you for your response.

We have not yet had a chance to go to Russia (not sure I will, actually). Never been to China- but we definitely want to go. Thailand, Vietnam, all over Indonesia, etc, though. What would you say made India so different from your other travels?

One of the things that has had me dreaming of India for over a decade is that I expect it to be SO VERY different...I imagine it is as different as can be.

We are making some nice progress in establishing some contacts and perhaps some work in Darjeeling (this has been very exciting for us). However, our wonderful contacts there are suggesting that August is not the best time to arrive due to the monsoon. We may either delay our trip a bit to avoid the monsoon (all the better, as we can save more moolah and perhaps have things more established) or try to figure out a place to travel about in India that is not so impacted by the monsoon at that time of year. Though...I have never been one to delay a trip waiting for a better time than now to go....you never know what giant obstacle will plop itself right on top of you while you are waiting...

Any suggestions of places to travel about during August/Sept? My contacts said it would be best to plan to arrive in Darjeeling in October.

Thanks again

dzibead

Consider Ladakh.

ashakasha

Hey folks,

We are still making nice progress with contacts in Darjeeling. I have a placement for myself (some work) and my son will attend school there. My husband is still trying to get some work at a school....been trying to get ahold of Mount Hermon School for some time... Anyhow- I have a question:

I apologize if this has already been amply covered elsewhere on the site- but, does one HAVE TO have a return plane ticket to enter India? We have no definite exit date, and would prefer to purchase our exit tickets whenever we know we want to leave. Is it possible to enter on a one-way ticket???

Thanks in advance for helpful information on this! I can't believe how difficult it has been to get an answer to ANY question posed to the Indian Embassy or even US Customs!!! Just keep getting passed along to the next person...who gives me another number or "transfers" me to someone else who hasn't a clue! Oh well- perhaps this is just great practice!

dzibead

You don't need to have a return ticket.

Nick-H

Agree.

Although the visa websites for some Indian embassy/consulates in the world say you should have a return ticket before getting the visa, we have yet to hear from anyone who has had their ticket examined by immigration on the way in.

However... You might find that it is cheaper to buy a return ticket than a single! I have thrown away a return half on that basis; the single would have cost me three times the price of the return!

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Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

ashakasha

That is relieving to know...I would have assumed the same (a round-trip being less expensive than the one-way)- but not the case...at this point, for the route we want to travel, RT is 1560, one way is 700... How the heck ya gonna beat that???

Thanks, as always, for the help! You guys have been more helpful than you could possibly know- 'specially for a fiesty, fiery little american woman

breeze

Hi,

I'm an Indian, and I recently visited Darjeeling, and happened to study the place, as I was considering living there myself. This what I observed/concluded~

There are a lot of Americans at Darjeeling, who stay there from anywhere between 6 months to 3 years. Most of them have come there to study Tibetian and/or Buddism.

They have fit in quite well into the society, and the locals are welcoming enough.

However, I doubt if the locals would be as friendly if the Americans tried to start their own business...

Darjeeling's main source of income(apart from the tea - which actually is more concentrated in the lower hills rather than Darjeeling) is tourism, and they're not about to entertain foreign competition.

Having said that, Darjeeling is a beautiful place to live in. The climate is a dream, and it's got more than a brush of Western culture(in terms of dressing, food, language, music etc).
The youth all speak English fluently, and the older people patiently improvise.

Coming to the accomodation, there are quite a few apartments available, with and without heating. Water is a problem, up there in the hills, - so looking for a place with continuous water supply is a must.
A lot of Americans who want to stay for upto 6 months, stay at the 'Aliment Hotel' and 'Andy's Guest House'. These two places are conducive for the Western traveller, and charge minimal prices.

What I suggest is that you visit Darjeeling, stay for 3 months or so, and study the place yourself, for first hand information.

But if you're serious about starting a business, you need to give this place a miss...

ashakasha

Breeze:

Hi, and thanks for the info. We actually will be staying at a school that a friend runs- at least while we seek a place of our own. Also, my husband quite possibly has work at one of the schools there that would provide a cottage. So, not hugely concerned with accommodation- initially, anyhow.

The business idea is certainly on the back-burner, if will ever be re-considered at all. It was just a thought in considering how we might generate some income. Since we have some work, this won't be a necessity. Another indian suggested we open a Subway He says the one in Kolkata is doing quite well. I think we will pass

I didn't realize there were that many americans there, though Thought we were doing something quite original Oh well...

We are so very excited, though. And so relieved (and feel quite blessed) that we have made some connection there to help ease us in. But, based on the info shared in this thread, we are prepared for anything and everything to go wrong

Thanks for the input...much appreciated

Nick-H

I think you might google for the experiences of some other Subway franchisees, should you ever return to that idea. Of course, its a few years since I was reading them, and things might have changed...

Have to confess that I sometimes indulge in one

breeze

Wow! That's great! You've actually got a friend there...
It'll definitely ease things out for you...
And working at a school is pretty good idea- there are many good schools in the vicinity, so your husband will really enjoy his job.

Darjeeling is a beautiful place to live in. I'm sure you guys will enjoy your life there...
All the best!