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Summer is over
2007-06-15 17:34:00
Summer is over and I?m all set for the monsoon! How strange is that statement when summer has only started in Belgium? I always thought that four seasons ? summer, fall, winter and spring - following each others in a specific order was a constant all over the world.In Delhi, a crazily cold winter is chased by an extremely hot summer, followed by the monsoon. As I come from a relatively cold country, the winter was perfectly manageable. By contrast, I had a tough time surviving during the hot season. For the first time in my life, my body was exposed to 46+ degrees and the heat waves gave me the impression to be in the middle of a fire. Due to the high temperatures, a cable melted in my street depriving me from electricity and hence from must-have fans?
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One year in India
2007-05-23 02:17:00
I have been in India for more than a year (four months in 2005 and the past eight months). Time for some retrospection!In December 2004, I had to choose my Erasmus (exchange student program) destination. I was quite interested in going to Asia even if I had never heard of any of the Asian universities mentioned on the list. The country definitely prevailed on the brandname. In order to decide on my destination, I sent a few emails to my seniors. I received prompt replies, some positive, some highly negative? Let me share one with you? The 4-page well structured email was written by one of my seniors who was then exchange student at IIMB and who wanted to shorten his stay on the campus.The email was originally written in French. Only the gist is provided here and my comments follow? My senior started with the biases affecting Europeans visiting India and pursued with IIMB-specific issues. He referred to ?Indian students? while I prefer to use the term ?IIMB students? in my comments.1...
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Trek to Dodital
2007-04-11 09:37:00
The goalsStated goal: reaching Dodital carrying our backpacksAdditional personal goal: climbing further to the summit or staying in Dodital for potential retrospectionThe planningDay 1: 7h of jeep and 6km of uphill trekkingDay 2: 16km of uphill trekkingDay 3: 14km round trip to the summit or day in DoditalDay 4: 14km of downhill trekkingDay 5: 8km of downhill trekking and 7h of jeepMe (after all, it is my blog ;o) )I am a thin always hungry chainsmoker who had to quit sport/basketball long ago on doctor request due to weak back and knees. I was not worried about the absence of muscles on my body but knowing that we would have to carry our bags was more of concern.Was it my first trek? Well, yes and no. Yes, it was my first mountain backpacked trek. No, I had taken part in a two-week trek a few years ago. Carrying our bags was not requested but unfortunately, I had stuck my back so badly after a week that I had to be emergently repatriated to my country (GESA assistance provides amaz...
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Holi, the festival of colors
2007-03-05 06:09:00
Holi is is an annual and popular Hindu spring festival. It takes place over two days in the later part of February or early March. On the first day, a bonfire is lit at night to signify burning Holika. On the second day, known as Dhulandi, people go around until afternoon throwing colored powder and water at each other. A special drink called thandai is prepared, sometimes containing bhang. SourceReady to throw some colors!Most AIESEC trainees were to celebrate Holi together. But before that, I had to safely reach the meeting point. My mobile carefully wrapped into a small plastic bag, I left my place at around 11am wearing my oldest clothes. As my flat is in a really narrow street, the first challenge was to get out of it without being hit by the water thrown from the numerous balconies. Unsuccessful. Completely wet, I finally found a rickshaw to bring me to Lajpat Nagar. On the way, I had to get out of the auto to buy some colors and some festive kids took the opportunity to thro...
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Vikas in Delhi
2007-02-23 16:19:17
Our international relationship had already forced us to live apart in the past. This time, he was the one doing the journey? He reached Delhi on January 26th. We hadn?t seen each others for a month and despite his early arrival, I managed to open my eyes and to jump into his arms. Here, he was? Darker than what I remembered which perfectly suited my taste for dark skin.From my point of view, the next 12 days where going to be a test. We had already lived together on the campus, sharing the promiscuity of a room, fighting not to be the one doing the laundry or the one getting the breakfast in the morning (I love breakfast in bed ;o) Just miss the rose on the tray).I was working and checking his mails during the day while he was trying to remotely keep track of the placement process at IIMB. This time, we, husband and wife (just a little lie to the flat owner) had to survive the routine? Other small unexpected sources of disagreement appeared, linked to the amount of spices to add in ...

