I hate reflecting. When teachers make me reflect I want to hurt a small mammal. It seems silly to go through thoughts that you have already experienced. My Dad and Aunt have come to visit me in Delhi and their experiences and commentary on events so far have me reflecting. My teacher warned us about this, how the longer you spend in a foreign place all the things that stood out at the beginning begin to blend in to mundane life. She told us that if family visits it recalls things forgotten. Like currency.
When I first arrived in India it was like being in a Sephora (makeup) store and having enough money to buy everything. I would pick out something and not think about the price in rupees because in USD everything was so inexpensive. My Dad and Aunt’s visit has brought me back to this memory. I have become so frugal. In economics we talked about purchasing power parity. I have realized how much I can buy with certain amounts of rupees, and so now 10 and 20 rupees has become just a meaningful amount as 5 and 10 dollars. In Delhi, I eat lunch everyday for 30 rs. In the states a good price for lunch is under $10. So of course you would never say “Oh well, it’s just 10 dollars that that taxi driver just screwed me over. All is right in the world.” Here, I have begun to do the similar thing with rupees. If I get take a bus for 5 rs. instead of 10, then that’s the bus I want to take. Saving ten rs. here and there, though it’s less than a quarter, might buy me lunch the next day!
Also, I have been taking my Dad and Aunt to my favorite places in Delhi and I’m beginning to get sentimental about my departure from India. Today is definitely one of the days where I love Delhi and can never leave. Of course, I know I will leave, and deep down don’t think Delhi would be the ideal place for me to live-live. But it does make me wonder about living in NYC…but only if I can ride elephants to and from work.
When I first arrived in India it was like being in a Sephora (makeup) store and having enough money to buy everything. I would pick out something and not think about the price in rupees because in USD everything was so inexpensive. My Dad and Aunt’s visit has brought me back to this memory. I have become so frugal. In economics we talked about purchasing power parity. I have realized how much I can buy with certain amounts of rupees, and so now 10 and 20 rupees has become just a meaningful amount as 5 and 10 dollars. In Delhi, I eat lunch everyday for 30 rs. In the states a good price for lunch is under $10. So of course you would never say “Oh well, it’s just 10 dollars that that taxi driver just screwed me over. All is right in the world.” Here, I have begun to do the similar thing with rupees. If I get take a bus for 5 rs. instead of 10, then that’s the bus I want to take. Saving ten rs. here and there, though it’s less than a quarter, might buy me lunch the next day!
Also, I have been taking my Dad and Aunt to my favorite places in Delhi and I’m beginning to get sentimental about my departure from India. Today is definitely one of the days where I love Delhi and can never leave. Of course, I know I will leave, and deep down don’t think Delhi would be the ideal place for me to live-live. But it does make me wonder about living in NYC…but only if I can ride elephants to and from work.
