Welcome to India!

10.04.2025 | By Nicoleta Constantin

Since in the present moment, I have a lot of time on my hands, and I don’t know what to do with myself, I thought, I could write a story about my welcoming in India!

            So, let go back to last week, precisely on Wednesday the 2nd of April, we were about to live Lindersvold, the place that we called home for the last three months.

Since our plane is on Thursday at 6:20AM, and none is able to take us to the airport, we were “deposit” on it the day before. On the same day, we witness part of our team living, all at once, the Malawi team, Idelma, Silvia, Emma (she left a day before), Lorenzo, Claudia, the Zambia trio Martina, Chichi and our Master Chef, Karola.

We shed tears, we hug a lot, maybe not enough to last 6 months, we wished the best experience for all the trios and duos. And then at 15:45 they left.

After that at 21:00, come out turn, the Guinea Bissau team, (without our marvelous artist Daniela, who left on Saturday), Fernando, bebe (baby) Mariana (why I call her that, she reminds me of that beautiful character of 101 Dalmatians, who was saying: “I’m hungry mother! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMf_2lUXBFs “, because she is always hungry), Joana, Claudia and the biggest team the Indian one, ISDP Gurugram Tommaso, Nick 2 (why 2 because she is younger than me) and Cece, Mumbai Niramaya Andrea, Jesus (left a day before, and she was going to meet us at the airport), Fede, Mumbai ISDP Cristiano, Jakub and yours truly, Nick 1. So, here we are in the airport, some talking at the 7 Eleven store, some siting on the benches, me watching some series, but I can certainly, say that the one who actually enjoyed the experience was undoubtedly Cristiano, who at one point was wrapped in his sleeping bag, sleeping and singing at the same time.

I’m sorry I didn’t take a picture with him, but I was trying not to fall asleep.

Here comes the magic hour 4:30 AM, our flight is open for boarding, so let’s make the check in and go to Zurich.

We tried the self-check in, but surprise, we cannot do it, because is a collective ticket and of course it doesn’t work.

We went to the check in desk and asked to make it there. The gorgeous blond Danish young lady said: “Yes, but we have to be all.” And guess what, we were missing Jesus.

Andrea called her, at 4:50 AM she was just leaving the house where she stayed.

Andrea was like: “Of course, she could not be on time, for once!”. OK, people let’s move along! I went to the gorgeous blond and ask here if they could make our check ins, even one of us was missing.

She said yes, and I was about to hug her. But wait, let’s not get carried away! She started to scan the passports with the visa, one by one.

Some were scan 5-7 times (my page with the visa is almost ripped). I didn’t understand, what was going on, but finally she made, two piles with our passports.

One pile was 3 passports, that could be scan, and the 6 (in the meantime Jesus join us like 5:00 AM) that couldn’t, because the stamp of the visa was higher up and the scanning device couldn’t catch the code.

In my mind I was like: “Really? After you people from the ambassy made us sweat for the visa, now you can not apply it correctly? Ok, now what?”

Now the young lady, told us to wait for her supervisor. And we wait, and wait a little bit more and more, like 30 minutes, till a Middle Eastern guy appeared.

He punched something in the keyboard and voila.

The Guinea Bissau team already check-in and come to say good bye. Hugs, kisses and best wishes all around.

Now, finally, after that, let’s go to the boarding gate. So, we are on the plane, in full flight and I’m thinking now, would be a good time for a nap, I was seated on the window.

I took the seat belt of and for a moment, that seemed like 10-20 minutes I fell asleep.

I have no idea if I was dreaming, but all I remember is an angry hand shook me and waking me up.

Was the stewardess, who was telling me to hook my seat belt because we were about to lend.

So, here it goes literally of the window my sleep. But, hey don’t worry, I said to myself, I’ll sleep on the plane to Dehli! In the meantime, let’s continue with the TV show that I was watching.

Easier said than done, because the Zurich airport Wi-Fi, come with a code.

You have to scan your passport in order to get a code. I don’t get it, everywhere you can access the Wi-Fi without so much trouble, here not.

Why, there are afraid that some homeless people will crash on the airport and steal the Wi-Fi? Anyway, the scan of the passport or ID was not an issue, the fact that those wonderful machines didn’t work was.

Well, I give up. But, suddenly I need to go to the bath room, so I left in search of one.

Does anyone have an idea, what kind of shops can you find in Zurich airport?  Anyone? No.