The Smart Cube
2007-02-23 16:19:17
With offices in the US, UK and India, The Smart Cube (TSC) is a small and dynamic company specialized in market research. The Delhi office is located in Kalkaji where over 80 people work enthusiastically to bring the best to their foreign clients.I?ve been working there for the past six weeks and so far my internship has been enjoyable: a young and self-motivated staff, diverse projects, a pleasant work atmosphere and a flexible schedule as long as the deadlines are met. 20 of us joined TSC over the past 50 days linked to a high turnover in the industry and the need of a growing company for more employees. People work hard and smart. A seasonality effect? The fiscal year will end soon and, hence, the pressure for fat bonuses is higher ;o) Let?s wait and see?
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Proud to be a Belgian: trade
2007-02-23 16:19:17
At last, a fifth part?Pune, July 21: IT is not the usual suspects - the US or the UK firms - that have emerged on top of the Pune investment brigade. The latest source of fund flow is the ?Land of Tintin? famous for its beer and chocolates. Belgian companies, having already marked their presence in Pune?s industrial belt, will be pumping in close to 20 million euro in the next year, mostly for expansion. No wonder then that the consulate has decided to celebrate the Belgian national day in Pune on Friday. SourceA few factsTrade Belgium has emerged India?s second largest trade partners within EU with bilateral trade in 2004 at 6.49 billion euros, 75% of which is in diamonds. India?s aim is to diversify bilateral trade which is dominated by diamonds to areas of information and communication technology, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology where there is a tremendous potential for synergy.Major items of Indian exports to Belgium are iron & steel products, minerals fuels, oils and products the...
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Looking for...
2007-02-23 16:19:17
Wondering if you possibly know where to find Hindi and Indian dance classes in South Delhi, near Alak Nanda market. SourceThanks in advance!
More About: King , Look

My blog
2007-02-23 16:19:17
**Due to some formatting problems with Mozilla, kindly read this blog via Internet Explorer**This blog was mainly about my Erasmus in India. In other words, my impressions during my exchange program at IIMB (Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore). As a potential tourist in India, one might also find useful information and advices on my blog. More than 200 posts and one year of blogging! Don't hesitate to comment! My blog was initially written for my friends and relatives. Few of them read it on a regular basis. What they want is to hear me TALK about my life in India? Me, passionate, almost hysterical... Strangely, my readership is a lot more diverse and large than expected. On one side, many Indians end up on my blog via the ?indianblogger? ranking. On the other, many indiafreaks, expatriates and exchange students visit my blog to learn more about the country and to ask me specific questions. As I?m back in India, this blog currently relates my personal life as an expat. For m...
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Hunting for a flat
2007-02-23 16:19:17
The goalFinding a flat near Kalkaji within 15 daysThe reasonAs my internship will last 36 weeks, it made sense for me to have my own little place. I?m a social person but after five years spent in hostels, I didn?t feel like staying in a traineehouse for the full period of time. What?s more my traineehouse in Lajpat Nagar was over-crowded and hence my mattress laid in a freezing living room. Not exactly my definition of privacy? And Vikas was going to spend a few months with me in Delhi? As the rent was to be paid on a semi-monthly basis, the countdown had started.Attempts-Using my Indian network: Unsuccessful. Most of my friends don?t live or just arrived in Delhi.-Surfing the net: Unsuccessful. Delhi is huge. Therefore the chance to find an ad for a flat near Kalkaji is small and I didn?t want to waste two hours daily in an auto.-Going to an agent: Unsuccessful. Brokers ask for a one-month rent as commission (15 days when the rent is higher than Rs 8000). As I?ll occupy the place ...
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Sri Lanka? Shortcut to Delhi
2007-02-23 16:19:17
Selected for an internship at the Smart Cube (TSC), I was eagerly waiting for the company to send me the documents required to get an employment visa and was ready to jump in the first plane to Sri Lanka ? The next few days were going to be hectic but I was confident I could reach Delhi on time, before the 3rd of January.Dec 13th: The internship was confirmed and TSC sent the documents by courier on the same day.Dec 19th: Still waiting for the docs, I called TSC to enquire about the delay. A few hours later, the courier called me as he couldn?t find my PG house in Cooke Town, Bangalore. Alternatively, I gave him IIMB address hoping to get the mail the next day. In the meanwhile, I checked Srilankan Airline website (yeap, a bit of publicity ;o) They really have cheap flights to Sri Lanka). There was a flight to Colombo the next day? in the morning? No way, the courier would come early enough. It was already 6pm, not much time left? An hour on the phone later, still fighting in a mix o...
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Delhi
2007-02-23 16:19:17
Nope, India is not always a warm place to be. As other parts of the country, Delhi is crazily freezing in winter. Coming from Bangalore, I had pretty much no warm clothes and my whole body was literally turning into ice. By contrast, the summer will be extremely hot and, at some point, humid.What to say about Delhi? As I didn?t engage in the usual tourist activities, I can?t comment on the beauty of the Red Fort or on the loveliness of Connaught place. My knowledge of the city comes from my daily life while commuting, working, and sometimes going out at night or on the weekends.Compared to Bangalore, Delhi is bigger, has better infrastructure and less invading beggars. The city is also cleaner and less polluted as most vehicles use gas. On the good side, I found the people nicer, less staring and more helpful. On the bad one, one has to bargain hard with the auto drivers as they rarely use the meter, the nightlife is more expensive and the city is less safe after 8pm.In Bangalore, ...

