Hey Stella!!---#2

Round 2 of answers. (Check out the first answers I posted back on August 8.)

1. How`s wading through all that water? Actually, monsoon season is now finally over. It`s been dry since October began. It`s been replaced by temperatures from the mid 80s to mid 90s everyday (that`s low to mid 30s for my non-American people) and sun. It`s so nice because to me, sunshine makes everything better. And I`m so glad I can just walk around in a t-shirt, unlike many others at this time of year. It`s gonna be a cold hard slap in the face when I get off that plane in Switzerland in December. Luckily, Roland will have my winter coat for me when he picks me up. :-)

2. Sweet, so that means no more Crocs, right? Ummm...well, see, the thing is...they are mighty comfortable. Everyone in India wears sandals all the time so why not me and my Crocs. There is just no need to wear any other shoes.

3. How`s school? Well, the 1st session was tough those first 2 months. We had a hardcore schedule and so much work. Especially since everything was brand-spanking new for me. But I really enjoyed learning even though I ended up drinking more coffee in one month than I had previously drank my whole life. We started 2nd session on October 1. I`ve got HR, IT, multinational strategic management, and international finance. Plus, we visit 1-2 Indian companies a week.

4. Is India really that cheap? As long as you eat at local restaurants and shop in the markets, it`s very difficult to spend up to $10/day on food. During the school weel, I barely spend $5 on food per day--and that`s 5 very weak American dollars! Local trains within Mumabi are very cheap as well. However, housing in Mumbai is very expensive because like New York there are too many people and not enough space. Plus, if you are a foreigner doing touristy stuff, do know that you will get charged sometimes 10x the rate as Indian citizens. But sometimes a student ID helps lower the cost.

5. OK, all this sounds so lovey-dovey and that`s great. But what annoys you about Mumbai? Pushy people. Everywhere. They will not wait until you get off the elevator before they get on. They will easily cut in front of you in line at the restaurant or in a grocery store. And there`s no such thing as personal space. Oh no. They are all up on you. I guess all this is because there are so many people, you just gotta push. So push I do. Cuz otherwise, you will never get off that elevator or you`ll never eat.