We decided that today was the day to go and check out what will be involved in getting our Indian drivers license.
We arrived at the RTO office in Indiranagar and were told to go line up in a queue to apply for a learners license first. The line was moving very slowly but we ventured over anyway so we could get the process going. We realised this was not going to be done in one day and that we would probably need to return tomorrow.
As we were walking up to join the line, we came across a South African lady so we thought we would just check with her about the procedure of things. She said that if we could wait around for half an hour she would introduce us to Mr Singh who would tell us what we needed to do. Before we knew it we were standing before him, papers for application done, fee paid and ready to sit our theory exam that we were quite unprepared for. The exam involved standing in a line with three others while answering questions on hand signals and demonstrating them. We just followed those in front of us. So in essence we jumped the long queue and now have our Learners license for both car and bike. Next week we need to go back and drive a car around the car park to prove we can drive and we will get our permanent license straight away since we have a NZ one. We then have a 30 day LL for our scooter and then again drive around a car park and get our permanent license.
I almost can't believe how quickly it all happened. I am sure some people are still waiting in line.
It turns out the lady we met is a christian so we may pop along and see their church this Sunday and say thanks. What a huge blessing.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Scooty scoot scoot.
We are loving the new found freedom of having a scooter. We are driving with our N.Z license but it will be good to get our Indian one as it can also be used as a good form of I.D
Two things we need to get done.
We have a couple of things to do that will involve long queues and potentially lots of paper work. We have also learned that it is vital to always have passport size photos on you as they seem to be needed for everything! Haha.
The first thing we want to do tomorrow is get our Indian Drivers license. This may involve us sitting a written test as well but not the practical. We are hoping to get there and just get issued the license. This might be very wishful thinking but it's what I shall be praying for.
The second thing we need to do is change our address on our resident permits. We have been in twice to the FRRO office and come away without it being done. One official said we need to fill in the complete application again but I find it hard to believe this is the case. Other friends have said they only need to see proof of your new address. We will do some more research on this and go from there.
The first thing we want to do tomorrow is get our Indian Drivers license. This may involve us sitting a written test as well but not the practical. We are hoping to get there and just get issued the license. This might be very wishful thinking but it's what I shall be praying for.
The second thing we need to do is change our address on our resident permits. We have been in twice to the FRRO office and come away without it being done. One official said we need to fill in the complete application again but I find it hard to believe this is the case. Other friends have said they only need to see proof of your new address. We will do some more research on this and go from there.
Update
So Here we are, we now all have a bed to sleep on up off the ground. We had mattresses but now we have beds or as they call them here, cots. We also got a dining table so we have been loving having some meals around the table. I was really missing it because it is part of our family value having meals together. We went to a place called Shivajinagar that is full of markets. We have learned to shop around a bit because a lot of the guys sell the same sort of stuff. Once you know the common prices then you can start doing some negotiations. Things like finding out how trust worthy they are, finding out what the best deal they could give us when we are buying 9 beds and a table. When you can show what another shop has offered then the real price negotiations happen. So we think we got a really good deal for all our beds and table.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Opening a bank account
So we are in the process of opening a company bank account and a personal one. The company one is easy but our personal one is a bit more tricky. They want proof of residence by way of a bill with our full names on it. The problem is that we have not yet received any bill so they asked for one from our last address in NZ. Do you think we can find one..... no...... they are all packed in boxes ready to be shipped over in the beginning of April. You would think that the formal lease contract that gets notarised would be enough proof and the fact we have Indian residency but alas, it is not.
It was a fun process today on the less. Two guy rocked up from HSBC on a scooter. One to form our company bank account and one our personal. That's right, they come to your house! We has drink and biscuits while we chatted about our banking needs and the need to form a relationship with the bank. loyalty and relationship go further in India than any form or document. To build trust in each other is of utmost importance. This is true of all relationships. This is like N.Z was going not too long ago. Loyalty pays here. No jumping to the bank with the best mortgage rates, just ask your bank to match them and give you the best service they can.
Once we have been with HSBC for a year they will give us the opportunity to set up an HSBC account in NZ so we can exchange money between countries with no charge and direct internet banking. No more telegraphic transfers that cost the earth. This will be great in the long run.
