Why you are in Hind? Why you not come to Lebanon?

If you hadn't guessed by the title, Hind is the Arabic word for India. So far in Lebanon, aside from eating (which has been, no surprise, the largest portion of my trip), I've spent the rest of my time visiting family. The weather has not been terrible, but there is a storm passing through so it's totally rainy and has not been so good for pictures yet. The time not spent eating has been spent traveling between different relatives' houses. With this is mind, let me play for you a scene that has happened 8 times and will happen 80 more before I return to India:


Ooh Helloo marhaba! How you, how your mother, how your father, how your sister? You no come to see me long time.

I know, I'm sorry I'm sorry. Who's this little one? Oh my, these kids have grown so much since I was here last.

When you last come see me?

Six years ago. So and so was this big, and now she's a grown up pretty girl.

You remember your cousin name? Afayk!
Where you living now?

I live in South India. Al Hind.

(this is where I go an a small explanation of the fact that I don't speak "Indian" and small tidbits of information about how crazy it is there. And lots of sighs of "haram" and jaws agape.)

Why you are in Hind? Why you not come to Lebanon?

Here again I have to explain that India offered me a job and Lebanon didn't. This is a much more difficult challenge here than elsewhere. Academia is not understood here, not even a little. I get mild praise for being "so smart" and that the university here is crazy for not hiring me, etc. When really the point is, I wanted to go to India, and my application to Beirut was late. It has nothing to do with the peripheral stuff of "my family thinks I'm smart enough for the job."

I speak with my cousins about the contrasts of here and in Lebanon and am constantly brought back to a single question in my mind. A few days ago in a bar in Chennai I was talking to two guys from Andhra Pradesh (state directly north of Tamil Nadu) and I asked them about their current events. I asked them about the potential break away state of Telangana. They scoffed at the idea of Telangana, but asked how the hell I knew about this. Simple fact of the matter is it's in India's news. It's a little hard to miss the fact that Hyderabad has some tension right now over this because both "states" want this to be their capital city. Anyway, after some other banter they ask me where I'm from. I lie SLIGHTLY and say I'm FROM Lebanon, instead of I'm Lebanese, which is in fact truth. But saying I'm "from Lebanon" is a lie in it's most basic form.

The question that followed will live with me forever and ever amen.
These two guys said, "Lebanon, isn't that a poor country?"

I said (rightly) it depends on who you ask! If you ask someone from UK or Switzerland then the answer is a resounding YES. If you ask someone from Ethiopia or Sri Lanka the answer is NO. In fact, if you ask the average Indian, the answer will be no. Funny tidbit of info: There are a lot of Sri Lankan women in Lebanon who work as maids and housekeepers and servants. It's sort of indentured servitude, about which I have mixed feelings. It's wonderful in some ways, and it others horrible. Part of that is the servants here are treated respectfully. They are worked hard, but with lots of respect. Their religions are honored fully and they are given good living quarters. I will certainly say, this servant thing is NOT slavery. These servants have the ability to leave. Then again, Lebanon is a rich country in comparison and there isn't much reason to leave because the pittance they make here is still better than home. (Harram!)

That was a fairly long digression to get to this point:
Americans think I'm crazy being India is exotic,
Indians think I'm crazy for leaving the United States,
and Lebanese think I'm crazy for going to India at all.

I think that settles the matter then; I'm crazy. But I ask you one thing; would you ever get to read such rich, true stories full of American cynicism and brutal honesty if I hadn't come to India (and now part of the Arab world)? I think not.