For Darcie

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So Darcie was asking about the women here. For the most part I get a very warm response from them which is met with much curiousity. They are really really cute. I suppose they are as much curious to know about my life, my values, my ideas, as I am theres.
I find the girls that look at me and laugh or start giggling....immature it's really silly and I know it's because I just look so different to them in every way. I dress different, look different, speak different and probably am the tallest women they've ever seen. What's that word they called in highschool Yani.....Amazon?? ha!
The women are are very kind when I approach them...90% of the time. I think they shy away from foriegn women? Most of the women I've come across usually don't speak english. Sad but true school is still reserved for boys and if the family has money then both children go. But I haven't really met a lot of people that have money. Most of the people I've had the pleasure of meeting are hardworking families. Usually the men work outside the home, women inside, boys go to school or work, and girls stay home and help their mothers.
From my point of view...from what I"ve seen is that women are very obedient. They are very family oriented as it may be all they know or have been allowed to know. Family and religion rule here and I am considered a "freak" because it's unheard of a women to be unmarried AND without children by twenty nine. 95% of the women here are married by the time they are twenty five and many a lot earlier then that.
When I spent time with Pinky we had a lot of fun. She was impressed by the fact that I was so open about talking about having no children, no husband, and that I'd order a beer for myself. Mostly drinking is reserved for the men. Smoking is out of question for women here. You are looked at as a prostitute if you smoke!! But men smoke all the time and use betel nut with tobacco. I've tried the betel nut a few times without the tobacco and that's really good. It's nice because it freshens your breath for hours.....but.....if you use it all the time your teeth end up stained red...
When I stayed with Pinky her brother and law sat down and talked with me...I didn't care for him particuliarly too much especially after he started explaining to me what a women should be like.... Here's the details ladies...

You musn't wear makeup
If you are over a size 30 you are considered fat(30 euro/amer mind you is bigger then 30 here) oh....mind you he's sitting next to me saying this...me = 30 charming man huh? then he said this makes you undesirable to your husband and then he might cheat on you.
no nail polish and if you wear it he says he tells his wife to take it off before cooking food! ERRRR
Okay just remember it isn't like this everywhere....but I was in a REALLY conservative part of Rajasthan so this type of thinking still exsists in some parts of India and this is the experience I had.
I also had a really neat afternoon walking thru town when a group of women stopped me and pulled me into their home. In ten minutes I was surrounded by about 12 women all asking me questions in hindu and laughing everytime I answered with broken hindi. It was so much fun though I spent about two and half hours with them. We had chai. I showed photos and took some of them. They had loads of fun dressing me up in their saris...especially when the blouses didn't fit and I was busting out of them. On average I'm usually about a foot taller then the women here...they dressed me up in their bangles, earrings, and shoes and then paraded me around to all their neighbors after giving me the "ultimate" bindi mark on my forhead!! hehe!! It's fun...sometimes you just go with the flow. I don't really care if they are laughing with me or at me...before leaving I was given enough bangles to cover both arms up to my elbows....why? because they said they didn't want me to forget them....REALLY REALLY BEAUTIFUL WOMEN. Strong, smart, spiritual, loving, nuturing, loyal, and kind. And they are right....I won't ever forget them I had such a great afternoon with them.
So there you have it Darcie. I wish I got to spend more time with the women because they are a lot of fun and they are sincere. Different story with men too many all the time....Like right now I've got two indian guys that work at the hotel that already told me "IIm lovvin to you" 😉

Anyway hope you are all well.....and IIm lovvin to you all!!!

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Comments

[Darcie]

Wow. Thanks, Sandra. I think you should make a movie when you get home about women in India. I'm really glad you got to spend at least a little time with them. I bet you made their year.