Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore, and still known by many as Bangalore) is a unique and rapidly growing cosmopolitan city, and is a favourite amongst foreigners living in India; it was recently rated as ‘India’s most liveable city’ by ECA International beating other popular expat cities Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi.
English, Hindi and the local language of Kannada are the main languages spoken in Bangalore; with the majority of people having at least some understanding of English.
A downside in Bangalore is the infamous traffic congestion which will definitely frustrate you at times. A journey that might take you half an hour in your home country, may take you hours in Bangalore. Googlemaps is generally pretty accurate, but it is always advisable to allow a bit of ILT (India Late Time) to you journey.
You are not advised to drive in Bangalore, however, taxi companies such as Ola and Uber are extremely accessible. There are also plenty of local buses and auto-rickshaws for shorter distances.
One of the wonderful things about living in Bangalore is the benevolent weather. The monsoon months are between mid-August and mid-November when it will rain (quite impressively on occasion) for an hour or so in the evenings.
Bangalore itself has many good restaurants, bars and opportunities for shopping; it is also a gateway for many other exciting areas and opportunities outside the city.
LIVING ON SITE AT TISB
As a member of staff living on site at TISB you will be living in a part-furnished, one or two bedroom apartment within the staff living quarters. There is plenty of space for staff children to play and family swim time is always fun!
SOME USEFUL INFORMATION FROM CURRENT TISB STAFF:
Bangalore is accessible to many areas, so most staff will travel around India or other parts of Asia. Otherwise they will go home to visit family and friends.
TISB has a Medical Center on campus and a doctor visits every Tuesday and Thursday. There are good hospitals nearby if further medical treatment is required.
TISB does not provide private medical insurance for staff, so you are advised to investigate the options and decide if you think it is necessary for your personal circumstances.
There are many ways to travel around Bangalore.
There are a number of options of places to buy food and drink, with a couple listed below:
Jacobs Cream Crackers and Marmite! Cheese is available, but is very expensive. Most things are available to come by, but can be expensive.
Some useful websites for new arrivals are:
