JOIN US'There is no pressure here to fit in'
Most people move to a new place out of passion for something or a job interest. It was her new job and love for Bengaluru that brought Shannon B Olsson, from Depeyster, New York, here a year back. She was joined by her husband Petter and daughter Grace.
Shannon, who works with the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, finds the bio-diversity of this country highly
impressive.
“I had visited India before and the institute that I work with now. This left a huge impression on me,” she says. It was this that brought her back. “I work with ecology —– animals and plants specifically. There is a huge amount of bio-diversity here. India is famous for that and there are a lot of opportunities and one can explore different environments here,” she explains excitedly, adding, “I fell in love with the people and the environment.”
According to her, India is an amazingly concentrated land of animals and plants with 20 per cent of the world species here; it was a learning experience to be a part of it. “There is a lot of life here. Even in the cities, unlike Western ones, one can find a lot of insects and plant forms,” she says.
Shannon, who had been to the City a few years back, says that it is amazing to see how rapidly it has changed. “There are temporary or new roads everywhere and there are new buildings coming up all the time!” she exclaims. She adds that the City is very dynamic.
“It has been an amazing experience to learn about things, from how to navigate around to getting things done, we’ve grown a lot in the last year,” says Petter. He just joined a technology-based fitness company. Having worked in the City for a different project earlier, he finds that working with an Indian team is a different experience. “The concept of a project being completed in a given time is very different from what it is in the West. People are a bit apprehensive but the younger generation does have an open mind and are ready to state their opinions,” he adds.
“There is a different sense of timing here which can affect professional and personal life and I’m struggling with this still,” she says. Petter adds that the concept of time is a perfect factor to distinguish between different cultures.
Both Shannon and Petter agree that Bengaluru is an easy city to live in. “The City is cosmopolitan in nature, which makes it comfortable for expatriates. There are people from across the world living here, which is amazing,” she says. “There is a lot for kids too. Be it the forests or the hills, it’s just a couple of hours drive.”
Having stayed in Germany and Sweden before moving to India, Shannon feels that the stay here has been fairly easy , as everything is different here. She adds, “All the things that one has to adjust to in the City hit you right on the face the moment you get off the plane.” She says that if one comes and visits India and likes it, they can live here easily. “There is no pressure to fit in. The people here are very tolerant to those from diverse backgrounds,” she adds.
Their daughter Grace says that she loves going to the Bannerghatta National Park, Funky Monkeys on MG Road and Wonderla, when they have some time to spare.
“I like the pretty flowers here. I also love going to the zoo and observing the animals,” she says. Grace also is in love with the food here and get enough of the mangoes. “They are easily available here,” she says.
Grace goes to Mallya Aditi International School and is happy that there is a dedicated time for sports there. “I enjoy my drama classes and the teacher is also a lot of fun,” she says. About the people here, she adds, “The people here are very kind, helpful and graceful.”
“This is very true! Even on the road, if I’ve needed directions or any help, people are instantly ready to lend a hand,” adds Petter. The couple say that the diversity of the place is what makes it special. Shannon concludes with a smile, “If anyone asks me where they should move to in India, I would definitely say Bengaluru.”