Why India is in trouble?
2007-02-12 12:16:00
Population: 100 crore-9 crore retired-30 crore in state Government-17 crore in central Government (both categories don't work)-1 crore IT professionals (don't work for India )-25 crore in school-1 crore are under 5 years-15 crore unemployed-1.2 crore u can find anytime in hospitalsStatistics say you find 79,99,998 people anytime in jail.The balance two are you & me.You are busy reading my blog!! How can I handle India alone?

Parents discovering India
2007-02-10 05:55:00
Friday night, the bell rang… My parents had just arrived in Delhi and were going to spend the next three days with me. Lost, they had reached my place later than expected. They dropped their bags which I quickly opened to extract the highly expected kilos of chocolate, the wine and champagne, the cheese, the sauces, my sari, and the few other things I had asked them to bring. It was already 2am and they were exhausted by their Belgium-Italy-India journey. It had been a long day… Time to sleep! We put the two coaches together and they went to bed trying not to pay attention to the inevitable cockroaches.I got up early the next day, took my shower, went out to buy some bread and the newspaper, made some bournvita and some toasts, and woke them up. After a quick breakfast, they bravely washed themselves with cold water and we went out of the flat. Then only, they fully realized they were in India: the cows, the abandoned dogs, the auto-rickshaws, the dirt, the small shops, the lang...
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My Bullshiter
2006-12-29 15:37:02
This blog is mainly about India. I want my relationship with my Indian boyfriend to remain private. Just know that he is a wonderful guy. A bit crazy, smart, creative, open-minded, tender, a bit wild, caring... He is really comfortable with his mind and body and makes other people feel the same. Do I love him? Do I want to marry him? Come on... Too early to give a definite answer... What he wrote about me on his blog:?Vikas, Vikas..?I turn back and see her leaning out from the slowly moving train.?He (the Train Ticket Examiner) says that we should kiss.?I run back to kiss her. It was a short gentle kiss. My right foot still recovering from the crack didn?t give me the luxury to jump in the train and get out safely. The train picks up speed and soon she is out of sight. I was tired and cold after 3 hour bike ride to this anonymous station to help her board after we missed the train at Bangalore. I was praying that she misses the train at that station also. As usual my prayer went unh...
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Blood donation
2006-12-28 15:36:02
July 14th 1999 I had a surgery for the first and last time in my life. After seven hours of hard work, it turned out to be a success. I couldn?t laugh and couldn?t eat illiquid dishes because my jaws were tightly joined together with elastics but I was quickly recovering and the pain was bearable. What bothered me the most was the obligation of sleeping in a sitting position. I simply couldn?t? Hence, I was awake when the internal bleeding started late at night. The next few hours were going to be the worst in my life. Fighting, I never gave up and did not faint despite the loss of more than two liters of blood. At the hospital, half the staff was missing due to national holidays. Finally brought back twice in the surgery room, the bleeding was stopped. I will never know what occurred while I was anesthetized but I will always remember what happened before when I was awake: the blood, the vomiting of blood (How funny with my immovable jaws!), the attempts to stop the bl...
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Proud to be a Belgian: trade
2006-12-28 15:36:02
