The NRI Lens- Problems With Viewing India From The Lens Of An NRI
Here's a question for NRIs:
Where would you walk abroad?
Sidewalk
Road
It's a no-brainer right.
"Obviously Sidewalk. Like, DUHh".
It's also the right thing to do.
It's also the rule of law "no jay-walking!".
It's civic sense.
It's not even a question that would come to your mind.
As an NRI visiting India, I would pull the sleeves of my mom, with a righteous request "What are you doing! Let's walk on the footpath, not the road!". She would quietly follow me-- so used to the shenanigans and rules her NRI daughter would put her though.
I'd feel so tall and right-- I'm the one walking on the footpath.
I am showing India what to do.
I am adding to the discipline.
I am talking away from the chaos that others are adding too.
Pat me on the back.
Now look at this picture. It's here in bangalore.
Here's a question for NRIs:
Where would you walk?
Sidewalk
Road
Did you say Sidewalk? I would have said that too, as an NRI. Forget about saying. I would still DO that. I would still walk on the sidewalk because I am doing the right NRI thing.
NRIs need to realise that Time makes all the difference. Viewing India from a NRI view point is using a moral lens that has now baked in the foreign lands. These values will, or will HAVE to change over time. People are not necessarily being deliberately empty-heads by walking on the road. It's idiotic (I realised over 5 yrs) to in fact walk on THIS kind of sidewalk-- where there are wires sticking out, broken slabs, gaps, uneven surfaces-- one trip on my sandals and BHAM, i'm a flat faced sandwich.
Today was the day friends, today. I suddenly woke up to me walking on the ROAD instead of the sidewalk.
So NRIs, your views about manturrpting, door opening, saying sorry-thank-you, escalator side standing, etc works for you abroad, and by all means follow it. Follow it in India also, but what I'm saying is don't judge the desi's for it till you've spent about 5 years in the indian sun. :)
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Hi I'm Nupur and I write about NRIs. If you are an NRI looking for help on where to live and how to live, reach out-- www.nupurdave.in.
