deafdrummer
American expat in India
Forum posts
59
Contacts
1
About me
American
Lives in Vadodara, Gujarat
Registration: 21 September 2018
What's changing in India after the COVID-19 crisis by Veedushi
Hello everyone, I hope you're doing well. As the Editorial Team of Expat.com, our aim is to provide you with fresh and up-to-date information about the COVID-19 crisis in your host country. You might be expecting a lot of changes following the ...
I heard on Wionews on YouTube that India has resumed or is resuming int'l flights, and current tourist visas are to be resumed. For those of you who have them. Read More
French and Indian Marriage and conversion by Lily_c.b
ENG : Hello, I'm french ans my boyfriend is Indian (hindu) and I would like to go live in India and marry him. But I have somes questioons about it : 1. If I get married, sould I convert to his religion ? 2. Will he lose his cate by ...
You are very welcome. That you are not Christian puts you somewhat closer to being open to learning about Hindūism and whether you are prepared to go around the bend into Indic thought, Indic identity, and so on. Message me, and we can chat ... Read More
French and Indian Marriage and conversion by Lily_c.b
ENG : Hello, I'm french ans my boyfriend is Indian (hindu) and I would like to go live in India and marry him. But I have somes questioons about it : 1. If I get married, sould I convert to his religion ? 2. Will he lose his cate by ...
I think this is a mistake. Just my opinion as a learned Hindū originally from the West. I think this is a mistake for him to marry a Western, a non-Hindū at that. He's probably aping the White Man, trying to bag a White Wife to ... Read More
Yoga Class near Mahindra World City by Kirsty Miller
Hi everyone! My boyfriend and I would like to find a yoga class to attend near MWC. Does anyone know of any good schools and instructors? Thanks so much!
Let me ask... Are you Hindūs? It makes a difference... If you are, then it becomes paramount that you avoid the schools that have a largely western audience because so much of yoga in these environments have been digested into ... Read More
Finding a job in India during the pandemic
This sounds exactly like an accursed western job market conversation from 90s and 2000s America. Don't go down that path. The end that arrived for America may arrive for you here in Bhārat in about 15-20 years. It's a mistake. A ... Read More
Is moving to India safe now, mainly Hyderabad? by mohamed salah75
Hi- i am moving to India for an expat 2 years assignment, I have the choice not to go as well. For sute is is financially better to go. What do you think about Hyderabad interms of safety and overall health facilities during COVID? I am actually ...
I don't know about Hyderabad, but for instance, going to America would be a disaster with a civil war in the making and 10-15% inflation (why do you think the $-Rs exchange rate hasn't changed??) rent/mortgage forbearance has come to an end ... Read More
Is moving to India safe now, mainly Hyderabad? by mohamed salah75
Hi- i am moving to India for an expat 2 years assignment, I have the choice not to go as well. For sute is is financially better to go. What do you think about Hyderabad interms of safety and overall health facilities during COVID? I am actually ...
I feel safer here in India than I would in America. I am in Gujarāt state, with daily caseloads in the double digits. Some south Indian states still have daily cases in the thousands. https://www.covid19india.org Read More
Requesting status on Rishikesh by deafdrummer
I'm asking to find out the situation in Rishikesh. I'm supposed to shift up there in about 2 months.
Dhanyavādaḥ for the information. I'm passing that on to my contact, who is going to Hṛṣīkeśa this week to check on some houses for me to rent. Read More
Moving to India just before the crisis by Diksha
Hi everybody, Taking the plunge and daring to move abroad is a real challenge, but when your move to India is marked by an unprecedented health, social and economic crisis, as we have been experiencing for just over a year, this change can be ...
I had to leave America for a lot of reasons, including the cost of living, difficulty in finding work for someone with my mental profile, and especially as a deaf Hindū finding herself even more of an outsider than she already was as a ... Read More
Hello! [Info on Covid vaccines for foreigners staying in India] by Leek Sin
Hello everyone, As the title states, I have been looking everywhere to find out if foreigners can get vaccinated against Covid here in India. With the critical nature of the pandemic in India, I am looking to get vaccinated here as I cannot return ...
