Re: Reason why Krips quit the site - here-->

by Guest Sun Aug 14, 2011 7:35 pm

Isn't the story set in the US though?

by Kris Sun Aug 14, 2011 7:35 pm

Yeah, it could be they met in india in the early 70's and got married after her landing up in the US(?). The surprise at table manners seems out of place even for that period. Anyway, I didn't read the story all that closely and may have missed something. My own gaffes included eating a pizza with a fork before catching on that the others were picking the slice up with their hands and leading with my right at my first dance party, while the gal graciously asked me if I was left handed. In retrospect, neither seems to have been a big deal.

by Guest Sun Aug 14, 2011 7:48 pm

I remember going to a fondue party. I didn't know anything abt it. My husband knew something abt it, but it was his first one too. My husband sat to my right and a handsome frech guy was to my left. He taught me how to cut the bread, dip it in the fondue bowl with a fork and all and then he said, if a man loses his bread piece in the bowl, the rule is that he got to kiss the woman to his right. I gave him a horrified look while he controlled his smile. To this day, I don't know if that's what the etiquette is or if he was just teasing me.

by Guest Sun Aug 14, 2011 7:51 pm

blabberwock wrote:Isn't the story set in the US though?

Seems like Europe.

by Guest Sun Aug 14, 2011 8:00 pm

kinnera wrote:
blabberwock wrote:Isn't the story set in the US though?

Seems like Europe.

Apple pie for dessert? Anyway, I found the whole story a bit too contrived. But I am a cynical being by nature and view most self-indulgent love tales with great suspicion.

by MaxEntropy_Man Sun Aug 14, 2011 8:01 pm

blabberwock wrote:

Maybe they met in India?

or maybe it was one of those bride to order deals.

by Hellsangel Sun Aug 14, 2011 8:15 pm

Maybe 'Kripamaya' is such a really great troll that Georgia Peach is taken by her story.

by Silhouette Sun Aug 14, 2011 11:59 pm

kinnera wrote:
blabberwock wrote:
kinnera wrote:

I guessed the same too. This might've happened in the 90's.

I am guessing 60s or early 70s - the awe and wonder at "european" customs, wearing a silk saree for formal gathering etc. 90s girl would have gone wearing a cocktail dress and wielded the knife and fork with ease, I would think!

I don't think so. I lived in Switzerland for a couple of yrs in the 90's and my experience is the same as hers, except that my husband is Indian. I had to attend some official parties and I (and other indian wives) went to them in silk sarees, spotting a bindi and all. I was in US before I went there, but the experience in europe is entirely different from that of US. They are a pretty formal bunch, though they didn't mind us ladies wearing sarees. I was very nervous abt following their etiquette initially just kripa was.

I worked briefly in europe a couple of years ago and the girls from india regularly wore sarees and salwars on casual fridays, drinks nights, special occasions. IMO, 60s, 90s, 00s makes no difference. It's an individual thing. And i think clothes are not necessarily a reflection of one's personality 'coz most of them had very westernized lifestyles.

On the other hand, I found my european colleagues way much more social and friendlier than the american's I've worked with. I have never been asked to dine at home by my american colleagues whereas in europe as soon as I started working almost everyone in my team invited me to their home for weekend lunch/dinner. Most of them/their spouse cooked - as opposed to take out - as a measure of hospitality. I was surprised by the invite itself and then found their kids were asked to stay home to meet me. Realized it's customary workplace hospitality thing there. Totally unheard of here. My team was a mix - swedish, dutch, portuguese, swiss, moroccan - and oddly the dutch and the swede were more friendlier than others. The work environment was indian-ish in some ways; people on the same floor would make it a point to know everyone else, would frequently engage in quite personal chit-chat regardless of who's listening, and always offered me food if they were eating in my presence. The friends I made there are a different story; I've had 3 visitors so far who stayed over at my home while on their tour-usa trips. But then they bring really good cheese, chocolates and fondue and even cook for us so I dont mind. Perhaps I got lucky 'coz in my case I realize my perception of cold europeans were quite misguided.

by charvaka Mon Aug 15, 2011 12:03 am

Silhouette wrote:On the other hand, I found my european colleagues way much more social and friendlier than the american's I've worked with. I have never been asked to dine at home by my american colleagues whereas in europe as soon as I started working almost everyone in my team invited me to their home for weekend lunch/dinner. Most of them/their spouse cooked - as opposed to take out - as a measure of hospitality. I was surprised by the invite itself and then found their kids were asked to stay home to meet me. Realized it's customary workplace hospitality thing there. Totally unheard of here.

