How big is your village?

BabeInTheWoods · May 23rd, 2007, 16:26

I was just reading the 'Being asked about your salary' post and recognised some of those questions (salary, religion, etc).

Another one we got frequently in India was 'How big is your village?'. Well, we come from New Zealand and we live in a small town of about 4000 people. When I told them this, they just couldn't believe that we came from a village smaller than theirs! You could see them thinking 'But you are a Westerner - how could this be??!!'.

I remember one guy saying 'You might be knowing my brother. He has a dairy (small grocery shop) in Auckland.' (Our biggest city in NZ) Since Delhi has 3 times the population of our entire country, he just couldn't imagine that we hadn't bumped into his brother several times over. Oh dear.

shashank.aggarwal · May 23rd, 2007, 16:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by BabeInTheWoods

I remember one guy saying 'You might be knowing my brother. He has a dairy (small grocery shop) in Auckland.' Since Delhi has 3 times the population of our entire country, he just couldn't imagine that we hadn't bumped into his brother several times over. Oh dear.

Lolz..I remember reading somewhere...that few decades back Kiwi Head of State visited India and was invited to see Annual Ram Leela, by Mr.Nehru our then prime minister. It takes place in the walled city in Delhi.

The Kiwi was so overwhelmed to see the crowed that came to witness the event that he said that there were more people in the ground than in the entire New Zealand..

Nick-H · May 23rd, 2007, 16:57

I used to imagine what life must be like for some friends of mine back in their Andhra village: a couple of farm houses, a tiny shop, fields, cattle...

Then, one day, I asked her how big it was --- 150,000 people!

Oh well, so much for my rural idyll

gertie · May 23rd, 2007, 17:18

BITW,

I get exactly the same thing!! I grew up in a coastal town of about 3000 people in Australia. I get responses like 'you mean 3 lakh people?'

If my facts are approximately correct, the entire population of Australia is about equal to that of Delhi.

Gertie

Prashant.M · May 23rd, 2007, 17:26

No wonder we get on each other's nerves so often. We are all packed like a BMTC bus at peak hour. Imagine the state in summer

. Aah well, I don't have to imagine, been there, done that, wouldn't care to repeat it.

BMTC - Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation

BabeInTheWoods · May 23rd, 2007, 17:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prashant.M

No wonder we get on each other's nerves so often. We are all packed like a BMTC bus at peak hour. Imagine the state in summer

. Aah well, I don't have to imagine, been there, done that, wouldn't care to repeat it.

BMTC - Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation

It's so funny to come back to New Zealand after India. The roads seem so empty and the drivers so (boringly) sane. And although we certainly have no shortage of cows, they're kept all behind fences here, which seems kinda cruel now. And we're so very polite when standing in queues here - but then, we can afford to be.

cool blue · May 23rd, 2007, 17:43

I can totally identify with this - You can imagine what it is like when I try and describe Mongolia (where i was based for a year before coming to India). the land size is just over half that of India, and there are two time zones - and the total population of the whole country is 2.5 million!!!

BabeInTheWoods · May 23rd, 2007, 18:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by cool blue

I can totally identify with this - You can imagine what it is like when I try and describe Mongolia (where i was based for a year before coming to India). the land size is just over half that of India, and there are two time zones - and the total population of the whole country is 2.5 million!!!

Crumbs! Even I find that kind of spread-outness hard to imagine. I think NZ is about the size of England, but is on 2 islands. You have to either jump on a boat or be able to swim well to travel all of our country. What's the mail service like in Mongolia? Do they do smoke signals there?

cool blue · May 23rd, 2007, 18:51

Yes it is mindblowing - particularly given the fact that nearly 1 million live in the capital so the majority of the country is incredibly sparsely populated - and mostly nomadic, so that is a challenge to a postal system! However, contact and communication on horseback can cover miles and is the basis for communication in the remote areas.

Nick-H · May 23rd, 2007, 19:00

When I was at school. the population of Greater London was about the same as that of Australia!

How does Australia compare now to a big Indian City?

My UK village, Padstow, in Cornwall, is four or five thousand.

amyl · May 23rd, 2007, 19:15

Quote:

Mongolia (where i was based for a year before coming to India)

Based in Mangolia!Wow!
This is one more of the few countries I have been fascinated for years now. Whats up with you in Mangolia?.... ummm..if am not being too personal :P. Just curious!

iwanttogoback · May 23rd, 2007, 19:16

about 22 mill i believe nick, not much more than mumbai!

crvlvr · May 23rd, 2007, 23:22

Mumbai (just one city wiht 16.4M people) has more people than 177 countries. Is your country on the list?

