Many of you may know that I relocated to Delhi, India to start a job working for a social enterprise. Before I moved, I was overcome with massive anxiety. Everything that I read talked about how unsafe Delhi was for women, especially single, white women. However, I had also told people for years how I wanted to work in international development and here was my chance. With my stomach in knots and my head spinning from a lack of sleep, I board a flight from JFK to Delhi via Kuwait. The whole way there I worried about what my new life was going to be like and whether or not I had made the worst mistake of my life.
As my plane touched down, I looked out the window to see the lights of the airport obscured by a thick layer of smog and as I walked out of the arrivals terminal to find a taxi, I felt the oppressive heat and pollution suffocating me. I arrived at new my apartment, my new life, in the middle of the night and tried my best to get some sleep. In the light of the day, everything look a little clearer and a lot less scary.
While not exactly a beautiful city, Delhi packs a pretty big punch in regards to historical sights, nightlife and culture. Life is lived on the streets and religion is as in-your-face as it gets. Temples and mosques are tucked away in the most unassuming of places and the sounds of chanting and bells ring through the air. Trendy restaurants and street stalls alike offer a delicious range of food options and you will never go hungry in this city.
Overall, Delhi is a city that most people have a love / hate relationship with. I love the monuments, the history, and the non-stop activity. I hate the noise, the pollution and staring men. I love the cute, little old man who owns the vegetable cart in my colony and the Sikh man who looks like Santa Clause with a turban who says hello to me every day on my way to or from work. I hate the men that stalk me on Facebook or Couchsurfing and the women who give me the stink-eye. I love the delicious food, I hate the horrific, overly priced beer options.
Below are a few of the not so great things that I have observed over the past six months in this fascinating place. These are things that I wish I had been prepared for when moving here.
- Delhi really does feel like the wild west. Men pee everywhere, cows roam the streets, goats steal your food and monkeys pop up out of nowhere…….
- While not completely safe for women, the media does over exaggerate the safety concerns. Follow the same safety precautions that you would in most major cities. Take Uber late at night, don’t walk through parks alone, don’t get falling over drunk. In Delhi, I have to take it a bit further and dress conservatively. Goodbye sundresses!
- Even the “nice” neighborhoods of Delhi still have broken infrastructure, creepy men and street dogs on every corner. However, many neighborhoods (or colonies as they call them here) are like mini-gated communities with security guards and limited entry/exit points which really helps with the safety perspective.
- Crossing the street is akin to playing a game of Russian roulette. Stop lights and stop signs aren’t even considered suggestions. They are blatantly ignored. One way streets are ineffective because people still drive the wrong way. You get used to looking both ways about 100 times before crossing the street.
- The pollution is THAT bad. My first weekend here I lost my voice. I have gotten used to it which is actually probably a bad sign.
If you find yourself heading this way, take a deep breath when you arrive and just enjoy the mayhem.