The problem is, particularly for Americans is that Covaxin is available here, but FDA in America will not approve it for usages for the Indians who have had it here and then went over there. There have been NO SUBSTANTIAL studies done to determine ... Read More
How to be happy as an expat in India by Cheryl
Hi everyone, Being happy is surely our common goal, whether we are living in India as an expat or somewhere else. We would love to know your tips and tricks to be fully fulfilled and happy as an expat in your host country. New environment may ...
This is a very good question. You must have some attraction to India to even consider working and living here. If you are here because you are "on assignment" for the American or European plantation, and you are not open to the ... Read More
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CRYPTOCURRENCY AND A TOKEN?
Problem is, it has too many vulnerabilities. Theft by gov't, by the crypto firm itself, and crackers who manage to find their way in. There is also issues with power outages, equipment malfunctions, dead phones. The worst one is, "if you ... Read More
What struck you about India? by Cheryl
Hello everybody, When you first settled in India, you might have been struck by cultural aspects of life in India and you might even have anecdotes about your integration here. We would like you to share with expats-to-be what you discovered ...
Very good questions, Cheryl jī! I've been here for over 2.5 years, and if I go back to the US, I would be bringing the entirety of India within my life back with me, complete with a border sign posted at the edge of a property, if I'm ... Read More
COVID-19 and expatriation in India by Loïc
Hello everybody, The COVID-19 crisis inevitably impacts India, between closed airports or periods of containment in some cities or even the entire country . We would like to hear from you during this unusual period, to find out what the ...
I'm doing exactly the same thing. I was supposed to go to Nepāl at the end of March, but was stopped by the lockdown. I rebooked for the end of May with the flex option in case I have to reschedule AGAIN. I can rebook because actually, ... Read More
Just for fun: Unusual cultural habits in India and around the world by Diksha
In this [b]Just for fun[/b] thread, we would like to highlight unconventional customs which make India stand out. This is a chance, at the same time, to learn about other countries equally interesting traditions. 1. Which country considers cats ...
I forgot... Eating with the right hand only and serving yourself or someone with the left hand only (hygiene-based). Giving or offering someone something (like a gift to a friend, money to someone) with the right hand only. I even see many ... Read More
how to get visa for netherlands?
Find out if you will run out of money before you even leave the airport. I know that the cost of living appears to be higher than, say Houston Texas. Read More
Just for fun: Unusual cultural habits in India and around the world by Diksha
In this [b]Just for fun[/b] thread, we would like to highlight unconventional customs which make India stand out. This is a chance, at the same time, to learn about other countries equally interesting traditions. 1. Which country considers cats ...
The Indian nod, side-to-side, when you want to indicate "yes". I do it now. The wiggling thumb-up sign to indicate that something is not good. The rapid hand-open-and-spread shaking, especially at someone to mean something like ... Read More
Expat interest in politics in India by Bhavna
Hello everyone, As an expat, your day-to-day life in India is impacted by decision-making at the political level in your host country as well as in your country of origin. We would like to know how involved you think expats should be in the ...
Wow... You have stepped on a field dug out completely to two feet and completely covered in landmines, reburied, and trees and shrub and grass replanted to hide this, and all the mines wired so that they all go off all at once no matter where you ... Read More
Reading habits in India
I have over 500 books on my laptop plus comic books from Amar Chitra Katha and Chandāmāmā. The books I have mainly deal with Hindūism and other topics related to it. I also have from Gītā Press a set of the ... Read More
Payment methods in India by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Once youre settled in India, you will need to make some basic purchases, like groceries or pay bills. Hence, it is essential to know the payment methods available in your host country. Which are the most common payment methods ...