BabeInTheWoods · May 24th, 2007, 03:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by crvlvr

Mumbai (just one city wiht 16.4M people) has more people than 177 countries. Is your country on the list?

There we are - Number 122. Just below Ireland, just above Lebanon. Thanks for that crvlvr - that was really interesting.

Funny thing - when I watched Delhi traffic for a while, I thought to myself 'Aucklanders should learn how to drive this way' (weaving in and out of each other and 'horn please'). Aucklanders sit in traffic every day, for up to 2 hours each way just to get to work and back! So many of them must be close to heart attack from stress, let alone how much road rage must build up. Although Delhi looks like chaos, it flows more smoothly and I never saw an actual angry driver. And it must really keep the brain sharpened too. Imagine arriving at work each day knowing full well you're damned lucky to be there...

shashank.aggarwal · May 24th, 2007, 10:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by BabeInTheWoods

I never saw an actual angry driver.

OMG..Pray to God that you never encounter one..specially in the heat of summer..

May 23rd, 2007, 16:26	#1
BabeInTheWoods Hedonist Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New Zealand Posts: 233	How big is your village? I was just reading the 'Being asked about your salary' post and recognised some of those questions (salary, religion, etc). Another one we got frequently in India was 'How big is your village?'. Well, we come from New Zealand and we live in a small town of about 4000 people. When I told them this, they just couldn't believe that we came from a village smaller than theirs! You could see them thinking 'But you are a Westerner - how could this be??!!'. I remember one guy saying 'You might be knowing my brother. He has a dairy (small grocery shop) in Auckland.' (Our biggest city in NZ) Since Delhi has 3 times the population of our entire country, he just couldn't imagine that we hadn't bumped into his brother several times over. Oh dear. __________________ My Journal: http://www.indiamike.com/india/journ...howjournal&j=6 My Photos: http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/m...8255&protype=1 Last edited by BabeInTheWoods : May 23rd, 2007 at 17:35.

May 23rd, 2007, 16:57	#3
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,829	I used to imagine what life must be like for some friends of mine back in their Andhra village: a couple of farm houses, a tiny shop, fields, cattle... Then, one day, I asked her how big it was --- 150,000 people! Oh well, so much for my rural idyll __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

May 23rd, 2007, 17:26	#5
Prashant.M Maha Guru Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 880	No wonder we get on each other's nerves so often. We are all packed like a BMTC bus at peak hour. Imagine the state in summer . Aah well, I don't have to imagine, been there, done that, wouldn't care to repeat it. BMTC - Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation __________________ Happiness is just a thought away

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May 23rd, 2007, 17:18	#4
gertie Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Chennai Posts: 156	BITW, I get exactly the same thing!! I grew up in a coastal town of about 3000 people in Australia. I get responses like 'you mean 3 lakh people?' If my facts are approximately correct, the entire population of Australia is about equal to that of Delhi. Gertie

May 23rd, 2007, 17:43	#7
cool blue Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: India Posts: 133	I can totally identify with this - You can imagine what it is like when I try and describe Mongolia (where i was based for a year before coming to India). the land size is just over half that of India, and there are two time zones - and the total population of the *whole* country is 2.5 million!!!

May 23rd, 2007, 18:51	#9
cool blue Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: India Posts: 133	Yes it is mindblowing - particularly given the fact that nearly 1 million live in the capital so the majority of the country is incredibly sparsely populated - and mostly nomadic, so that is a challenge to a postal system! However, contact and communication on horseback can cover miles and is the basis for communication in the remote areas.

May 23rd, 2007, 19:00	#10
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,829	When I was at school. the population of Greater London was about the same as that of Australia! How does Australia compare now to a big Indian City? My UK village, Padstow, in Cornwall, is four or five thousand.

May 23rd, 2007, 19:16	#12
iwanttogoback is sorry Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: perth Posts: 1,570	about 22 mill i believe nick, not much more than mumbai!

May 23rd, 2007, 23:22	#13
crvlvr Guru Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Hollywood Posts: 4,474	Mumbai (just one city wiht 16.4M people) has more people than 177 countries. Is your country on the list?

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