A Little Bit of Kansas

Anyone who's ever traveled to a foreign land can appreciate Dorothy's comment upon arriving in Oz that "I don't think were in Kansas anymore". That feeling can arise many times during the course of one's stay. On the other hand, sometimes things can seem eerily familiar.

This afternoon, Iowa Guru and I took a trip to the two local malls that are within walking distance of us. Both are recently built, and as Iowa Guru shopped, I sat read a book. Upon looking up and around during a pause in my reading, I could have thought I was back at Coral Ridge Mall (where I always kept a book handy). The mall was busy with shoppers and innumerable shops selling clothing, watches, electronic equipment, food, and more clothing. The shoppers were a mix of age groups, but certainly teens and young adults were predominant. The dress was not so unfamiliar either, as blue jeans were common and freely mixed in amongst those wearing  native Indian attire. Women, least older women, tend to dress traditionally, but the men are almost inevitably found in shirt and slacks, as were a fair number of the young women. The noise level is greater than what I recall at Coral Ridge Mall. Of course, you hear the din the people talking and walking, but at least Coral Ridge didn't have a blare of music in the background. Also, unlike Coral Ridge Mall, these malls are not adverse to multiple floors and to people using escalators. So, instead of a sprawling out acre upon acre, malls in India tend have multiple floors. This particular one has four and the one across the road from it has five, which is not unusual.

So, if were feeling a bit culture shocked, we can go to the mall for a dose of American-style consumerism. Not my favorite American cultural form, but one we've all experienced if not embraced.