The next hurdle to jump is getting money sent from NZ to open the accounts. We only have until the end of March to get company account sorted for the end of the financial year. Praying hard for God to come through. We have been challenged by the book George Muller who never asked for anything from man but prayed for God's provision that always came through on time.
It was a fun process today on the less. Two guy rocked up from HSBC on a scooter. One to form our company bank account and one our personal. That's right, they come to your house! We has drink and biscuits while we chatted about our banking needs and the need to form a relationship with the bank. loyalty and relationship go further in India than any form or document. To build trust in each other is of utmost importance. This is true of all relationships. This is like N.Z was going not too long ago. Loyalty pays here. No jumping to the bank with the best mortgage rates, just ask your bank to match them and give you the best service they can.
Once we have been with HSBC for a year they will give us the opportunity to set up an HSBC account in NZ so we can exchange money between countries with no charge and direct internet banking. No more telegraphic transfers that cost the earth. This will be great in the long run.
The next hurdle to jump is getting money sent from NZ to open the accounts. We only have until the end of March to get company account sorted for the end of the financial year. Praying hard for God to come through. We have been challenged by the book George Muller who never asked for anything from man but prayed for God's provision that always came through on time.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Thought and emotions
We are still in the settling stages at the moment. Still trying to establish our new house as a home and still trying to figure out how everything works in the city of Bangalore. I do not feel home sick yet and am loving all our new experiences but sometimes feel a bit restricted having a 19mnth old who needs day time sleeps. It would be great to just head out for a day and have no restriction. Jaxon tends to get a bit grumpy when tired and wont sleep in my arms. Apart from that there is nothing too major that I would change.
The kids have all been amazing and adaptable and although a couple of them would return to New Zealand at the drop of the hat, no one is complaining or moody about it. Everyone knows that this is where God wants us so this is where we will be.
(L) has made a friend in an apartment on our level and they play together for as long as they can each day. There is also a play ground in the apartment grounds so all the kids go play badminton, tiggy etc when school is out. There must be about 12 kids, not counting ours, that all play together. It is where our kids will probably start to pick up an Indian accent. I am actually looking forward to seeing how their speech changes.
I still feel I am trying to find out who I am in all these changes and it may sound strange but when I meet new people and I am not relaxed around them, I am not my true self. It is still very surface relationships but I know that will change over time. We are finding that Indians get our sense of humor and they tend to be quite funny themselves. I guess I am trying to work out what may be offensive or how I should be in certain situations. What I am finding is that most people we meet seem very tolerant and forgiving and are quite relaxed. I think in time my brain will stop trying to analyse every situation and I will be able to just enjoy and be me again.
Over all, we are all enjoying life here in India and we are feeling more at home. After having our friend Tony come to stay, I feel like normality is returning. (normality in the very broad sense of the word.) I look forward to the day I feel confident to go into the local township on my own.
The kids have all been amazing and adaptable and although a couple of them would return to New Zealand at the drop of the hat, no one is complaining or moody about it. Everyone knows that this is where God wants us so this is where we will be.
(L) has made a friend in an apartment on our level and they play together for as long as they can each day. There is also a play ground in the apartment grounds so all the kids go play badminton, tiggy etc when school is out. There must be about 12 kids, not counting ours, that all play together. It is where our kids will probably start to pick up an Indian accent. I am actually looking forward to seeing how their speech changes.
I still feel I am trying to find out who I am in all these changes and it may sound strange but when I meet new people and I am not relaxed around them, I am not my true self. It is still very surface relationships but I know that will change over time. We are finding that Indians get our sense of humor and they tend to be quite funny themselves. I guess I am trying to work out what may be offensive or how I should be in certain situations. What I am finding is that most people we meet seem very tolerant and forgiving and are quite relaxed. I think in time my brain will stop trying to analyse every situation and I will be able to just enjoy and be me again.
Over all, we are all enjoying life here in India and we are feeling more at home. After having our friend Tony come to stay, I feel like normality is returning. (normality in the very broad sense of the word.) I look forward to the day I feel confident to go into the local township on my own.