I absolutely prefer transferring my money out of my foreign bank account into cash so that I can pay any and everyone without having to lock/unlock cards repeatedly. I reserve my cards for BIG things or when I have to order online. I even pay for ... Read More
Moving to India with a disability by Bhavna
Hello everyone, Having a disability should not be a barrier to living abroad. While the intricacies of ones move to India may be specific to the individual, certain steps can be undertaken to make the process smoother. What are the important ...
Well, so far, this is what I have with one year of experience of living in India. I am a US citizen, so I have disability income from the gov't. Fortunately, I have the right kind and not the USSA version (SSI), which is about as draconian as ... Read More
urgent visa extension problem by josephiene302
Hello Everyone, I am new to this Forum.So,basically i am a Foreigner ( EU National ). I came to India on a tourist visa for 6 months. Then i got married to an indian person,who is now my husband. (We used to know eachother from before).Then i got ...
About the only thing you could do is tweet the PMO India's office and explain briefly your situation. I feel for you, and I dread going back to the US to renew my visa in about 6.5 years. Hopefully, things visa-wise will have changed such that ... Read More
Where to keep my money? by deafdrummer
Guys in India. I've got a serious issue... I'm trying to find a safe haven for my money. This is money paid to me by the US gov't every month, and I am retired on this money. I have tried to do an NRO bank account here, and after a ...
J, that doesn't work. You may be here on an employment visa, which gives you that option, but a tourist visa does not. You have to close your bank account every time you leave or ask for written permission. You have to do this twice a year. ... Read More
Where to keep my money?
Guys in India. I've got a serious issue... I'm trying to find a safe haven for my money. This is money paid to me by the US gov't every month, and I am retired on this money. I have tried to do an NRO bank account here, and after a ... Read More
Money Transfer from India to abroad by Syu Azis
Hello everyone, Why too much trouble while transferring money from India to abroad? Lot of things make us in trouble and in hardship. Someone please could help me about it because money also deducted from account but money was not transfer. This is ...
Because India is largely colonized as followers of Western banking, it doesn't mind stepping on its own d*. See, Hindūs have been seen as peacefools by its enemies, meaning that "all religions are the same", and too accommodating ... Read More
Ways to transfer money by deafdrummer
I would like to ask about the different ways of getting money from a US bank account into INR in your hands. I have looked at credit cards (very expensive), using Transfer-Wise, using Western Union, and simply using your debit card an ATM. I'm ...
The problem is THIS. If you are on a tourist visa, forget it. You have to close the bank account after six months when you leave. It is not clearly stated whether you have to reclaim the money physically or you can let the account be deactivated ... Read More
Cheapest cities in India by Bhavna
Hello everyone, Budget is an important consideration when moving to India. Ideally, expats would settle down in a city in India where the cost of living is low but where they could also enjoy a decent quality of life. Would you be able to give a ...
Svāgatam (you're welcome in Sanskrit). Stephanie Read More
Cheapest cities in India by Bhavna
Hello everyone, Budget is an important consideration when moving to India. Ideally, expats would settle down in a city in India where the cost of living is low but where they could also enjoy a decent quality of life. Would you be able to give a ...
I live in Vaḍodarā in Gujarāt state. It is cheaper than places like Dillī and Beṅgalūru simply because there is less competition for resources like rent, water, power, food, fuel, etc. AND you are not having to ... Read More
Ways to transfer money by deafdrummer
I would like to ask about the different ways of getting money from a US bank account into INR in your hands. I have looked at credit cards (very expensive), using Transfer-Wise, using Western Union, and simply using your debit card an ATM. I'm ...
On second thought, after clarification from a friend and a branch manager, I was able to open an NRO savings account (account based in Rs.), I just found out that I can transfer money from account to account without going to a WU Forex location. ... Read More
Updated cost of living in Delhi?
