Travel in the times of pandemic - Emerging countries have one over developed countries

I have lived in Europe for most of my life and now I live in India. From one home to another, I sometimes feel like a daughter of two nations.

When covid19 hit us in early 2020, I knew in my heart that it would be some time before I met my family in Germany. While I was pretty much in a better state than many others during the multiple lockdowns, staying at my farm most of the time, enjoying a minimalist lifestyle, a part of me always missed my sons and friends.

So, when I got the chance last month, I grabbed my stuff and took the earliest flight to the other home.

The familiarity of the roads, the familiar aroma of the food that my son cooks among many others were like a welcome treat to me that I cherished beyond words.

But while I was there, I noticed a few contrasts in my two lives. I am taking this space to share that.

Difference in the maturity of Payment Systems. India is an emerging economy but I must mention that the level of maturity in their payment systems is to gloat over. It’s way more evolved than many developed nations and that’s something the world can refer to. In India, I never carry much cash as most financial transactions are contactless – through UPI (Unified Payments Interface) accessible via mobile apps like Google Pay and Paytm or net-banking. I may need to keep some change to pay a tip somewhere but that’s that.

All the records of my financial transactions are immediately communicated to me on my phone via SMS and emails. I have become used to this way of functioning and I value this. Cash exchanging hands is not safe for our health as money is one of the main transmitters of viruses.

Contrary to these contactless payment models, most (read all) of the transactions in Europe (Germany) required cash or cards. Infact, many establishments did not support card payments. The contactless modes of payment do not exist in Germany. From making all payments, small or big, through a secured mobile app, to carrying cash for every little transaction, it was quite a switch.

I understand that making payment processes, or any process for that matter, simple is no simple job. Take that on a country/continent level, consider the security threats and privacy concerns, there are many trade-offs to make note of w.r.t. netizens’ priorities. That said, the current payment systems in Europe do need a makeover in my experience. We can no longer afford to stick to old fashioned ways of exchanging funds, especially given the covid shenanigans.

Difference in the Cost of mobile Data.

In India, when I am working from my farm in the countryside, many times I use my mobile data hotspot to run the internet on my laptop. I conduct meetings and training sessions, I watch movies, I do everyday business on both my systems using mobile data. This is convenient and affordable.

However, mobile data packages in Europe are very expensive. One has to be really conscious of data usage and data limits. Given the cost involved, using hotspot to function on another system is not a choice.

Data is a need for running through the day. It’s time that countries revisit such plans and costs involved and come up with pocket friendly and convenient options for the common man.

Difference in approach towards the pandemic.

In India, wearing a mask is mandatory at many places and one will find sanitizer at every outlet, small, medium or big. Everybody I meet is carrying a sanitizer themselves. There is not much noise around everyday covid cases etc., but the significance of personal hygiene is communicated in every message.

While in Germany I realised that the situation is quite the opposite. Wearing a mask in public is not mandatory except in a few places. However, the volume of conversations around covid is way more than that in India.

If you ask me, I appreciate actions over concerns. I completely support regular updates and necessary conversations around the pandemic, but I believe reinforcing behaviours that help us keep the pandemic in control and curb its effects is much more important than anything else.

Less talk & more agency allows us to lead a life which is not just about covid. And I believe we need that.

I believe that the world becomes a better place to live when we are all open about learning from one another’s successes and mistakes.

There are many things that a country can learn from a developed nation. At the same time, there are systems and processes where emerging societies are way better than developed ones. I hope nations find a way to communicate methods of growth for one another. Countries are an extension of companies. The message is the same for both of them – We either all succeed together or we fail together, there is no in between, not in this world.