WELCOME TO INDIA IV: MUMBAI( EXPECTATION SETTING)

Going on twitter on Christmas day made me miss home like mad, Chatting with my Sister did not help matter at all. Even though we are not Christians, we still make sure to enjoy Christmas in my house.

My number one problem right is that i do not have a mobile number, my BB has gone sick, and MTN is billing me like crazy to roam...500 Naira per min for calls and 100naira for a text.

The fun of Christmas did not start here till I went to the club with the other interns and I hooked up with my Naija people. Yesterday was the best part of the holiday, from eating tomato Ketchup sweetened stew and salt less rice prepared by the boys to the roof top farewell dinner for some of the interns going back to their Countries....
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His name is Mustafa and He is from Turkey.
He hates Mumbai right now.
His hatred for Mumbai started the moment he stepped out of the Airport
and took a breath of Mumbai.
He hates the traffic, the smell and the nonchalance of AIESEC Mumbai members
I heard he was crying at some point
He wanted to go back after one day.

Every one talked to him
They understood how he felt.
No one steps in Mumbai and not wish to could back back home.
I felt that way when I stepped into Mumbai.
The sight of Mumbai, made me think I had made the worse decision of my life
Berna from Uganda too wanted to go back.
Feyi, my friend and fellow Nigerian felt the same way too.

Later, they all got tired of talking to him.
I talked to him when I was in Mumbai.
I still talk to him now that I am here in Hyderabad.
I have stopped telling him about how beautiful Hyderabad is.
Because he started comparing cities and wished he was in Hyderabad.

But like the AIESECers we are, we keep an open mind
We do not pretend the craziness is not there,
We do not pretend like the poverty does not exist,
We do not pretend not to notice the ugliness,

Rather we take our mind off the poverty, the Ugliness
Rather we see the beauty and the potential
We keep an open mind and enjoy the opportunity to experience the world from a different point of view.

I do not blame Mustafa,
Neither do I judge him.
Rather I know,
It is either that he had an Unrealistic Expectation of India.
He might have heard of Chandigarh, which has an European feel and according to some is not Indian in anyway.
He might of have expected Mumbai to be like Hyderabad, the so called Silicon Valley of India.
He did not expect Mumbai to be dirty, crowded and with mad traffic.
He did not expect things to be expensive in Mumbai, the story says things are cheap in India.

I know for one thing, Mustafa did not read the AIESEC reception package which was sent to him.
If he had read it, he would not have been disappointed when he saw Mumbai.
He would not have had his hope dashed.
He would have readily accepted Mumbai for what it is.
He would never compare Mumbai to his home town in Turkey.

I just hope he would sit back, relax and enjoy the beauty of Mumbai.
Because even with its poverty and fast life.
Mumbai is beautiful.
Even though I did not get to explore Mumbai, I know it is beautiful.

It reminds me so much of Lagos.
The Lagos I knew before the days of Fashola.
The Lagos I grew up in and fell in love with.
I hope and pray that Mustafa would fall in love with Mumbai
Just like I am in love with Hyderabad.
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Happy Holidays people and may the new year bring us more joy, blessing and the best of this Life.
Happy New Year in Advance


♥ Lara  from Incredible India

Molara Brown

7 comments:

  1. yea christmas always makes me miss home as well. Compliment of the season babe : )

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  2. Ooooh wow, i absolutely luved how the words flowed into each other here! (not kidding)Esp how u drifted from xmas talk to mumbai unluvins!

    And lol@The sight of Mumbai, made me think I had made the worse decision of my life.

    U should make a good diary out of ur mumbai days!

    Merry xmas gal.

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  3. I always miss Nigeria during the holidays too. I hope you have a great time in India. I would love to go there someday.

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  4. wow, this is so sweet post :)
    I hope when I have my own exchange experience, somebody would write such thing like this.
    this shows that you really put concerns on the other interns :)

    and congrats for being Global Exchange Partner's EP!!

    that's HUGE!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. mumbai? i must have missed a post or two

    Happy new year in advance babe

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  6. First, hearty congratulations on being a Global Exchange Partner's EP. As Widy pointed out, that's HUGE! :P

    I love your take on India. It's always interesting to see how foreigners react on confronting India and its diversity. I have been to quite a few countries myself and I am not saying only because I am an Indian that, India is a country of paradoxes. It's a place where you'll find yourself lost the moment you move 10km from where you are just 'cause its so diverse! I hope you can appreciate India for what it is. Its a brave decision you took in coming to India to experience it!

    And last of all, have a great internship! You deserve it! :)

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  7. I miss home too. In life, we have to see the positive parts like you rightly stated.

    Sorry, just a quick question: that MTN billing na true? Na wa

    ReplyDelete

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