Well I tell you, beside the usual high-end shops (jewelry, designer bags, etc.), from two in two meters watch shops.

Ok, the swisses are famous for, their watches, but 6 of 10 shops just watches?! I think that’s too much, but that’s my opinion. And what else their famous for? Of course, chocolate, even though there are not the ones who invent it, that would be the amazing Maya and Aztec population, in other words “Mexico lindo y querido”  Jorge Negrete – México Lindo Y Querido (A Color 4K).

I think that Fernando, would have loved to fly through Zurich, just for the chocolates.

As you can see, there is a huge chocolate bunny. Why? Because, we approaching the Holly Day of Easter and this year all Christians are celebrating it on the same day, more precisely on the 20^th of April. We were not going to be home, but everywhere we go, we take home with us.

I finally reach the bathroom and, on my way, back, I saw an information desk and I ask for a Wi-Fi code, the lady told me that I have to scan the passport in order to get the code.

I was looking at her trying to tell her with my eyes and not words, that fortunately I’m not illiterate, therefore, I can read, since my piercing gaze didn’t do much, I told her with half of smile, that already tried but the machine was out of paper… (apparently, they have issues too).

Then, she scans my passport and hand me the code. Well, thanks! I return to my bench to watch, that my TV heroes are doing. Then, Jakub, came tell in us that our flight is announced, so we can procced to boarding. So, let’s go to gate E67, by train! Of course, the line for checking was as long as the amount of the population of the country… (I’m exaggerating, but this is how it felt).

A young blond gentleman, was checking out passports and tickets.

When I was close to him, he asked me: “With them?” He, was referring to my team mates, I said: “Yes. We are the wonder team!’ he smiled, probably wondering what was going through our minds 9 Europeans, going to India, to work of all things. At one point, I took my sneakers of, because my legs look like two wooden blocks.

At last, in the plane, we have 8 hours in front of us to get to Dehli. I was seated to the aisle, in the same row as Andrea and Fede. I was thinking, good now I can sleep. So, after takeoff, I tried to find a smooth music to sleep, I find something and for a few seconds I successfully fell asleep.

I totally forgot that I was sited next to the aisle, when the steward reminded me, hitting me with the beverage cart. Oh, hell people I was just trying to sleep! Never mind! I look confused and piss off, but he was a very handsome Indian guy, asking me if I want something to drink.

I shook my head in negation. Then, I tried again to go back to sleep. After 40 minutes, I got hit again, by the same cart, this time was a young blond lady, who came to take out the garbage. Since, seems impossible to sleep maybe I can watch I movie.

So here it is, Gladiator part II 2:28 min. I’m sorry for the poor guy, Paul Mescal (mescal is a Mexican drink, by the way), but I couldn’t watch him carefully.

I understood the plot and everything, but from time to time my eyes got shot. Then I decided to go back to sleep.Wrong move again, because when I fell asleep, the same Indian guy hit me with the cart this time with the food. Hey, like Michelle Pfeiffer said, to Sinbad: “You are cute, but not that cute! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEvq62ishRE&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD “, so, don’t push it. I was asked again, if I want something to eat. I said, no.

I was pondering my options, “should I stay or should I go (like The Clash said). Well, I decided to stay, so I went ahead, to watch “The bucket list”, with two of the best in the industry Freeman and Nicholson.

After that, I said let’s try again, to sleep. Actually, I was piss off, everyone around me was sleeping, Andrea, Fede, Jakub, Jesus, Tommaso, Cece, Nick 2, (I don’t know about Cristiano, because he was on another part of the plane) and I was watching Freeman and Nicholson.

Maybe my timing sucked! I was feeling cold, so I stand and took my sweater out of the luggage, stockings and the blanket that was destined for the person that was supposed to stay next to me, but didn’t because the seat was empty. And I was ready, to face the next movie, no way I was going to try to sleep again, because something was telling me the cart voyage was not over yet.

And I was right, after 20 min of “Jerry Maguire”, my Indian friend come again, with beverages, and I said to myself, let’s embrace the inevitable, you are not going to sleep so let’s go with the flow! This time I requested a tea.

I’m sorry, for the Top Gun star, but I only watch the movie till min 70, because we finally get to our destination, Delhi. Good, let’s pass the emigration check and get out of the airport! We lend at 23:45 local time, and we start walking towards exit.

The first thing that hit me, was the fact that they didn’t have marble floors, just a huge carpet from one end to another. We reach the self-checking emigration point, we unsuccessfully tried to scan our passports and finger prints, but when we thought that we got it the machine, displayed: “Sorry we cannot process your passport or finger prints!” Good, now what? I said, let’s go, we have to pass emigration either way.

