funny....i haven't seen any 7/11's....

[dimplequeen]

so, i've left paris qnd am in india - i'm actually pretty fluent in french now, which is awesome, although it's making it really hard for me to relearn malayalam (i can understand just fine, but not speak very well), since i keep starting my sentences in french, and no one has any idea what i'm trying to say

Comments

[singingjana]

Wow, Meera, those are some things I never really knew about India. You hear about all the degrading treatment of women in the middle east and forget that there are other places in the world where there are degrees of equality but nonetheless double standards abound. Good for you for knowing what you want, and still being able to respect your family's traditions.

Bring me back something cool from India, will you?

I'm only trolling. HI MEERA AND JANA!

[quadhome]

There will always be double standards. Women and men are different. ;-)

[dimplequeen]

well, it's just so strange that none of the girls find fault with the system... that's what gets me. they are told by their parents, and therefore believe whole heartedly that the restrictions are for their own protection and safety. i've just been having a really hard time understanding why. WHY is there this ever present fear for women, and what trouble they'll get into? be it rape, or mugging, murder, general misbehavior, why do women catch the brunt of such paranoia? and why, after everything, do they pass down the same strictures to their poor daughters? my uncle even said, i wouldn't have faith that your cousin (who is only a couple of months my junior) could do all the travelling you have done without someone to guide her. indeed, they were shocked to find out that i had done all my travelling by myself. they thought i must have travelled to paris with the school group, and then to india with friends. and the funny thing is, neither of those circumstances made any sense, but it was so hard for them to imagine me travelling by