An Expat Wants Information About Moving to India

Q: My name is …..and I'm so thrilled to discover your website! My husband's firm is transferring us to Bangalore for 2-3 years to set up a back office, and I'm nervous about what I should take with me what not to, etc..., mainly what do I do with all my furniture? Did you ship yours to India? Also, what about cookware, pots and pans, dishes, should I take my own? Did you store some things in the U.S. before you left for India, if so what do you recommend storing and what do you recommend just throwing away? Also, how do you go about finding housemaids and drivers? Is there an agency that can help?

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A: Hello! You are in for an exciting time, I can tell you! To answer your questions, I did ship my furniture, as my stuff was relatively new and in good condition, and it didn’t make sense to sell and re-buy, especially as quality stuff costs almost as much as in the US. I brought almost everything that wasn’t electrical, from stainless pots and pans, to every day china and dishes. I did take public storage in the US for seasonal stuff, electronics. But otherwise I brought everything, because once you ship a few, you might as well ship the lot, as the container needs to be filled anyway. Maids and drivers are usually by word of mouth, or from relocating expats. A lot depends on where you live, whether it is an expat area, and what your needs and budget are. There are agencies that help you find maids, but I believe drivers who are reliable and punctual harder to hire from an agency. A lot of companies hire a car and driver for their employees, as it saves on buying and selling a car when the employee comes and leaves. This costs around 45 to 65K a month, so it gets pretty pricey.

Hope that helps,
KC