Indian women still a mystery

It is only during the last 1-2 years that the westerners, particularly Americans, are truly discovering India. In the past, many westerners, mostly those from Europe, have traveled to India to admire its rich history. But otherwise, India has been a relatively closed society since its independence from the British more than 50 years ago. The number of foreigner in India is miniscule and very few universities have foreign students. The foreign population is limited to diplomats and a few others.

The situation changed, however, when several American companies started to set up IT-related business in India. Suddenly there is a surge in travel to India and a lot of business people now go there for weeks and months or even permanently work there. While as tourists, they might have simply smiled at the locals, now they are interacting more intimately with them. Naturally, some of these encounters are bound to acquire romantic undercurrents soon. Since westerners know very little about India, particularly about Indian women, we are seeing a surge in request from our readers for more information on Indian women.

Peter from Redmond, Washington, whose company operates a software development center in India, recently traveled to Bangalore for working on a project there. While most of his colleagues were men, there were a few women too. Not only did he find them quite bright, he was also attracted to them. He writes, "I think I was attracted to them just because they are so different from anything that I have seen in America. I see some Indian women here in the US and have even partied with some of my Indian colleagues, but being in India was a totally different experience. Women in India are far more exotic (less Americanized) and that is what bowled me over. But I did not know how to react. I would have at least liked to know some of them on a more personal level but my general impression was that people were sort of conservative. I am scheduled to travel again in two months. What can you tell me about Indian women? How can I find some Indian women to casually hang out with while I am there? How can I get to know them better?"

India is a very restrictive society and there is only limited socialization among men and women that are not friends or family members. We have learned that things have changed somewhat in metropolitan areas like Bangalore and Mumbai, but do not plan on walking into a bar and just meeting some women to hang out. What we suggest is the following:

1. Try the Internet. Several websites now feature personal ads by Indian women. While many of them are for marriage, our research shows that some women are also seeking casual friendship. If you clearly indicate that you are simply looking to make some new friends, you might be able to hook up with someone.
2. Contact the women in your Indian office you met last time and let them know when you are going. Propose something that does not come across like a date, e.g., a trip to the local historical areas and ask if someone will be willing to show you around.
3. If you made some good Indian male friends this time, tell them what you have in mind and maybe they can introduce you to someone or invite you to a party. If you have a local contact you will be in better shape than trying out on your own.
4. Be more friendly with the women you meet next time. A lot of the restrictions that have made the American workplace so dull don't exist in many other countries. While if you asked a Seattle office colleague that you liked to have a drink with you, she might accuse you of harassment, that does not happen in most countries. So you can casually propose to these women if they want to hang out with you after work or during the weekend and see what happens.
   

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