School me: Living and working in Gurgaon India for 6 months

[basinbeater]

What do I need to know? How will my wife and 2 little kids like it? Kids are 6 and 3. Wife will be skeptical, but I want to do it. So I need to approach this the right way. Company will pay for travel and relocation.

I work for a large financial corporation, and they want me to go work on a specific project there for three months. The project is high profile, and would help my career within the company.

Anybody done this?
First thing I googled was how far is it to the himalayas. 674 km.

[Obstruction]

Prolly be tough to get high test for the bimmer.

Seriously, no useful information to offer but if you think your wife and kids will be safe, comfortable and happy it sounds like a terrific opportunity.

[basinbeater]

ha, I'd totally have to figure out what the widely available reliable 4x4 is, and get one as soon as I arrive. Weekend excursions could be epic. (as much as I hate the word since Vail adopted it)

[dunfree]

horrendous fucking pollution.
https://www.ndtv.com/delhi-news/delh...o-rise-1957033
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.179754dd38fb

[Art Shirk]

[PNWbrit]

Make sure you let her know you asked us about it before her... that'll help.

[Beaver]

6 months? Leave the family behind and take a quick return trip in the middle.

[The Tortoise]

It's fucking hot.

Summers, from early April to mid-October, are typically hot and humid, with an average daily June high temperature of 40 °C (104 °F). The season experiences heat indices easily breaking 43 °C (109 °F). Winters are cold and foggy with few sunny days, and with a December daytime average of 3 °C (37 °F). The Western Disturbance brings some rain in winters that further adds to the chill. Spring and autumn are mild and pleasant seasons with low humidity. The monsoon season usually starts in the first week of July and continues till August. Thunderstorms are not uncommon during the Monsoon. The average annual rainfall is approximately 714 millimetres (28.1 in).[22]

[cinnepa]

food heaven.

[PNWbrit]

Get vaccinated.

[AK47bp]

Have you been there OP?

I'd do a visit first and then make your decision.

If it's only 3 month project why stay 6?

Go by yourself and visit home once a month. Maybe bang a few Bollywood hotties.

[basinbeater]

Make sure you let her know you asked us about it before her... that'll help.

She knew India was one of the places they might send me, and she was not too enthusiastic about that option. She also knows nothing about India, so her preconceptions are based on who knows what. Other locations were on the table, but I don't get to decide. I can decide if I want to go or not, but I don't get to say, well, that sounds nice, but I'd prefer Sydney. So, I do want to go, I have never been to India, and it would be a great time to explore a new land. But I would want her and the kids to come with me. So I need to figure out how to convince her that it would be fun.

[basinbeater]

I have never been to India before, but I have traveled extensively for long periods in Latin America. An office is an office is an office. So not worried about the work part. But eating new food, and adventure road trippin it into the himalayas on weekends, and vacation? Right up my ally. Just need to make sure that the wife and kids would be able to be happy. I think the kids would be fine.

[Kevo]

Speaking for Delhi, which I have been to- What time of year? Six months over the summer would be unbearably hot. Like 112 degrees F with open sewers, dust and cow shit everywhere that is getting ground up into fine particulates by passing vehicles kicked up for you to and your family to respirate. The winter would be a bit more comfortable.

Would your company provide first world housing, private international schools for the kids and a nice car and driver for you and a nice car and driver your wife? India is a notoriously unsafe place for women. Gang rape of women and children in public places is not uncommon. See NYT- an entire community got together to rape a child.

Is your wife OK with the idea of feeling uncomfortable in public with hundreds of men starring at her? Is she aware of the legitimate dangers to herself and her children and willing to navigate those dangers as a part of everyday life?Here is a pretty balanced perpective on the subject of women's issues for foreigners in India.

Expect a physical toll from living over there. You will get foodborne and waterborne illness and food poisoning. It's damn near unavoidable. These issues will likely last for the entire time you live there. You will likely all have respiratory infections because of the pullution.

