Day 17

Monday, August 31, 2009

Day 17:
I've picked up some idiosyncracies during these past 3 weeks:

1. One is that I know when not to make eye contact and look directly ahead when a child or person selling something approaches the car or me on the street. It may sound heartless, but its easier to not pay attention to the children... there are so many poor people and the children generally work the same street corner everyday. I do wonder where the money people give goes, because there is an affiliation with street gangs.

2. I don't look at men at all (I'm sure you love that Neil) and try to avoid eye contact with them on the street as well. In the slum where I work, I only say hi / namaste to the women.

3. Indians are warm and like to ask a lot of personal questions.... I'm picking up this habit as well, which is kind of fun. I've asked drivers how many children do they have, learned more about their religion, questioned why they are single, or asked about their wives. Also, if you don't like a question that is asked, you can throw another one back. Feng still wins this act of getting personal with the people of this country. On our trip to Agra we were awakened by her asking our driver if he believes in birth control! She still defends that it was appropriate for the conversation, but I doubt it.

4. I started doing the head nod, which looks like you're nodding "no," but actually means "yes" or "ok."