Once again the apparent lack of order and regulation within the service system was surprising. The most important thing in this burgeoning city is to get the job done, not to sweat the petty details. As we learned later in our visit this creed was best illustrated by the informal trading and sales that fuel the daily life of Mumbai's 12 million residents. The final image that stands out in my memory from that first night's arrival was that of cows on the roadside throughout the ride to our host families. The cows stood in the middle of the road, knowing that no car or human could interfere with their activities.
Religion completely permeates the social, political and cultural life of the city.
It is this that most distinctly separates Indian society from that of America, which is usually religious every seventh day. Using small, sometimes quirky, cues from around Mumbai our academic and cultural enhancement was begun. On our first full day of orientation we were welcomed in the traditional Indian way with tikkas for our foreheads and flower garlands around our necks. Our host families were representative of Mumbai's cosmopolitan people in terms of diverse religious affiliations. They included Christians, Muslims and Hindus.