We cross in front of a smoking room and stopped, because some of my team mates need it a well-deserved smoking breake after an 8 hours flight. And I said that the Swiss are the only ones that have codes to the Wi-Fi, I take that back because the Indians have the same system, with the difference that theirs actually works. Then, we followed the claim baggage sing. We end up on a huge hall, that have on both ends baggage claim sign. I was confused, and I ask an Indian guy how to get there.

He pointed in one direction, I didn’t understand what he said, but I realized that we were, standing in front of the emigration desks. Myself, Tommaso and Fede, on the same line. Of course, we were on the wrong side of the line, we were standing to the Indian citizens one instead of foreigners one, but who cares it was 1:30 in the morning. The Indians officers, look at us probably thinking: “those white people can’t read”. They just shook their heads in disagreement.

Finally, our turn, me and Fede went on the same time. She was asked a couple of questions and was dismissed with a short hand sign. My officer, almost asked me what shoe size do I wear. I gave him the passport, he asked me: “What are you doing in India?”. I answer: “Working!” “Where?” (Oh, really? Now who can read?). I answered as sweet as I could at that hour: “Is written in the visa, the work place, HPP India.”

I don’t know if this is a strategy that all emigration officers used, they have your papers where is written everything, they look at you not READING a thing, and start asking question. Maybe, they want to find if you are lying, I don’t know! But, after 36 hours of sleep deprivation, I wasn’t very cooperant and in the mood for trick questions. At one point the guy asked me: “Ma’am, you are sleeping?”, and I answer: “Yes!” “Please, give me the invitation letter?” “Oh, hell, really?” He said: “Yes.” Reluctantly, I reach on my backpack and retrieve the papers. I hand him the invitation letter, but he extended his hand for me to give him the rest of the papers. I give them to him.

On my initial invitation letter was written Mr. instead of Mrs. I requested a couple of times to have it change, but without success. He looked at me, then at Tommaso, and he said: “This is his invitation letter, right?” “Wrong, this is mine.” “No, it’s his.” Tommaso stepped in saying: “No, that is not mine!” The guy looked confused, because the letter said Mr. Of course, this could only happen to me! Then I tried to explain: “Yes, I know the letter says Mr., but if you check the name and all the data, you see that is mine.

As far as I know, I didn’t have any sex change operation, when I do you will be the first to know.” He started to smile and the one next to him looked kind of terrified, but I couldn’t care less. I was tired and I want to get out of the airport. He finally, said: “Look at the camera. Put your left hand on the scanner. Again. Again. Again”. I was tired and I ask: “How about I put my right hand?” He answers: “No, I need you left hand.” “Gee, how about trying to remove it, so I can leave it here?” After that he said: “Look at the camera, again!” God, somebody out there hates my guts! Finally, he said, handing me the papers and the passport: “You may go!” “Gee, thanks!”

I ask Fede: “What did you do?”, she said:” Nothing.” You see, that’s what I call, life being unfair! Oh, never mind, let’s go back for the luggage’s, and out the airport! Only there is a small problem we have to buy ourselves, sim cards with Indian number. And look at us, going up and down, trying to find that blessed shop, but unfortunately no sign of it. On the other hand, our guests were kind of anxious, not knowing if we actually got lost in the airport and we cannot find the exit! After a couples of back-and-forth messages, we find out that the store is not inside of the traveling zone, but outside the exit doors.

So, we went there. And the emigration epopee started again. We were requested to give our passports. I ask: “Why? We are buying a dam sim card.” The answer was: “This is the policy.” Oh, great. I ask sarcastically: “Do you need my shoe size also?” But the guy from the shop didn’t get my sense of humor. After like another 30 min, he said: “Let’s take a picture!” “Are you serious?” He just smiles. Why, do I feel like in “The twilight zone?” Never mind, in the end we all got our sim cards and successfully get out of the airport where we were greeted by our guest.

I don’t have any pictures from the airport, but here something to make you appreciate the ancient culture and history of India, for which I have the upmost respect.

LOTUS TEMPLE

RED FORT

And as someone said: “That’s all folks!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9434BoGkNQ&pp=ygUWdGhhdCdzIGFsbCBmb2xrcyB2aWRlbw%3D%3D

NOTA BENE!

The article is a satire and should be treated as such, although the events described are true!