How I Get Free Stuff Abroad Just By Being an Indian

Sometimes, you realize the value of being an Indian only when you are away from your motherland. I live in Pune, but I realized that we should value our identity when I started traveling abroad. We Indians ourselves have an impression that we always look for freebies while shopping. We tend to negotiate for practically everything possible, and even a penny we save is a penny we earn. Nonetheless, we also have an impression that freebies work only in India, not abroad. However, a couple of episodes on foreign lands amazed me, so much so that I started feeling proud of being an Indian rather than taking my nationality for granted.

I can specially recall two incidents from Munich when I went there last year. I got free stuff at a few places; why? Because I am an Indian! I could not believe the words of those acquaintances when they explained their positive gestures to me. Let me begin my experiences in Munich by mentioning that it is indeed a fabulous city. You get clean roads, brilliant infrastructure, recreational activities to do, and the best part is the presence of fantastic people in the city.

When I was there in Munich for quite a long time, my parents would visit me after a few months. My parents love to have dinner in restaurants whenever possible, and my father is a great fan of South Indian food. So there was this weekend when he said that he felt like eating Uttapam, which is not an easy find in Munich. Yet, I googled about South Indian food in the city, and found a restaurant called Kerala. As we entered the place, we felt good about it, especially the Indian sculptures that added a lot of charm to the ambiance.

The service

The waiter who took our order hailed from Kolkata and we shared great vibes. Before he took the order, we talked about India and our respective cities. We might not talk about our culture a lot in general, but it feels good to do so when you are abroad. So we did the clichéd Indian thing and discussed about the latest movies, politics, and our various cultures. After about 20 minutes, he took our order for spinach corn soup for starters, and then the main course.  The steaming hot soup was super delicious, and then we went ahead with our meal of loads of Indian food. The waiter asked us if we would like to have some tea, to which we all agreed. The tea arrived and we asked for our bill.

Here comes the twist. Surprise! Surprise!

The Indian manager of the restaurant had waived off the charges for the tea and soup, and gave us a discount of 50%! Woaahhh! We asked about it and the manager said that he loved doing it for his own countrymen. I had never come across such a generous person in India, probably they become humble towards their brethren when they are away from their country. We talked to him for half an hour and had a great time.  We told him that we get such discounts in India only when we take a car on rent in Pune. Else, everything else comes for a heavy price most of the times without any discount.

This incident was followed by another one when we visited another Indian restaurant. The owner of the place, again, was too kind, and he treated us with a huge discount on the meal, free cups of tea, and a great session of chatting. Blew my mind!

Things I Keep in Mind before Going for a Road Trip in India

Regardless of the region I choose for my road trip in India, I make sure I take care of at least a few things to make my vacation a success. Even though India is a diverse yet tricky country, I love going for vacations in various parts of it. In summer, the northern hills become a heaven on earth. And when it becomes unbearably cold in the North, I prefer going down south in the country so as to enjoy pleasant weather and see some of the most amazing sights in the world. Nonetheless, I have to have an impeccable car with me in addition to preparing other things.

Getting the car ready

I get my car serviced if I plan to take my car for the vacation, preferably from an authorized car dealer. I can, never in my life, forget to get the AC checked because many parts of India are miserably hot, even during supposed winter months. I made this mistake once when the AC of my car was creating some kind of slight noise, but I decided to get it repaired after I returned. However, that mere AC made my road trip as worse as hell because I was traveling to Bhopal, and no local mechanic could repair it well. I wasted a lot of time of my precious road trip on getting the AC mended.

The second thing I check is the tires of the car if they are worn out or not. If they need replacement, I cannot procrastinate it since I keep the security of my family on top priority. Moreover, I also check a spare tire in the boot for proper air pressure and a toolkit as well. In India, the roadside car mechanics can do almost anything you ask, but nearly all of them do one common mistake. They fill the tire with much more air than recommended, sometimes as high as 45 PSI when the recommended limit is 35 PSI. Excess air in the tires makes them heat up while covering long distances during summers. The Yamuna Express Highway is infamous for witnessing high number of accidents because of excessive air pressure in tires only because the brakes do not work well when the car imbalances on road. Moreover, the tires may also burst because of excessive heat in the tires. I can never imagine myself or my family going through such accidents because of my silly mistakes.

Other preparations

I had once taken a car on rent in Pune, so I did not have to take care of the car service, but other things only. I took the print out of Google Maps for my travel region because I could not rely on internet to work in the remote regions. Proper clothes, food, cash, cards, first-aid kit, and entertainment media are the other things that I need to check before I embark for my road trip. I like to go prepared everywhere rather than regretting things later.

What Pune Taught Me in Just a Few Weeks

To be as sarcastic as I can. Yes, Pune taught me more sarcasm in three weeks than I had ever learned in my life. Rather than finding it offensive, since I am from Delhi, I took sarcasm as a funny tool to deal with unruly people. The Pune-kars do not behave rudely with people when they have to convey a strong message. They would use a solid sarcastic comment to convey their intent that might even contain a small bit of insult as well. To some sensitive souls, this might sound highly offensive, but being born and brought up in Delhi has made my nerves of steel. I took this skill as an essential thing to survive in Pune, and indulge with the Pune-kars as quickly as possible.

The straightforwardness  

Since I have spent a good number of years in Delhi, I always thought that the Delhi-ites are more clear-cut in their approach than anyone else. However, spending some time in Mumbai, and especially Pune changed my perception entirely. The Pune-kars would convey their message in strict, not-so-polite words with a soft tone that would make you wonder whether to feel angry or just okay with their behavior. For someone coming from a small town, this city can be as confusing as hell. However, the residents are quite welcoming and they would receive you wholeheartedly when you meet them. Just don't get scared by their frank conduct.

Sarcasm

For someone who can deal with sarcasm, it sounds funny. And for someone who has never been exposed to mockery, Pune-kars may sound very rude. Sarcasm is like the mother tongue of residents, and you have to master this language of sarcasm if you want to survive in Pune, which I eventually did quite soon. For instance, someone did not want the bikers to park their bikes in front of his house, which might have been a chronic issue for him or her. Instead of using simple language in his instructional board outside his house, he wrote, ‘I am a donkey; I will park my bike here only’.

Another billboard outside a house read in Marathi language, ‘After you ring the bell, wait for a minute. There are humans in the house, not the Spiderman.’

The honkers on the road will find writing on the back glass of a car amusing, ‘I am not going to live on the road. Do not honk.’ It is a simple message conveyed rather strongly.

You just cannot afford to be rowdy in Pune. They welcome the outsiders who know the way to behave in the society, but know how to teach a lesson to those who don’t.

Punctuality

In addition to sarcasm and straightforwardness, Pune has taught me the great trait of being punctual everywhere. My mom had spoilt me, just like any other North Indian mother, to get late for every party and meeting. It is kind of acceptable in Delhi to waste a few minutes of yours and others, no matter the occasion. However, working in Pune made me more professional and punctual. For instance, if I delay my rent by even one day, I have to go through a strict lecture by my landlord for actually 30 minutes or more! I cannot afford to listen to so much of scolding from my landlord or my manager at Car Rental Pune.

Much has been talked about the great weather of Pune, but I feel great when I think about the learnings that this amazing city has given me. I still stay in Pune, and would never want to leave it.