all true, but calcutta and bombay are extreme even by indian standards... On Wed, September 17, 2008 5:10 pm, ss wrote: > On Wednesday 17 Sep 2008 10:51:35 am Stephanie Whiting wrote: > >> Right now I am working on finishing my bachelors degree in >> Criminal Justice, with no idea what to do with it. >> > > Welcome to Silk. > > > There's always a culture shock when you move out from India or into India > from elsewhere. I have often advised young Indians how it feels when they > go out, but I have never done that to someone coming to live in India for > the first time. > > I believe the thing to do is to undertstand that India, unlike the US, is > full of social strata. For you I am guessing that this means that there > wil be a group of English speaking Indians who speak and dress like you, > whom you are most likely to meet and socialize with. This is likely to be > your husband's social stratum - probably at or near the top of the heap as > strata go in India. > > > But there will also be many others who essentially belong to social > strata that they consider "lower" than yours (even if your mind does not > work that way and you do not see them that way) They will want to do > things for you - such as carry bags, run errands, open doors, cook, clean > etc. It is likely that you will look at this latter group and worry about > what you see as their poverty. India always finds people to act as guards > at gates to open and close gates, supermarket boys who will carry bags to > your car; a woman who will sweep and clean your home, and someone who will > iron your clothes for you. You won't lose an arm and a leg paying for > them. > > Its the stratification of society that is most puzzling to someone > unfamiliar with India I guess, and the scenes of poverty the most > shocking. By nature Indians tend not to hide or be embarrassed about > either poverty or ugliness. These things are considered an essential part > of being. I'm not defeinding either, but I can't do a lot to change it > myself. > > And finally, India is a hot, humid country and that means molecules of > volatile organic matter are always in the air - so there will be plenty of > new odors that you never knew existed. > > The think to do is to accept theings as they are and not try to question > or fight things that appear strange. India will sink into you gradually. > Having > shot my mouth off = perhaps some of the others on silf who came to india > for the first time to stay may be able to give you a better idea. > > shiv > >
-- Suresh Ramasubramanian + suresh <@> hserus dot net EMail Sturmbannfuhrer, Lower Middle Class Sysadmin
