New Delhi, India Report of what it's like to live there - 11/08/16
Personal Experiences from New Delhi, India
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
This is our third. We have been in China, Central America, and now India.
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?
I'm from New York. 13 hours direct. More like 24 with connections.
3. How long have you lived here?
A year and a half.
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Diplomatic mission.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Homes are mostly older, there's a trend toward building newer apartments. Yards are limited.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Grocery shopping is difficult until you figure out the markets and who to call to deliver. A grocery store as most of us know it doesn't really exist here.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
For us, it's all things liquid that we can't get on Amazon.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Many and varied.
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
It's tropical, and yes, ants, weevils, all sorts of things can spread.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
Local postal facilities, which I haven't tried, would probably be pretty difficult to navigate.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Help is plentiful and very affordable. Full-time housekeepers for about two to three hundred dollars per month. Most people employ a small army of help: housekeepers, nannies, someone to take the trash, gardeners, drivers, someone to sweep your steps etc...
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
Most embassies have a gym. As far as local ones, I'm sure they exist but are not readily available or convenient.
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?
Credit cards are hardly used at all. And interestingly enough, today Modi demonetized two of the most commonly used cash bills as well. ATMs exist but lately have had problems with being compromised.
5. What English-language religious services are available locally?
Catholic, non-denominational, LDS, and probably others I'm unaware of.
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
Not much, though it would be really useful and get you far.
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Yes, I'd imagine so.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Safety is a concern, but definitely affordable. Functionality and convenience for public transportation in Delhi is not great. I hear Uber works well. Train travel for around the country is a good option.
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?
Right-hand drive, of course, so most people buy them here. Many Innovas and Scorpios and Mahindras... cars I'd never heard of before living here.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
High-speed internet is available and can be installed quickly.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
Airtel. Local sim cards are really cheap.
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?
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?
Working locally can be a challenge. A lot of spouses work at their missions, though it can take a lot of time to get all the paperwork cleared. Local salary scales are really low.
2. What volunteer opportunities are available locally?
Plentiful.
3. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Often formal, more on the modest side. I feel like covering up my shoulders with a shawl if I'm wearing a tank top and walking over to our gym.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Yes, like most large cities. And I don't feel safe as a woman anywhere alone at night.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
WOW. This is the reason I logged in. I've never given my input on here, but I've enjoyed the input I've read from others. Anyhow, the environmental hazards here are real and abundant. Available medical care is dicey. Medical evacuation can be required for a myriad of otherwise routine issues (broken bones, infections, illnesses). You can't rely on the blood supply here to be clean for a transfusion. Delhi belly is real, and food safety is a huge issue in a country where 600 million people defecate openly and the food is grown in these conditions. Food borne illnesses galore. We bleach all our produce. Dengue can be endemic, as well as chikungunya. We spray during the season two to three times a day, and if I see a mosquito, it's an all out war until I can kill it. And the air...
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?
Hazardous. I knew Delhi was polluted before coming here, but WOW. Granted, we've just been through the worst week in years, but it's ridiculous. AQI levels ranging between 500 and 1500 all week. That's not even on most charts. There are things I wouldn't take back, but had I known what it was like we likely would not have come here. It's seasonal (the really bad stuff), but even year round the air is usually somewhere between 100 and 200 AQI, which is very unhealthy. We often wear masks when we're outside. Activities and sports are cancelled with regularity. It's gross.
4. What do people who suffer from environmental or food allergies need to know?
Be careful, I guess.
5. Are there any particular mental health issues that tend to crop up at post, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (winter blues)?
Pollution blues maybe?
6. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
I've never lived anywhere with worse weather. There's the really hot and dry season (temps of 115 F), then the really humid hot season, then the monsoon where it rains a ton (which I don't mind because it cleans the air), then the pollution and colder temps, then you might get two or three nice weeks, then back to crazy hot.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
Most people send their kids to the American Embassy School. Other options are the British school, the French school, and the German school. As for AES, it's an excellent school and community.
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
That is not one of AES's strengths.
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?
Yes, and generally not too expensive, though not as cheap as household help. About American prices.
4. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
Yes, lots of activities available. Just a matter of being able to do the outdoor ones.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Pretty big, though dwindling, due to the air quality I believe. Given the current conditions, overall morale is pretty poor, but people who come to India are not looking for the easy life. And there are lots of things to love here. It's just there's so many difficult distractions.
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?
Lots of embassy activities (of course we live in the diplomatic enclave, Chanyakapuri), but other options exist for getting to know local friends and doing other activities.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
Tough for families in many ways, but the same issues could be tough for anyone. Just keeping everyone healthy.
4. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
Maybe not the best, but not bad?
5. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Yes. This is India.
6. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
Great food (when it doesn't make you sick), great travel opportunities, unbelievable history etc...
7. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
So many travel options. In Delhi, tons to see. We love Delhi by Cycle. Neemrana Fort is cool.
8. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Yes! Shoppers paradise, especially for interesting handicrafts.
9. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
Affordable help if you want it, great culture, a once in a lifetime experience (and believe me, it will only be once).
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
That the air would be this horrific.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Very questionable. But like I said, there are things I wouldn't take back from my experiences.
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Sense of organization, functionality, efficiency and order.
4. But don't forget your:
Patience and ability to see the good in things.
5. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
Behind the Beautiful Forevers. Shantaram.
