INDIA - FIRST IMPRESSIONS

India is a country full of diversity. Beautiful landscapes, exotic spices that spread the tantalizing odor and helpful, friendly people. Contrast this with large mountains of garbage and the unpleasant smell emanating from these which mixes with the stench of exhaust fumes of the big cities. In the busy confusion of people milling around you, you had better take heed if you are touched unasked! The first visit is simply overwhelming and leaves you in speechless amazement. How can a country that is only a few hours away from my home in Germany be so very different? And most important of all how should one cope in a country that is so dramatically different from what you are accustomed to?

Mark Twain described India as " a country that all people desire to see . ". I suppose this major differences are probably exactly the reasons why India is so attractive and exciting and why good old Mark Twain was pretty accurate with his statement. It is appealing to see that the big cities of India are modern and vibrant but just at the end of the corner time seems to stand still. Business people in expensive suits on their way to the next important meeting, with the newest smartphone on ear are passing by a woman sitting on the roadside, selling her spices that she picked from her own garden this very morning for a small income. Another one leaves the nearby Starbucks with a coffee to go in his hand and observes a cow crossing the street. And again someone else chats with his family over Skype while the water for his upcoming bath runs in two large buckets.

Equally enticing is the recurring experience of completely foreign spices and daring composition of old known spices to new combinations. It is almost as if Indian dishes would awaken new taste buds on the tongue every day. Spieces you did´t even know existed. You find yourself asking the same question over and over again: "What is that?". More than once you get an answer you will not understand and which will just be further proof of how small the variety of spieces is which is used back home. Why don`t we take advantage of this diversity? Why are we not braver and push sauerkraut with dumplings aside to engage in a new taste experience? If you are not too sensitive in terms of spicy food, an entirely new world will open up for you in India.

How can someone, after all this very exciting first impressions regret that he has engaged in this, perhaps not quite harmless big adventure? I certainly don´t!

India, I can not wait to discover more of you!

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