Few shots at the YWCA
Here at the YWCA we had two rooms. The girls had one room with two double beds pushed together and we had one room with the boys on the floor on mattresses.
Jaxon has done amazingly well considering he has changed countries, diet and gone straight from a cot to a bed in unfamiliar places. Such a good wee laddy.
The kids are enjoying bucket baths. You can splash as much as you want. There is nothing nicer than a refreshing bucket bath at the end of a hot sweaty day. I must say I have been very unlady like and have been sweating something terrible. The temperatures have been up to about 35 deg C.
At the YWCA we were given traditional Indian breakfasts and the kids enjoyed the hot milky sweet tea each morning in cute little cups. We were well looked after even though one day we had no power or water but hey, this is India.
Jaxon has done amazingly well considering he has changed countries, diet and gone straight from a cot to a bed in unfamiliar places. Such a good wee laddy.
The kids are enjoying bucket baths. You can splash as much as you want. There is nothing nicer than a refreshing bucket bath at the end of a hot sweaty day. I must say I have been very unlady like and have been sweating something terrible. The temperatures have been up to about 35 deg C.
At the YWCA we were given traditional Indian breakfasts and the kids enjoyed the hot milky sweet tea each morning in cute little cups. We were well looked after even though one day we had no power or water but hey, this is India.
Whirl wind settling
Our intended plans of being in Delhi for a few months took a huge quickstep and to cut a long story short we are now in Bangalore.
We had issues trying to register ourselves in Delhi because our company had been formed in Bangalore. Even though we tried explaining we would be down there in a couple of months they wouldn't have a bar of it.
Delhi was a good time and we enjoyed our little apartment we had and it was good to hang with the (J) Family.
When we first got to Bangalore we stayed in the YWCA hostel. It was an amazing building and they are in the process of trying to sell it. We tried to see if we could rent it but they said no. It was a fabulous old villa with about 10 rooms. I felt like I had been transported in time. We wont give up though, I will keep praying. It would be a great spot for an orphanage.
It has been great to hang out with our friends Titus and Suvina plus their two daughters. They have helped us to buy some stuff for our new apartment we have been amazingly blessed with. It is huge and it over looks the military grounds on one side and a village on the other. I will blog about the village at a later stage. I am just trying to do a quick update now as It has been so long since I blogged.
(DH) has gone to Hubli for 4 nights so it is my first time without him in India. We are managing fine but sticking close to home at this stage. I am not quite ready to tackle the auto rickshaws with the kids on my own. Over time I guess my confidence will increase and I will look back on how I feel now and laugh. (DH) has gone with (T) from Delhi who kind of overseas and encourages other church leaders. (DH) has gone to meet a few guys and just get a bit of a feel for the place.
There is so much I could say right now but I think I may draw to an end here and write some smaller more in depth blogs separately.
We had issues trying to register ourselves in Delhi because our company had been formed in Bangalore. Even though we tried explaining we would be down there in a couple of months they wouldn't have a bar of it.
Delhi was a good time and we enjoyed our little apartment we had and it was good to hang with the (J) Family.
When we first got to Bangalore we stayed in the YWCA hostel. It was an amazing building and they are in the process of trying to sell it. We tried to see if we could rent it but they said no. It was a fabulous old villa with about 10 rooms. I felt like I had been transported in time. We wont give up though, I will keep praying. It would be a great spot for an orphanage.
It has been great to hang out with our friends Titus and Suvina plus their two daughters. They have helped us to buy some stuff for our new apartment we have been amazingly blessed with. It is huge and it over looks the military grounds on one side and a village on the other. I will blog about the village at a later stage. I am just trying to do a quick update now as It has been so long since I blogged.
(DH) has gone to Hubli for 4 nights so it is my first time without him in India. We are managing fine but sticking close to home at this stage. I am not quite ready to tackle the auto rickshaws with the kids on my own. Over time I guess my confidence will increase and I will look back on how I feel now and laugh. (DH) has gone with (T) from Delhi who kind of overseas and encourages other church leaders. (DH) has gone to meet a few guys and just get a bit of a feel for the place.
There is so much I could say right now but I think I may draw to an end here and write some smaller more in depth blogs separately.
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