'We are trying to learn yoga'

Expat zone

It was while doing a study abroad programme in Czech Republic that Zach Hosler from Houston, Texas was motivated to explore opportunities across the world. That’s what brought him to Bengaluru. He now works as a subsea and pipeline engineer with Shell India in the city.

He lives here with wife Norma, who hails from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and children, 11-year-old Forrest and seven-year-old Zachary. This is the Hosler family’s second expatriate assignment. “I knew that the experiences would be different in Asia, Europe and the US. I wanted to see how it would be to live in Asia; it was something that appealed to me,” he says.

“Despite having stayed in Kuala Lumpur before Bengaluru, settling here was challenging. Things that one takes for granted in other parts of the world are difficult to get done here. Coping with these changes needs some energy. On the positive side, we have had many fulfilling experiences too,” he says.

Though the family was told about life being chaotic and the bad traffic, they have tried to embrace the diverse culture. “We experienced a slice of India in Malaysia. The school where our children went to had celebrations for ‘Deepavali’ and other Indian festivals, which helped us understand the traditions better,” she says.

“When we arrived here, the drive from the airport to our hotel was different. We loved the weather but the garbage on the roads didn’t really make the best first impression. We slowly realised that coming here was a great way to teach our children about openness,” she says.

Since they had to wait for a couple of months before they got their house, the Hosler family stayed at a hotel here. “We were treated like kings and queens. It was very welcoming. I have noticed this at restaurants and other places in the city too,” Norma adds.

Unlike most expatriates who live in Whitefield, the family lives in Devanahalli.

“We live in an isolated space and have only 30 neighbours. The good part is that there is rarely anyone honking here and we have cleaner roads. I get a kick out of the remoteness here,” he says.

Norma, who worked as an elementary teacher earlier, does volunteer work at a village near her home. “It has been a life-changing ride since then. Working with kids has brought a big smile on my face. I love teaching them songs, and interactions with the people there have been inspiring,” she says.

She remembers how the women of the village welcomed her with a red ‘tikka’ and adorned her hair with jasmine flowers. “They also offered ‘masala chai’, which I loved! I could barely speak Kannada; ‘namaskara’ and ‘ondu, eradu…’ were all I knew. The women still hugged me and spoke to me endearingly. I felt accepted,” she says.

Their sons, Forrest and Zachary, are students of Canadian International School and Zach and Norma are happy with the educational experience here. “We couldn’t have asked for anything better. It’s a very diverse space with 65 percent Indian crowd and the rest, international. We have friends from Japan, France and India and we love this cultural experience. Our children always come home energised and they love their school,” he narrates.

Given the city’s IT background, Zach observes that there are a lot of well-educated, talented and motivated young professionals here. “I would like to encourage Bengalureans to leverage the reputation of the city and demonstrate it well on the global map,” he says.

Zach and the family have had a brief experience with the spiritual side of the country too and want to explore more. “We visited the ISKCON Temple and the Nandi Temple at Nandi Hills and loved it. It was a very positive experience for the whole family. We are trying to learn yoga and meditation here,” he says.

When the family has time to spare, they like visiting ‘Sanchez’ in UB City, ‘The Fatty Bao’, ‘Chilis’ and ‘The Druid Garden’ in Sahakara Nagar. “The children also have horse-riding lessons. Since we live near the golf course, we go there often,” says Norma.

Of the many things the Hosler family appreciates, ‘the fundamental innocence of the people here is really charming’.

“There are no attitude issues and aggressiveness here. The traffic here is terrible but the people aren’t spiteful; it’s just out of pressure so that they are not left behind,” he says.

“In any other part of the world, when I’m out in public and people stare at me, it would be a cause of concern. I understand that here it happens out of innocence, curiosity and interest in us. I find that nice. We feel safe here,” Zach sums up.