The first two weeks of my ten week stay have been exhilarating and very interesting to say the least! After being delayed three hours on the tarmac at Charles De Gaulle in Paris, I finally arrived in Bangalore at around 2 am. The landing was anything but smooth. Due to the heavy rains in the area, we had to circle the city twice until conditions were good and once we landed, the plane seemed to bounce on the runway before finally coming to a standstill. This experience seemed prophetic for my first week…

After arriving at my lodging, I sat down to catch my breath on my bed and before I knew it, I woke up 7 hours later. Still somewhat delirious, I decided to go for a walk since I hadn’t really seen much of where I was staying since it was so dark when I arrived. The street I am staying on felt idyllic with its large Senna Spectabilis and Sacred trees shading the road, and some parents playing cricket with their children. Instantly, I felt at home. I decided to continue walking and find some coffee. I continued walking, mesmerized by the rich red toned bark of the trees that seemed to erupt and disrupt the sidewalk. Still inspecting the trees, I turned the corner and was confronted with something I would come to know very well – the dreaded Bangalore traffic (ranked 3rd worst in the world!).

I am all but certain my eyes glossed over as scores of buses, cars, trucks, autorickshaws, and two-wheelers buzzed passed me, all honking. I felt that their honking was directed at me and I jolted back (I am pretty sure the person next to me laughed which was totally deserved). Initially, I turned around and headed down a calmer street, wanting to ease my way into life as a pedestrian in one of India’s largest metropolises. I started looking around and trying to see how other people navigated crossing the street. Delighted, I noticed a dog walking across the street. I saw it look left and right before crossing, stop in the median and look left and right, and cross safely to the other side. I thought to myself, well if a dog can do it, I should be able to! Eventually, I discovered there was a predictable pattern to the traffic. There would be breaks in the traffic often due to another group of commuters cutting off the street somewhere close by, momentarily halting the flow of traffic. Following the dog’s example, I began crossing streets and exploring the city. After some coffee, where I tried my first new flavor – jaggery – which is a sugar derived from sugarcane, I decided to cross that one busy street. I should also note, Jaggery has become a favorite new flavor. It’s far more complex and rich than typical cane sugar, and far more than the industrial sugar consumed in the United States.

The look of a typical street in my neighborhood. Plants indeed…

This is one of my favorite pictures I have taken. I like it because I think it demonstrates the dynamic interplay between two components that seem so important to the city. The plant life and the tech industry. From this angle, you can see how the trees and power lines race upward, almost in competition with one another. Additionally the banana tree seems to weave its way through and around the steel frame, creating a rich and unexpected beauty.

My first meal in India and the view I had while eating it!
My contact at my NGO had given me a recommendation of a restaurant in Jayanagar neighborhood, just north of my lodging in JP Nagar, which required me to cross multiple busy roads. Upon reaching the restaurant, I felt accomplished and proud of myself for learning a bit more about my new environment. I had no idea what any of the food was at the restaurant. I selected at random and ended up ordering a Green Moong Dal Dosa. It was complemented with peanut chutney, coconut chutney, and sambar. It was absolutely amazing and all the anxiety that had built up from the long travel journey, difficulty navigating, and from a small car accident I witnessed, all dissipated and was replaced by excitement and anticipation for all the new experiences I am about to enjoy.

Surrounding the office of my internship, there are tons of plants, trees, and even monkeys.
I started my internship the next day, which was somewhat of a mistake since I was still severely jet lagged. I knew my internship was going to be a bit intense since I would be working 6 days a week, 8 hours each day. However, I was not prepared for the seeming chaos that confronted me as I entered the office. With well over 100 employees, the office was just as bustling as the streets outside the office. Luckily, everyone was so welcoming, just as everyone had been since I had arrived! During my first day I was given tons of reading about the organization and its projects. I was also able to determine my roles and responsibilities. I would become an intern on the finance team and help consult on economic issues and help develop financial models for the various solar-based solutions. My first week at the office was wonderful as I met tons of new people who came from all over the country.

Unfortunately, I had some trouble adjusting my first week. The monsoons were delayed, demonstrating the palpable impacts of climate change in the city. This meant that with the heat index, the temperature was over 100 degrees. Jet lag continued to follow and my stomach had some trouble adjusting to the new environment. Luckily, I found a grocery store and cooked some food that I was familiar with to calm myself. I also met some friends at the grocery store!

My attempt at making a dish with the new spices and vegetables I found at my local grocery store. Don’t look too closely at the rice. It was simultaneously undercooked and burnt…

By my second week I was truly shocked by how quickly I seemed to adjust to the weather. I even spent the entire weekend exploring the many many beautiful parks that dotted the garden city (the knick-name of Bangalore). I was also able to explore the new foods, flavors, and meals available in the city. Work also became manageable and exciting as I learned the models and began to be able to complete tasks and form friendships with other interns working at Selco.