I arrived in Chennai for my new job. I joined my office one month before. In this one month I experienced different life than I use to. I observed Chennai in many perspectives and I must say Chennai is different city than other cities that I have seen so far. Actually one month is insufficient to comment on, any city with huge spread like Chennai. And I am living in outskirts of city. Even then I cannot resist myself to write on my completion of first month at Chennai.
People:
Whenever we arrive in a new place we interact with various people for our day today activities. This gives first feel of the city. I feel people in Chennai are very simple, sincere about their work, well behaved and polite. I noticed that men here behave with women quite respectfully. I happened to traveled by public transport many times, but I never seen boys making fun of girls or flirting.
Language:
Tamil is widely used here in communication, on shops and road sign boards, everywhere. At office, language is not a issue because everybody speaks and understand English. So far I don't know Tamil at all. Many people outside office understand and can speak English. But if somebody doesn't understand English, I end-up communicating with just facial expressions and hand actions. It sometimes create funny situations. Surprisingly most of the times it works. Thank god actions are same everywhere. But yes I have to learn some basics of Tamil ASAP.
Traffic:
I traveled many places in India and seen various kind traffic or mess of traffic. But traffic in Chennai is unique in its driving habits. I am an Indian and lived in India all my life so far, but still I find myself at lower level of confidence while riding bike or even crossing the roads here. After observing for few days I realized that the reason for my lower confidence is the haunting horns of buses, trucks, cars, bikes. Horns are used very generously. This problem is everywhere in India but here it is at higher level. As well as habit of cross driving worries me while riding bike. This problem is common in Pune as well.
Work:
I have recently joined this company. It is in SEZ (special economic zone). This area is developed specially to attract foreign and domestic investment to Tamil Nadu. SEZ is developed considering all the requirements of companies, employees, and expats. This has surely helped to boost the local economy. Many new job and business opportunities are created. But I think it is still in its initial phase of development and there is huge scope for expansion of this SEZ.
Weather:
I joined my new job in last week of February. This time in Chennai is considered as end of winter and beginning of Summer. Now I am on the verge of facing famous hot and humid summer of Chennai. Everybody is warning me about its intensity. I am preparing my mind for it. Its not that I have not experienced very hot summers before. But I have been told that here it lasts for longer period of 4 to 5 months and it is very intense. I am more worried about my family, especially son. They are coming here in the month of May at the peak point. Last year we went to Nagpur (another hot city) in the May and my son got high fever. I want to avoid it this year.
Despite all worries and different environmental conditions I feel it is very good and exciting City. I am very hopeful about my exploration in the Southern Metro city of India. One good news, I found a two bedroom flat in good area of Chennai. All my furniture and stuff will be shifting here by next month. Once I am all set here I want to dig more about life in Chennai and visit various places. Let's see how it goes.
BTW Happy new Marathi year in advance on 31 March. Tamil new year is also following in two weeks (14 April). Happy New Tamil year in advance too :-)
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