On this day we took a flight from Delhi to Vizag. I want to take the opportunity during the days that we traveled to explain a little about the culture that I noticed. On this trip I wanted to talk about the Indian concept of personal space. NONE. As I explained in my entry on one of the first days at McDonald's and my uncle, they don't hold the same idea to personal space as Americans do. Another example is when we went to Akshardam (a big new temple). While we were in line for one of the events my brother was behind me and behind him was the rest of India (a really long line). After being forced to get into a single file so that no one would have the opportunity to cut someone else, the gentleman behind Deepak (my brother) continued to get closer and started pushing his back. Keep in mind, there are attendants there making sure nothing happens and some room behind that man himself. Yet, they find that they need to push forward as much as possible. While that would be enroaching our personal space, our sacred sphere we have around us that we understand no one will enter. It is kind of our haven, we know no one will touch us, unless they need to get our attention. In India, your senses are thrown all out of whack, everyone is knocking into you and pushing and they find it completely normal. Now, I am in no way privledged to judge others, all I am doing is taking note of how the culture there evolved into so much personal contact. In addition, the male-male contact is much different. I am not homophobic but the American culture of gender contact has switched roles in India. They have the same male-male contact as we do female-female; from sitting close to each other while not necessary to holding hands or speaking close to the other persons face. And it is totally normal to them, as it should be. There is no homophobic fear, except between females, which may not be fear as much as it is just the way their culture evolved. No one is to blame, I just felt like talking about it. 
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