Sleep in the street or live from others fortune

It is amazing to be able to visit so many parts and get so many different views of Mumbai. From one second walking on the street during nighttime, passing all the people that are sleeping on the streets and all the rats running around. While I the next second can be on one of the nicest hotel in Mumbai, Taj Lands End, on a Myspace India launch with drinks and food for free and a lot of interesting people, dressed up almost seeming to be unaware of what is going on around them. Without saying that they are or do not want to. They are only fortuned enough not to live on garbage.  

Time to write a book

Over one week with stomach problems I am almost starting to dream about western food because the thought of Indian food make me ill. To find western food is not that hard but the Indian food is normally half the price. The longing for home-made food has lead me to talk to Pelle a guy from the team about food almost every day. Yesterday we decided to make something out of it. Together with Ellen another Kaospilot we are going to write a book of food that we come to talk about here in India. I reckon this will the saving for longing of the western kitchen. 

I will get my shoes cleaned

Sometimes this country touches my hearth so hard. I was walking on the street today and there was a guy that came up to me. He asked me to clean my shoes for 2 rupis because he thought they were dirty. It was not a good time to have my shoes cleaned so I sad no. He said, “Please mam, I am very hungry and need to get some food”. To get a greater understanding I asked him if he can do it tomorrow for 10 rupis instead and asked if that wouldn’t be better. He said that he preferred to do it today for 2 rupis. Ended up that I told him that I would be here for two months so he would probably meet me again and then he would get 10. I really hope I will meet him again and then he will get 50 rupis for cleaning my shoes. No question about that…

Uffe Elbaeck Question 2

The second question for the exam comes from Uffe Elbaeck the founder of the Kaospilot currently working with the world out games Copenhagen. 

“What are the living conditions for homosexuals in India. Socially, culturally and politically?”

Social

First of all it is important to mention that there are some people that talk about sex and some that never talk about it. I had luck and manage to get hold on two waiters, Christopher and Mahad at a restaurant. They were opened to have a small talk with me about homosexuality.

Outspoken homosexuals are mainly in the Bollywood industry, marketing business and art business. Bobby darling and Rodriguez are two known fashion designers that are gay. There is one known gay bar in Mumbai called Woodoo and a webpage called gaybombay.org to find different places to go or organizations to get in contact with. But it is rather concentrated to special places.

 

Cultural

Concerning the cultural aspect it is not acknowledged to be homosexual in India. If I would be living here as an Indian I would never been able to be accepted as a homosexual. I would have to keep it secret though it would be seen as my parents have failed to raise me in the right culture. In therefore in general it is not accepted.

 

Political

Homosexuality in India is criminalized with the mind-set that it is “unnatural sex”. There are no political parties working for homosexuals rights but there are several organizations in different cities in India that are working for the legal and human rights as homosexuals. Different international organizations are working for legalize it but some say it is still a long process.