Thomas Loeffler came to Bangalore nearly a year ago and instantly fell in love with the city. “The weather made me a fan of the city. When I came from Germany, I was expecting hot tropical weather, but this was a nice surprise.”
He says that the work culture was a bit of a cultural shock initially. “In India, hierarchy is mostly maintained at the workplace, even though the general atmosphere is very informal.”
He adds, “Working with my team has been a lot of fun. They are extremely professional. They helped me adjust to the new office environment quickly enough.”
As with countless others residing in the metropolis, Loeffler's pet peeve is about the numerous traffic snarls that occur with frightening regularity in areas across the city. “The sad part is that no one makes an effort to regulate traffic flow. People end up breaking traffic rules to reach their destination on time, resulting in accidents. Like many cities in the West, Bangalore needs a proper public transport system to handle the traffic situation.”
His first tryst with cricket came in the course of an IPL match he watched at the stadium. “I have been to a lot of football matches back home in Germany, but this was a new experience. Indians take cricket very seriously and are sporting as well. The atmosphere was electrifying. I do not understand the game still, but am trying to learn more.”
He is coming to terms with Indian food and enjoys kebabs and tandoori food. “Initially, I had problems adjusting with the high amount of spices used, but now enjoy it. Indian food is excellent, you just need time to get used to it.”
His busy schedule ensures that he does not get much time to make short trips across the country. “I have been to Kerala and Goa once. Most of my travel is strictly on business and is restricted to Mumbai and Delhi. I would like to travel more and visit more places across this beautiful country.”