At last, a fifth part?Pune, July 21: IT is not the usual suspects - the US or the UK firms - that have emerged on top of the Pune investment brigade. The latest source of fund flow is the ?Land of Tintin? famous for its beer and chocolates. Belgian companies, having already marked their presence in Pune?s industrial belt, will be pumping in close to 20 million euro in the next year, mostly for expansion. No wonder then that the consulate has decided to celebrate the Belgian national day in Pune on Friday. SourceA few factsTrade Belgium has emerged India?s second largest trade partners within EU with bilateral trade in 2004 at 6.49 billion euros, 75% of which is in diamonds. India?s aim is to diversify bilateral trade which is dominated by diamonds to areas of information and communication technology, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology where there is a tremendous potential for synergy.Major items of Indian exports to Belgium are iron & steel products, minerals fuels, oils and products the...
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Sarvendriyanam nayanam pradhanam
2006-12-28 15:36:02
"Though India has about 95,00,000 deaths every year, only 10,000 people donated their eyes in a year, at last count." Pledge to donate your eyes. There is a misconception that the process involves unnecessary hassles like taking the person to the hospital and waiting for procedures and/or even paying for them. Many are unaware that the doctors come home and do it within hours and all free of cost.There are also many superstititions and strange beliefs to contend with in India, especially in rural areas: one will be born disfigured or blind in the next birth if eyes are removed before cremation/burial or there is scarring/disfigurement and this mars the sanctity of the last rites. All this also probably explains why India imports a large number of corneas from Sri Lanka where eye donation is considered sacred. SourceFacts-There are an estimated 12 million blind people in India of whom three million suffer corneal blindness, which means their vision can be restored with donor eyes.-E...
More About: Vend , Riya , Hana

Looking for...
2006-12-28 15:36:02
Sorry, guys. I have been incredibly busy. No time to publish new posts on my blog. I'm back in India! Wondering if you possibly know where to: Source1) Find a flat in Delhi (Kalkaji).Conditions -Nothing fancy (intern salary);-If possible a furnished room (at least, a mattress);-I don?t mind sharing the place as long as my boyfriend can spend the night with me when he comes to Delhi.2) Find Hindi classes in South Delhi.3) Find Indian dance classes in South Delhi.Thanks in advance!
More About: King , Look

My blog
2006-12-28 15:36:02
**Due to some formatting problems with Mozilla, kindly read this blog via Internet Explorer**This blog was mainly about my Erasmus in India. In other words, my impressions during my exchange program at IIMB (Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore). As a potential tourist in India, one might also find useful information and advices on my blog. Check the sidebar... More than 200 posts and one year of blogging! Don't hesitate to comment! My blog was initially written for my friends and relatives. Few of them read it on a regular basis. What they want is to hear me TALK about my life in India? Me, passionate, almost hysterical... Strangely, my readership is a lot more diverse and large than expected. On one side, many Indians end up on my blog via the ?indianblogger? ranking. On the other, many indiafreaks, expatriates and exchange students visit my blog to learn more about the country and to ask me specific questions.Thank you all for visiting my blog! But it?s now time for me to m...
More About: Blog

