One down, One to Go

My Birthday

October 4th was my birthday. I celebrated my Birthday with me, myself and I, but next day I went out with few friends for dinner. On the day of my birthday I ate greens beans with potatoes for dinner. The food was tasty but my heart was not in it. However, I endured and was grateful to have something before me to eat.

 

Conference

October was also a month of learning. We had couple of workshops. This was really great. We were heading for a major conference in November and a lot of time and effort went into preparations. I have learnt a lot.

 

Hindi Exams

 

October was also a month I had to sit for my Hindi exam. This was a oral exam. I had to record my oral responses and submit it for review. The questions I was asked was very difficult. For some questions I was given 15 seconds to prepare my answers and come up with a 2 minute explanation. One of the questions to explain for 2 minutes the advantages and disadvantages of living with your parents while attending University. I was given 20 seconds to prepare for my answers. I was very surprised when I got my result back. I scored Advanced level, one lower than superior level. My confidence rating was 4/5. I was so stoked. I made it. However, there is another exam I need to do. This will test my reading and writing ability. This is the hard one. This is compulsory for me.

 

Temperature

The temperature is slowly going down, but still around 35 degrees. It is bit better than 45 degrees. The temperature will go down in November and the winter season will start. I can't wait for winter season. This will be my first winter. I hope I won't be complaining much about winter season since I am looking forward to cooler temperature in Lucknow.

 

India

Everyday I am learning something new about India. The more time I spent in the community, I learn something new. Many local friends think I am stupid to be learning Hindi and living in India. They want to get out of the country and often ask me how can they move to USA, Australia or New Zealand. I found this article on the web. This article is about illogical jobs in India. This is so true. I have witnessed these on the streets.

 

 

Know the 10 widely prevalent illegal jobs in India - India tv news

 

1. Ear cleansing: People who clean up ears for a nominal amount can be found at a lot places in the cities. Sitting on a roadside, they quickly clean up one’s year and charge Rs, 10-20, unaware their innocuous work can lead to serious ear infections. I had people running after me offering to clean my ear for me. it took a while to fend hem off. 

Ear Cleaning along the roads in India

2. Road-side dentistry: Few people who cannot afford to pay a dentist at a hospital for their tooth decay problems, end up approaching these road-side dentists. These quack dentists pluck out the problematic tooth within the wink of an eye and their charges do not go more than Rs. 50. But with usage of non-sterile equipments, such roadside patients run the risks of infection.

Road side dentistry

 

3. Adulteration: Adulteration of food and other articles is one of the most widely prevalent unfair practices these days. In order to earn extra money vendors end up mixing undesirable substances with eatables. Such practices are mostly common at sweet shops, masala manufacturers and food grain merchants. The colours that are used are often carcinogenic. This is one reason I don't buy food sold by the road side. Don't be fooled by the price of food.

 

 

4. Fake brand clothes: The demand for branded clothes has been high in the market. Yet not everyone can afford to shell out so much money. Therefore, in order to have the satisfaction of owning branded stuff at a cheap cost, people start looking forward to fake branded material. India has recently become a big market for such fake brand clothes. Just walk up Janpath, Chandni Chowk  in Delhi, Burma Bazar in Chennai, and you are sure to find fake brands.

 

Fake Clothes

 

5. Sex determination: With a nation clamouring for sons, couples flock to ultrasound experts to know the gender of their forthcoming offsprings. Though sex determination is illegal, it is rampant in small towns, where police surveillance is slack.

 

Sex Determination

 

6. Prostitution:  The world's oldest trade is thriving across India, whether in metros, or in small towns, or on the highways. Sex workers peddle their stuff for easy money. G B Road in Delhi, Falkland Road and Kamathipura in Mumbai and Sonagachi in Kolkata act as magnets for rampant and illegal sex trade.

 

 

7. Video piracy: Selling pirated versions of movies is another illegal business which is on the rise. Again the reason behind the booming industry remains the desire to save those extra bucks which will be spent in watching a movie inside a theatre.

 

 

8. Begging: Not a single metro in India is free from beggars. Nowadays cartels work in carrying out this trade for beggars, with generous help from the cops. I don't know how true is this since I have yet to see this myself with my own eyes.

 

 

9. Hooch: Production of illicit liquor is rampant in metros and in the countryside, with harmful illicit liquor taking a toll of human lives almost every month. One shop or liquor restaurant is opposite my flat and the liquor is very cheap but harmful. I get to see some free entertainment sometimes - people fighting and arguing.

 

 

10. Child Labor: Though employment of children below the age of 14 years is banned under law, underage children continue to work in roadside dhabas, restaurants, and residential apartments. For the poor families, it's a Catch-22 situation. These children bring them the money that they need, and disallowing them from work would dent their family's earnings.

 

 

 

 You won't be surprised to find there are many illogical jobs in India. This is how people make money for a living. There are so many people and the resources are scared.

I am finding easier to navigate through Lucknow now. I know the transportation movement and understand how people operate. Although there is still much to learn, I am trying my best to understand culture and mentality of people. This is a journey. The more you spend time with people, the more you will discover and understand about the culture.

Love to hear from you all. Thank you for reading my blog. Please feel free to comment on my blog.