A whole new India

It's weird being in India but not being a traveller. Everything you experience, see, smell, touch is significantly different. I've been to Bangalore 3 times prior to this time, and it's like being in a whole new place. Now, I look at India as home and I test myself to see if i can adapt to the culture change, the climate difference and if living in India will be a positive experience.
Luckily Bangalore is located in a temperate climate, it doesn't get too humid just hot. But I can handle that, as long as I am not sweating in my clothes. The sun has been shining everyday and it's about 35 or 36 degrees, but it is bearable and nice. The evenings are perfect with a warm breeze and just perfect for sitting on a patio enjoying a late dinner or mango lassi.
Bangalore is also very modern, or at least the part I am in. You see less saree's and Salwar kameez's and more jeans, tank tops, short skirts and tight tops. Kiran said he would like to take his mother to Bangalore for her to see how her country has changed. He said she would be shocked. Bangalore is the high tech hub and progressive, you see more foreigners mulling about with blackberry's and young fashionable Bangalorians shopping for the latest trends. You get less stares than you would in smaller cities/towns/and villages.
It's a fun place to be, but it is still India, for example, last night we went to a pub called NASA and inside it was shaped like a spaceship, and was decked out with laser lights. The music was definitely American and modern with a mix of old Bon Jovi, new pop and house music. However, I noticed they were seating people differently. Two women walked in, and I guess were Nigerian and they were seated next to us. They asked the waiter to be seated in the busier part of the bar and the waiter said, "no this side is for families and couples." I asked Kiran why they would segregate women and families and he said it had less to do with inequality and more to do with the comfort of the women and families. In a way I can understand that, as I know I feel more comfortable sitting in the women's train cart while traveling. So although Bangalore has the look of being modern it still has some conservative ideas. But it's getting there, and that is a major plus!
Tomorrow i meet with my employers and have to get registered in Bangalore since that is where my visa was issued. Once that is all done they will fly me to Hyderabad where I will start working and get settled into my new home away from home.
I have to say I still love the prices of India! Bangalore is more expensive than smaller places but wow, it's still cheap. I need passport photos to get my residency card and healthy card here, and I opted to get the pictures in Bangalore as I knew they would be cheaper. But I didn't expect how cheap it would be. In Canada, 2 passport pictures cost $11, and I need 10 of them. I got 15 of them here (they came in that amount) for $2.15. I am so glad I waited!! Last night, between Kiran and I we had 2 beers and a glass of wine, a plate of fries and bottled water and it cost $8. I can get used to this!

Anyway, we are heading for dinner soon and to see a movie. I have to be up relatively early to go to the police commissioner's to get registered. I am looking forward to the next phase of my adventure; working in India!!