Charmed by the infectious smiles

Stefanos Chatziangelidis from Thessaloniki, Greece came to India for the first time in 2009.

He found ‘this country of diversity’ quite a charming place. Stefanos is now working as the CEO of BETA CAE Systems India Pvt Ltd here.

“After my first visit every time I came to Bengaluru, it would be a different city. There was always so much happening. Be it Metro work or new buildings, the city keeps changing. Changes like these take ages to happen back home,” he says.

He points out that the cultural differences are many between Greece and India.

“People are really religious here. It is a great opportunity for me to change my lifestyle and try spirituality too,” he says.

“The best part about the people here is that they are always happy. Everyone has a smile on their face despite who you are, where you belong to or where you work. This is such a refreshing sight; it means that the people are content,” he says.

Stefanos feels that he hasn’t travelled a lot in the country but is positive that he will be able to. He has been to Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi and finds Bengaluru and Mumbai the most cosmopolitan and easiest places to live in.

He points out that things are changing for the better when it comes to Bengaluru.

“The security clearance at the airport is easier and much friendlier now. There were times when I was stressed and would go hours in advance to get through the clearance smoothly,” he recollects.

Despite adjustment issues Stefanos points out that the friendly people helped him settle in well.

“People are very easygoing and it is easy to build a social network. They invest time in others. There was a time when I had to find a new apartment and people around me started networking and helped me out,” he recollects.

The good communication skills that Bengalureans have is another advantage, according to him.

“Most people here speak English. Most cab services are automated and even if the driver cannot speak English, one can reach the destination safely,” he says.

“The best part is when the driver does not speak English well, yet he wants to chat,” he adds with a smile.

Thessaloniki, the city he hails from, according to him, is highly commercialised which is why he appreciates the greenery here.

“It is a rare sight to see trees lining up the streets there. I love nature and Bengaluru has the best parks,” he says.

He says that the honking in Bengaluru has come down much as compared to earlier.

“I might have got used to it too but I still believe that it is much lesser than the first time I visited,” he says.

Some things about the city disappoint him too. “Known as the IT hub and seeing so much development around, it was disheartening to see that there were no proper walkways with provisions for strollers here,” he says.

When it comes to food, he says, “Indian cuisine has a lot of variety and I really enjoy it. Before coming to India, spicy food was an unknown territory for me. Now I think I am addicted to it and find non-spicy food boring,” says Stefanos.

Though the 11 pm deadline at most eateries during weekdays bothers Stefanos, he loves to hang out at places in Indiranagar and Koramangala, when he has time off his schedule.

“I like going to TOIT, Koramangala Social and 16th Floor in UB City. Closer home, I like visiting ‘High Ultra Lounge’, all the restaurants at ‘Sheraton Grand Bangalore’ apart from ‘District 6’,” he adds.

There are different things that Stefanos has learnt to work around with.
“In the beginning I was trying to understand how things function here and it would sometimes be frustrating. I’ve learnt to be patient and have tried to adjust to the circumstances, especially when it comes to procedures like opening bank accounts or processes at the FRRO,” he says.

Leaving one’s comfort zone and settling in a new place can be quite a task. It wasn’t easy for Stefanos either, but he has learnt to go with the flow.

“The city has its own pace and it is best to go with it. Things work better that way,” he sums up with a smile.