If I am SINGLE, is it safe? What can I do? Where can I go?
“Life for singletons.
When you are planning to be part of the Indian workforce as a foreigner you must be very careful as not to get involved in any kind of politics. You are not sure of local judicial as well as political system. You must never get involved directly or indirectly into any kind of party politics. People here are very sensitive to their religion and traditions. And public display of religious celebration and belief is common. Try to learn local language will help you settle down fast in India. Knowing the local customs and traditions will help you understand people’s psyche.
Most of the people are god fearing and play by the rules. You can easily afford domestic help which can be distance dream if you live in West. Don’t trust your domestic helper and keep a record of their identity, as this will help you in the event of any incidents. Here it’s better not to drive even if you are a gem of a driver. You can easily get a driver and an experienced one at very reasonable rate. Traffic in most of the cities is nowhere near to global standards. Many expressways are coming up but the driving skills are still that of the stone ages. In cities like Mumbai or Delhi things are still okay, but in smaller cities people really don’t know how to drive. They really need an education on driving skills and civic senses. In bigger cities, general cleanliness is adequate but if you are not lucky and if you have to go to smaller cities you must be ready to witness dirty streets and cleaner houses. Here in India people tend to clean their own houses and offices, but when it comes to streets and roads they forget to do the same.
Religious tolerance is adequate and racism is subtle. But as an outsider you must be very careful as you will be walking a tight rope and need to do some balancing.  Early morning and late night outings must be avoided at all times for females. Night life in cities like Mumbai is fine but other cities are not so safe. Self defense techniques can really help you. You should stay away from cheap places and hang outs. In workplaces, the key is to go with the flow all the time. Any attempt to make any kind of revolution may put you in trouble. Living single in India can be boring and risky at times. People don’t seem to welcome the idea of living single and enjoying life. People here are too nosy about the things you do and places you go. So, creating a shield around you can be a strategy in the beginning until you get to know people. If you are a single male you will hardly have any trouble. But, if you are a single female then extra care needs to be taken, because it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
People here tend to like people of lighter tone more than anything else. So, if you are one of those then extra care should be taken and you should not be over friendly with anybody in the beginning. Getting an apartment or a place to live on rent can be challenging if it is not provided by the school you are going to work for. For singles, very few choices are available. Full service apartments are not common yet. Staying with somebody or sharing a room can be an option, but doing your homework and reading the fine lines of contracts will help you avoid troubles later.  In smaller cities your expenses will be in range of $300-$400 and in bigger cities $400-$500 at least. So, you should keep this in mind while negotiating your contract.
Lots of book stores and reading libraries are popping up everywhere so if you are a book-worm these are the places to visit on a regular basis. If you like to play games like tennis or swimming you can get registered to a local club or resort and you will have good times. If you know how to cook, that always helps, but if you don’t, you can have a cook at very cheap rates cooking local and international dishes for you and according to your taste. Hindi is the national language and the influence of a local state language is also very overwhelming so you should learn a few common words of each that can be useful and people will not try to cheat you if you know a little bit of the local language.
Must see places to visit and explore:
If you visiting India for the first time, the Himalayas and the Taj Mahal are the must see places! If you are going to stay in India for a period of one or two years you should try to visit as many places as you can as India is full of places of historical importance and interest. As one of the early civilizations of the world and full of rich history and heritage, here you will find lots of Temples and Forts of the Mughal and pre-Mughal eras. India is surrounded by the great mountains of the Himalayas in the North Eastern part of the country. The scenic beauty of the hill stations and the origins of some the great rivers of India are the first places to visit. The Taj Mahal one of the best, and the only other great wonder of Asia besides the Great Wall of China, and is really the place to be if you’re amazed by large-scale construction and if you believe in the concept of Love. Presidents and leaders of the world come to this place first even before they visit local leaders. Historically, it is one of the best man-made constructions. This place is really magical and once there you will really want to stay there for more if you can. The Taj Mahal is situated in Agra, a city near New Delhi, capital city of India. A ride of modern marvel like the Metro Rail of New Delhi can be fun and you will be amazed that even in a country like India this is possible.
Rafting and water sports on the banks of the Ganges or other huge rivers of Northern India are really fun if you love adventure and like to have adrenaline rush to your veins. India is full of natural beauty. Serene Places are all over but mainly you should head to the north or the south if you are really in the mood to go near Mother Nature. Kerala is the place to be if you want to go near God as they call it God’s own country. Pristine water lagoons and waterways are part of the wonderful scenic beauty waiting for you to explore. Staying in House boats can be an experience of a lifetime. Various therapies of Ayurveda are available to rejuvenate you and make you stress free. Blue water and almost white sand can be found at some of the beaches of the southern states of India. Goa is the place to be if you like to walk along the sea shores on beaches. It is really different from main land India. You can relish the sea food and dry fruits available here. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are two states where you can get a glimpse of rich heritage and the culture of ancient India and do pay visit to Bangalore and Hyderabad to get the glance of modern-day marvels of developing India. Major IT companies of the world are opening up their shops in these two southern cities of India. Newly built airports of Hyderabad are the showcase of strength of what India can achieve if political will is there.
Mumbai is one of the best cities of the world if you are really interested in night life and movies. Bollywood, the much talked about Indian Hindi film industry, is thriving and churning out more than 300 movies out of this city alone. Lately, the Indian film industry is getting critical acclaim and box office success around the world after the great success of Oscar award winner films like Slumdog Millionaire. You can rub shoulders with film stars and directors at any five-star hotel or local resorts of Mumbai. Mumbai is the financial capital of India. It is like a city of dreams for Indians so naturally it’s overcrowded and rushing towards becoming one of the best place to be to turn dreams into realities.
If you love to go to hill stations, Ooty, Panchgini, Nainitaal, Darjileeng, and Simla are the places to be. You must visit Paradise on earth Kashmir if you really want to enjoy a holiday in the lap of Mother Nature. Boat houses and gondola rides are must dos if you want to relax and make the most out of the trip. Political tension is part of daily life in Kasmir so be extra cautious if you plan to visit Kasmir. Amritsar is the place to be if you want to see the Golden Temple Eyes, a temple really made up of Gold. Rajsthan is a state where you will see a desert lifestyle full of vivid colors as well as forts of the historical era. You will be amazed by the hospitality by local people. If you want to see Asiatic Lions in their natural habitat, Sasan Gir, Gujarat is the place to be. Mahatma Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad is worth the visit if you are a fan of peace and non-violence. All in all, India offers a wide range of places and options to visit and have experience of lifetime.
Palace on Wheels, special trains made by Indian Railways are worth a try if you want to see India and Indian people. You will be treated like a king so naturally it’s expensive but it’s worth every penny you spend.
For food you will have lots of varieties of vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies. Dosas and idlies are worth a try if you like rice and things made of rice. Sambar, a lentil soup, goes with dosas and is a really tongue tickling recipe. Try pau bhaji and paani puri spicy treats if you can handle them. Naan, Indian freshly cooked bread, tastes good with any curry of your choice and is made with cheese or paneer or your choice of your meat. Lots of options are available for drinks too.”