An article ran in the New York Times recently - Fighting to Shut out the Real India - that I believe really captures a lot of our experience. It is a well-written piece, and I would highly recommend you read it (it's not long). The writer does a much better job than I could of describing the parallel worlds that seem to exist here, as well as the enormous effort those with means go to ensure the two worlds do not collide. We are, to some extent, living "in the bubble." Brandon leaves for work in the morning, barely stepping outside the front gates of the house, and arriving by car or motorcycle inside the gates of the office. Admittedly, we venture into "the other world" when we make little trips on our own, to the Big Bazaar, or the shops around the house.
This experience has made me realize that sometimes in the States we do just as good a job of orchestrating our lives to avoid other classes - only we have the luxury of not having them living in our backyards, working in our kitchens, driving our cars and caring for our children. Is it worse to essentially ignore the less fortunate pushing in around you everyday - or to live your life in a way so as to banish them from your sight so that you don't even have to think about them?
This experience has made me realize that sometimes in the States we do just as good a job of orchestrating our lives to avoid other classes - only we have the luxury of not having them living in our backyards, working in our kitchens, driving our cars and caring for our children. Is it worse to essentially ignore the less fortunate pushing in around you everyday - or to live your life in a way so as to banish them from your sight so that you don't even have to think about them?
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