Foriegners through the eyes of an Indian

India is a land of diversity. We are a country of only God knows how many languages, religions,cultures, folk dances etc. We pride ourselves on being a nation where people from different cultures have come and then have remained behind becoming a part of our culture.However there is one tribe which we have not been able to accept as a part of our culture even after being dominated by it for 200 years - that of white people.

Recently, I was travelling in a train when a foriegner walked into our compartment. As soon as he walked in, all the conversation stopped and there was pin drop silence in the compartment. One guy who was talking on phone so loudly that he could be heard two or three compartments down suddenly started speaking very slowly with his face towards the window. Everybody started staring at the foriegner. He looked all around him and must have made eye contact with everybody in the compartment. Soon his companion came and both settled down on their seats while talking in a strange language. Slowly the volume of conversation in the compartment started picking up.
My friend asked me "Which language is this?". Above me, an uncle was showing his child " See, they are Jewish " as if they are a specimen.

This made me wonder as to how the Indian psyche works when it sees a foriegener. For them, spotting a foriegener is just like spotting a rare animal in a zoo. Let us see how the various foriegners compare with the animals:-

Black Foriegner( African ) - He is just like a chimpanzee. A welcome change from the normal but nobody has any particular desire to watch it.

Japanese/ Korean - They are like a porcupine. So different from the normal species. That is the only reason people want to see them.

Bhutan/Sri Lanka/ Nepal/ Bangaladesh - A cow. We have got them in the streets. People don't even bat an eyelid on seeing them.

American - The prize catch. The tiger. Everybody wants to see them and make an aquaintaince whenever possible. People stand in awe for sometime after spotting them.

European/ Australian - Slightly below the American. The leopard. However, the reaction is just as intense as that for a tiger.

Pakistani - The snake. There is a special urge to take a stick and drive it out of town.

South America (Argentina, Chile, Brazil) - A rare species of butterfly. You have to tell people that it is a rare specie for them to appreciate it. You have to tell people that he is from so-so country for them to show an interest.