...continued.

Indian girls are supposed to be reserved and conservative. I, on the other hand, am quite outgoing so I’m sort of an outlaw. I also can’t speak my language very well (which might be a centre of teasing). English is my most fluent language.

Keeping all that in mind, my parents and quite a few other adults have advised me “not to socialize with boys”. I shouldn’t even smile at them. “Only talk to them if absolutely necessary.”

Why? Because:

• The girls in my hometown are huge gossipers. They can cook up stories of affair out of a small smile (or so they say...)

• The boys do not understand the concept of friendship with females. They are not mature enough to because they’ve been brought up to keep to themselves and so if a girl suddenly pops up and goes around talking to boys and socializing with them, they might ‘get ideas’ (and the girls will make a scandal of it).

As a result: I’m only supposed to befriend girls.

And even with the girls, I shouldn’t be so outgoing because of the fact that I’ve been brought up abroad and have an “accent”, a lot of them might come claiming to be my friend. And there may be a lot of teasing, mocking, gossiping involved.

All in all, I have to be a reserved, more quiet girl.

Which. Is. Not. M-E.

Trish