Coming back to my Bombay story, I reached Dadar station after 3 days and I was very nervous when I got down the train as I dare not take a taxi at that hour which was still pitch dark ouside the station.

I decided to stay put at the filthy waiting room till day break. The lady at the door wanted " Bakshis" (tips) which I had to hand over reluctantly because this was Bombay and I dare not argue with her. It was her domain!!

I called up the agency and they gave me the directions to get there!! The cabbies outside all passed comments that I was a new "Nepali Chiriya" (nepali bird) for the notorious red-light area of Kamathipura.

I had already read about it in the mags and news and I chose to ignore them. I approached a fairly newly trained or new comer cabbie to take me to my destination.

OMG! he knew I was new to the area and took me round and round to get the miles out of the ride. It just takes 20 mins from Dadar to reach Sion (west) but this guy took advantage.

But hey! it was a learning experience and at least he got me there safely instead of being whisked away somewhere else which I would not know any better. He charged me Rs. 60 for that ride. Lesson-#-1-learned- Never travel anywhere without a proper map for a guide.

I had got in touch with a Sindhi business-savvy nurse who was based in Bombay. I met her during one of the National Nurses' Conferences held in Cochin, Kerala in '91.

I was representing Assam Nursing Students, due to my being enrolled in the Mission Hospital of Jorhat Nursing School.

After my training and bond got over, I followed her directions to Bombay and that is how I got there. She provided food and accomodation for a fee in her own building for which I did not mind because it gave me security.

She ran a Staffing Agency for providing Nurses to Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Clinics, etc and charged us 10% commission.

She was very nice and sweet to me always, maybe because there were not any other NE nurses in her agency at that time or my being a new face among the crowd of Malalyali, Tamil, Marathi, Manglorean, Goan and some Gujju nurses, or maybe I worked harder..!!

She put me up with a Manglorean nurse who had been her long term resident in her building. There were 3 beds in that tiny room. Our beds were used by the Kerala nurses who worked night shifts.

Gosh!! how I hated that! because they always had head lice in their hair! The bed smelt of coconut oil and hair balls here and there everywhere. I always sprayed disinfectant on my bed before I went to bed.

I do not hate them but I have had Malayali batchmates in Assam and I do know for a fact that they have very poor hygienic practices. They cannot deny this at all.

I may be wrong but I am talking from my experiences with them during my hostel days in Assam for over 6 years. If any of you worked/ studied with them or came in contact with them, you would all know what I am talking about.

They learn pretty fast and adapt and adjust very easily anywhere in the world but when it comes to hygiene, they rank zero.

All my batchmates' main motive and goal in life was to earn enough moolah for their dowry for marriage. Because their society looked down on them if they remained unmarried.

This was what kept them going and look for better job prospects here and there mostly in the Gulf countries!

My batch mates all came from the interior parts of Kerala and they had never met people who wore western dresses except on TV, so when they came to our training center, they themselves got transformed due to the good exposure to other communities and ways of life.

They were only used to wearing the long skirts "Pavada" which we called "municipal sweepers" because they trailed behind when they walked, fitted blouses, or half sarees or any other bright coloured ones when they attend the Sunday Mass.

They would have their hair braided after applying coconut oil and a little flower stuck on it. They had so much freedom than being in their conservative society back home.

I was particularly struck by the fact that they all would go to the Sunday Mass and dress up with garish make-up and pad up their behind by wearing double petticoats with their sarees which they said was for the benefit of the Malayali menfolk (from Assam rifles and the Air Force) in the church who came to ogle at them.

Some would stuff cotton in their bras and check themselves in the mirror for hours before the final countdown!! My room-mate was honest enough to admit that some of them are out to hook a guy! So much for the church attendance!!!

Well, they do not like to admit that they are sexually a repressed lot due to the societal pressures. At least we people do have the luxury of being able to meet and chat with friends or make new ones.

I am sure if you go out and get to meet different people and try to channel your energies to a positive way, it would be really helpful!!

More stories later...