An American abroad - From New York to India.

I haven't posted as you may have noticed...like in a LONG TIME. With good reason though. That reason is..

I left New York and came to India.

Yes, you're reading that correctly. I left the United States, packed up, hopped on a plane, and fifteen hours later I was in India. Crazy? Seems like it, but it's absolutely beautiful and I finally got to meet @rougebot. He's kinda super special to me.

So, in this post I kind of want to address to Americans and anyone else the concerns you may have about coming here. Whether it be because of the stereo types we've learned or just being unsure, I promise I won't sugar coat anything and I'll be extremely honest about what it's been like so far over the past few weeks and what you should know before you come. I want to stress this is aimed towards visiting more so than living here as I'll cover that in future posts. (Adjusting to living is obviously different and more extensive, but I'll get to that.) Note that this is only several of many points that should be covered.

Oh and I know some people have been asking me in discord for a post about my journey and pictures-next post, I promise. I'm going to try to make this a multi part post about all aspects of India - enjoy!

Concern number 1 - Safety

This is something I was super worried about too even though I was meeting someone here and not traveling India alone. This is the most honest I can be with you- I don't know why it is we are taught India can be this really dangerous place. The fact of the matter is, it's no different than anywhere else and it all comes down to commn sense. For example, everywhere you go has good areas and bad areas. Do your research (unbiased research) and see where are the safer areas. Use your brain If you wouldn't travel in your home country alone in certain areas or go out into dark alleys and talk to strangers, obviously don't do it in a foreign country. I can tell you, I feel completely safe and honestly a bit more safe because guns are banned where I am right now. Honestly, I've seen more women walking around comfortably without fear of being harmed than I have back home. Like I've said, use your brain. Make plans accordingly. If you're planning on traveling for a while, learn the areas or even find a local tour guide to help you through. Maybe even learn the language a bit so you can ask common questions and understand some stuff. The more you plan, the smoother the transition from when you get out of the airport and to your destination. You want to enjoy your stay and not worry.

Concern number 2-Food

Okay. If you live in the United States (I say the States because that's my home country and I'm familiar with how we view food) you're going to have to get used to change, depending on where in India you plan on going. Most of us know India as a primarily vegetarian diet, but that's not necessarily true. Also, some people I've talked to recently think that cow meat or other meats are banned which isn't 100% accurate. Okay, so let's clear this up. Yes, there are some locations that do not eat certain meats either because of religion or they just don't enjoy a beef burger the way we do in the states and elsewhere. They don't get in trouble for it, they just don't eat that way. At my location currently they have beef, but it's not in high demand and yes people eat chicken, but things like pork, it's just not wanted.
So the things I said you wouldn't be used to and I'm just being honest because it's some of things as an American and New Yorker I've kind of missed.

No, the fast food isn't the same. It is and it isn't. Yes, they have McDonalds, Burger King, and pizza places, but it's not what you're used to. I'm sure the first thing you're thinking is how do they have Burger King without beef or McDonald's breakfast without a sausage, egg and cheese??!! Well, they have their own versions such as a chicken or veggie burger. No sausage though, but once you go without it, it'll lose its importance. (Oh yeah, no bacon.) As for pizza, it's a sensitive topic for me because well, I'm from New York, a place where we brag about the greatness of our pizza to everyone. Pizza here in India is good, but nowhere is like NY pizza. And remember about the vegetarian thing? Well, don't get used to seeing a Dominos pizza with meat toppings. Here it's all veggie toppings, but it's awesome. Truth be told I actually feel a lot healthier here because I'm not shoving in processed meat and garbage into my body. Everything is super healthy and fresh, not packed and canned. In my next post I'll go into the types of foods I've been eating here. I think you'll be able to handle the change.

Concern number 3-The locals VS you

I can't lie..this was definitely something I was worried about. How would people who lived in India view me as an American tourist? Honestly I was nervous because where I'm staying isn't really a tourist area, I know Americans can be viewed either as an enemy or just rich snobs who only travel to have fun and would they harass me because they know I'm from another country? Before I came here I was told because of how I look I may be treated differently and I didn't understand what they meant, but I kind of do now. First let me say I have not been treated badly AT ALL. In fact it's quite the opposite, but it does take some getting used to. People where I am staying are very curious because honestly this isn't a tourist destination and people that look like me (white, blonde hair, blue eyes) don't just show up here and hang out. Yes, they want to take pictures of you which sounds like unheard of where I'm from (or at least strange) but here it's completely normal for them to want to take your picture or a selfie. They're not doing it to be rude, they're just not used to seeing people such as myself. Also, you will get a lot of stares-like full blown three to five minute stares, but again they're doing it because they think you're unique, not to be rude. Actually since I've been here I've noticed they're happy to know I'm an American and are curious of which state I'm from. It bothered me more that I was worried they'd be hostile towards me when in fact they're very open and welcoming. It's amazing how closed minded we really can be sometimes. Just know you may be the center of attention here. Welcome it with a smile and have some patience. Remember you're in a different country and treat others how you want to be treated. Respect their culture like you would expect foreigners to respect yours.

Concern number 4-The weather (and clothing)

I tied in weather and clothing because it kind of goes hand in hand. May where I am is the hottest month. It's their summer and from now until probably next month it can get pretty brutal. We've had some days here that were hitting 115 (and no not that dry Arizona 115 heat) and I mean it tested my limits. There were a few times where @rougebot and I have been outside and I questioned if I'd make it until the end of the day. The best advice I can give that he also told me is if you're visiting it's probably best to not come in the summer months like May because most likely you'll want to be outside. Now, if you're going to be here in May or you're going to be living here then avoid being outside from Noon to 4. It's hot, like really hot and as an Irish/Polish American with super white skin, I've burned in minutes and it hurts and yes I looked like a lobster. So immediately you'd want to throw on a bikini and shorts because of the heat right? This is what I've learned so far. No one is going to stop you from wearing what you want contrary to what you may think about India. There is no law saying youre banned from wearing short shorts and tube tops, but to be honest, do you want to wear that when you're the only one wearing it and probably getting enough stares? Not really. I don't because I want to be respected and not drawing more attention to myself. Wear capris or jeans and a tank top. Trust me the extra few inches of fabric isn't going to make you sweat to death. if you're feeling curious enough, try some of the clothing here because the fabrics can be much lighter and cooler and they're beautiful too.

Concern number 5-Cleanliness

This is a concern I've heard from many people and also have seen this been asked- Where is it safe to eat? Is the water clean? Why is there so many dirt roads? And so on. My answer is- it's like I've said before..it's like anywhere else. You have to be observant of what you're eating, drinking, and where. I think we all get this common misconception about somewhere based on where we're from. For example if you asked most people would they trust a restaurant in Manhattan or a restaurant here, they'd probably pick Manhattan. However, I can guarantee you there some real nasty places in the city that trick the eye. As for the cleanliness of places here, it is no different than where I am from. The roads in some areas are different, but it doesn't mean anything is worse here or better elsewhere. I think it's quite beautiful and unique in its own way. In the future I'll post some pictures of it so you can get a better idea of what I mean.

To close for now

I hope I addressed some common misconceptions. Keep in mind I only touched upon a few because time and energy are limited, but in the future I'll be going into a bunch of different topics from culture, living in India, applying for a visa, and much more. Stay tuned!

Goodbye for now from India!

Love to you all

Kristan