The Abba Interview

Recently, on the eve of her departure from India, I had an opportunity to sit down with Abba to discuss her experiences and observations about India. Looking fit and relaxed as I met her in her spacious Jaipur apartment, with suitcases readied for her imminent departure, Abba was forthcoming about her what she’d experienced in her time here. 

As an experienced traveler, she reported that she immediately took note of the Delhi’s Indira Gandhi airport, which made a favorable impression on her with its “cool buildings”. Upon existing and beginning her travels, she found that the scenes reminded her of South Africa. The level of development that she saw, however, was greater than West Africa, where she resided for over two years. While noting that India lies north of the equator, she found it “typical of the global south with its food stands, open air vendors, and hotels”. Some unpaved or ill-kept roads also confirmed her sense of the global south. She was “impressed by the train” that she took from Delhi to Jaipur, comparing it to the train in Cameroon that was incredibly unreliable. 

Asked to comment for those who have not experienced India first hand, she noted how much there is to see here and how much more she could see if she had the time. She remarked on the contrast between the southwestern state of Kerala, which provided a tropical setting, and the more arid climate of Jaipur. She regretted that she had not fully experienced the Indian megacities of Mumbai (although she made a very brief sojourn out of the airport there to explore) and Delhi, which has served (and will serve) only as an entry and exit point. Of Jaipur, she reported that she would not want to live here, “it’s pretty built up”, she observed. “Walking the old city, which is quite touristy, isn’t something that I enjoyed that much”. In general, she found Jaipur “too big and hard to get around”. In contrast, “I enjoyed the hiking and touring in the rural areas, and I would have liked to have done more of that.” She noted that she, along with her entourage, hiked in a rural area outside of the south-central Rajasthan city of Udaipur. “It reminded me a lot of the ‘Roon.” (The ‘Roon' is her slang for the West Central African nation of Cameroon.) Another aspect of India that she noted was the number events and festivals throughout the land. Asked to list a favorite, she did not hesitate: “The JLF [Jaipur Literature Festival] was awesome. It was like Christmas and SSR all in one.” (By “SSR”, Abba refers to her Lincoln Elementary School practice of “sustained silent reading”, also known by the participants as “sit down, shut-up and read”.) Abba greatly enjoyed introductions to new authors and the “great, engaging interviews” that she heard. 

I asked her about how she might advise someone coming to India about how to prepare and what to anticipate. Abba noted the “lack of personal space” as a major difference that one could expect coming from the U.S or from Cameroon. In addition, she noted, “India could overwhelm someone who has not traveled before. There’s a lot of stimulus, and you could go crazy if you can’t filter out some of that stimulus.” As example, she remarked on the traffic in India. In sum, “it’s a bold move if you come here first in your travels!”

As to dislikes or disappointments, in addition to less rural touring that she would have liked, or the flip side, less time to explore the great cities, Abba noted her regret that she could not communicate in the local language, as she did in Cameroon. “I miss a lot being unable to speak Hindi, and I fear that creates a more superficial experience.” (This interviewer remained mute about that shortcoming.) Abba noted that she did not like polo, finding it “boring”. Finally, echoing sentiments held by her mother, the Iowa Guru, she noted, “I don’t like the cold weather.” (The reader should note that the temperature here did not get down below freezing, only into the 30’s (F), but with unheated rooms, Abba and her entourage would find it hard to warm up the extremities.)

On the positive side, Abba gathered a number of mementos from her time here, most notably the wood block cloth prints that she created, as well as some items that she purchased retail. As she noted, “India is great for fabric, and I’m really into it”. In addition, she noted that she’ll be returning to the States with some new bangles and a number of new books. 

To end our conversation, I asked Abba to reflect on a professional level about the quality of social services and public infrastructure that she observed here in India. “I’d give Cameroon a ‘D’ or an ‘E’; East Africa a ‘C’, and India a ‘B’” she reported. “I saw some great organizations, like Disha [an institution for disabled children where she volunteered], but I feel that I just skimmed the surface”. She went on to qualify her grade by remarking that she “still had a lot to learn” in order the get a complete picture of India. She noted that within Jaipur she saw a lot of building going on, including an elevated mass transit system. 

By this point, Abba was looking tired, and I knew that she needed to complete her packing for her journey to Nepal and then back to the states. I thanked her for the generous donation of her time to this interview. 

Jaipur has seen its share of rich and famous through the years, maharajas, royalty like Prince Charles and Princess Di, the Clintons, stars from Bollywood and Hollywood, as well the incomparable Oprah. Now it can add Abba to its list.