November Chennai Trip

Just a quick trip this time- only two days in the office for meetings. But I have Saturday free since I am not flying to London until Sunday morning. So I contacted a co-worker who is on a two year assignment here and asked if I could see his house. He very kindly agreed to have me over. So Venkat, my true and trusted driver when I visit here, took me over this morning.

You wouldn't believe this house! It's on a street off a major road, but far enough off the road that you can't really hear it (major road not being like I-75 or M-15. More like a main street through a larger town with six lanes of traffic using a four lane road!). The street itself was kind of rugged (paritally paved? dirt? I remember part of it was flooded since they has rain the past two weeks), with houses and a school. We pulled up to a wall with big metal gate which opened into a car parked in front, a little yard with beautiful tropical plants, and a little pool.

The house itself is two stories, white with big windows and a pretty front porch. The inside was all marble floors with a large first floor, with a living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom with bath, and a little nook under the beautiful open stariway. The owners felt the kitchen is small but I found it nice enough. I think they have a stovetop but no oven, plus they have two fridges and a large freezer. They explained this is because shopping is kind of a pain so they like to buy in bulk. :-) Plus they have four (cute!) daughters. There was a covered back porch (I would call it) with washer and dryer.

Upstairs (the stairway wound around the dining room, and the steps themselves are also marble) there was a sitting area plus two bedrooms with baths. Plus a covered terrace and a stairway to the rooftop terrace. They said they don't use these often because of the heat.

Both floors had very high ceilings and the rooms felt pretty big to me. The bathrooms have showers only, no tubs. And the showers were just a slightly lower section of floor with a drain, separated with a shower curtain.

They had a little area behind the house (not really a yard) which held a small building with two rooms, one of which was a bathroom. This is the servant's quarters!!!! They have a young man who lives there and cleans (like, multiple times a day!!) and does security (accepts delivery, opens the gates, shoos away cows) (not kidding), and cleans the pool.

They also have a driver who rides his motorcycle to their house each morning, starts the family's car, drives the man to work, then comes back to drive the rest of the family during the day, then picks the man up after work.

Some facts they shared with me:

• Everything you could buy can be delivered. Just call and someone shows up.
• Health care is very good and very cheap. They have insurance but don't even bother submitting most of their bills since they don't even use up their deductible. And they have 4 kids!
• They say you have to get used to it: you will see a cockroach or gecko in the house once in a while. And ants, of course. Once they saw a 7 foot rat snake in their yard, which their housekeeper/pool guy/guard took care of for them. They say the farther out from the city center, and the more open land around your house, the more likely you will see a snake. I'm shuddering inside as I type this.
• There is a very active expat community in Chennai.
• Furniture is not cheap in India. But cloth is.
• Everyone has a pool and servants. Like it's some fact of life.

They seem very happy.

So then we went to visit a second person who just arrived to start an assignment here this week. His house was further out. The yard was big, with a big pool, again behind a wall and gate. Same deal with marble floors, high ceilings, bedroom/bath combos. Huge. Sounds like his servants' quarters are larger and a couple lives there.

So my impression is that the Americans who live/work here love it. I've told you before about some of the things that make this town different from home, and it sounds like there are some hassles they have to deal with. But somehow it all felt very extravagant to me. Plus the food is good!