Sunday, November 21, 2010
Where are you from beautiful/angel/sweetheart? America, India, England...Mars/None of your business
It's been 2 days in Istanbul and as much as it was an ego boost the first day to be stopped by men and be showered with complements, inquiring about how we like Istanbul and guessing where each of is from, it has now become a nuisıance. Before I would smile and reply America, apparently they were not pleased with that response. They would volley back, but you look Indian and so I began to say I was from India and then they would tell me I thought you're from England since Indians from India rarely visıt our country, but we know there are a lot of Indians from England and a lot of tourists from England. So then I started saying I was from England, but then I was told I did not have an English accent. So now I don't respond or say I'm from Mars and they ask where that is located? My friend on the other hand has ıt much easier, since they are accostomed to tourists from Europe she does not get harassed. So we conducted a social experiment today, I left our hotel a few minutes before she did to go to the Spice Bazaar. She arrived there 15 minutes before I did and saw how I kept getting 'pulled' over. I avoid eye contact, I even cross the street to avoid the advances and someone from the other side of the street will ıntercept me and contınue. I'm contemplating on borrowing a burkha tomorrow to see if I can go on wıth my business unnoticed. In many regards Istanbul is a small city or I must be the only Indian woman, because the servers' and shopkeepers' friends will stop me and say I heard you were hanging out at so and so, my friend mentioned ıt to me. They must lead very boring lives to share my whereabouts or what I consumed or purchased. Damn the exportation of Bollywood movies and creating a mysticism about Indıan women. I'm going to ask the next guy why he's stopping me and not my friend as ıt's obvious she's not Turkish. I guess it's better than Egypt where the men would holler how many camels they would offer to your family in exchange for you. I better build my tolerance because the harrassment is worse in İndia:(
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