Pondicherry
2006-12-28 15:36:02
We kept postponing but, at last, we traveled to Pond icherry! Just the two of us? We went there by bus and as we arrived we found out what a gargantuan challenge it would be to get an accommodation. Most small hotels or guest houses accept couples of foreigners or married couples of Indians. However, a hybrid couple like ours was repetitively rejected by fear of the police. No choice but to get a room in a more expensive hotel. As it was heavily raining, we just got some food and went to bed early. On the second day, we roamed around in the city and walked along the stone beach. I also gave a break to my stomach by eating delicious non spicy food. Then, hoping to get some fun on jet-skis, we headed for a water center outside Pondicherry. Disappointedly, such sports were not allowed during the rainy season but going there gave us the opportunity to discover neat treehouses for our next vacations. Then, we went to a sand beach, a wonderful place to feel the wind on our faces...
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Become a background artist!
2006-12-28 15:36:02
Having no money forces you to be innovative and to grab any opportunity. As a foreigner, an easy option would be to play in a movie. What you have to do: -Be a background artist. In other words, walk/stand in the background to give the impression that the movie is shot in a foreign country. What you will get: -Free transportation, free housing and free food; -Rs500/day for Bollywood movies and Rs1000/day for Telugu movies. Annavaram, one of the movies in which I was a background artist I spent five days in Hyderabad and made an appearance in two Telugu movies. Honestly, it becomes rapidly boring as the process is quite repetitive. First, the dancers practice (>10 times). Second, the dancers improve their performance while the background artists obediently walk or stand (>5 times). Then only, the hero/heroine/villain practices his/her dance while the whole background perfectly performs (>5 times). In short, be patient! The fun part is actua...
More About: Artist , Ground , Back , Come , Background

Life in a PG house
2006-12-28 15:36:02
Looking for an accommodation in Bangalore? Three options: -Hotel: Not affordable on the long term. -Flat: Requires a 10-month deposit (possible to negotiate for less) and involves investments in household items. The monthly rent will probably be higher than for a PG house and charges for water/gas/electricity must often be added. -Paying-guest house: The rent is lower and household items are usually provided. Some PG houses also offer food. Given the costs, I opted for the last option. So far, I?ve been staying in a PG house for three weeks. Here are my pro?s and con?s but it might differ from one PG to another one. PG mate (left) and maid (right) The Pro?s -Cheapest and sometimes possibility to rent on a daily basis; -Maid, warm water and all household items including laundry machines; -Opportunities to meet great people; -Safe neighborhood. The Con?s -Accommodation for girls only; -No visitor allowed durin...
More About: House , Life , Ouse

My blog
2006-12-07 15:20:03
**Due to some formatting problems with Mozilla, kindly read this blog via Internet Explorer**This blog was mainly about my Erasmus in India. In other words, my impressions during my exchange program at IIMB (Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore). As a potential tourist in India, one might also find useful information and advices on my blog. Check the sidebar... More than 200 posts and one year of blogging! Don't hesitate to comment! My blog was initially written for my friends and relatives. Few of them read it on a regular basis. What they want is to hear me TALK about my life in India? Me, passionate, almost hysterical... Strangely, my readership is a lot more diverse and large than expected. On one side, many Indians end up on my blog via the ?indianblogger? ranking. On the other, many indiafreaks, expatriates and exchange students visit my blog to learn more about the country and to ask me specific questions.Thank you all for visiting my blog! But it?s now time for me to m...
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Arranged marriages
2006-12-02 15:15:20
"Love marriages" do happen in India but it is not the norm. It is an accepted fact that a person's family will play a role in picking the marriage partner. It is important to remember that in Indian society an arranged marriage is seen as an act of love.Before coming to India, I had a hard time conceiving a marriage which was not based on love. How to manage a long-term relationship with someone that you didn?t choose? How to make an arranged marriage last when so many love marriages result in a divorce? Some Indians, even in the new generations, think that an arranged marriage is an easy alternative to a love marriage. No need to hunt for the ?right one?, your parents will do the work for you ;o) Btw, my boyfriend was given in marriage when he was 5 year old.Definition An arranged marriage is a marriage that is at some level arranged by someone other than those being married and is usually used to describe a marriage which involves the parents of the married couple to varying degr...
More About: Marriage , Arri , Range , Marriages , Ages

