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| Andrea and Zsolt Dömötör in Mamallapuram. |
Mihika: Why did you come to India?
Mr. Dömötör: I am managing the construction of new plant extension buildings for BMW.
Mihika: When you came to India, what was your first impression?
Mrs. Dömötör: Very warm. It was funny to see people and animals on the streets. It was full of motor bikes. I liked it very much. (Laughing)
Mr Dömötör: I liked it very much; my first impression was the beautiful coastlines and palm trees. It was very sensational, as I am a nature-lover.
Mihika: Did you face any challenges over here?
Mrs. Dömötör: I face challenges every day. (Pats her own back) I am very proud of myself to be able to manage those challenges.
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| With two marvellous buddies on the beach. |
Christine: Before you came to India, did you have a mental picture about the country?
Mrs. Dömötör: Yes, I had.
Christine: Did it live up to your expectations? What did you imagine?
Mrs. Dömötör: Oh, it was totally different. I imagined a lot of spirituality; people were very relaxed and calm
Christine: What do you miss about Germany?
Mrs. Dömötör: My family, the food.
Mr. Dömötör: It is important to see different countries and cultures. You personally experience a lot of things. When you live in another place, it’s different than what you had in mind. You read about places in books, magazines and computers, but it’s a totally new experience when you see the place with your own eyes. That’s why it is important to travel. It’s a gift to be given this opportunity, to come and live here.
Christine: Have you seen any other places in India?
Mrs. Dömötör: We went to Kerala, because we are nature lovers. The other places we went to were Delhi, Agra, Jaipure, Bangalore, Mysore, Munnar, and we went to the Andaman Islands.
Mr. Dömötör: We visited a farm in Kerala, and the people over there explained to us about rice cultivation.
Advaitha: Do you think there’s a big difference between the south and the north?
Mrs. Dömötör: Yes, there is a big difference – the touristic and non-touristic places, rural areas, the languages.
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| Visiting the Tadj Mahal in Agra. |
Mr. Dömötör: They were very open, friendly, but could hardly speak a word of English. They all lived in huts, but were smiling all the time and talking with hand gestures. I was very fascinated.
Advaitha: How do you think India has influenced you as a person?
Mrs. Dömötör: I have experienced a lot of change.
Vriti: How do you find the culture?
Mr. Dömötör: [After much thinking]. It’s a difficult question. I’ll start with religion. It’s sometimes scary, the relationship of the human beings with God, and sometimes very brutal. When I look at pictures and statues, I think that it is very scary. But it is something many religions have. I will probably not be a good Hindu. The religious leaders create pressure, so the followers are forced to listen, like the Muslims do. In the past, in my religion, people used to burn women because they thought that the women were witches. And, the young generation of India are open-minded. They use their own brain. They know what they want and what they don’t want. And I think that’s very positive.
Mrs. Dömötör: The food was very spicy here. I found it very hot. But, I like the different tastes. Some I like some I don’t like, as it is very different for Germans.
Vriti: What do you think about the people in India? Are they any different from the ones in Germany?
Mr. Dömötör: The people here are different from the Germans. Every person has two sides. I have a very good relationship with my whole team from work. Some people I do not like, so I do like. It’s the same in Germany. If someone does something bad or rude to me in Germany or India, I would not like them.
Vriti: Can you tell me something about your family?
Mrs. Dömötör: I love this question. I have two kids. Both live in Germany. My son, Matthias, is a cameraman and he lives with his wife, Negi, who is a biologist. My daughter is Juliane, who lives in Augsburg with her husband, David, who is a teacher. Juliane is a goldsmith who designs jewellery.
Vriti: What is the one thing you love about India?
Mrs. Dömötör: So many things. The many colours, the women’s clothes, the paintings. It’s something so different. The temple dances, the creativity, the folk art. I don’t like the male dominance in India.
Shravanthi: Do you miss the snow?
Mr. Dömötör: No, I don't..
Mrs. Dömötör: Not really, because I have been here only for 1 and a half years. If we lived here for, maybe 10 years, then yeah, we might.
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| Having a good time in Pondycherrie. |
Mrs. Dömötör: We will be going in a year’s time. I will miss India. I will definitely take a part of India when I go back. I went to Germany for the holidays, thinking I need a break from India. But, to my surprise, I actually missed India a lot. I did not expect it.
Shravanthi: Was there ever a difficult situation you faced?
Mrs. Dömötör: Many difficult situations. The hygiene is one of the. There are so many poor people here, and their children don´t have a chance to grow into a better life. That is difficult to adjust.
Simran: Where do you stay?
Mr. Dömötör: On the East Coast Road, in between two fishermen villages. We live in an apartment on the second floor.
Simran: Do you like the beach?
Mrs. Dömötör: Yes, I like it very much. I take my dogs for a walk there.
Mihika: What are the names of your dogs?
Mrs. Dömötör: The mother is named Mama Laura, because I think she was a good mother. Her children are called Joy and Julie.
Mihika: Do you like the traditional clothes?
Mrs. Dömötör: I always wear them. I like it very much, as it is very comfortable. When I go back to Germany, I’ll definitely take some with me.
Christine: What was the most exciting thing you’ve done in India?
Mrs. Dömötör: The traffic. It’s not easy, but it’s nice to win some races.
Mr. Dömötör: I love riding bikes. It’s very exciting.
Christine: How often do you go back?
Mr. Dömötör: We go back once a year.
Advaitha: What do you do in your free time?
Mrs. Dömötör: We sit and tell each other about the adventures of the day. We don’t like going out much, because of the long drive. We like going to Pondicherry. I love doing yoga. It’s enriching and very relaxing.
Advaitha: Has your experience in India been a positive one?
Mrs. Dömötör: I miss my family in Germany, but it has been a fabulous experience over here.
Mr. Dömötör: It has been very positive.
