Between us Yo and I have spent almost two years of our lives here in India. And while her love of India is more unconditional, mine tends to be a bit more critical. There were times on this most recent visit when I questioned whether it was worth all the hassels. At one point I even wrote a letter to India in my journal, "Dear India, Why must you be so difficult?", it began. But it's difficulty is a big part of it's appeal(not unlike mountain climbing). Take away this challenge and it becomes a much less interesting place to travel. The other day a teacher we met at Ajanta asked Yo why she came to India. He probably expected her to say because of the beaches, or the mountains, or the animals, or the food, or the Taj Mahal(and these are all great reasons to come to India). He seemed surprised and also pleased when instead her response was that she loves India because of its people. Its the people anywhere that make a place and in India they are its greatest asset. Depending on your attitude, they will either crack you up or drive you absolutely crazy.
Just as there are Anglophiles and Francophiles, there are also Indophiles. On this trip we met a French women who has been here 13 times and a British guy who has been here 12 times. Upon hearing this I knew right away that they each had a great sense of humor. If you can't laugh at and with India, you will not be happy here. India has a lot of negatives: the pollution, the traffic, the beggers, the hassels, the ripoffs, the stares, the blackouts, the bureaucracy, and the poor service. In some places there is literally shit everywhere. These are the things you notice first and if you come here on a two week vacation, it will probably be all you notice. This place needs time. India can only be enjoyed if you take your time, travel slow, and like to laugh.
Despite its poverty, India has a confidence that is rarely seen in other countries. And while most Indians are curious about foreigners(almost to a fault), they are also indifferent to our trends and styles. Unfortunately a lot of the world looks to the west for its taste in movies, music, fashion, and sports. Its impossible to go anywhere these days and not see boys & young men wearing soccer jerseys of their favorite European teams or some variation on the Nike, Puma, Adidas sportsware theme. Indians have a style all their own. In the north its popular for young men to wear pastel colored synthetic angora-like vests tucked into acid washed jeans, a little too tight up top, flared down low, and with something nonsensical like "Mister A to Z Denim Dance Factory" embroidered down one leg. Not my style, but definitely unique. The majority of women still wear traditional clothes, especially the beautiful brightly colored saris. Most Indians would not be able to pick Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, or Leonardo DiCaprio out of a lineup. Forget about Madonna, U2, or Brittney Spears. For them its Bollywood movies & music or nothing at all. Soccer may be the number one sport in the world, and baseball & basketball have large followings in many countries, but in India, cricket is where its at. There are several channels on TV devoted solely to showing & discussing cricket. The sports section in the newspaper should be renamed the cricket section. While the people of Cairo, Shanghai, and Rio are sadly all starting to dress, act, and think like those in New York and London, you can always count on India to be refreshingly different and uniquely Indian.
India is definitely an acquired taste. Its not for everyone, but because of its eclectic mix of languages, religions, history, cultures, and people, it remains for me the most interesting place in the world and my favorite place to travel.
-Shawn