D-I-Y

So I changed the lightbulbs in my unit on my own...after struggling to do so for 4 weeks and after asking a male friend (who also struggled with it). Mind you, these are not the ordinary kind of lightbulbs. They are a bit 'fancier' and therefore, were a bit harder to figure out.

I managed to do it all by myself!!! (Persistence pays, people!! Now I just need to persist with my dining chairs which haven't been completely put together yet.)

It made me realise just how much I've probably taken for granted.

Back in India, you don't do any of these things by yourself. There's always an electrician who will come and fit your lights, there's the carpenter who will build/fix your stuff, there's a maid who will clean your house (and in some people's cases do your dishes, cook your meals...this was never in our case). In fact, a relative of mine has a live-in maid and so life's easy for their family even if she works full-time.

On the other hand, here, unless you are very rich, you can't afford to have someone clean your house, cook your meals, put your furniture together...

And over the past few years, I've learnt the following:

- To put furniture by myself (and the help of friends). Yes, the furniture I bought is a DIY style furniture. I ended up putting together a coffee table, dining table, dining chairs, bed frame with the help of one other friend. In the past I have put together a bookcase, study desk, and helped a mate with their house furniture.

- I have learnt how to screw on a lightbulb. And it's not an easy straight-foward type. [Add my shortness to the picture and it makes it harder!]

- I have learnt to juggle work and cooking

- I have learnt to clean an entire house with the help of just a flatmate (Back home, I'd only clean my room)

- I have learnt to move...several times. This includes lifting heavy boxes, lifting furniture and climbing stairs. I've never used a mover...so it's always been a mate and me.

Yes it's different from what it was before in India.

But I wouldn't trade it for anything. Not even a maid to do all my housework while I just go to work.

And so, to those few people back in Bombay that turned up their noses at me not doing my dishes every single day or stacking up my laundry for a week (in a laundry basket, mind you) and doing it only on weekends or not cleaning the house every single day --- try living by yourself, working full-time and not having a maid. Then comment.

For that matter, try changing a lightbulb on your own. :)

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On a different note, Sweet Nothings presented me with an award

And I'd like to pass this honour on to the following bloggers (in no particular order):

Smita
Titaxy
Legal Alien (when she updates her blog...hint, hint)
Nu
Archana
Footloose (when she updates her blog...hint, hint)
Sid
Richa
Do share the love guys!

Until next time,

Cheers!!!