The first time I met Vijay I was visiting Curacao in the summer of 2007. I went into town to get my cousin a gift for her wedding. She was getting married about a week after I would be gone, but since we grew up as sisters I really wanted to get her something nice (I did manage to attend her bachelerette party though, still recovering from that one....).
Anyway, so I get into this nice jewelery store in town and asked for my cousin's birth stone. The store manager attending to my needs showed me literally everything he had. Finally he said to me (probably in despair because I could not make up my mind): "Choose any of these and I will give you a very special price, only for friends."
Having heard this line exhaustingly in Mumbai stores I sigh:" O God, don't tell you're from Bombay."
He said:" Yes, How do you know?"
"Well", I reply, " I live there, and I recognize your accent".
He didn't believe me. Really he did NOT. I stood there for a full 20 minutes while he was cross examining me about Mumbai sites. Some examples:
HIM
Where do you stay?
ME
Bandra only
HIM
WHich part of Bandra?
ME
Pali Hill
HIM
Which side of Pali Hill?
ME
Union Park road, near dr Ambedkar statue, off Carter road.
HIM
Which route do you take to the city?
ME
Linking road off, course.
HIM
Which school do your kids attend?
ME
Ecole Mondiale in Juhu, near Amitabh Bachchan's old bungalow.
HIM
Is it a long drive from Bandra to Juhu?
ME
Morning 10 minutes, afternoon 30 minutes, evening one hour.
after this last answer he was finally assured of the fact that I truly lived in Mumbai.
Vijay, as he then introduced himself to me, has been living on Curacao for a few years now. His wife and son are back in Bombay and he misses the city terribly. His fluency in our local language, Papiamento, is not bad at all! But it is in Bombay where is feels most at home. To Vijay Mumbai is the best place on earth.
He gave me all these tips on living in Bombay and finally told me not to trust anyone and not to be to soft. When I want to buy something I should bargain as if my live depends on it and only agree to a price when I think that I it has actually dropped too much. That is survival for you - Bombay style.
I left the store, very happy, with a beatuiful piece of jewelery that I got at a special friends price (at least I think it was good bargain!)
Not long after we first met, Vijay went to Mumbai to spend some time with his family and it seams that the years he spent on a relaxed Caribbean island have somewhat altered his view of his 18 million-plus city.
We met again the next summer on Curacao and the first thing Vijay asked me is how I can bare to live in such a polluted city. "My God", he exclaimed, "the streets are so blokked that it takes me two hours to bridge 10 km! And the crowds! Everywhere there are people. There is always something going on somewhere. Honestly, Monique, I don't even understand why you left Curacao in the first place".
So I had to explain to Vijay that Curacao is indeed the most beautiful place on earth, but that it is mine - like Mumbai is his - regardless of where I am staying.
He had to understand that Mumbai may be cramped and polluted, but that I had already fallen in love with it. That I love the buzz, the sounds, the smells and - yes - the people.
After this Vijay and I met several times. I even met his wife in Mumbai and every time I am on the island I stop by to say hallo and tell Mumbai tales. I tel him what happening, how the cinema's were closed during the Sena riots, how the new scenery is taking shape in the beginning of Carter road and how superb the new Bandra-Worli sea-link is.
He still advised me on how to handle Mumbaikers and - lately - we even have been speaking in Hindi.
Sunday 29 August, 2010
Wednesday 4 August, 2010
Stop globalization now!!!!!
At first it seamed like a good thing, this globalization business. Even I was quite happy with the first developments. But the world we knew as kids has changed.
Even though I must say that I was never allergic to this concept.
Living on a small island that has always depended largely on trade our eyes were always outward. What we bought in grocery stores was mostly imported, what we saw on the TV were american and south american series and movies (The lather were mostly horrendous soap opera's that could drag on forever). Most of our friend were of mixed origin. Hell, we were all mixed-up ourselves! When I last checked I had West-Indian(probably Arawak) , African, Indian, Scottish, Welsch, Portuguese and Chinese blood. The largest portion (25%) being Indian which I suppose explains my recent addiction to Bollywood movies.
Growing up I had a few global pen pals. One in Holland, two in Italy, two in France, one in Belize (this one stopped writing after an earthquake hit the country, oops) and one in Darjeeling, India. I cannot begin to explain to my kids that back then we wrote letters to each other and waited for weeks - months sometimes - before receiving a reply. Nowadays they can chat online, send each other pictures and talk to and see each other through skype. For them it is business as usual.
I remember this cartoon "the Jetsons" that we used to watch. You must know it! All takes place in the future world. My brothers and I used to laugh at the phone they had in which they could see each other, while talking. We though it was the most hilarious thing, soooo impossible. Not.
So many thing is Jetsons have been realized. I guess the makers were visionaries! (Still waiting for the machine though that makes any food or drink you desire. Could use one of those. No, microwave is not good enough)
Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that up till now my approach to globalization was quite neutral. Not much would change for me personally anyway. I always make sure to get my stuff where ever in the world they are available.
