The Adventures of the Little Indian Girl

So, January I read two books and the third one is a work in progress as D and I are reading it together and no hurry to finish.

1. Trevor Noah's Born a Crime - I wrote some thoughts a few weeks ago here. There was so much in this book I wouldn't even know where to begin to describe all the feels and thoughts that went through while reading it!! I had of course heard about Apartheid. In the mid-90s, there was one trip that only mom, sis and I took to India over a summer break. Dad had work to do and I think he joined us later. Anyway, this was the time where we had to fly via Chennai to get to Bangalore. You know, when Bangalore was a "small" quaint town and before the huge IT boom.

I remember it being a big thing and mom was warned about traveling alone (without a man) with two young girls. We all shrugged and had an adventure in Chennai. Mom decided we play tourist and see the city before hiring a car to drive to Bangalore. (I think at the time this was cheaper than flights? And trains were all booked? I have no idea why mom picked going by road. That's a question for another day). Anyway, so we went on a city tour organized by the tourism board and the bus was filled with about 50 passengers or so and very few were Indians. Some were Indians tagging along with their foreign visitors to show the city. There was one from Singapore who constantly compared the 2,000 year old sites to places in Singapore that were around 100 years old. It got annoying. Surprised my sis didn't say anything. Ah well.

There was another family of four on the trip. They looked Indians but weren't? Over the course of the day we befriended them and they were sharing with us how this was their "pilgrimage" to find their roots. They were from South Africa and were able to visit India because Apartheid was lifted. Their family name was Golden and we were amused. The dad in the group thinks his great grandfather's name was probably Govindan or something to that effect and in the registry whoever the clerk was took it down as Golden.That was my closest encounter with someone from Apartheid and he had shared some stories.

Of course, every Indian grew up learning about Mahatma Gandhi and the reason he returned to India - he was riding on a train and he was kicked out because of his skin colour and being told to go back to India - which is so horrible - instead of preaching in a foreign nation. That's what we grew up learning. It's only in adulthood I learnt more about his work in South Africa. His grandaughter is in South Africa. I never knew that.

Anyway, all this to say, nothing prepared me to how Apartheid actually affected people and didn't know the impact on mixed race kids. Just wow! Trevor Noah staged the book so well. You knew what was coming. You know how it ends. You keep reading wanting more and more.. It was a great book! I wish I had read it sooner. I just delayed it because you know, a comedian. Sure, I like his work but it's not you know Nelson Mandela or someone that inspirational. But I am glad I picked it up and give it 4.5 stars!

2. A Long Way Home: A Memoir by Saroo Brierley
This is a book that was made into a movie, Lion. I usually never say the movie is better than a book. I can't say it here either since I haven't seen the movie. But I think this story would make a wonderful movie. The writing in the book was OK. Clearly, he is not a trained writer. It would be me writing a book and mine would be horrible. So, for attempt he did great. His story is gut wrenching and just so amazing. It so happened that N got the movie from the library!! So, am going to watch it this weekend! From the trailers, it looks like a great movie!

3. Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls
This was a book "Santa" brought D for Christmas. And D has absolutely devoured it. She takes the book everywhere and we have been reading not one but 2 or more before bed time. The bed time ones, I read with her. She has read some repetitively. She has become very interested in calculating the age of the women in the stories. And how long since they died (if they died). See, everyday math! So, all good reviews from me. I find myself over some of the choices they made in the book - or more the stories of the rebel girls they chose to highlight. I wonder if these characters are seen as "good" in their countries or if we in the US have decided they are "great". It is something that D and I have talked about how we all have opinions over what's good and bad. But we see that in each girl in the circumstances she was in she did great things. Can't wait to get the second volume. 

It wasn't my first time, but it still caught me off-guard. On Saturday, N & D went to an art fair in the neighbouring neighbourhood. There was a whole area of kids arts and crafts. It was a lot of fun! One of the booths gave out play-sticky-moustaches. D kept it for later use.

So, yesterday we were meeting for a preschool class playdate at the playground. Well, while the kids played we gave feedback on the procedures, experiences at school, etc.

D decided she wanted to be a boy out to the park. So, she got out her mustache, wore my sunglasses and her hat and she was ready to go!

So, the many kids at the playground were amused. One girl even came up and asked what she was today! And when I said, "a man", she asked why she picked that for today! Hmmm...I have no idea. D just said, "because" and left it at that.

Then there were many slides to slide on and friends to meet up while I talked to the caucus and N watched D. Towards the end a friend and her son also joined D at the playground and our meeting ended and everyone was heading home.

By the end D was hungry and she decided she was done wearing the mustache and we put it away. That same girl from earlier had come over  to ask what happened to the mustache. And I shared D wanted to be a girl again. She was done being a man.

She seemed to find that reason acceptable and as d ran off to join her friend, the girl went on to ask, "why is her skin colour that way?" I asked her what she meant. "why is her skin colour different? Where was she born?" I responded that she was born here. She looked puzzled and didn't understand why D's skin colour would be different. I was just about to answer because her mom and dad have the skin color, so does she.

But before I could her dad was walking over reading something on his smartphone and called her over to head home!

Bah!

Hers was an innocent question, but this thought is so prevalent among adults. This news headlines brings that to mind. But I hope by the time D is an adult she doesn't face such questions. That she is accepted wherever she is for who she is.

My first time of hearing about colour of skin was when I was watching my middle school dance teacher's 5 year old daughter. She had asked me to wash my hands properly because my hands were still brown! I remember being so puzzled. I had shared with her that I did wash my hands. I even went to the bathroom to show her I did. And only then realising that she was confused. It wasn't that she wasn't surrounded by non-whites. She just was stuck to that rule, "wash your hands till you get all the mud (color brown) is off your hands".