A random assortment of things that don't (yet) make sense to me here:
- Why is Indian food so spicy when it's so hot outside? Personally, when it's hot all I want to do is eat gazpacho and ice cream, so the fact that one of the spiciest cuisines in the world was developed in a tropical climate continues to boggle the mind.
- Why do the drivers of most taxis and most auto-rickshaws wear a uniform? (Which looks like the below--characteristic grey shirt). Why don't the "drivers" (well, more like bikers) of the bike-rickshaws wear the same uniform?
- Why do many wealth-looking women (on the metro, which is where I do most of my discreet observations) wear the most beautiful sandals and foot jewelry, with grossly-unpedicured feet? Actually, that's probably a question for many New Yorkers as well.
- What the heck is this? On the right-hand side, an ancient crumbling wall. On the left-hand side, a 1960's spaceship?
- Why do so many babies wear kohl under their eyes? You already have huge eye-head ratios, dammit! No need to show-off.
- Why would the spa in my neighborhood think that advertising with a Hillary Duff look-alike is a good idea? Most women in India are not looking for a place to style their wavy blond hair. (Note, this question also goes to advertisements for salons I've seen in China, Namibia and Mexico as well).
- Why has it been 90+ every day since I've arrived, but many Indians are still comfortably walking around in jeans? I understand wearing long pants that are made out of some light cotton materials--but jeans?
- Why is it that the guy at the official airtel store in the airport insisted that NO foreigner in India can get a SIM card that lasts more than 3 months (meaning either that (a) I need to renew my number every three months or that (b) I need to get a whole new SIM card every three months--I pray it's the former) when most foreigners I know here have normal SIM cards? And speaking of SIM cards, why do I need to fill out a 4-page application to get one? Why does the application need to know my father's name? Why does it require a copy of my passport, and my current and former addresses? It's just a SIM card!
- And don't get me started on FRRO registration.
However, it is also true that in addition to the many things in India that I don't yet understand there have been some true revelations. For example, for years I'd puzzled over the true purpose of a paperweight--I mean not that many people work outside and it's not like there is a huge risk of a drafty wind blowing my papers all about when I'm inside an office, you know? And then, on my first day on the job here the raison d'etre for paperweights came to me in a moment of document-scattering clarity: paperweights are for offices with ceiling fans!!!!!
- Why is Indian food so spicy when it's so hot outside? Personally, when it's hot all I want to do is eat gazpacho and ice cream, so the fact that one of the spiciest cuisines in the world was developed in a tropical climate continues to boggle the mind.
- Why do the drivers of most taxis and most auto-rickshaws wear a uniform? (Which looks like the below--characteristic grey shirt). Why don't the "drivers" (well, more like bikers) of the bike-rickshaws wear the same uniform?
- Why do many wealth-looking women (on the metro, which is where I do most of my discreet observations) wear the most beautiful sandals and foot jewelry, with grossly-unpedicured feet? Actually, that's probably a question for many New Yorkers as well.
- What the heck is this? On the right-hand side, an ancient crumbling wall. On the left-hand side, a 1960's spaceship?
- Why do so many babies wear kohl under their eyes? You already have huge eye-head ratios, dammit! No need to show-off.
- Why has it been 90+ every day since I've arrived, but many Indians are still comfortably walking around in jeans? I understand wearing long pants that are made out of some light cotton materials--but jeans?
- Why is it that the guy at the official airtel store in the airport insisted that NO foreigner in India can get a SIM card that lasts more than 3 months (meaning either that (a) I need to renew my number every three months or that (b) I need to get a whole new SIM card every three months--I pray it's the former) when most foreigners I know here have normal SIM cards? And speaking of SIM cards, why do I need to fill out a 4-page application to get one? Why does the application need to know my father's name? Why does it require a copy of my passport, and my current and former addresses? It's just a SIM card!
- And don't get me started on FRRO registration.
However, it is also true that in addition to the many things in India that I don't yet understand there have been some true revelations. For example, for years I'd puzzled over the true purpose of a paperweight--I mean not that many people work outside and it's not like there is a huge risk of a drafty wind blowing my papers all about when I'm inside an office, you know? And then, on my first day on the job here the raison d'etre for paperweights came to me in a moment of document-scattering clarity: paperweights are for offices with ceiling fans!!!!!
Love this post.
ReplyDeleteThat kohl for babies is amazing. How do they not rub it into their eyes and cry? And thank you for finding the telos of paperweights; now I just need an office with a fan...
ReplyDelete