the outernationalist

when I started out, the top three countries thrown at me by fellow travelers (not Indian, British or Italian) and the locals were India, the UK, Italy (Portugal was next).

if India, then it is normally followed by some hand-eye movement- reference to Indian cinema or gestures to indicate a straight nose and big eyes. On occasion, the die-hard fans of Bollywood request a song (i have heard them in the most unlikely places- floating islands, internet cafes in peru, laos).

sometimes, you bump into an older British gentleman in a train who says I am very “authentic” Indian.

and the next moment, you meet a group of seven Brazilians traveling together, who have never seen an Indian before (and I thought Indians were like potatoes!) and who proceeded to ask me if Indians eat cat and dog!? (I said, not intentionally. They didn’t understand, so I left it open to interpretation.)

lately, however, the EU has been ousted in favor of a larger continent- my dream destination, Africa! (if only I can only go there on my way back!)

Ah, the power of Ra or the absence of whitening creams in my beauty regimen or maybe it's just genes ;)