Funny Personal Anecdote About Culture Clash
I'll place this behind a cut because it's just a personal anecdote that, as an anthro student, I found to be funny.
I work in several capacities at a museum in L.A. If I get to work early or have to stay late I just walk in the park that the museum is located in. Almost every morning and evening I see an Indian couple walking, too. They're older, maybe in their late 50s or early 60s. The wife always wears really colorful saris, and they're Sikh so the husband has a big turban and long beard.
We always say "Hi" or "Good morning". I noticed them sort of eyeballing me, but didn't really think anything of it. One day the husband stops me and asks, "How tall are you? 5'6", 5'7"?" I told him I was 5'7", he replied "Oh, very good, very good. Thank you," and kept on walking. I figured he was probably a chiropractor in India and his credentials aren't recognized here, so he guesses heights in the park to keep himself amused. I know that's a long shot, but it was kind of an odd question to randomly ask a stranger. A few days later he sees me again in the evening and asks, "Are you finished for today? Do you study or work here?" I told him I did both, and again he replies "Oh, very good, very good. Thank you." At this point I'd given up on figuring the whole thing out.
Saturday I was talking to my friend Kristen, who also works at the museum, and we see the couple in the park. I tell her about the weird questions and she says, "Oh, they did the same thing to me. Did they proposition you for their son?"
Apparently the conversation went like this:
Guy: Sit down, sit down.
Kristen: Okay, I've got a few minutes.
Guy: You work here?
Kristen: Yeah, I work here.
Guy: You work on the holiday? [It was Sunday]
Kristen: Yeah.
Guy: Are you married?
Kristen: No, I live with my boyfriend.
Guy: Do you have any children?
Kristen: Yes, one.
Guy: Male or female?
Kristen: Female.
Guy: Very good. I have a son who is looking to get married. We live right across the street, why don't you come to our place for lunch and meet him?
They're trying to arrange a marriage! I would love to know what makes Kristen and I prime targets. I love living in a city that has so many different cultures :)
I work in several capacities at a museum in L.A. If I get to work early or have to stay late I just walk in the park that the museum is located in. Almost every morning and evening I see an Indian couple walking, too. They're older, maybe in their late 50s or early 60s. The wife always wears really colorful saris, and they're Sikh so the husband has a big turban and long beard.
We always say "Hi" or "Good morning". I noticed them sort of eyeballing me, but didn't really think anything of it. One day the husband stops me and asks, "How tall are you? 5'6", 5'7"?" I told him I was 5'7", he replied "Oh, very good, very good. Thank you," and kept on walking. I figured he was probably a chiropractor in India and his credentials aren't recognized here, so he guesses heights in the park to keep himself amused. I know that's a long shot, but it was kind of an odd question to randomly ask a stranger. A few days later he sees me again in the evening and asks, "Are you finished for today? Do you study or work here?" I told him I did both, and again he replies "Oh, very good, very good. Thank you." At this point I'd given up on figuring the whole thing out.
Saturday I was talking to my friend Kristen, who also works at the museum, and we see the couple in the park. I tell her about the weird questions and she says, "Oh, they did the same thing to me. Did they proposition you for their son?"
Apparently the conversation went like this:
Guy: Sit down, sit down.
Kristen: Okay, I've got a few minutes.
Guy: You work here?
Kristen: Yeah, I work here.
Guy: You work on the holiday? [It was Sunday]
Kristen: Yeah.
Guy: Are you married?
Kristen: No, I live with my boyfriend.
Guy: Do you have any children?
Kristen: Yes, one.
Guy: Male or female?
Kristen: Female.
Guy: Very good. I have a son who is looking to get married. We live right across the street, why don't you come to our place for lunch and meet him?
They're trying to arrange a marriage! I would love to know what makes Kristen and I prime targets. I love living in a city that has so many different cultures :)