Marinex, that is very high at 40k for an apartment, even more so at as much as 300k! Are these gori rates?? I'm paying 15k for my house floor (upstairs) of a two-story house, 1200 for domestic help (no cooking), and 2k for power. I'm in ... Read More
Ways to transfer money by deafdrummer
I would like to ask about the different ways of getting money from a US bank account into INR in your hands. I have looked at credit cards (very expensive), using Transfer-Wise, using Western Union, and simply using your debit card an ATM. I'm ...
I found that Western Union is by far the easiest for me to use. No ATMs, given the fees AND limited amount of withdrawals. Thank you. Read More
Kripa yoga iyengar foundation by lljfalsdkjfa
Hi all first time here and considering spending some months in Panjim to study at the Kripa foundation iyengar yoga. 1. Has anyone heard of this school and practiced there? Would be very grateful to hear some experiences. 2. What is Panjim like ...
I took a quick look at the foundation at their web site. http://www.kripafoundation.org/ I guess I have to ask the question, "What is your background?" Are you Christian, wanting to convert to Hinduism, or are you looking merely for ... Read More
Working conditions and labour laws in India
I haven't the slightest idea... Thanks for sharing the questions. You have helped me to realize that I have become too old to keep up with this (age 52 now). I am so done with the complication process of ruining my job life. LOL. I wish you ... Read More
Ways to transfer money
I would like to ask about the different ways of getting money from a US bank account into INR in your hands. I have looked at credit cards (very expensive), using Transfer-Wise, using Western Union, and simply using your debit card an ATM. I'm ... Read More
Working in India
This topic is referring specifically to living in India on a tourist visa while working for a US-based business (no Indian locations/connections present). It helps to have connections here in India. Currently, I have a rental agreement between an ... Read More
Visit visa to Work permit
You will need to contact an immigration Advocate (lawyer) on the Indian side. You'll have to come to India after having an appointment with such an Advocate to discuss exactly what is needed to process the visa application from YOUR country. ... Read More
Dealing with loneliness in India by Priscilla
Hello, Expatriation can be a fun and exciting adventure, but it can also be a bit lonely at times. Please share with us some tips for dealing with loneliness. What are some potential factors that lead to loneliness when moving to India? How ...
As I am nearly completely deaf, I have a different issue. That is, I can be "lonely" anywhere on earth, because I am not an expert in any language but English, and even then, I don't do well at all in group settings of white (or any) ... Read More
Finding your bearings in India by Priscilla
Hello, While technology has definitely helped us navigate ourselves more easily in most countries, it's not the case everywhere. How do you get to your destinations and navigate yourself in India? Do you use gps systems such as google/apple ...
Very interesting question! I have practical experience with this, which I had to learn just a few days ago. Unlike in the US, where road infrastructure is decades-old and well-mapped out, with the occasional foray into a lake somewhere, the ... Read More
Language barriers in India by Priscilla
Hello, Learning a new language is a part of the expat process. Let's find out how crucial it is to know the language in India. What is the official language in India, and what are the other popular spoken languages? Is it possible to live ...
On a practical basis, it doesn't necessarily matter what the "official languages" are (Hindī and English) for locals, because they may or may not have the education attained, and it depends on whether they attended school in a ... Read More
Language barriers in India by Priscilla
Hello, Learning a new language is a part of the expat process. Let's find out how crucial it is to know the language in India. What is the official language in India, and what are the other popular spoken languages? Is it possible to live ...
It depends on how ingrained into the Indian culture you are in. Only a small number of people I know can speak English well enough for me to understand. I am almost totally deaf, and nearly all of my friends are hard to understand. At the ... Read More
New members of the India forum, introduce yourselves here - 2018 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the India forum? Dont know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
It is really necessary to speak the local language. It's primarily the kids who speak English, and since I am nearly completely deaf, even those are hard to understand. Read More
New members of the India forum, introduce yourselves here - 2018 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the India forum? Dont know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
Hello! I'm Stephanie. I came here to Vaḍodarā August 1st I'm in the south half of the city. Read More