If you live in an area where you are the majority, going to another area where you are the minority can be quite an eye opener. If you are a westerner especially if you are white and you want to know what its like to be a minority? go to India! Everywhere I go people stare, even when I'm wearing Indian clothes. As I have mentioned before its not a rude stare but a curious stare, still I find it a bit unnerving because people are always watching!
Delhi hasn't been so bad, people turn their heads as I walk past but in rural Rajasthan people full out stopped what they were doing or turned around and came to where we were. Even at school our presence has created a lot of interest, the school was established a few months ago and we have already seen enrollment go up (which is one of the reasons we are at school). Lots of times other children and mothers will stand by the doorway to watch us, especially if Leia and I are talking or leading an activity. Many times mothers come with their babies and I've been asked to hold them. In the rural areas people appeared out of nowhere. One time when I was at a roadside dhaba stand getting a juice and there were a few children playing nearby but when I turned to leave there were 15 people; adults and children! When this happens I just smile, fold my hands and say "namaste" which is a traditional Indian greeting. One time I was walking back to the flat in Delhi with my roommates and I just happened to look up to the top floor of our complex and there I saw a face peeking over the balcony. I just waved and she waved back and asked me my name I told her and continued walking. As we got closer to the other CCS flat, I hear this panting and behind me came the girl I saw. She had run down at least 4 flights of stairs; she spent the first minute trying to catch her breath. She wanted to shake my hand and ask me if I was English (due to past British presence everyone assumes white people are English) I told her I was American and that she spoke very good English. She had the biggest smile and said she had never been friends with a white person before. She even wanted to come over to my flat to play, but I gracefully declined. Sometimes people just come up and want to shake my hand and while I am flattered I never know what to say. Lately if they speak English I tell them to stay in school and study hard, it never hurts to hear it more than once!
Delhi hasn't been so bad, people turn their heads as I walk past but in rural Rajasthan people full out stopped what they were doing or turned around and came to where we were. Even at school our presence has created a lot of interest, the school was established a few months ago and we have already seen enrollment go up (which is one of the reasons we are at school). Lots of times other children and mothers will stand by the doorway to watch us, especially if Leia and I are talking or leading an activity. Many times mothers come with their babies and I've been asked to hold them. In the rural areas people appeared out of nowhere. One time when I was at a roadside dhaba stand getting a juice and there were a few children playing nearby but when I turned to leave there were 15 people; adults and children! When this happens I just smile, fold my hands and say "namaste" which is a traditional Indian greeting. One time I was walking back to the flat in Delhi with my roommates and I just happened to look up to the top floor of our complex and there I saw a face peeking over the balcony. I just waved and she waved back and asked me my name I told her and continued walking. As we got closer to the other CCS flat, I hear this panting and behind me came the girl I saw. She had run down at least 4 flights of stairs; she spent the first minute trying to catch her breath. She wanted to shake my hand and ask me if I was English (due to past British presence everyone assumes white people are English) I told her I was American and that she spoke very good English. She had the biggest smile and said she had never been friends with a white person before. She even wanted to come over to my flat to play, but I gracefully declined. Sometimes people just come up and want to shake my hand and while I am flattered I never know what to say. Lately if they speak English I tell them to stay in school and study hard, it never hurts to hear it more than once!
You could do worse that to be mistaken for a Brit :o)
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