Rakhee Ghelani

Tag: Expat

  • Why I Choose to Stay in India?

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    I get asked all the time, “Why do you choose to stay in India?”.  I am asked this by my Indian friends, by friends overseas, travellers I meet and most recently by my parents who are here visiting me for a few months. It is not an easy question to answer, but whilst reflecting on…

  • Bandh (Closed): Incredible India Indeed

    Bandh (Closed): Incredible India Indeed

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    My parents arrived in Mumbai a week ago.  Its been almost 18 months since we have been together, and so they are having an extended visit for a few months with me.  Its been really lovely having them around, I come home to home-cooked food, and its nice to show them my Mumbai. They arrived…

  • It’s the Season for Music

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    It seems to be the season for festivals here in India.  Mumbai Film Festival has just finished and everywhere I turn there seems to be another new festival to attend. One thing I did a lot of in my past life (in Australia) was see a lot of music and go to music festivals.  From…

  • Indian English: My Top 10

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    I love the English language.  Since I have been learning Hindi, I do also appreciate how hard it is to learn any language that is not your first language. That is why I find it fascinating that most middle and upper class Indians speak at least two languages proficiently, if not 3 or 4.  English…

  • Sometimes A Girl Just Need Some Girlfriends

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    Last week I made 5 new friends. I can’t remember the last time I made that many new friends in a week.  As I have got older, meeting new people that I click with has become harder, and to be honest it has never worried me,  I much prefer quality over quantity anyway. But when…

  • Foodie Post: My Favourite Locals

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    I love food. That is certainly not a revelation to anyone who has read some of my posts, seen my tweets or followed me on Instagram.  Good food to me isn’t just about eating gourmet though, its about just enjoying some of my favourite things and being able to go back to those that are…

  • Waiting for the Monsoon

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    The weather here in Mumbai is now diabolical.  Between 9am and 6pm its too hot to consider venturing outside for any length of time.  Even just standing outside my front door for a few minutes renders me covered in sweat. The air is steamy.  The humidity weighs so heavily you almost feel like you are…

  • Finding Home

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    I recently went through the rather stressful experience of trying to find somewhere to live in Mumbai. The options are overwhelming and also very varied in their quality and price.  Coming from a country where you look up some places on the internet, view them and sign up… I discovered its all a very different…

  • Class or crass: India’s Middle Class

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    One of the biggest culture shocks I am now experiencing relates to what is considered to be “class” or behaviour that represents economic and social status.  It isn’t something I saw much of when I was backpacking, but now that I am settled into a rather middle class life in Mumbai, I am really struggling…

  • Morning Walks in Bandra: Pictorial Post

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    I have settled into the bayside suburb of Bandra, otherwise known as the Queen of Suburbs. It is home to Shah Rukh Khan and other lesser known but glamorous people and lots of fabulous restaurants and cafes. It is also home to poor fishing communities, some beautiful churches and lots of street side stalls. Whilst…

  • Enter Maximum City: Mumbai

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    I landed in Mumbai late at night, but even through the darkness and steamed up windows of my taxi, it felt like a world away from the rest of India. Cramped high rise buildings, bright lights and glamorous billboards lined the expressway, I could have been in one of many large cities of the world.…

  • A Slice of Luxury: Jaipur

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    In my nine months backpacking across India I have lived on a relatively small budget of between Rs 1,000 – 1,500 per day ($20-$30).  Its not insanely cheap for India, but coming from my very comfortable middle class existence in Australia, it certainly got me out and into the real India.  I have loved discovering…

  • How India Turned Me Into a Feminist

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    I have a confession to make, I am a feminist. Nine months travelling through India has turned me into a feminist and this is me coming out of the closet. I have always considered myself to be egalitarian, striving for equality rather than subjugation of one gender over another. Then I spent 9 months backpacking…

  • Is the real India Invisible? – Andhra Pradesh

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    As I made my way down the east coast of the country, I decided to stop in a few places in Andhra Pradesh along the way, which gave me quite a “real” Indian experience.  First stop was Visakhapatnam, otherwise known as Vizag.  This is a beachside city that is touted as the best beach on…

  • Cultural Misfits: Where do I fit in?

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    I am learning Hindi and have found the experience particularly challenging given the rather diverse cultural history I come from ( something I have discussed a bit previously here). My grandparents were born in India, my parents in East Africa and myself in Australia. Growing up, a mixture of four languages were spoken in my…

  • To Give or Not To Give

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    Its coming up to Christmas, and whilst I am not Christian, it does make me think about some fundamental things like kindness, generosity and most importantly respect.  I like to believe that I practise these principles in my everyday life, however traveling through India recently, I have certainly found myself challenged and internally conflicted in…

  • The Beauty and Challenges of the Untouched Tourist Trail: Wayanad

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    Wayanad is a region in the north east corner of Kerala.  It is nestled in the hills, bordered by both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Its location makes it a stunning place to visit, but an absolute pain to get to. Wayanad is not serviced by the fantastic Indian railway network, so it really can only…

  • Foodie Post: The Thali

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    I just love thalis. From a foodie’s perspective, they are the perfect way to sample a regions cuisine in one healthy and well balanced meal. So what exactly is a thali? The word “Thali” actually means “plate” in Hindi, and when you order a thali this is essentially what you will receive.  A stainless steel…

  • Guruvayur and Thrissur: How do you prove you are Hindu?

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    How do you prove what religion you were raised to someone you just met? A Christian can wear a cross, although anyone could do this relatively easily. A Muslim woman can wear a Hijab, but not all do. A Jewish woman can shave her head and wear a long skirt, although only the orthodox do.…

  • Kochi: My Ayurvedic Experience

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    I love natural and alternative therapies, so much so I am actually a qualified massage therapist and have dabbled in reflexology. Whilst I have tried many different therapies including acupuncture (yes I find those needles quite relaxing), naturopathy, homeopathy and every type of massage I can find, the one thing I have never tried was…