In the three months I spent in the Indian subcontinent I lost more than 25 lbs because of GI infections. I didn't get better until after having taken about six weeks of antibacterial and antiparasitic drugs when I got back in a first world country.

Now, Gurgoan isn't Delhi (it's just outside) so maybe it is more modern, but even so IMHO it is terrible area geographically that doesn't have many redeaming qualities. It's hot and dusty and flat. On the plus side, you could check out some other interesting parts of India on weekend trips or longer holidays. Darjeeling and Ladakh both come to mind. Ladakh in the spring and summer is awesome and there are direct flights from Delhi to Leh.

[basinbeater]

Looks like I ought to be able to get a decent little 4 seater 4x4 for about $3-4k USD.
https://www.olx.in/item/2006-maruti-...tml#07a8b3eaae

[Kevo]

I have never been to India before, but I have traveled extensively for long periods in Latin America. An office is an office is an office. So not worried about the work part. But eating new food, and adventure road trippin it into the himalayas on weekends, and vacation? Right up my ally. Just need to make sure that the wife and kids would be able to be happy. I think the kids would be fine.

One does not simply "road trip to the Himalayas" from Delhi. The roads aren't great and it takes a really long time to drive anywhere because of traffic, people in the roads, livestock in the roads, tractors in the roads. You could drive to the Himalayas from Delhi, but it would take many days.

[PNWbrit]

well, that sounds nice, but I'd prefer Sydney.

Are you taking the piss?

[fatnslow]

horrendous fucking pollution.
https://www.ndtv.com/delhi-news/delh...o-rise-1957033
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.179754dd38fb

Wait, they have pollution in evolving countries with high density ? What's next pickpockets and swindlers ? Fuck yeah, go for it. Even if it doesn't work out perfect your family will remember it for the rest of their lives plus it's good for your career.

[AdironRider]

Based on everyone I know who has been there for extended time frames, including my sister who lived there for a little over a year, you WILL get some sort of stomach bug and be in a world of pain throwing up and a serious case of the shits for a week or so.

Outside of that, rave reviews.

[basinbeater]

that's kind of what I figure. Get the stomach bug, keep on keepin on. Be careful about crime, and listen to local advice about where to go, and where not to go. Pretty good advice for most major cities. It would be an adventure, and I kind of need that right now.

[dunfree]

I have never been to India, and it would be a great time to explore a new land.

India's an awesome place to explore, I'm not sure what the expat life in Gurgaon would be like. As I posted above - Delhi area has horrendous pollution now https://aqicn.org/city/delhi/. Living for a couple months in Gurgaon would be different...in a not particularly pleasant way. The Himalayas are 8-16 hrs each way by car, if that's your kind of weekend adventure. Driving in India is... interesting.

Wait, they have pollution in evolving countries with high density ? What's next pickpockets and swindlers ? Fuck yeah, go for it. Even if it doesn't work out perfect your family will remember it for the rest of their lives plus it's good for your career.

it has daily pollution worse than the fire pollution everyone on this board bitched about. That was the point.

[The Tortoise]

From Wikipedia:

The law and order situation in Gurgaon is below par and has been deteriorating for the past few years with a sharp increase in the number of homicides, rapes and thefts. The city reported 89 homicides in 2012. Another growing concern is an increase in the number of rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, and thefts, including motor vehicle thefts. The total vehicle thefts registered by the police in Gurgaon in 2014 was 3,638.[34]

Apparently it has the 3rd highest per capita earnings in India. So there's that.

[basinbeater]

Certain articles make Mexico sound like a terrible place as well. I enjoy visiting there.

[PNWbrit]

Looks like I ought to be able to get a decent little 4 seater 4x4 for about $3-4k USD.
https://www.olx.in/item/2006-maruti-...tml#07a8b3eaae

Is it a stick?

[muted]

Work for 3 months then have your wife fly your kids in for a 2-3 week instagram-worthy vacation. Otherwise the family aspect really would make it a miserable time for everyone but you.