IG: Your quoting style is making it impossible to figure out what you're saying (quite apart from other difficulties in this area, to quickly forestall Ram and others).
Please quote ONLY THE RELEVANT parts of the mail you're replying to. crabby, Udhay Bonobashi wrote, [on 9/17/2008 10:56 PM]: > > --- On Wed, 17/9/08, Suresh Ramasubramanian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > From: Suresh Ramasubramanian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [silk] introduction... > To: [email protected] > Date: Wednesday, 17 September, 2008, 5:14 PM > > 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. > > Hmmm. I suppose a job as a criminal lawyer > is too bizarre to contemplate? > > >> 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 >> >> > > -- ((Udhay Shankar N)) ((udhay @ pobox.com)) ((www.digeratus.com))
