Comments on: it’s better not to know where they wash your coffee cup

By: Ramit

Ramit — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:38:34 +0000

There’s running water and a drain below it. There are plants and it’s sheltered from the road and all. It’s perfect! What more do you need hehe? Stop being greedy!

By: martina

martina — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:43:54 +0000

it is even better to drink with your own cups that you bring from your own house
at least that’s what i do…

By: jugaad « Our Delhi Struggle

jugaad « Our Delhi Struggle — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:59:15 +0000

[...] diesel fumes into our office when the wind was right. We had no microwave, no refrigerator, and nowhere appropriate to wash our dishes. Worst of all, the improperly-installed urinals emptied into the same drain-line [...]

By: Shefaly

Shefaly — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:20:30 +0000

And the dialogue here suggests that no matter what you say, if you are ‘different’, it is very easy for the conversation to be steered to racism, casteism or whatever ism du jour one wishes to discuss

Even Indians complain about all this stuff and are grossed out by it.

By: ke

ke — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 06:40:13 +0000

AV:

I’m not disgusted by anybody. I’m just trying to understand their culture, which I found to be quite insular based on what I observed in East Africa.

Like I said, I’d still love to visit India one day.

By: AV

AV — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:58:11 +0000

ke,

You seem to be disgusted by Indians. Look in the mirror, you might find a racist staring back at you.

By: ke

ke — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:41:21 +0000

vick:

Are you talking about the riots in Kenya last year? All people who owned businesses were targeted. Actually, their shops were destroyed and they did not all belong to Indians. So, no..there was special targeting of Indians in Kenya. They just happen to own a lot of shops and like other kenyans who do, those shops got hit.

The Indians in East Africa however, embody the racism I mentioned above. While Idi Amin’s methods were extreme, the anger towards them is widespread and there is a reason for it. When these E.African countries were colonized, the Indians were placed a rung higher than Africans by the British and they were given many opportunities that were Africans were not given. This is where the resentment begun.

However, after independence, the Indians in East Africa, refused to integrate. They lived in their own walled off compounds, they refused to learn swahili, they didn’t mix or inter-marry and they treated their African employee’s terribly. The resentment towards them continued to grow as a result of this inward behavior they displayed even after living in countries that were now governed by Africans.

And by the way, many ugandas were persecuted and killed by Idi Amin himself. It wasn’t just Indians.

However, I am telling you that Indians in East Africa have brought on a lot of these problems by themselves and their refusal to integrate has largely been a result of their inherent racism. It should tell you something that despite living in African countries for over 100 years, they still refuse to integrate and inter-mix with their fellow Africans. I believe that the caste system in India has created a very insular and racist society/culture/people and if Indians don’t learn how to accept and interact with people from different backgrounds, they will not become this global power that everyone thinks they will.

Anyway, that is just my two cents based on my observations of the Indian community in East Africa.

By: Vick

Vick — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:42:44 +0000

Ke,
Please do look in the mirror sometimes. There has been violence by blacks against Indian all over Africa. Just last year there were riots in Africa against Indians and few indians were killed in it. Ever heard of that great African leader called Idi Amin and the way he prosecuted Indians? Ever heard how much India supported black’s struggle in South Africa?

By: whoever

whoever — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 06:20:13 +0000

What an interesting blog. The things people have to go through to beef up their first world cvs! I feel soooooo sorry for you guys. I hope you are over your stint soon and take off towards your ‘normal’ life and a heftier pay package.

By: ke

ke — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:14:34 +0000

Plus, Indians are the worst racists you’ll ever find anywhere. Even though, I’ve heard horror stories from African students who’ve studied in India, I’d still like to visit, but as a total tourist. It’s just not a safe country to live in if you’re black.