27-02-2024
After our nap that Monday, we went for a walk in de direct vicinity of the hotel. It was hot, in our experience, almost 33 degrees. All kinds of smells attacked us, from cooking to sewer. Fruits, spices, urine and flowers. And above all that a blanket of dust. Not a breeze, and the sun was shining ferociously. While in the car that morning, we had already seen most people walking and sitting in the shade. A habit we would soon have to make our own.
Chasing rupees, we walked toward the trainstation, where there was an ATM. While walking, we would first have to get used to the traffic, and learn how to cross the road. As opposed to The Netherlands, vehicles ride on the left side of the road. But that's not all. They all traverse the roads criss cross and in their own speeds. Scooters and rikshaws sound their horns almost continuously. And a two lane street, can easily be shared by five vehicles simultaneously.
Our walk also led us past St. Albert's College, our future abode. Then we took a detour back to the hotel, where we dove into the swimming pool to cool off. We had an early night, that night.
Tuesday morning we set the alarm at 8. Earlier in the day, there is a chance it won't be too hot yet. After breakfast we decided to try and get some SIM-cards for our cellphones, so we had local phonenumbers. Easier in the communication in Indian society. We could have know it's not as simple as it is in the Netherlands. Owners of some telecom-shops forwarded us to the Vi-office. Supposedly, that was quite nearby, but after walking around for more than half an hour, we hailed a rikshaw. When we explained what we wanted, the driver first took us to another telecom shop, but from there they also sent us to the office. Se we drove on. And: yes! The office was nearby. We had even passed it a couple of times that morning. Another lesson: Not all signs a clearly visible from the road. Or maybe they are visible, but hardle discernable among all the other signs. Plus we have to look in 3D: there are upstairs offices and shops also.
It took the lady at Vi about 15 minutes before she could explain to us that a salesman would come to our hotel with the SIMcards. On the way back, it was 12.30 pm, we stopped for some lunch. Around one we were back at the hotel, and the man was already waiting for us. Ans that's when the magic happened. He was working both his phones, and ours, he needed a passport, needed to take my picture as proof. He needed an address, we gave him our Dutch address. He took selfies to proof himself the seller. Then he put the SIMs in our phones, and made some adjustments there. Anyway, he succeeded, with my phone a little sooner than with Simon's, but now we have our Indian numbers and our Dutch mobile numbers.
After all this juggling, we were picked up by dr. Geo Fernandez, head of the MBA and Dean of International Affairs. A very kind man, balding and a little plump, with a serious expression on his face. He took us to St. Albert's College. There we were given an introduction to the College, had our picture taken and met with the Chairman and the Principal. We were shown around the campus, and the room that we would be occupying the next six months.
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