Big city life

Coming back from the countryside of India, the everyday life in a big city began. Everyday life in Bangalore is a very strange thing to say, because everyday life usually is calm, relaxing, consistent and every day is sort of melting together in a big blur. In India, its nothing like this. The days are filled up with different activities and impressions, and there is no such thing as a routine.

We have been cooking Indian food:

Playing around in Indian kitchens:

And for 2 hours every morning we have learned Bollywood dancing.

Starting the day with dancing has actually been a pleasure

Well, at least we have tried to learn Bollywood dancing, it is not as easy as it looks. For someone like me, who get nicknamed “makkarooni” by random bartenders because i cant even get the “makkarena” dance right it havent been easy trying to coördinate both arms and legs in the same direction (or the opposite). And at the same time as everybody else. I think i gave my dance teacher some gray hairs, he gave me some strange looks and laughed a lot. After hitting one American in the face on the dance floor i also realised maybe these moves are not so well suited for public. Still, i cant wait to get home and show everybody!

Our amazing dance teacher tried to make us look like this:

But it ended up more like this:

Still, Magnus, our straight out-of-Army-maybe-even-more-stiff-than-me have been challenged the most;

But with a lot of effort he is now ready for Bollywood! Watch out Sharak Khan!

But there is a lot more to the life in Bengaluru. We have visited a lot of different Ngo`s, with everything from HIV/AIDS homes for children and hospitals for adults, to home for disabled children, and one organisation working for sexual minoritys in India. unfortunately pictures are not always easy to get these places, bur for more information, check out these links:

http://www.snehacare.org/snehacarehome_bangalore.html

http://sangama.org/

One place i really liked was ” the little sisters of the poor, old age home” I felt a little bit home for a while:

Others activities also include

Playing with children:

Fighting with rickshaw drivers:

Celebrating birthdays:

And hanging out with friend on Kalmani:

Coming from the Norwegian countryside, living in the big city of Bangalore is a challenge.
Sometimes all the impressions, the poverty, the noises, the traffic, the pollution get too much. You fill suffocated, helpless, annoyed, irritated. On top of all these feeling you feel bad for having these feelings. This is when it is nice to have 4 more Norwegians around you, that very often feel the same way, and there is no better way of dealing with it, than by laughing and joking. I love the fascinating culture of India, i love the people, their spirit, friendliness, the beauty of the countryside, and the big city growing so fast.

Still, after fighting with the 10`th rickshawdriver about price because we are white, and the never stopping noises and honking of the streets, after being stared at, laughed at for several hours, sometimes you feel fed up.
But then it passes, and new feelings are discovered. New questions start racing in my head, maybe even a new way of thinking? And i can laugh it all off. Or not. But that is ok.

After a while you sort of find a routine anyway. You have friends, favorite coffee shops, take away restaurants, dishes, parks, places, sounds, smells and so much more.

I dont think i have ever eaten so much nuts, raisins, spices, yoghurt, rice and different strange flavours. I have never been drinking this much coffee. I have never worked out so much before. Or gotten so many new holes in my ears. I have never worn so many unfamiliar clothing. I have never gotten so many messages. I have danced and moved in directions i did not think was possible and
I have been thinking about this one song

“People in a show,
All lined in a row.
We just push on by,
Its funny,
How hard we try.
Take a moment to relax.
Before you do anything rash.

Don’t you wanna know me?,
Be a friend of mine.
I’ll share some wisdom with you.
Don’t you ever get lonely,
From time to time
Don’t let the system get you down

Big city life
Me try fi get by
Pressure nah ease up no matta how hard me try
Big city life
Hear my heart have no base
And right now babylon de pon me case”

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