Flying to India last week, I got a chance to view a recent Bollywood film called "2 States," the story of a young man and woman (surprise) from different states in India who meet at school. She is Tamil (South India), he is Punjabi (North India). Outsiders have all heard of the divides that cast causes in India, but we don't pay much attention to regional differences in India. If you want to gain some insight into this, check out the film. It should be on Netflix soon. 

The plot was your boy meets girl, families disapprove, love triumphs Bollywood or Hollywood pulp. The Punjabi family makes a number of cracks about vegetarianism and sambar. Sambar is a lentil and tamarind based stew that is a staple of Tamil cuisine. The northerners clearly can't understand how Tamils can eat so much of it.

When non-Indians speak of Indian food, they generally have North Indian in mind. South Indian is much different, and has a much richer vegetarian tradition. When we meet the Tamilian girl for the first time, she is in her northern university's cafeteria complaining about the sambar.

Another theme that comes back on numerous occasions is the fact that Tamils are darker than Punjabis. In general, this is true. The northerners clearly have issues with skin color. The boy assures his mother that the girl is light skinned. And it's true, the actress was your typical light-skinned Bollywood type. I guess it would have been too controversial to have a dark-skinned Tamil in the role. She also is not a strict vegetarian. So although the movie brings up these issues, the girl doesn't fit the stereotype, and won't trouble audiences.

Another regional difference that is pointed out is the less agressive nature of Tamils. They boy describes the Tamil parents as passive. Traveling in India, you will notice the clear difference between the more aggressive north and the more demeure character of southerners.

I didn't watch the movie carefully enough to remember other stereotypes that might have been there (hard to concentrate on a 9 1/2 hour flight!). If I get the chance to see it on DVD, perhaps I'll be able to add more to this post. In the meantime here is a South Indian review of the film See Review (they bristle at some of the stereotypes). And here is a North Indian review that disagrees with the stereotype of Punjabis - hmmm. See Review

See my previous post on vegetarian India "Hey Vegetarians"

By Kevin O'Neill

Volunteer for free. We get this request a lot. It is possible, depending on your definition. The most extreme requests are for "volunteer" positions that pay you! That isn't volunteering, that's employment. For that, you will generally need to approach organizations based in your own country that do work in other countries, but remember, you are doing it as a job applicant. It is highly unlikely that you will be considered without a long term commitment.

A more reasonable request is for food and accommodation. This straddles the line between employment and volunteering. After all, you are receiving compensation, even if it isn't monetary. Some schools, children's homes, and orphanages will do this. Of course you will need to have very limited expectations of the food quality, and the accommodations will be bare boned. Once again, a time commitment would be expected. Hanging out with kids for a few weeks will generally not be seen as worth any subsidy by the receiving organization.

When I speak of defining "free", I'm not trying to be coy. If you pay a modest fee for accommodation and meals, but nothing else, is this free? I would say it is. If you are met at an airport and driven to the place where you are working, this is a service that requires someone's time, the use of a vehicle, and the price of gasoline. If you took a taxi, it would cost. If the volunteer program provides the service instead, and charges you, are you still volunteering for free? The same goes for a tour of the town and 24/7 emergency support. In other words, on a volunteer program, you might receive many services. Where do you draw the line between volunteering for free and paying to volunteer? 

At ELI, our programs are among the least expensive in the field, but we have two programs that I consider free: our Youth Initiative programs in Nepal and Uganda. In fact, most of our volunteer projects in Uganda are "free". "But there's a fee!" you say. True, but only enough to cover the most basic expenses. ELI offers these at a loss (albeit very small). These are programs that we have chosen to subsidize. The few little extras that you are paying for compensate our coordinators in the country for their time and expenses. There is value to be welcomed by a local when arriving in a strange and exotic place. 

If you are looking for "free" volunteering, you might want to consider these. And I hope that after this short explanation, you will agree with the label.

Nepal

Uganda

By Kevin O'Neill

People have misconceptions about what the monsoon is. Maybe they confuse it with "typhoon." Of course we hear news reports about disasters in India during monsoon season, and assume that monsoons cause non-stop disasters. I arrived in Chennai, India 4 days ago in the heart of the monsoon. Earlier that day, it had rained heavily for 3 hours. There were puddles, even lakes, everywhere. but life was going on. Chennai is in the arid state of Tamil Nadu. There is very little rain throughout the year until the monsoon arrives. People watch weather reports with anticipation, but it is hope, not fear that inspires their interest. A good monsoon means a good year ahead. There will be water to meet their needs. The later the monsoon arrives, the greater the chance of water shortages.

