India is usually romantisized. It has this mystical image which isn't at all reality. Indians are the most materialistic people I have ever met in my life. The majority is so poor, so of course money is what they are concerned with most of all. I hope this doesn't come across as racist, it's not meant to be. It's just my experience here. If they would only understand to limit themselves to one or two children! The growing population is a big contributor to poverty and other problems here. But for the poor families, children are their safety net. The children will take care of the elders once they have grown up. Upper middle class and richer families have started to live more Western style though.
Nevertheless, there are some traits I like in Indians. They are more laid back, they are not fussy, rarely worried, there is always time to sit and have a cup of
chai. Indians are very flexible, they go with the flow, and the pace is slow here. I have never fit in with the hectic, almost maniac pace of the West. I'm slow myself in everything I do, I can't be hurried.
Not to worry and never to expect the worst can be both a plus and a very frustrating approach though. It depends. I am myself a worrier, and have often had the experience here that things DO work out in the end, and I got a headache for nothing. But sometimes this approach is not right, for example when your cat is ill, and I get very frustrated here. There is just no urgency here. For nothing. Not even for humans.
Nevertheless, just the other day, I saw a red shiny fire brigade truck driving past, sirene blaring - I have never seen that here before! Recently I have also seen ambulances, even a pet ambulance once. But they will not be on the scene within 5 minutes as we know it from the West. They probably arrive an hour later. And I doubt that anyone knows how to call them anyway. I don't. Haven't see phone numbers advertised anywhere.
Okay, I could go on and write a book or at least a looong essay here. Maybe I'll do that and out-bore Sceptic once more
Yes, I will take some pics of the city I live in, but that may take time ... lol!
