'There are so many nice places here'

Expat zone

Getting adjusted to life in a new City can be quite difficult for many. But Sara Jansson, who is from Stenungsund in Sweden, thinks otherwise. “I had stayed in Mumbai for quite sometime. And compared to Mumbai, I used to find this City a little too simple.

But as I spent more months here, it seemed to grow on me,” she tells Metrolife. She adds, “When I first came here, I thought this place was dull compared to Mumbai, which is quite happening with a lot of things to do and places to visit.” But now, she seems to be in love with the City as she has her own group of Indian friends here and a job as a Swedish teacher as well.

But finding friends here among strangers was not that easy. She says, “Usually I do not trust anyone that easily. However, gradually I got along with these people and now we are best of friends. I am very lucky to have found such trustworthy friends here.” A trait she admires about the people here is their openness. “Though Bangaloreans have their own circle of friends, they welcome a new member to their group very willingly,” she says.

Another problem that most of the expats in the City face is the communication barrier. But because of her short stay in Mumbai, she has picked up a few words in Hindi and this has helped her in most situations. She says, “I manage to speak in Hindi with the auto drivers and shopkeepers and have not faced any problem so far just because I do not know the local language. The people here are very helpful. And someday I would love to learn the language properly too.”

Being the outgoing person that she is, she loves to hang out with friends during her spare time, be it at the various eateries or any of the lounges. “My friends and I usually go to places in and around Koramangala. There are so many nice places where you can eat and just relax. I simply love going to the Banana Beach. That’s our favourite hangout spot.” And like all expats, she is a big fan of Indian food with her favourites being chicken and paneer dishes. “The first time I came here, I tried the masala dosa and absolutely loved it,” she adds.

She loves exploring new places too. “I had gone to Nandi Hills during winter. It was so cold there and I had not dressed in warm clothes. But besides that, it is a lovely and scenic place. I would like to go on more trips and am keen on going to Mysore, which my friends have told me, is a good place to visit.” She doesn’t know if she is going to be in Bangalore for a long time, but she definitely doesn’t want to leave the City anytime soon.