My blog
2006-12-02 15:15:20
**Due to some formatting problems with Mozilla, kindly read this blog via Internet Explorer**This blog was mainly about my Erasmus in India. In other words, my impressions during my exchange program at IIMB (Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore). As a potential tourist in India, one might also find useful information and advices on my blog. Check the sidebar... More than 200 posts and one year of blogging! Don't hesitate to comment! My blog was initially written for my friends and relatives. Few of them read it on a regular basis. What they want is to hear me TALK about my life in India? Me, passionate, almost hysterical... Strangely, my readership is a lot more diverse and large than expected. On one side, many Indians end up on my blog via the ?indianblogger? ranking. On the other, many indiafreaks, expatriates and exchange students visit my blog to learn more about the country and to ask me specific questions.Thank you all for visiting my blog! But it?s now time for me to m...
More About: Blog

Looking for...
2006-12-02 15:15:20
Sorry, guys. I have been incredibly busy. No time to publish new posts on my blog. I'm back in India! Wondering if you possibly know where to: Source1) Find a flat in Bangalore.Conditions -Nothing fancy (intern salary);-If possible in Koramangala/near Forum;-If possible a furnished room (at least, a mattress);-I don?t mind sharing the place as long as my boyfriend can spend the night with me.2) Find Tae kwon do classes in Bangalore.3) Find Indian dance classes in Bangalore.Thanks in advance!
More About: King , Look

Pepsi addiction
2006-12-02 15:15:20
As you might know, I am strongly addicted to Pepsi . Well, I might have to reduce my consumption of soft drinks. At least during my journey to India... I already found small pieces of glasses in my Pepsi bottles during my stay in Bangalore. But I never suspected that the liquid itself did not meet the basic health standards.In the news (August 5th 2006)NEW DELHI -- India's top court has asked Coca-Cola and Pepsi to disclose the ingredients in the soft drinks they sell here amid allegations the drinks contain high levels of pesticide. SourceThe Supreme Court notice on Friday came days after a New Delhi-based independent research body said it found samples of Coke and Pepsi contained pesticide residue that was 24 times above the limits set by the Bureau of Indian Standards.The toxins found in the soft drinks could, if consumed over a long period, cause cancer, birth defects and damage to the nervous system, the Center for Science and Environment said in a report released earlier this ...
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Sarvendriyanam nayanam pradhanam
2006-12-02 01:57:04
"Though India has about 95,00,000 deaths every year, only 10,000 people donated their eyes in a year, at last count." Pledge to donate your eyes. There is a misconception that the process involves unnecessary hassles like taking the person to the hospital and waiting for procedures and/or even paying for them. Many are unaware that the doctors come home and do it within hours and all free of cost.There are also many superstititions and strange beliefs to contend with in India, especially in rural areas: one will be born disfigured or blind in the next birth if eyes are removed before cremation/burial or there is scarring/disfigurement and this mars the sanctity of the last rites. All this also probably explains why India imports a large number of corneas from Sri Lanka where eye donation is considered sacred. SourceFacts-There are an estimated 12 million blind people in India of whom three million suffer corneal blindness, which means their vision can be restored with donor eyes.-E...
More About: Vend , Riya , Hana

Happy Rakhi!
2006-12-02 01:57:04
Take the opportunity to wear a simple white band and show the world that you want action, not just words. Help your international brothers and sisters to make poverty history. White bands for the Rakhi festival Source
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