I've been in India for 60 days now and on every single one of them I've been approached by large numbers of people in the street who routinely ask me exactly the same set of questions. It's beginning to drive me slightly mad. This is what I get asked roughly 50 times a day...
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1. Hello, which country?
Answer: England. I say England rather than Great Britain or United Kingdom as this term is in more popular usage due to our cricket and football teams.
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2. What is your 'good' name?
Answer: Charlie. I normally say 'Charlie' to keep it informal and easy although a few times I have said 'Charles Edward Bury.'
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3. First time India and how long India?
Answer: Yes. 4 months.
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4. How old are you?
Answer: 29 years old.
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5. How many people your family?
Answer: Six: mother, father, sister, niece, and grandmother.
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6. Are you married?
Answer: No. Are you OK? You look like you're going to faint.
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7. What is your profession?
Answer: I used to be an Education Welfare Officer until I started travelling.
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8. Salary?
Answer: Now: 0.
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Actually, there are a few questions I would like to ask back like: how come you all ask me the exact same set of questions using the exact same wording? And have you been on a course for this? Is there a textbook called How to question foreign tourists? How is it you all ask the same questions in the same order as well?!
Perhaps I should get a fact sheet printed up on myself if every one's so interested. It might save time.
I'm also reaching the point where I'm beginning to ponder giving fantasy answers: 'I used to be a ballerina but now I've retired and mould garden gnomes for a living. My country? I'm from Iceland.' That kind of thing.
5 comments:
I had the exact same experience! However, the question "Are you married?" (to which I replied in the negative) was ALWAYS followed by the following three queries:-
Can you cook?
Can you sing?
Can you dance?
Fact. I failed to ensnare a husband. Lizxxx
Charlie isn't married because despite travelling the world he still hasn't found a country where marrying a Vicks Sinex is permitted.
I've never got those three! I wonder if they are ranked in order of importance.
Some men will continue on from the marriage question and ask me if I would 'like Indian wife,' and then will add something along the lines of 'Indian wife good. She treat the man like God.'
Amusingly I've also been asked on a number of occasions what language we speak in England. Bless.
Lloyd: I haven't used a Sinex nasal spray for at least the last five years. Those days are behind me.
I think the sinex thing needs a little more explanation....marrying is a whole different ball game to just using one occasionally.
I used to be quite addicted to using Sinex nasal spray. I've been been 'clean' for several years now.
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