December in India

My entire life I have spent the month of December in the western world (Denmark, Germany, England and the USA) and all of these places have a distinct December quality that is somewhat similar. The stores play Christmas music, TV advertisement has pictures of snowy landscapes (except Denmark where all commercials are for sunny holidays in warm places), when you were at school exams or midterms were ongoing, at work it was the annual wrap up and the entire time has a certain air for finality. One is wrapping up the year and all things are being ended and not much is being begun. Time is spent shopping for Christmas, Christmas luncheons, watching Christmas films and although things become a little hectic it is somewhat OK because it’s all leading up to celebration and something quite special. Also the food is different, the activities are different the general agenda for the month of December is unlike any other time of year.

Now, this year is the first year that December is being spent in the East (india) and it’s a little strange. Firstly, I live in Hyderabad where the temperature has been steadily between 20-25 degrees. Now this is no different that celebrating Christmas in San Diego but still not like the last numerous Christmas’ spent in Europe. Secondly there are virtually no Christmas decorations; I saw my first ones on Sunday but it was at the Westin. One gets the feel, and it makes sense, that this is just what is done for the small expat community in Hyderabad so a few xmas parties and dinners will be conducted there. Don’t get me wrong, I know the well-decorated malls in the US and Europe are so because it’s supposed to get us into the festive (consumerist) spirit but somehow I can more easily buy into it in the west than here.

So one doesn’t find the same odes to consumerism and consumption that I am used to but somehow that is to be expected. What I however am also finding is that December is a month like any other. I don’t sense this sense of reflection this “My god, another year has gone” or “Remember last Christmas...” or “I wonder what 2011 will be like” and this is the strange thing for me. December is like the big reset button. You get to look at everything and be with the people you love, forget some of all the crap and just look inwards a little bit. I know this is also a totally glorified version of December because frankly it also involves being cold as hell, delayed trains, shopping nightmares, bitchy bitchy people, painful hangovers, money worries, counting calories, etc. But somehow in my mind at the moment none of this factors in. In India this reflection happens a lot at Diwali or Ramadan but I didn’t manage to buy into that myself and now it just seems that the transition from December to January just involves scribbling out 2010 when you write something as your hand starts getting used to writing 2011.

In light of the above I think I will use this as an opportunity to reflect inwards a little. Last year I was working in Denmark, I was single, I hadn’t been in Asia more than twice and hadn’t been since the 80’s. Now I am dating Nanna (again), have seen India, I know what paneer is, I am starting to understand the workings of the Indian public and private sector, I have been one of 7 in an auto rickshaw, I have been on the back of a Royal Enfield with no helmet on, I have seen the peaks of the Himalayas, I have eaten goat (many times), I have seen the world most expensive private home, I have meet a lot of wonderful Indian people from all walks of life, I have started learning Hindi, I have been to Malaysia and Singapore, I have been to a cement factory, I have almost been in a hard crash (several times), I have seen a dead person in the road (I think), I have had a villager walk for 45 minutes to bring me some of his special water, I been offered drugs and prostitutes, I have been asked if I am planning on marrying my girlfriend of if my parents will find me someone else, I have eaten a lot of Indian sweets, I have haggled with a snake charmer, I had called auto drivers a lot of very bad names, I have had diarrhoea for 5 days in a row and started hallucinating, I’ve seen the sunset into the Arabian Sea, I’ve seen and done many things and discovered many things about myself.

In one week I will be together with my parents and I think a lot of the other things that belong to December will come along and I am looking forward to them. Although I miss Europe, my family, my friends and my partner I am feeling excited and optimistic for the year ahead. Merry Christmas Everyone and Happy New Year. I hope your reflection is just as interest and that you have a great year ahead too.

Rasmus