"Don't go to India because ..." Prejudices and Misconceptions Collected

The only time I went to India was in 1975, I was 9 years old, and I hated the trip since all we did was visit relatives....

Now almost 30 years later I will be traveling to India next week for 3 weeks and look forward to the trip.

Thanks to this forum I will be better prepared.

let's see if I can remember some of the things people told me or asked me.....

"where will you stay? in a hut?"

"do they have showers in India?"

"I hope you're not going to live in a refrigerator box on the street"

"does anyone speak English?" (from people who obviously do not know their history)

"make sure you bring plenty of dental floss, they won't have it there" (from my dentist)

"are there any toilets or do you have to use a hole in the ground?"

"don't take the train, you'll have to hang off the side"

"are they on our side in the war?"

"everyone is going to stink"

"it's so dirty there, can't you study more yoga here?"

"how can you go to a country where they treat women like they do? I thought you were a feminist."

and my favorite....
"you're gonna shit your brains out for a month...."


you be the judge....

for a month Ha Ha

..it was actually only about 3 weeks - 3 days in my case

Hahah. My Dad says, "If you go to India, can I come visit and shoot a tiger from the top of an elephant?" He was serious. His greatest hero is Jim Corbett. For a man who comes off as completely staid to non-family, it's hilarious to see the glint in his eye when he talks about Jim Corbett. "That man was BRAVE!"

Guess where I'm taking him when he comes to visit.

My Mom (who would make a great Indian mother, I think. ): "Gosh, I just wish you'd get married first... What about that sweet boy we met at church last week?"

Why haven't we Indians done a better job of educating ignorant folks. I say this with all seriousness. I know this will take some time but I think with one of the largest diasporas around the globe we Indians (and lovers of India) should be better marketers.

We should also try and go more mainstream rather than be aloof (of course not everyone is that way). I think more of us should be doing more than just earning a grand living, making trips, and saving up for that big house back in India when we retire.

Sorry to interject this kind of serious stuff in w rather wonderfully humorous thread. Just some food for thought...

ddevadutta,
Yes some people are doing things for India. My IIT alumni in the US are doing wonders for our students. More will join.

This maybe going off topic now, but I was just reading an article on this subject :
Giving Back to the Native Land
Born and raised in Atlanta, Bindi Gandhi graduated from Lakeside High School in 1995. On a trip to India while attending Wofford College in South Carolina, she was one of only two people of Indian origin in her group of twenty-five. Bindi laughs as she recalls that the two of them were constantly mistaken for tour guides. Her friend could speak Hindi fluently, unlike her, and was able to communicate with ease in India. Until then, Bindi believed that because she hadn’t grown up there she would never have a close relationship with India. But after seeing her friend move around with such ease during that trip, she started thinking about her heritage.

My Great Aunt who turned 101 this year use to read me Little Black Sambo when I was a kid until it came out my ears. So I thought that India was all about Tigers and Pancakes .. umm until I got a little older. When I finally got there in 1995 there was very few tigers and nary a pancake (must have left with the Britishers) - actually Dosa was a good substitue. I think all countries have a certain image though. Americans still ask about Polar Bear precautions when they cross the Canadian border etc. I think India will eventually loose that myopic mystic image but when it does the result may be so many tourists there that it may loose some if its appeal!?

Jyoti - If your father doesn't make a tiger shoot in India, you'll have to buy him "Harry Black and the Tiger" - even made it out on DVD:

http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movie...tml?v_id=21627

Imax did a movie based on Corbett as well what was the name??? Realm of the Tiger or something ????

From an old collegue: "Don't drink water from Gange! They put dead in it!"
My sister-in-law(who spended 10 years travelling trough Sardinia during summer vacation): "Again India?"

hi lotus,

next time keep it in mind that its really very close to pakistan.......hahaha

What are you referring too?
gaya

Pudina Hara - can be found at any chemist and are an ayurvedic stomach medicine in liquid in gel capsule form. Will stop any minor to fairly major stomach ache in its tracks! Guaranteed!

That is the sort of thing that you really need to 'know someone' to find out, isn't it?
I'll try to remember it. Thanks.

I went to India for six months in the 70's and for six months in the 80's!

I took the compulsory injections and took the malaria tablets for a couple of weeks only

I took no precautions about eating anywhere or drinking any of the water (even swam in the ganges in Varanasi! Shock horror!!!)

I never got ill once!

This time being a little older and wiser (and more paranoid!) I will take more precautionary measures!

My Mother bless her said, "You will be careful in Africa this time won't you"

No, the vast amount of non-India lovers are totally ignorant and for good or bad leave them to it I say!

Howie

"What about all those dead bodies floating around?"

That was a question from an Iranian friend who thought the beaches of Kerala would be ruined by all the floating funeral pyres.