'It is easier being a vegetarian here'

EXPAT ZONE

Cher Aini Pradhan, a Singaporean expatriate, who has made Bangalore her home for over two years now, can be best described as a bundle of talent.

As the School Community Association’s Newcomers’ Chairman of Canadian International School, she organises events in the school and provides support for new expats in the City.

In Singapore, Cher was into theatre and was also a voice-over artiste for radio and TV commercials.

She says, “I have been freelancing all my life and have made a niche for myself in the industry. My biggest strength is my ability to deal with children and I hope to continue doing so here in Bangalore too.”

About getting used to Bangalore, she says, “As my husband is originally from Kathmandu, we had been visiting Nepal almost every year with our two children. This experience has prepared us well on what life would be like in the Indian sub-continent. Bangalore has in fact exceeded our expectations with respect to what it has to offer. The new airport is great while the shopping experience at supermarkets has also become easier with one-stop supermarkets like Spar and More.”

However, if there is one thing that she dreads the most about the City, it is the traffic — both the congestion, and the way people drive. Making references to the IT lingo, she says, “There have been much improvement in the ‘hardware’ like the road-dividers and underpasses but very little improvement in the ‘software’, which is the driving culture.”

“We have slowly encouraged our driver to change his habits. My husband has also worked with Canadian International School to make improvements in the driving habits of drivers. For example, the school bus drivers have undergone a defensive driving course which includes awareness on road discipline and safety,” says Cher.

On Indian cuisine, she says, “After coming to Bangalore, I have acquired a taste for rasam, bhel puri and pav bhaji. I have realised it is easier being a vegetarian here as there is a lot of variety in the vegetarian food. Our vegetarian friends, who come down from Singapore, love it here. Food here is really fresh and I relish Indian sweets like sohan papadi and kaju katli, which I otherwise might not have had a chance to try in Singapore.”

She also loves spending time with friends, many of whom are expats.
She says, “We prefer entertaining guests at home rather than outside as everything shuts down early in the City.”

About their regular hangouts in the City, she says, “We love UB City. My children love all the eateries there like Café Noir, Tasty Tangles, and Tuscano.  We are also regulars at Shiro, West Grill and Olive Beach. Choices of international cuisine in Bangalore has made our life here nicer.”

So what does she find fascinating about the City? “It was an overwhelming experience to see vast differences in the lives of people, the disparity between luxury and poverty touches you in strange ways. I have also realised how little it takes to make people happy. It does not always have to be monetary help, just spending time with the less privileged is a wonderful experience,” she says. Cher regularly visits a home for the blind and would love to teach slum kids conversational English.

“Being an expat here is not just about working and living in India but it is about experiencing India in all its glory. I want to gain experiences that can enrich my life while making a positive contribution to the society here,” she says.