Hyderabad, India Report of what it's like to live there - 07/18/14
Personal Experiences from Hyderabad, India
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
Not first posting. Others in Eastern Europe and Asia.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
Virginia. Trip home is looong. About 20 hours in the air. Only good connections out of Hyderabad are to Doha, Dubai or London. Do whatever you can to avoid connections in India (Mumbai/Delhi).
3. How long have you lived here?
Two years.
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Government. Posted to U.S. Consulate.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Large and fairly decent housing. Many singles and small families are in apartments roughly 20-25 mins from consulate. Families in larger, rambling, older homes about 40 minutes away. No swimming pools except at the apartment complex. This is a shame, because there's little else for families to do here on the sweltering weekends. We have access to a UN research facility about an hour outside of the city, which has a nice pool. But that's about it. Traffic is India. Enough said.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Surprisingly expensive. Local products are cheap (onions, ghee, lentils, curd). But very expensive for anything western and fairly limited. You can find a bag of Doritos at one of the handful of western stores, but you'll pay $10 for it. Overall, you can find most things here. But not without a significant price hike. Post recently lost a huge chunk of its COLA and this really hurt.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Peanut butter, booze, sunscreen, good mosquito spray, backup power source. We can get most things shipped through Amazon Prime and Netgrocer, apart from liquids. Bring lots of your favorite shampoos, hand soaps, and any liquid medicines you might need. Drugs are very cheap here since most are manufactured in Hyderabad.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
McDonalds, KFC and Subway (no beef/pork). Some decent vegetarian options at McDonalds. Local speciality is biryani, which is good the first few times, but gets a bit old after a while. Andhra cuisine is very spicy, even within India. The dosas and idlis are decent. Some people like the local cuisine, but most foreigners prefer Punjabi-style Indian food. A handful of very good western restaurants here, but prices aren't cheap. Similar to what you'd pay in the U.S. Brunches are very good -- about $30 per person for a massive spread, including Indian-made booze.
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
Dengue is a serious issue. No malaria. Lots of biting red ants. Some apartments here are truly plagued with mosquitoes. But we have cobras! Several have been found at consulate houses. No joke. Houses come equipped with a snake pole and we were all given snake training about two years back.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
Diplomatic pouch.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Highly available and fairly cheap. About $200-300 month for a good fulltime maid/cook. Same cost for drivers. Quality varies widely.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
Consulate has a great gym. Some private clubs here, too, but not sure of cost.
4. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
No problems overall.
5. What English-language religious services are available locally?
Catholic and maybe a handful of Protestant. Lots of mosques and Hindu temples.
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
None. Some telugu might help, but most people speak some level of English.
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Tons. Even an able-bodied person has trouble walking here in the city. There are basically no sidewalks. And the places that have sidewalks are covered with unmentionables.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Affordable? Yes. Safe? If you are a man, then yes. Apart from relatively high frequency of rape, many of the buses are in rough shape. Earlier this year, a toddler girl died when she was riding in the bus and fell through a hole on the floor.
2. What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
Buy local. If you're posted to the consulate, buy from a colleague. If you are working for a multinational, but locally. Roads are in so-so condition, but you will spend a lot of time stuck in traffic. Make sure the AC works.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Yes, it's fairly cheap and fast. I think we pay about $30/month. When it works, it's great. But ours cuts out 1-2 times per week for 24 hours at a time. Reliability has been a nightmare.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
Local carriers do the trick. Getting a cell phone here is a headache -- you must fill out a permit.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
No. Rules seem to be changing, though. One local kennel for dogs is used by most. At least one good local vet.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
A lot of multi-nationals have huge operations here (Amazon, Microsoft, Deloitte, Google). Getting work permits can be frustrating, though.
2. What volunteer opportunities are available locally?
Many local NGOs.
3. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Not as formal as the Embassy in Delhi. Ties are relatively rare here for men. Women, in general, tend to wear longer dresses or pants to avoid the stares. Many women do not feel comfortable wearing shorts or short sleeves.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Not really. Some bombings last year by a homegrown terror group, but not targetted against foreigners. The Indian Govt runs a pretty tight ship, security wise. The consulate also provides security guards for our homes at night. It's a different tale entirely for women, though. None of the females at post would dare to go out alone. Harassment (so-called "eve teasing" and "eye rapes") is rampant and a serious issue. What you read in the newspaper is not an exaggeration. The opposite, in fact.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Dengue fever, cholera, typhoid and nasty food poisoning. You will get sick here. Healthcare in general is quite good, though, and very cheap. Many good private hospitals. Dental care is also great and cheap.
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
Terrible by global standards, but moderate for India. Many days the air quality readings are above 150 ppm, which is unsafe. It always smells here. You get used to that, even though sometimes the stench from Hussain Sagar Lake (medical waste/sewage) gets overwhelming. For the most part, you get used to the constant odor.
4. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
Fairly pleasant climate, if you like heat. It's dry for much of the year. Monsoon season (mid-June to mid-November can be muggy) but the rest of the year is fairly dry. Never gets below about 70 degrees. December and January are the nicest months. April and May are fiercely hot.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
I think most are fairly happy with pre-school; the American school is about an hour away. No experience with these.
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
Not sure. Doubt there are many options.
3. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
Very good pre-school options; several different schools ranging from $200-$500 per month. Some are filled with children from incredibly driven families -- picture 3 year olds getting homework EVERY night. Others are much more moderate. Overall, very, very good value.
4. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
American School has sports programs, I think. Not much else. There's almost no green/park space in the city.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Very small diplomatic community (the Americans, Iranians, and now a handful of Brits and Turks). Several hundred expats (mainly british, french and american) at multi-nationals. Not a ton of mixing. Most expats are programmers or accountants; there's a young crowd of frat boy-ish programmers that take over a local hotel pool every Sunday, you won't miss 'em...). There's a good expat group (TEA) that organizes events. Morale is mixed. A few people really seem to thrive in India. Many others have a hard time. Post has had a recent management change that has morale on the upswing.
2. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
Although there are a handful of good local restaurants, there is no local bar or pub scene, per se. Weekend parties at homes. Social life is fairly limited, but it's as good as you make it. Consulate is relatively small, so it's a fishbowl. But we manage to have fun; the different cliques even manage to overlap sometimes.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
Great for families -- childcare is cheap and high quality. Couples seem to enjoy the traveling. Singles have a harder time. Especially single women. Two have curtailed. There's not a lot to do here in the city, so you need to be able to make your own fun at home.
4. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
No.
5. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Big problems with gender prejudice. Female infanticide is still widely practiced in India. Most of us have stopped reading the newspaper because we simply can't bear to read about yet another little girl being raped. This is a highly conservative, misogynistic city. It's not a worldy, open city like Delhi, Mumbai or Kolkata.
6. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
Travel across India. We love this country as tourists. Much to see and so much diversity. We don't like the day-to-day life here. We've hit many of the highlights: Rajasthan, Delhi, the Himalayas, Kochin, Kerala backwaters, Goa, Andaman Islands. The travel has been wonderful. Hyderabad itself has a few interesting sites, but these can be covered in a weekend (Golkonda Fort, Falaknuma Palace, Old City, Chowmahallah).
7. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Lots of travel in India. The airport here is new and modern. Fly to any number of great tourist spots in India. Hampi is about 8 hours away by train. Flights are fairly cheap. Not a whole lot that we've found in the area.
8. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Bidriware, carved goods, haleem (if you like smashed meat stew with chunks of bone), cloth. The usual Indian trinketry.
9. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
There were only two advantages for us: travel and climate. The climate is relative to the rest of India. Compared with other posts, Hyderabad is relatively dry and lower pollution. The monsoon is mild. It's still hot here, but manageable. Our air quality is typically 2-3 times better than Delhi or Mumbai, but it's still quite bad. If you don't wash your car here for one day, it will be coated with dust, grime, dirt. We've really enjoyed the travel opportunities throughout India and SE Asia. But otherwise, there are no advantages.
10. Can you save money?
In theory, yes. But almost everybody here hires a driver and a maid. These costs add up. To maintain some semblance of sanity, most of us travel at least once per month. Those who don't tend to spend a lot of time (and money) at the Park Hyatt -- it's a refuge here. The previous CG recommended leaving the country at least once per quarter for morale reasons. This isn't cheap. We're going to leave here with nothing in the bank, but a ton of great travel memories.
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
How conservative it is, especially Hyderabad. There's also much more jingoism here than I had expected. That the consulate had a serious rat problem.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Probably not. I've really enjoyed the esprit de corps here at Post and the amount of time I've been able to spend with my family, but the constant onslaught of India (full volume, 100 percent of the time, all five senses) combined with a huge consular workload and overal high cost of living has made this a tough assignment. A new consulate will be built here in 4-5 years, inshallah, and that might be a better time to return.
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Expectations from "Eat, Pray, Love"... and values of gender equality and personal space.
4. But don't forget your:
Sense of adventure, noise-cancelling headset and Pepto Bismol
5. Recommended movies/DVDs related to this city:
I'm told Tollywood makes a lot of films here. I haven't been able to get through one yet.
6. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
White Mughals: Love and Betrayal in Eighteenth-Century India
by William Dalrymple. Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure
by Sarah MacDonald.
7. Do you have any other comments?
Although there are some advantages to life here, relative to Delhi or Mumbai (air quality + climate), it's still India. We've loved the tourism here. The people, in general, can be quite friendly. But day-to-day living in India is full of challenges and the grinding poverty surrounding you can really break your heart. Know what you're getting yourself into.
