You meet people all the time when you travel. I am particularly friendly and am often the one to strike up a conversation and introduce myself but there is another factor when traveling in Asia. As a westerner I stick out with my pale skin and the Asian people are often fascinated by it and I get treated accordingly.

***There are a lot of issues contributing to that mindset, including imperialism, privilege, and standards of beauty, which I believe are really important to take notice of and think critically about, but I’m not going to address those at this moment.***

The Indians show their fascination most openly by asking to take a photo of western tourists. I was somewhat used to this after living in Thailand but in India it was a whole different story. I am usually happy to oblige but, as a rule, I make sure to take a photo with my camera as well. Also, I only agree if they say, ‘Hello’ or ask my name or where I’m from. If someone comes up and simply says, ‘One selfie?,’ then I will refuse. For me, it is about meeting someone and that interaction, not just snapping a photo like at a zoo. The result is that I have more than a few photos of me and local Indians as well as some amusing stories!

Early in my trip, while I was waiting at a bus stop in a small town, an older woman with kind eyes began talking to me. She barely knew English and soon ushered her grandson over to translate some of her questions for me. After talking for a bit the whole rest of the family came over to take a photo with me and right at that moment my bus arrived. I yelled to the driver that I was coming as a few more pictures were snapped but he started pulling away! The old woman came to my rescue, calling out to the driver so the bus stopped and then she helped me with my bags. I would never have gotten over it if I missed my bus for a selfie(especially one in which you can see me yelling at the bus driving away)!

Many of the memorable encounters I’ve had involve children. They have some of the most candid and expressive reactions to seeing me, a westerner. When very young children or babies look at me over the shoulder of the caretaker that is carrying them, I always smile and I usually get two reactions. The child’s face either erupts into a beaming smile or they just continue to stare at me in bewilderment or hide their face from the pale stranger. One time, when I was walking, a group of women said hello to me and then asked for a picture, pointing at the infant in one woman’s arms. I agreed, assuming I would stand next to her, but before I knew what was happening she had put her baby in my arms! The infant looked as shocked and uncomfortable as I was but we managed to pose successfully for some photos! Older children offer a bit more of a reaction than just their facial expressions. They are much more likely to say, ‘Hello,’ and strike up a conversation, often to practice or show off their English skills, and I can’t help but go along, the teacher inside me encouraging them to try and learn. There was one instance when I ate at a restaurant that was very busy so they sat me in a side room with a table for ten, and they insisted when I protested since I didn’t need it. Soon after, a school group came in for their afternoon snack and my table was filled with young boys. I was able to get a couple of them talking to me while the rest just looked at me and whispered to each other in their native language. In many of the small towns I was in, it is very likely that I am the first white person that young children have seen, so I’m happy to make them smile or at least leave them with the memory of my smile.

Sometimes I found myself being taken care of by Indians, as if I were a lost puppy (which occasionally was not too far off :). From the woman who quietly tugged on my sleeve and then led me and my friend to the train station without a word, to the two older men that acted as my ‘train Dad’s.’ On my first overnight train journey I was in a compartment with these two older men. There had been a family there when I arrived but the men promptly kicked them out as they were in my assigned seat and motioned for me to get comfortable. They chatted with me, discussing work, my lack of a husband(of course that came up), and travel, one even got his beaten up map out and pointed out all kinds of places in India. One kept buying me coffee, chai, and snacks as the vendors came down the train aisle and when I tried to offer to pay he just shook his head, put his hand on my shoulder, and said, ‘You are my daughter.’ It was so sweet and I really felt cared for and welcomed, and that was the case all over India.

Every so often, these chance meetings and interactions with locals become something more meaningful. When I was in Pushkar walking around the lake taking pictures around sunset there was this group of older guys sitting, relaxing on the stone wall. They said hello and motioned for me to take a picture of them; I then insisted on taking one with me as well and they all started laughing, repeating, ‘selfie, selfie!’ I sat down and began chatting with them; we watched the sunset, were joking around and then they passed me some of their recreational activity! 😉 They were taken with me and invited me to join them for dinner. Part of me was apprehensive about going off to a second location with a group of Indian men I had just met but I trusted my gut that they meant no harm and I’m glad I did! I had the most memorable evening with the guys and spent the next day with one who became a dear friend and it’s a story with more to be told for sure.

Traveling in a land that is so different from your own and where you look so different from the local people can be difficult. If you are not having a good day the constant staring and gawking gets frustrating really quickly but it also can give you opportunities by being so easily spotted as a visitor. I found the Indian people eager to give me a warm welcome to their country and treat me as a VIP guest, which I will forever cherish, and I have the photos to prove it!