Terry Anne Wilson - Expat in India

We’ve had the chance to talk to Terry Anne Wilson, 53, a Canadian expat who has moved to India with her husband, career-wise. Mrs Wilson, who has been living there for two years works as a writer. Read more about her experiences in the full interview below.

 

Q: Where are you from originally?

A: I’m originally from Canada where we have a home base.

 

Q: What made you move out of Canada?

A: My husband’s career took us out of Canada about 25 years ago, we have lived overseas since.

 

Q: Where are you living now? How did you come to choose this new country of residence?

A: We live in Bangalore, India. We are here with a company.

 

Q: How long have you been living in India?

A: We’ve been here for 2 years.

 

Q: Are you living alone or with your family? If yes, how are they adjusting to the Expat Lifestyle?

A: We are empty nesters, though two of your adult sons are spending some time with us here at the moment.

 

Q: Do you miss home and family sometimes? How do you cope with homesickness?

A: Yes we miss family in Canada, and our sons are often there, so there is a feeling of missing family. We have done this for many years and are quite adapt to this being one of the implications of living a global life.

 

Q: What do you think about the locals?

A: I love the Southern Indians and have become friends with many of them.

 

Q: Was it easy making friends and meeting people? Do you mainly socialise with other expats in India? How did you manage to find a social circle there?

A: I found a social group through a number of women’s group.

 

Q: How does the cost of living in India compare to your home?

A:

 

Q: How much is a cup of coffee?

A: It depends on if you drink the local chai or at a ‘western’ coffee shop.

 

Q: How much is a meal in an inexpensive restaurant?

A: It can be as little as a few dollars.

 

Q: How much is a meal in an expensive restaurant?

A: It can be as much as 100 dollars for two.

 

Q: How much is a bottle of wine? How about a pack of cigarettes?

A: Have no idea about cigarettes, do not smoke. A good bottle of wine is about 20 dollars.

 

Q: Do you have any tips for future expats when it comes to opening a bank account in India?

A: It requires documentation and patience, though a good bank will assign you a bank advisor to help through the process.

 

Q: How will you describe your experience with government paperwork such as applications for Visa and work permits? Why is that so?

A: It is normal to have an SME help with this process as it is a lot of paperwork. Companies usually assign these to their employees.

 

Q: Would you say that healthcare in India is reliable? Any preferred clinics or advice for expats?

A: There are a number of very good hospitals and the waiting time is next to nil. I use Columbia Asia.

 

Q: Did you secure a health insurance in Canada or India? What should be the essentials in the coverage for expats, in your opinion?

A: Our health care is provided globally by our company.

 

 

Q: What was the most memorable about the packing and moving process to India? Which was the mover you chose and how was your experience with them?

A: Again, this is all assigned by company.

 

Q: What is the biggest challenge that you have faced as a new expat?

A: I am not a new expat and have written of many of my challenges in my newly published book Monday Morning Emails. It is a conversation between two of us who have lived globally for 25 years. It is an insightful, truthful book about living overseas. It also instructive as it has advice from experts.

 

Q: What do you think are the positive and negative sides of living in India?

A: The positive are the travel opportunities, the food and the warmth of the people. The negatives are the issues of safety with road travel and pollution.

 

Q: What are the best things to do in the area? Any particular recommendations for future expats?

A: There are colourful and vibrant bazaars, palaces, and good shopping.

 

Q: Do you have plans to move to a different country or back home in the future?

A: We will be moving to The Netherlands this year.

 

Q: What tips will you give to expats living in the country?

A: I recommend befriending locals as well as other expats and being open to getting off the ‘beaten path’. Go to the older areas of the city, take the train to Mysore, visit Goa, Pondicherry and Hampi in the south.

 

Q: Do you have favourite websites or blogs about India?

A: I blog about my Indian experiences and other countries in www.notesonaboardingpass.wordpress.com