School pen?

Um, I'm not sure if this question has been on this site before..
But what is the whole deal with "School-pen?" Is it just a tactic to work on to other items such as money? Or do they genuinely have a huge interest in pens? Why?

They collect the pens, re-box them, then ship them back to your local stationery store in Australia.....

All the kids will ask for "one pen".

They already have "one hundred pens".

Pens in India are cheap and plentiful. No poor person goes in want of a pen. Period.

The whole "school pen" thing is just a fun way for kids to interact with a foreigner, rather like asking for an autograph from a celebrity. It's all just a game, and fun for the kids to receive something from you. It has overtones of poverty and charity, and perhaps those issues were operative 40 years ago when kids started begging pens from hippies, but now it's just a game.

I've had middle class kids whose families I visited (with cars, TVs, cell phones, computers, and hotmail accounts) ask for pens.

That's cool, but then why do so many of them look serious when they say it? I read this theory recently on the web that they do it because they're supposed to earn their pens at school, and they'd rather take some from foreigners, to cheat the school system. Anyone know anything about this?

The kids probably look so serious because they are intimidated by you. You are a rock star in their eyes.

As for trying to crib pens from foreigners, there are just aren't enough foreigners in India to have made this some sort of common practice.

The school pen thing is endlessly puzzling, but I don't think there's anything more to it than a game. It's just something kids do for kicks--don't forget that gift giving is big in India, so when you as a foreigner give them something it seems like a really big deal.

Not too sure if this is a valid theory or not, but still my 2 paise.

Pens are a popular gift item especially when people come back home from abroad.. I can think of a time when a parker or a cross or similar 'elite' brand was considered as close a possession as a rolex! So people show off the pens in their shirt pocket and many a times, they are pens which do not write and would have a 'reynolds' in the pant pocket for writing!

For children, though not brand consious, can have a collection of pens to show off to other kids. Some sort of a philately, you can say....

Well that is my theory !!!

The Japanese have their technological devices, the North Americans have their cars, and the Indians have their pens for accounting

First of all, they just HAVE to get something from interaction with a foreigner. They see foreigners as these walking banks of endless money and stuff and feel cheated if they come away with "nothing." By giving them a pen you are encouraging them to look at you as a store, rather than a human being.

An autograph is more innocent, IMHO. Also, more educational - they study your handwriting (I have seen this happen).

Giving pens to beggar children is more insidious - they collect them and then re-sell them. Just a softer version of handing them cash.

They look *so serious* when asking because - if you haven't noticed yet - they are masters at manipulation! ("Please, you HAVE to come to my house for dinner...you HAVE to." "Sit for some more time. No, you HAVE to stay!") (You will miss your train? You can get another train tomorrow, always you will get that train!")

A gift from a foreigner would be a big deal - but if you beg and plead and wheedle for it it's not really a gift, is it?

They think that a foreign pen will be different somehow from an Indian pen.

They are only sold off to get some money by their parents and no one ever uses them actually!!! So no matter what you feel about giving them or not giving them, they end up selling them anyway!!! It is the same with candy, chocolates, etc. so I would prefer not to give them anything or if you do then see to it that it is not sealed so that it can be resold later on. Also when you don't give the small children what they ask for they can get pretty ferocious and I had a really horrid experience when I was travelling with a Spanish friend of mine in Badami, Karnataka where they were told no pen or candy or whatever. They started to call my friend stupid and then even started to hurl stones at her. I was a bit away from her at that time and when I saw what these small cute kids were upto I realised that they were really demons in disguise and I had to start shouting at them when they went off on seeing an Indian protesting at their behaviour. I felt so ashamed at that time and hurt that small children are taught to ask for such items from foreigners and on not receiving them they can get so ferocious as to throw stones and call them names that are unwarranted. My friend only took their pictures after being asked to take one by the children with her digital camera and even showed it to them on the screen and they still wanted the pen or candy. Highly deplorable behaviour in my opinion.

Cheers,
Aadil.

Hey! Badly behaved children is hardly news the world over! Most of the kids I've encountered in India are angels compared to eg London.

Well, atleast in London they don't ask for pens even if they throw stones at you!!! I have seen rowdy kids in many places all over the world but none like this lot I saw in Badami. They literally made my friend cry for something that she need not have been called names or had stones thrown at her.

Cheers,
Aadil.

Agree with you totally on this one Nick, much rather spend time with a village child here that has some respect for you and themselves than the spoilt brats back home, parents could learn a lot by coming to India before becoming parents!

Malc

it's not my intention to turn this into a child-bashing post, indian or foreign, (i believe human nature to be pretty universal) but kids can be vicious.
my wife and i brought a big bag of lolipops from america to give to children, and usually just carry a few with us when we are out. in bodhgaya one child saw them and asked for one, but there was a group of about 20 kids following us (seriously!) along the dry river and so we decided not to give because we didnt have enough for everyone. these kids started hurling stones, name calling, and one brave boy even grabbed my wifes ass!
i thought it was kind of funny, she didn't