DO AS THE LOCALS DO
Sights, sounds, smells, and taste—everything feels different to the touch in a new city. The language might stop you in your tracks and the sincerity of people amaze you. Moving to a new city is all about adapting, about cracking that language barrier even if you sound like an alien, and about believing that this will be your home for the foreseeable future.
When i first moved to Mumbai, starry eyed, things were drastically different. The sounds were louder than what i was used to, the food laden with spice, and the city did not believe in the idea of sleeping at night. I loved it all! The local trains were a city in itself, housing a different language and a different subculture. Two days, and I was walking and talking (sometimes cussing!) like someone who'd been hopping off fast trains her whole life. I pretended. I stood in line and pretended like i knew what i was doing. And slowly i did actually know.
I memorized all the routes, going over each passing visual in my head. I'd walk the usual routes, chat up grocery store owners and on the way discover small quaint places that could be my regular hangouts. It might not be much, but the best way to know a city, is to know the everyday life. Wake up when the city wakes up, eat what the city eats, hang out at the regular jaunts, and fall asleep in the wee hours of the morning just when everyone back home is waking up.
Comments
Post a Comment
Thanks for taking the time to comment, I appreciate each one. Blogger doesn't give automatic notifications for replies. So please check the notify me button or check back to read the replies!