Love has no definition. Even if
it did, the definition varies, depending on each person’s perception. To me
Love is beyond articulation. It is more in action than in words… but many would
think otherwise and I do respect their way of loving.
We all have loved and the same
has been different for various people in your life. Your love for your parents,
love for your friends and loving that one person with whom you would and will
(optimistically speaking) spend your life with. But what we generally forget is
that we do unconsciously fall in love with some people we meet in life. But
this love doesn’t necessarily have to be the love that we all think Love is.
It’s the respect that sheds love in it and to me, Senegal has taught me that.
Living in Senegal has taught me a
lot. Hailing from a country, known for its diversification in culture that amalgamates
and makes us Indians, has also rendered me with ways to look at things around
me. Being an Indian, you would involuntarily demarcate southerners from
northerners , as you would with east from the west. Each coming from different
parts of India are looked at upon with a preconceived notion. A popular example
is the way with which a North Indian looks at a South Indian, he would surely
think “ahh, he/she would be intelligent, either an Engineer or Doctor”. This
could be seen in a good way or to those who feel threatened by the other
cultures intelligence or so called perceived intelligence, would try and demean
them by quoting some intelligent (that is what they wish to believe) talks like
“Madrasis always have curd rice. You black people know nothing but work” and
many more. What they forget is that the same people, who take the sadistic
pleasure in passing such derogatory remark, relish and lip smackingly eat the
other dishes like Dosas and Idlis, which are from south India. To them all
Southerners are Madrasis. This is most of Northern India’s way of describing
South Indians. In the same manner, people who come from the East are all from
Kolkata. I fail to understand, when each one of us are taught Geography in our
Schooling days, were all these people daydreaming about food? These are the
same people who could rattle out the names of the smallest village abroad and
would love to go settle there.
The reason I quoted the above is
not to express my frustration but to clearly
differentiate the attitude difference between those from a very developed
country to those from a under developed country. This is just not restricted to
Indian but to many other people from different nations.
I clearly remember, when I had
told people that I would be going to live in Senegal, the first thing they said
was…”what would you do in a country full of Blacks”. I had retaliated saying, “the
same as what I do in a country, where I deal with illiterate people and morons”.
Senegal has been the most
wonderful experience for me. I am almost completing three years here, which
have passed effortlessly and fast. This country has taught me friendliness and
respect for each one of the people here. Like India which was colonized by Britishers,
Senegal was colonized by French. But unlike many Indian, Senegalese people are
not bitter and demeaning towards others.
‘Teranga’, as Senegal is believed
to be, means Welcome. And I reckon that it is indeed very welcoming. It is not
the country that matters but it’s the people living in the country that makes
the country so welcoming. As you walk down any street here, you would be
greeted warmly by people who don’t even know you. Here it isn’t necessary for
people to know you, to be said good morning to. Each and everyone’s conversation
starts with a greeting and confirming if your family is good. It is imperative
for you to greet the person before asking them anything. This is applicable to even the shopkeepers, where you would buy your daily provision. What amazes
me is when you do greet them, you are automatically bestowed with so much
calmness and friendliness that the remaining conversation with them seems like
you have known them for years together.
Many might say that this country
has nothing but sand… but I would contradict it with saying, this country has
everything that other developed country doesn’t have. This country has people
who make you feel at home. This country makes you feel as if you belong here, this
country teaches you how every person, irrelevant of their social stature, love
and respect one another. This country makes you feel safe to walk down the road
even at the wee hours of the morning and not feel scared. This country teaches
you to love people from different culture and countries.
We Indians have an uncanny habit
of admiring and loving everything that’s White… ooh they love white skin… But
what I refuse to understand is, when you are from a country that has all the
different skin tones, how can you be so biased at looking at things?
Senegal has taught me another
definition of love. Love to respect and the world will respect you back with
ample of love in it.
