# 18 - The India Series /1 (Going out in public)

So it is Day 3 in CurrieLand. I can say the experience is definately different to what it once was. You know when people say that only when you are older will you appreciate your culture more? Well i think i've already reached that age just a little before leaving.I'm sure some would not believe me but it is true!! ;) I was more curious about it and i definately want to leave the country and experience things. My experience here is already different and i feel it really is something else to what it used to be. Is it any better? I don't know yet.

Now anything i say about India, i say in reference to MY india. The other curries i know are from other parts, and i am quite sure they have different experiences to me...But screw them i'll be speaking from what i know and that is Kerala.
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I finally have left my auntie's house to go grocery shopping with my mum, my cousin and her. Now if you go out in India, you KNOW you will be stared at! So I thought i would go in something a little controversial. Screw cultural understanding etc. In Australian standards my black jeans and long pink top may not seem like trouble but in India you may as well be nude. My larg-ish sunnies added to the "zomg a alien" look and where last time I was so insecure that i would rather snort chilli powder then go outside in a land where personal space is non-existend this time i realized I could not give a rat's ass, and it even may be a little fun.

The reactions i recieved were various. It is no understatement in saying that all eyes were on me. Cars and autoricshaws actually stopped, school children giggled, bitched (i don't think they know i'm a native speaker), were offended, perved and some were just genuinely curious and when i smiled back they smiled back in intrigue and real friendliness.

The guys of course were as nasty as ever. Especially the older kind. Some dude on a bike yelled out "hey sypen penneh" (hey caucasian girl) and i was also followed. We went into the supermarket which is about the size of two english classrooms (at PHS) and lined up to buy our food. When i looked behind me our line was suddenly consisting of males 30+ quickly staring away from my ass or boobez...I guess the older ones like their girls big? o.O One guy actually had the gutzo to shift away from the line and right up to me and just stare...Instead of feeling violated though i just smiled which startled him a bit.

The shop assistant was too shy to look at look up and answer my mother because i was doing nothing but smirking right at him.

When we went into the mobile phone shop to ask about a sim. My mum didn't have any local ID and said "Nyan ivideh natipaul allah" (i'm not from this land) and EVERYONE in the shop went silent and anyone sitting stood up simultanieously (except for me). It was definately a weird moment o.O

After we took the autoricshaw home and my mother had paid and everyone was going into the house, i was the last one, i thought i'd just have a bit of a laugh at their expence as i always do...So I made sure to look at the driver as i adjusted my bra (you know how you do it outside of your clothes) and went inside with a forced straight face. I thought his eyes was going to pop out of his head.

Whether i disgusted people, offended them or allowed a perve it's amusing to think that they notice and will remember me as they crazy person they saw that day.

I've learnt to take what once was a horrendous situation in India into a stupidly interesting experience. It's nice to see how much i've changed and i like the person i've become ;).

But this is just Cochin...I wonder what the other towns will be like =/