My boss was planning a trip to visit the team from the US, her perception of India was hazy and I believed that it would change for the better when she comes down. But who am I kidding the life I in Bangalore is something only a few percentage of the Indians lead. There is a good percentage of the population below the poverty line. So India today is a mix of cultures and living standards. We do have a lot to improve in the infrastructural front even in the most developed cities. Well my boss’s perception didn’t change much I guess. But she did learn of the lifestyle we have and that we had adopted pretty much of the western culture they follow.
She did have a bad experience at the airport when the customs officials did not want to release her baggage for she refused to bribe them Rs12000. It was awful to come to the understanding of the way some government officials’ work. I was wondering if this is how we welcome foreigners to India ? If bribes start at the airport till where would in individual think it would go.
I was happy that we were good hosts to the foreigners who came in. On the other hand though crossed my mind, of what one of my friends mom had told me sometime back. She said why ? why is it that we pamper foreigners, they ruled over India for a long time, looted us, and trampled over India and now we pamper them so much, have we forgotten what they had done to us? Also the fact remains that you would never be pampered when you go abroad.
I had a good time with my boss, she had bought all of us gifts form Victoria’s Secrets. Parties at TGIF and Leela’s.
Some basic facts; India has a population of 1.25 B and 36% live below the poverty line. (http://indiabudget.nic.in/es97-98/chap101.pdf) some stats show 25 % below poverty(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_India).
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