Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Look Mommy I spoke to a white lady!!

Today I was running around doing errands. I needed to pick up a cd for a friend coming to visit next month, and I had not been able to find it at South City Mall or Highland Park, so the next step was Park Street.

After dropping off the necessary papers and having a fresh lime soda with a friend, I headed off to the metro. While sitting on the bench, minding my own business and  waiting for the train to come this is what transpired :

Young Man: Ma'am what country are you from?
Me : US
YM : Ok, are you working here?
Me : No
YM : How long have you been here?
Me : Almost 2 years
YM : Where do you stay?
Me : My house
YM : What do you do here?
Me : My husband is Bangali.
YM :Oh, ok

*silence*

YM : How do you like Kolkata?
Me : I like it fine
YM : I don't like it. Kolkata is an ugly city.
Me : No its not
YM : Yes, Kolkata is an ugly city. Mumbai is pretty.
Me : Um, ok, sure

um, what the heck? This is the first time I have anyone in the last (almost) 2 years tell me that they hate this city. I happen to love this city. The noises, the smells, the people. Everything!!! :-)

6 comments:

  1. The grass is always greener on the other side. Every teenager (I guess I'm imagining this guy as a teenager? Am I wrong?) thinks that the place where they live is a drab hellhole that they need to escape.

    My husband is from Mumbai (which I don't really consider beautiful because I like trees!), so I read this to him. He said he would have told the kid to get himself an education and move to Mumbai ASAP!

    P.S.
    I have only been to Kolkata airport. I was actually really nervous because of the things I've heard people say about the city. It really wasn't that bad. I've been thinking about writing a post about the regional stereotypes I've heard from Indians.

    ReplyDelete
  2. @Blonde Bahu,

    He was probably around my age...25 or so...anyways, I let it roll of my back with no worries. It bugged me a little that someone would say something like that about their own home. Oh, well, I guess to each their own. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is funny :) I've never been to Kolkata, but I have a friend who is from there and she said that after bangalore this is the best place in India to live in.
    I lived in Mumbai...ugh!!!! I can't call that city even remotely beautiful LOL It's loud, dirty, noisy, polluted and half of the heritage building look like they are going to just crumble down to a pile of rocks any minute, plus there aren't enough trees for my taste, I'm glad to have just left that place :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. i should really thank you, for I love Kolkata, and I think it is a really nice place to live. There may be some problems, some issues, but, which place in the world remains free from problems. Thanks, and i really hope that you have understood the spirit of the city...

    "valo theko"...

    ReplyDelete
  5. @Invincible Dreams,

    I think every city has issues, its not just Kolkata. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hating Kolkata comes naturally when one lives there. It's only when one moves out of the city, one tarts missing it sorely!

    ReplyDelete

Father in law...Final Day

FIL has passed away. He had been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer before the Durga Puja holidays and we then pursued another opinion befo...