12 rules for expat life in Mumbai
An American expat's view on how to fit in, or stand out less, in Maximum City
In Mumbai, being a “firang” can be exhausting: from the traffic and pollution to heat and the rains.
Firangis stand out worse than Aamir Khan’s eyeballs, making us targets for unwanted attention.
But still, after twenty months, I’ve succeeded in making this grimy city my home.
Here are some lessons I’ve learned on how to fit in, even if I can’t blend in.
1. Eat off the street
Chaat -- the Mumbai street food staple.
One of my Dutch ex-flatmates even brushed her teeth with bottled water (I couldn’t believe it either). This is rubbish.
I recommend the street food, especially sev puri, pani puri, and the toasted "veg sandwich" topped with chutney, ketchup and sev. Extra caution when consuming street food during monsoon is advisable.
During Ramzan, the Muslim cooking on Mohammad Ali Road is incredible, unless you’re vegetarian.
The ubiquitous roadside sugarcane juice that’s squeezed in front of you is like an IV of pure energy.
More on CNNGo: 40 Mumbai foods we can’t live without
More on CNNGo: Mumbai's best chaat
More on CNNGo: Video: Mumbai's master street chefs
2. Wear what you usually wear
I don’t find it necessary to wear Indian clothes to fit in anywhere except weddings, although I am a fan of the Nehru collar on the kurta, and the lungi for lounging at home, especially in the heat.
Mumbai has enough diversity to bear any fashion tastes, as long as they respect social boundaries for skin exposure.
Note, though, that Mumbaikars seem to equate cold air-conditioning with high status: so movie halls, restaurants and bars and offices usually keep the setting at 17 or 18 degrees Celcius.
Bring a shawl or a jacket when you go out.
3. Ride the local trains
Super dense crush load on the evening local train in Thane.
In a city where the traffic can give you nightmares, knowing the trains, and especially the times of day when they will be empty, has saved me many a headache and a lot of money.
A general class monthly pass will cost Rs 100, first class Rs 500, roughly.
Nothing has earned me more respect among locals, either.
More on CNNGo: Superdense crush load: Mumbai's local trains to get roomier
4. Give up the map
Early on in Mumbai I had a traumatic experience with directions: late for a meeting on the other side of the city, I approached a group of taxi drivers and produced a map of my destination.
I watched them studying the map for a minute before I noticed it was upside down. None of them could read.
After I ditched the map, one of them happily took my fare and helped me reach my destination, on time, by stopping every 500 meters to ask for help.
This system can be summarized as follows -- know the major landmark near your destination, and triangulate directions to that landmark with the help of locals.
More on CNNGo: Mumbai taxi: 10 tips to make you a smarter passenger
5. Branch out
The Salman Khan blockbuster "Dabanng" at a local Bandra theater, versus a multiplex cinema.
The saying explains why, with just a little effort to branch out of the expat circle, I have been rewarded with invitations from a home-cooked Gujarati dinner in Bhandup to a family Diwali celebration in Chennai to a private DJ battle in Film City.
Tempting and fun as it can be to revel in the comfort of sameness, also known as “expat night” at a club with a one-syllable name, branching out is always more memorable and usually more fun.
A few fail-safe strategies to get started in Mumbai are food and Bollywood.
A group outing can involve catching the latest Shahrukh Khan, Aamir Khan or Salman Khan flick. I ask for occasional translations, but it helps to pick a film with an obvious plot.
Or, do a culinary tour of one of Bombay’s Khau Gullies, or street food alleyways, and share one of everything.
