My phone doesn’t work well here at least as far as messages are concerned. I’m doing great though: no mosquito bites, no problems from the malaria pills, and no stomach upset from all the shots and immunizations required before traveling to this part of the world.

It has been a fascinating learning experience and I mean really, really, really fascinating. On some level I could just be in New York or Hong Kong or Sydney, but then on a closer look the poverty and the plethora of buildings that are falling apart just takes your breath away and overwhelms your heart. I have never seen poverty like this. And the heat in their spring!  You can barely walk outside without melting. It is almost painful!

The business meetings have been incredible but not what I expected in the least. From a business perspective this country seems simultaneously behind the times and up to speed in the millennium. From an Internet perspective they are somewhere in the mid-90s. But the economy is growing by leaps and bounds and as a result there is an amazing amount of progress and development but there is also an immense amount of confusion, political turmoil, unbelievable unemployment, there is need for far more development, and bribery is still a way of doing business. So why am I bothering? Because feedback from businesswomen in India and from consumers has been loud and clear that they want Paula’s Choice products available locally. How amazing!

In order for me to sell Paula’s Choice here I would need to manufacture my products here. I’m trying to figure out how to do that, which has been a 180 degree shift from what I originally thought (meaning my plan was to ship my products here from our Seattle warehouse). Importing is beyond costly (duties, special regulatory requirements that don’t apply to local products) and there are skin care products in this country selling for $3 U.S. funds (they are really awful formulations but they are cheap to make).

My boyfriend who hails from Mumbai has been helping quite a bit. He has been coming with me for most of my meetings. His being able to speak the local language (either Hindi or Marathi) is extremely helpful. There are many times that English just doesn’t work despite the fact that everyone speaks English for the most part. The fact remains that many people are still most comfortable speaking their native tongue. Sometimes it is word choice but often it is just pronunciation; sometimes it is the way they shake their head (I think they are saying no and they are just shaking their heads—imagine the comical situations that can lead to!).

I find the Indian people quite formal and extremely polite and considerate. They also have a great, quirky sense of humor which is wonderful (everyone gets my jokes and they are willing to laugh out loud which is just great).

I’m still not sure I can do business here with the same high standards I hold myself to in other countries, but I am convinced that it is so worth it to continue the investigation and give it a try. The emerging middle class and the desire for information is a pulse you can feel. Women here are amazing. I’ve met with many female business owners or in high-level mid-management positions. They are assertive, smart, savvy, and intense but very service-oriented. They hold to tradition but long to be global. And it is interesting to note that no matter where I travel, the demand for effective, well-formulated skin-care products remains a universal desire.

On a side note, other than culture shock, one particularly unique aspect of Indian society is that everyone (and I mean everyone) lives with their parents until they get married, and often even then they remain with their parents, never moving out.

I clearly stand out here like a sore thumb (at least when I’m dressed up for meetings and wearing full makeup), not in the hotels, but in meetings or driving through the city. The people seem to think I’m a Bollywood celebrity. I went to a Hindu temple last week. They have separate entrances for men and women I went up to the altar and handed their “priest” money and received Darshan (candy, a coconut, and a flower—I have no idea what the coconut was for but the candy is something very typical) he also put a bindi on my forehead (a red dot made of some mixture of seasonings). I wore it all day! It looked great. A gorgeous fashion statement!

On Saturday I’m off to Korea. That should be fascinating as no one speaks English there and I have a big presentation I’m doing for the media and then to a group of over 400 Korean women!

Namaste!