I’ve noticed that after picking up the phone and saying “hello”, the next thing people here often say is “haylee” (in Kannada–not sure about my transliteration) or “tell me”. (Prashanth doesn’t allow me to say “haylee” though because he says I can’t pronounce the “l” correctly…supposedly, my pronunciation means something totally different…something about taking a dump. Ha!)
Anyways, I think “tell me” or “haylee” are used in a “what’s up?” sense. Given the number of people and the number of cell phones, those words are heard often.
Some random bits about cell phones here:
- No contract required. Phones are typically purchased at shops separate from the providers.
- Many cell phones, including my basic one, have a built-in flashlight. Pretty handy given the power outages.
- To get a SIM card, you have to complete an application and submit photos of yourself. Next, someone will visit your residence to verify that you actually live there. Once the verification is complete, the card is activated.
- Voice mail isn’t standard, so most folks don’t have it. But, you can usually send an SMS (text message).
- Incoming calls are typically free. So, if someone doesn’t want to spend money to call you, he’ll give you a missed call, expecting you to call him back.
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