The Hindu Business Line : A little bit of India...

When Seema Ahluwalia moved to Shanghai, her father decided to visit his children living overseas. After spending a few days with Seema, he flew to the US, where her sister lived. On arriving there, he told his daughter he was not impressed. Shanghai had already done that for him.

China is quickly moving up the list of hot destinations for Indians who wish to live and work abroad. Improving relations between the two neighbours and their fast-growing economies are aiding this trend. But China, like India, can have many facets — very old and very new, welcoming and bewildering, and almost always, a huge shock to the first-time visitor.

For instance, the subway will get you from one end of Shanghai to the other in 15 minutes, but it may take you half-an-hour to explain to room service that you need your eggs served without meat. And here begins the first lesson that China has for its guests.

"Living here has made me more patient," says Mugdhaa Dhobley who has lived here for 18 months now. As you navigate your way through typically exaggerated Asian politeness and an almost unfailing enthusiasm to help, you encounter your first hurdle — language — and expressing anger or frustration in the face of it is considered very rude. "I think of it as a challenge," says Anita Kaul who was so impressed by her housekeeper's determination to communicate that she decided not to replace her with someone who could speak English.

Before one even gets here, the decision to move to China itself is often met with incredulity from friends, relatives and even immediate family. Like Aditi Shastri, who initially refused to accompany her partner to China. She later changed her mind, on visiting the Indian Consulate's Web site, where she discovered that Shanghai had a sizeable Indian presence. It is also easier when the employee has made trips to China earlier. Learning the language definitely helps. And for those who have been posted abroad earlier, especially in the Far East or other non-English speaking countries, it is not a difficult choice.

"There will always be a parallel structure to service the outsider's needs," notes Suryaprakash K.S. of Infosys, talking about his stint in Russia. In China, this system attempts, quite successfully, to replicate a middle-class existence in the developed world, with the added luxury of hired help. This lifestyle, along with the superior economic condition that the expatriate status offers, isolates the foreigner from his colleague or neighbour.

Partha Chakraborty, though, is far luckier. While his parents lead the `expat' life in Beijing, his job in Shanghai brings him a `local' salary, which means he lives and earns the same as his colleagues. "They are very curious about any foreign culture," observes Chakraborty, and as a number of young Chinese are comfortable with English, he leads a normal social life.

Most Indians, however, depend mainly upon fellow Indians for a social network. Beijing and Shanghai have Indian associations that organise get-togethers and outings. Families who meet here keep in touch and form their private support structures. The sense of alienation one feels is considerably heightened because the Indian community in mainland China is barely a decade-old — unlike those in the UK or US, which are considerably more well-entrenched.

Sandhya Chandak, over her eight years here, has worked hard at this. Very popular with her neighbours, Sandhya is an active member of the district community centre, and her daughter Aishwarya is quite the star, performing Indian dances at local gatherings. Sundays mean Chinese food for lunch and Chinese friends regularly drop by for a cup of Masala Chai. "Indians are very easy to be with," our friend Jenny Zhou tells us. Sandhya has struck a chord with her traditional Indian hospitality, in which the Chinese see a reflection of themselves. Her family was recently voted the model family in a contest that is held annually — the first foreign household to be so honoured.

Indian children seem quite comfortable with their schools and playmates. But the international schools, which offer instruction in English, are quite expensive and the employer normally covers a portion of the fees. Medical care, however, is the biggest concern. Chinese hospitals sometimes do not have staff and doctors fluent in English and the `international' clinics, which charge exorbitant amounts, may not have the entire range of facilities and hence sometimes refer you to a local specialist. Some of us take along a Chinese acquaintance or colleague to translate for us, and a few of the newer establishments offer interpreters for foreign patients.

Wining and dining plays a very important part in relationship-building within China, socially or at work. "Chopsticks were never a problem," for Sunil K. Misra of CII, who taught himself to use them in Chinese restaurants back home. Those not as savvy as Misra, pick up the requisite table manners and skills. Some learn to appreciate the cuisine too, which in its authentic form, hardly resembles the Indian version of Chinese food. Indian food, nevertheless, holds sway in all Indian homes and the limited availability of Indian groceries and cooking aids is a constant complaint.

But when one looks beyond the anxieties and homesickness, one finds that most Indians are quite happy to spend a few years in China. Look at Samantha Ferns, 25, who followed her spouse a couple of years ago. She spent the first six months wishing she was back in Mumbai and it took her more than a year to find a full-time job. Till then, "life seemed meaningless". Today Samantha wishes she could get her family here and settle down.

The reasons? For one, there is the palpable sense of excitement about being in the right place at the right time. Says Misra, "We are lucky to be here to see a great nation undergoing a transformation of great depth and scale."

Then there is the fact that bigger cities like Shanghai are relatively safe and crime-free, something that is appreciated by young women like Samantha who enjoy the freedom and independence this gives them.

China also lays out the red carpet for foreign investors like Radhu Phulwani, an NRI from Dubai. He operates from Shaoxing, a three-hour drive from Shanghai, and is extremely satisfied with the infrastructure and support he gets there, which he says he does not find even in India's larger cities.

Besides, Indians are respected for their intelligence, and loved, thanks to the occasional Bollywood movie that makes its way here. At work too, being Indian makes it easier to understand the complex Chinese psyche. "The Chinese have social values and economic aspirations very similar to ours," says Sujan R. Chinoy, Consul General of India at Shanghai.

And so, the Indian here has the heady opportunity of watching China march up to meet the future, day by relentless day, bringing to it the unique perspective of his country, which is at a comparable moment in its own history.

Picture by the author

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Bend it like bamboo

A little bit of India...

Mumbai's city slickers

A game of cat and mouse

Digitally yours

No pesticides, more profits!

Caring in captivity

Gear up for an off-road thrill

So, what's stopping you?

A tapestry of small town life