Same experience with Swiss folks here, both Swiss German and French. They even took me skiing with them, and one of the guys who couldn't join us lent me his skiing gear. I had some experience in the US prior to this, so I was very surprised when I got to meet the children of my coworkers at their homes and on weekend outings together.

by Guest Mon Aug 15, 2011 12:28 am

Silhouette wrote:
kinnera wrote:
blabberwock wrote:
kinnera wrote:

I guessed the same too. This might've happened in the 90's.

I am guessing 60s or early 70s - the awe and wonder at "european" customs, wearing a silk saree for formal gathering etc. 90s girl would have gone wearing a cocktail dress and wielded the knife and fork with ease, I would think!

I don't think so. I lived in Switzerland for a couple of yrs in the 90's and my experience is the same as hers, except that my husband is Indian. I had to attend some official parties and I (and other indian wives) went to them in silk sarees, spotting a bindi and all. I was in US before I went there, but the experience in europe is entirely different from that of US. They are a pretty formal bunch, though they didn't mind us ladies wearing sarees. I was very nervous abt following their etiquette initially just kripa was.

I worked briefly in europe a couple of years ago and the girls from india regularly wore sarees and salwars on casual fridays, drinks nights, special occasions. IMO, 60s, 90s, 00s makes no difference. It's an individual thing. And i think clothes are not necessarily a reflection of one's personality 'coz most of them had very westernized lifestyles.

I know that several Indian women wear Indian clothes to such parties but fretting over what to wear because she had only silk sarees sounds weird to me. Anyway, makes a nice story.

by Silhouette Mon Aug 15, 2011 12:31 am

blabberwock wrote:
kinnera wrote:
blabberwock wrote:Isn't the story set in the US though?

Seems like Europe.

Apple pie for dessert? Anyway, I found the whole story a bit too contrived. But I am a cynical being by nature and view most self-indulgent love tales with great suspicion.

but isn't apple pie equally common there under the name of apple tart? (aside, it isn't about the story 'coz i haven't even read it; just wondering about the dessert).

by Guest Mon Aug 15, 2011 12:40 am

*ahem* it was a christmas party. no eggnog, gingerbread, candy canes, fruitcakes or turkey? perhaps it was just a party during christmas.

by Guest Mon Aug 15, 2011 12:40 am

Silhouette wrote:
blabberwock wrote:
kinnera wrote:
blabberwock wrote:Isn't the story set in the US though?

Seems like Europe.

Apple pie for dessert? Anyway, I found the whole story a bit too contrived. But I am a cynical being by nature and view most self-indulgent love tales with great suspicion.

but isn't apple pie equally common there under the name of apple tart? (aside, it isn't about the story 'coz i haven't even read it; just wondering about the dessert).

You mean Torta di Mele, Szarlotka etc.? "Apple Pie" makes me think of America. Anyway, I have not been to any formal dinners in Europe with or without a husband in tow and so I wouldn't really know.

by Guest Mon Aug 15, 2011 12:58 am

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:*ahem* it was a christmas party. no eggnog, gingerbread, candy canes, fruitcakes or turkey? perhaps it was just a party during christmas.

i was thinking the party was in the US. could have been in europe (no clue about european etiquette).

by artood2 Mon Aug 15, 2011 1:34 am

Another new formality to learn and adapt; winter in New England was cold; I had to get used to wearing a coat before venturing outside.

Personal comments are distasteful but nobody ever accused CHers of being well mannered. You know what you are going to get.

by Kris Mon Aug 15, 2011 2:27 am

. The work environment was indian-ish in some ways;

>>> I have never worked in europe, but my visits to european homes pretty much led me to the same conclusion, even though europeans tend to be more formal than americans. One of my first roommates in this country was danish and we became really solid friends. During my first visit to europe, met all his friends and family and recently went to his wedding (2nd) and had a reunion of sorts with some of his friends and family members who had flown in. Among all my friends, this is the guy I have stayed consistently in touch with the longest.

by artood2 Mon Aug 15, 2011 2:36 am

blabberwock wrote:"Apple Pie" makes me think of America.

warm apple pie Twisted Evil

by Guest Mon Aug 15, 2011 2:54 am

artood2 wrote:
blabberwock wrote:"Apple Pie" makes me think of America.

warm apple pie

err..thanks(?) for that enlightenment.

by artood2 Mon Aug 15, 2011 2:56 am

blabberwock wrote:
artood2 wrote:
blabberwock wrote:"Apple Pie" makes me think of America.

warm apple pie

err..thanks(?) for that enlightenment.

i never ate an apple pie once I saw that movie. And for me that is why Apple pie is always the american pie.

by Sponsored content