'I have a love-hate relationship with spice'

It’s not always easy for one to leave their hometown and start a new life in a country they have only heard about.

One might even have a few concerns — about the people, the culture, food habits and even the mere idea of being away from their loved ones. But for Jamie Rath, almost everything came at ease when he found a job opportunity in Bengaluru.

Hailing from Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Jamie works as the brand ambassador of the South division of Jameson Irish Whiskey. He has been living in Bengaluru for 9 months and says that he has been having a lot of fun here.

He shares, “I was worried about a few things when I initially moved. Firstly, what different honks and beeps meant — is it that you want to drive past the person, or to move,  or a friendly ‘hello’ or you’re yelling at them. Secondly, the sheer number of people that lived in every nook and corner of the city was overwhelming. Lastly, the spicy food.”

However, these didn’t concern him after a while, especially the spicy food part. “I’ve realised that I have a love-hate relationship with spice. Though I love spice, my body doesn’t really like it. But I give in every time and end up trying something that I think will excite my palate,” he says laughing.

He cooks for himself as he realised that eating out everyday is not a good option. He says that he gained a lot of weight during the initial months, but since he’s been preparing food at home, that’s reduced. “I usually prepare something with fish, vegetables, lasagne, Italian and French food. My parents also send some of the ingredients from back home and I try to make something from that. I’ve also tried making Indian-style ‘fish masala’, ‘chicken biryani’ and ‘butter chicken’, but they didn’t come out the way I wanted them to, so I’ve decided to let the Indian cooking be left to the experts,” he shares. Some of his favourite restaurants in the city are ‘Shiro’, ‘Samarkand’ and ‘Toast & Tonic’. 

During the weekends, he likes to keep himself busy at the gym, play some sport or take part in various runs that are organised. As he hails from the land of pubs, partying with his friends is also how he likes to unwind. He says, “I like being active at any time of the day. It’s either travelling or trying new dishes. My motto is to challenge myself everyday.”
He has travelled to Goa, Mumbai, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and Kolkata. Andaman and Nicobar Islands is the latest addition.

Talking about his life in Ireland, he says, “I grew up on a farm, so I learnt a lot while growing up. The people in the city are extremely friendly and are very culture driven. I did my schooling and university there as well. Though I studied physiotherapy, after I started working, I realised that it’s not my cup of tea.”

Jamie’s parents also visited the city recently. He laughs and says, “We did all the typical tourist places like Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. We halted at Bengaluru for a couple of days and visited Andaman and Nicobar Islands for the remaining time.”

“Though they were astonished at the cows walking on the road and the number of people that an autorickshaw could accommodate, they embraced this new culture quite gracefully,” he adds.

Even though Jamie is happy with his lifestyle here, he misses the food, his friends and the national sport. He says, “I miss playing hurling (Irish national game that resembles hockey, played with a shorter stick with a broadened oval blade). It’s sad that there aren’t any organised sports in India; I would have loved to go out to the park in the evenings to play something.”

He also wishes that something could be done about the pollution in the city. “Ireland is one of the cleanest countries and we make sure that we take care of our beaches, rivers and lakes. Though I know that there are a few groups who are trying to bring about a change, it’s still not enough.” Despite his complaints, he says that he can’t imagine living anywhere else in the country.

      He says, “I have colleagues who work in Delhi and Mumbai and claim that their city
is great. But I don’t think I would give up living in Bengaluru for any other city in the country. People are kind and friendly and this city has everything that I need to survive.”