So, what is the monsoon? It's an exotic sounding name for "rainy season." The season is more well defined than in many parts of the world, but most of us live in regions  where rain is more likely at certain times of the year. In Denver, we talk of our own monsoon, which usually is most of the month of July. Like India, Colorado derives great benefits from the monsoon. Ours is weaker, flooding is less common, and sometimes it hardly materializes at all.

Besides the essential water that the monsoon brings to India, people also relish the cooling that it brings. May is scorching in India, but when the South West monsoon arrives in June, the temperature drops to much more bearable levels. If you are visiting India or Nepal, you might be concerned about the monsoon, but remember, this is the rainy season, but it doesn't mean there will be rain 24/7. Your daily activities may be effected from time to time, but there will be many days where there is no rain at all, or when it rains over night, not effecting you at all. My first 4 days in Chennai have been humid, but relatively mild. The monsoon has actually made things easier. Of course, there may be days that are washed out by rains, but unless yours is a very short trip, you should be able to work around these.

Here in Chennai, the news is dominated by stories about the monsoon. Endless stories about potholes. Like media everywhere, they milk it for everything they can. Of course, driving around the city, I have to admit that they have some world-class potholes. The other day a man stepped into one that was filled with water, and appeared to be a puddle. He died from a heart attack that resulted from the fall. Everyone will complain about potholes for the next month, and then they'll forget about them for the next year when the monsoons return.

By Kevin O'Neill

The search for great airfares and strategies for travel is always changing. It is a good idea to Google "How to find cheap flights," and read what advice is out there. I did that this morning and found an article that served as a good starting point:"How to find a cheap flight," "How to Be a Travel Hacker." One great tip that he had was that these travel sites like Expedia, CheapTickets, Kayak, are not all the same. I have always used them as a starting point, a way to get a baseline fare to work from. He too suggests this. But when you try them, you will definitely see differences. One site that he recommends is www.skyscanner.com. I gave it a try, and came up with consistently great results. I was looking at flights to Asia and Europe. It's possible that they are not as strong for some destinations, so take his advice. Try multiple sites.

There was no date on the article - that is the first thing you should look for when you're going through information. I have a feeling it might be slightly out of date, because the author spends a lot of time talking about the value airline rewards programs. He takes the approach that they're a good thing, however, current thought is that rewards programs are generally not worth spending more for a ticket. Airlines have always made it difficult to redeem miles for flights, and now they are increasing the miles needed. Also, some airlines are awarding miles based on the cost of the flight rather than the miles spent. "Yes, we'll give you miles if you overpay for your flight!" Wow, thanks. United will be doing this as of March 2015. Lufthansa's lowest fares award no miles. They increase the percent awarded base on your fare. It used to be that there was only a difference between economy, business, and first class. Now, there are 3 or 4 differences within economy. If miles are important to you, be careful, not all flights are equal! Another article that gives some good tips is in Business Insider. It is from 2012, so it also talks up the value of loyalty programs. Some of the other tips are relevant, but the main focus is on travel within the U.S.

I always calculate the value of rewards. So for instance, if I usually redeem my miles for longer domestic flights, I might say that 25,000 miles is worth $400, or .16 per mile. At that rate, I would want to be within $100 for a flight to Europe (10,000 miles r/t from Denver) for a flight with miles as opposed to using another airline. These days, it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify this. Best suggestion: join mileage clubs for airlines you use. Accumulate miles, but don't worry about loyalty. If you get enough miles for a free flight, great. If not, just think of all the money you've saved by not being "loyal."

One last note: Plan in advance, and act when the time is right. If you know that your are going to travel abroad, research how much in advance you should purchase a ticket. For instance, the Independent Traveler recommends 3-6 months. This is especially true for high season travel - Summer, Christmas, or whenever people prefer to visit your destination. However, off-season is more flexible. Travel in October - November or mid-January - February, you can frequently find great fare a month in advance, and sometimes actually pay more if you buy too early. It's a gamble, so don't let your trip fall apart because you gambled and lost.

By Kevin O'Neill