A foreigner in India! Well this is a very interesting topic and not only Indians but even foreigners would love to read about it.I am an Indian and I would like to portray my views on this topic in a very balanced manner, by talking of both the aspects, that is from the side of the foreigner in India and from the side of the Indians who accept him in India.

   A person from abroad settles down in India in very rare circumstances.Any person who is from the US or the UK or from any other western country from Europe, settles down in India only in two situations.One is when he has no other option and the other is when he really loves India.When it is the former option then the person leads a very disgruntled and dissatisfied life in India and he will never be happy with the Indian environment around him.On the other hand if the person from abroad settles down in India because he loves India will have a very pleasant stay in India and he will enjoy the Indian culture and hospitality thoroughly!

   Indians are a very conservative lot and so when it comes to accepting people from abroad they have a lot of difficulty in doing so.The first hurdle they face is the fact that they are in contact with a person who is not aware of their culture and thought process and when they counter various disparaging thoughts and views from the foreigner, then they are at a loss as to what they should do.What I want to say is that it is somewhat easier for a foreigner to accept Indian culture, than an Indian to accept a foreigner in his life.

   When it comes to the attitude Indians have towards foreigners then it is very evident from various examples and instances wherein the Indians look up to the foreigners as being higher than them in various areas and they tend to flatter them and pamper them to no end, if they are in influential positons in office or in in positions of power.When it comes to their treatment in the market areas and other public areas, they are not treated properly.Especially when it comes to them paying up for small articles they buy in the marketplace, then the shopkeepers try to fleece them and take more money from them than it is required of them.

  Even more shameful is the aspect that most of the foreigner women are ogled at by the men in India, especially on the streets.It is a very sad and pitiable state of affairs in India and these things won’t change no matter what, as even Indian women are not spared of ogling by the people on the streets!

Though now, after various government measures things have improved a lot, but still when it comes to the people adopting a person in their own culture, it takes a very long time and a very broad-minded approach from both the sides.

  When a foreigner makes up his mind to live in India for good, only because he loves India and its rich culture then, it becomes easy for him to accept the various nuances of our culture without any problem, as he is mentally prepared for it and even if he faces some problems initially in understanding various norms of our culture, he gradually settles down and those Indian people to whom he is closely associated to, also accept him with open arms as he loves India!

  As they say “As you sow, so shall you reap”, in the same way if a person from abroad comes with an open heart and a deep desire to settle down in India for good, gets what he wants if he is true in his endeavours and he has no doubt about the integrity of the people of India.He can marry here and have kids and have a happy life here without any hassles and of course the people around him will also help him in this endeavour.

  On the other hand if a person from abroad comes to India and has to settle down here as he has no other option left in front of him, though he hates India, then he is in for a very difficult time in India.He will not be able to accept the culture and the kind of people he faces in his day- to- day life and he will constantly feel left out and sad. India has a big heart and it accepts even the most disgruntled and indifferent people in its stride and tries to absorb them in its culture,but the problem is not for India with one person, the problem is for the person who comes to India with a thought process that India is a place which is below his standard and he should not have been here in the first place.

  Many people come to India for work or business and if they don’t have any love for India and they live a very mechanical life and don’t mingle with the Indian people and don’t come in close contact with the culture of India then, they are the ones who are missing out the world which is at their feet! India cannot force you to accept it, but if you don’t accept it, then you will not only feel isolated, lonely and left out, but you will also feel miserable with yourself and if you are a good person who can fight with your pre-conceived notions, then it is never too late for you to come out of your shell and then, when you step out to accept India, it will welcome you with open arms!

    That is the marvel India is and its people are. They forgive and forget very soon, if you have ill-treated other Indians in your hatred and after sometime if you realise your mistake and you apologise for your actions, then Indians will accept you with open arms!

  Foreigners will face a more daunting challenge in the rural sector, if they try to mix up with the people over there, as they are extremely conservative and orthodox in their nature and the Indian culture over there is at its oldest and a more deep-rooted level.The lack of literacy in the rural India, makes the people more narrow-minded and so it is difficult for them to accept people from a foreign land.

  Anyways no matter what the situation is, a foreigner in India ia always welcome whether he likes India or does not like India.For a person who likes India, he will not find any difficulty in settling down in India, but the person who does not like India will initially have difficulty in settling own here, but as time passes the love of the people of India and their down to earth attitude will change his dislike to like and he will become a fan of the Indian people and have a happy stay over here ultimately.