Family dinner
..right back after an amazing (I wonder if I am going to develop my “excitement” vocabulary here or things would appear in this blog as “amazing” all the time) dinner at the family of Anoop’s aunt.
The aunt and her family live a bit outside of Delhi in a 9 or more floors block of flats. The house is completely elite western standard (marble all over again) and so is apartment. I get introduced to the aunt and the uncle and their 2 sons… we are having drinks (soft beverages, vine, beer – all those who refer to Indian beer as drinkable - hello! – it’s beer!), talking, making lots of jokes, teasing each other, laughing. The talk flows easily and they all speak English all the time. They are telling me that people in India laugh a lot – at themselves and others as well. I get into very interesting discussion with the aunt – I explain that I am going to work with gender research here. We discuss Indian women. The aunt says, that there is a huge difference between urban women and women in villages. The former have been recognized and given lots of opportunities nowadays. Whereas village women’s efforts in building family, providing it with stuff etc are pretty much taken for granted.
The meal that the aunt cooked was Burmese and Anoop’s mother is extremely happy because her mother was from Burma. The food is splendid and everyone is praising the hostess. I get into discussion with Anoop and the uncle - we talk about new Russia and new India. Some more sweets are coming – yummy! I am going to put on weight here – I am loving all the food I am given.
I wonder how childish all my writing would appear to natives Indians or to those stayed in this country for a while. I keep staring at things and catching impressions and still… observing myself when doing that. Just arrived to such a different country I feel a child, without any doubt. To be completely honest, I feel completely helpless and clueless… Much of the stuff from the guide books turned out to be invalid. Other people’s impressions always remain other people’s impressions. So, I basically need to learn how to handle simple tasks of getting around and buying stuff. Learn in the way to be appropriate here. I am truly grateful to my host family and to the AIESECekers who take a great care of me and introduce me to India as it is – in its everyday routines and people’s mindsets.
The aunt and her family live a bit outside of Delhi in a 9 or more floors block of flats. The house is completely elite western standard (marble all over again) and so is apartment. I get introduced to the aunt and the uncle and their 2 sons… we are having drinks (soft beverages, vine, beer – all those who refer to Indian beer as drinkable - hello! – it’s beer!), talking, making lots of jokes, teasing each other, laughing. The talk flows easily and they all speak English all the time. They are telling me that people in India laugh a lot – at themselves and others as well. I get into very interesting discussion with the aunt – I explain that I am going to work with gender research here. We discuss Indian women. The aunt says, that there is a huge difference between urban women and women in villages. The former have been recognized and given lots of opportunities nowadays. Whereas village women’s efforts in building family, providing it with stuff etc are pretty much taken for granted.
The meal that the aunt cooked was Burmese and Anoop’s mother is extremely happy because her mother was from Burma. The food is splendid and everyone is praising the hostess. I get into discussion with Anoop and the uncle - we talk about new Russia and new India. Some more sweets are coming – yummy! I am going to put on weight here – I am loving all the food I am given.
I wonder how childish all my writing would appear to natives Indians or to those stayed in this country for a while. I keep staring at things and catching impressions and still… observing myself when doing that. Just arrived to such a different country I feel a child, without any doubt. To be completely honest, I feel completely helpless and clueless… Much of the stuff from the guide books turned out to be invalid. Other people’s impressions always remain other people’s impressions. So, I basically need to learn how to handle simple tasks of getting around and buying stuff. Learn in the way to be appropriate here. I am truly grateful to my host family and to the AIESECekers who take a great care of me and introduce me to India as it is – in its everyday routines and people’s mindsets.
posted by Olga Tikhonova | 1:41 am
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