Hello!  Welcome to my first attempt at a blog where I plan to share about my first visit to India... and perhaps beyond during future adventures elsewhere.  I will be blogging about the planning/preparation/packing process, and also share my insight about experiences while there.  India is an interesting country with wonderful people, and I am certain to return with many lasting memories.  Thank you for sharing this journey with me!


When I have told people, “I’m going to India”, the first question most people – including quite interestingly, my optometrist – have asked is, “Are you going there on a missions trip or for vacation?”  A close second is, “When are you going?”  A distant third is, “Where in India are you going?”  Well to answer all three, I am going to Bangalore (Bengaluru) for work on April 20 and will return May 6.  Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has a support team in India, commonly referred to as HSC (Hindustan Service Centre), and three colleagues and I will be going there to gather information about the teams and their processes.

I have to admit that some people I’ve told are actually more excited than I am.  Don’t get me wrong – I am excited about the new experience since I have never been to India and the people there are wonderful and kind.  However, based upon the stories I’ve heard and the experiences of several colleagues who have previously travelled there, the one concern I have is about the food and getting sick.  People have asked me, “Do you have an iron stomach?”  Well, given that I was told by my doctor that I am anemic, I am pretty sure the answer is “no” since I probably don’t have a lot of iron anywhere in my body much less my stomach.  Proactively, I have already begun to take probiotics and I plan to eat a lot of yogurt the week before my departure.  We will find out if it works.

People are definitely eager to offer travel tips based upon their experience of travelling to other countries.  Several interesting - although sometimes conflicting - tips have included:

• “Bring all your own water. You can’t trust their water because they refill bottles from the tap.” 
• “Just bring a water filter.”
• “Don’t bring water.  It’s too heavy so just get it from the hotel.”
• “Remember to brush your teeth with bottled water.”
• “Don’t drink anything with ice since the water could be contaminated.”
• “Don’t eat any fruit or vegetables.” 
• “It’s okay to eat their fruits as long as you peel it.” 
• “Never eat the street food.  There is dirt and bacteria in the air and in the oil they use.”
• “I lived in India for 2 ½ years and I ate street food all the time.  Never once got sick.  You know there is a high turnover and it’s fresh if the line is long and locals are eating there.”

Let's just say that I will be very conscious about what I eat and drink while there, and will leave the rest to the Lord.  I am grateful for those who will be praying for me during my journey.  More to come…