On Arriving to India

Manjari shopping for a sari
Originally uploaded by Jane Rubio.

A Japanese tourist--that's what I've become, at least according to Manjari. As soon as we got to the car leaving the airport, I asked if I could do the super-obnoxious thing of taking out my video camera. It was midnight, so there wasn't too much going on. But still I wanted to film.

When I arrived to Mumbai eight years ago, it was a completely different scene. After a seven hour lay over in Rome, the other 12 Americans and I were tired. The heat and humidity hit us like a wall. One kid's nose started bleeding. Then of course our bags weren't there. (But I had an extra underwear and T-shirt with me.) The ride into the city was more than intense. There is a huge swastika on the building facing the incoming traffic. (A swastika is a Hindu symbol often accompanying the OHM. The Nazis appropriated it for the Aryan connection.) Little kids, many half-dressed, would come up to the car with their hands outstretched, saying "Uncle" and "Please" and other things I didn't understand.

The three taxis dropped us off at the Apollo Guest House, a two star hotel on Colaba Causeway. The street was packed with vendors; we couldn't see the door. And we were immediately surrounded by all kinds of people. I'm sure we were an interesting spectacle.

My arrival into India the first time was a complete assault. It was all overwhelming--the heat, the noise, the masses of people--all compounded by being with 12 other Americans, many of whom immediately shut down. People I had known for years morphed into something different. I was more scared by their reaction, than anything else.

This time was chill. Manjari was waiting for me. We hopped in the car. I busted out the camera.

The bigger assault had come from flying Air France and the stopover in Paris. They say Americans are hyper sensitive to smell, and that we spend far too much money on deoderants, air freshners, body lotions, and the like. Well the French obviously don't, not even the flight attendants. . .But the food was really good.

It's raining here, a lot. Yay, monsoon season. Yay, Internet access at Manjari's.

You can see the photos from my first trip to India at www.homepage.mac.com/janerubio/PhotoAlbum15.html.