Great Expat'ations!

There are things about Bengaluru that one will agree to unequivocally. The weather is wonderful, the food is fantastic and the people are always helpful. It’s no surprise that Bengaluru is home to around 8 per cent of India’s expats, a figure that continues to rise. When asked about challenges faced in the city, Deborah, a 32-year-old British expat said, “Most of the challenges faced here are basically cultural barriers. India being not really open to Western habits, we face issues with respect to our dressing, customs and language. Along with that, I have also seen people urinating in public or shouting in the middle of a busy road.”

Although the expats enjoy their life in Bengaluru, they had to make a few adjustments. Tania, a 24-year- old student from Portugal said that “The biggest adjustment I had to make was to get over the cultural shock. I have always heard about it but I did not realize getting used to an entirely different culture will be this difficult.” It is a common belief among us that people who have migrated from foreign countries, especially from the western countries, find everything in a very cheap amount. Ines, 42-year-old NGO worker from Italy says “Some things here are incredibly cheap – most noticeably food and books. The cost of imported food is astronomical. Imported goods are generally 30 percent more expensive than in Italy.”

Despite all the beautiful things that Bengaluru has to offer, the condition of the roads and the public transport system still continues to be a big problem to all the citizens. “Trains are fully booked weeks in advance - so get in early. Buses are crowded but frequent. The Metro has limited stations but clean and efficient. Most people travel around on two wheelers (motorbikes and mopeds).” Says Svetlana, an IT professional from Kenya.

As these expats leave their homeland and come to an all-stranger’s land, it can get lonely for them and they find it a little hard to make friends in the city. “Some of our neighbours in the complex are locals and have become friends. There are expats from all over the world here so it is easy to make friends with those who have a shared experience”, said Nicola, a 25- year-old student from New Zealand.

Bengaluru is likely to see an increase in amount of foreigners as it has become an international business destination. Some of them adjust to the organized chaos and others fall ill to the homesickness. But despite the challenges faced by them, all of them unanimously agree that Bengaluru is a great place to live.