Until that day.
Ever since I left Curacao to live elsewhere I always went back to buy this special ingredient that I use in salads: Heinz vegetable salad. There is a large and a small tin, but I always bring 2 small tins. I treasured them and they would last for a year until I visited the island again. I could not get them in Holland nor in India, so I had to make sure to have a small stock everywhere I went.
I took them with me from Holland to India and refreshed my stock regularly during our Bombay years. When it was time to leave Bombay we were advised by the moving company not to bring any food in our container as this could delay the clearing process. I panicked! What to do with my tins of Heinz vegetable salad! I had already gotten rid of all other food items, but I could not leave my Heinz vegetable salad behind!
I just could not. Impossible!!
So they came. In my suitcase. It was the only way.
Then that day came.
Back in Holland I was visiting the very very local produce store runned by a Turkish guy called Mehmet. About 5 minutes form our house, set in a very very residential non-global area. Mehmet sells mostly fruits and vegetables of nice quality, but also Turkish breads and sweets that he claims his mom-in-law makes. Mehmet also carries a small array of canned stuff, for the convenience of his customers.
I could not believe my eyes that day when I saw Mehmet stacking a large stock of Heinz vegetable salad. He did not only have the small tins. He had the larger tins too!
OMG, it was a disaster!!!
Not only did I carry two (small) tins of Heinz vegetable salad around the world FOR NOTHING! But now I don't need to go home anymore to stock up.
Here is where I draw a line to globalization. If one cannot long for goods anymore, because they are only sold in far far away countries, what's the point? If you can buy anything you want anywhere you go, does it matter at all where you are?
I should be allowed to cherish my Heinz vegetable salad! Globalization has taken that away from me.
So I say to you, my friends: stop globalization now!
Before it is too late.
Even though I must say that I was never allergic to this concept.
Living on a small island that has always depended largely on trade our eyes were always outward. What we bought in grocery stores was mostly imported, what we saw on the TV were american and south american series and movies (The lather were mostly horrendous soap opera's that could drag on forever). Most of our friend were of mixed origin. Hell, we were all mixed-up ourselves! When I last checked I had West-Indian(probably Arawak) , African, Indian, Scottish, Welsch, Portuguese and Chinese blood. The largest portion (25%) being Indian which I suppose explains my recent addiction to Bollywood movies.
Growing up I had a few global pen pals. One in Holland, two in Italy, two in France, one in Belize (this one stopped writing after an earthquake hit the country, oops) and one in Darjeeling, India. I cannot begin to explain to my kids that back then we wrote letters to each other and waited for weeks - months sometimes - before receiving a reply. Nowadays they can chat online, send each other pictures and talk to and see each other through skype. For them it is business as usual.
I remember this cartoon "the Jetsons" that we used to watch. You must know it! All takes place in the future world. My brothers and I used to laugh at the phone they had in which they could see each other, while talking. We though it was the most hilarious thing, soooo impossible. Not.
So many thing is Jetsons have been realized. I guess the makers were visionaries! (Still waiting for the machine though that makes any food or drink you desire. Could use one of those. No, microwave is not good enough)
Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that up till now my approach to globalization was quite neutral. Not much would change for me personally anyway. I always make sure to get my stuff where ever in the world they are available.
Until that day.
Ever since I left Curacao to live elsewhere I always went back to buy this special ingredient that I use in salads: Heinz vegetable salad. There is a large and a small tin, but I always bring 2 small tins. I treasured them and they would last for a year until I visited the island again. I could not get them in Holland nor in India, so I had to make sure to have a small stock everywhere I went.
I took them with me from Holland to India and refreshed my stock regularly during our Bombay years. When it was time to leave Bombay we were advised by the moving company not to bring any food in our container as this could delay the clearing process. I panicked! What to do with my tins of Heinz vegetable salad! I had already gotten rid of all other food items, but I could not leave my Heinz vegetable salad behind!
I just could not. Impossible!!
So they came. In my suitcase. It was the only way.
Then that day came.
Back in Holland I was visiting the very very local produce store runned by a Turkish guy called Mehmet. About 5 minutes form our house, set in a very very residential non-global area. Mehmet sells mostly fruits and vegetables of nice quality, but also Turkish breads and sweets that he claims his mom-in-law makes. Mehmet also carries a small array of canned stuff, for the convenience of his customers.
I could not believe my eyes that day when I saw Mehmet stacking a large stock of Heinz vegetable salad. He did not only have the small tins. He had the larger tins too!
OMG, it was a disaster!!!
Not only did I carry two (small) tins of Heinz vegetable salad around the world FOR NOTHING! But now I don't need to go home anymore to stock up.
Here is where I draw a line to globalization. If one cannot long for goods anymore, because they are only sold in far far away countries, what's the point? If you can buy anything you want anywhere you go, does it matter at all where you are?
I should be allowed to cherish my Heinz vegetable salad! Globalization has taken that away from me.
So I say to you, my friends: stop globalization now!
Before it is too late.
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