Preparation: W-Week minus Seven

I am sure to get more out of this trip by learning as much as I can about the country in advance of the trip. The subjects I am most interested in, after Planning, are History, Art, and Cuisine. Once there, I expect that the best way to learn about these topics will be by talking to the Indians themselves. Therefore, I also want to practice speaking to Indians in context, and would also like to at least say 'hello' and 'thank you' in a language other than English. To accomplish this, I will spend the next seven weeks before the trip getting in touch with the local Indian community and culture.

As a first step in this process, I took a tour of the local ethnic Indian food markets in the Tri-City area (Fremont, Newark, and Union City) last weekend. The markets were easy to find, but difficult to navigate. Only the vegetables were recognizable. Packaged goods were as good as a grab bag surprise to me. Often the food markets were partnered with a clothing store, and that section of the store was even more impenetrable. I could not ever be sure that the shirts I saw were for men instead of women, and most of the time it was clear that these stores were mostly for women. The shopkeepers could tell right away I was not likely to buy anything, and didn't fall all over themselves trying to explain Indian culture to me. I can't blame them: they are businessmen, not tour guides.

Next week I will travel El Camino Real, and stop in every store I see until I become so familiar with the people, customs, and products that I start to feel like a regular instead of like a tourist. That should give me a head start when actually in India.