Pretty Chinese Girl: You always say white man, black man, pretty girl, ugly girl. You are very judgmental.
Me: Handsome judgmental man.
PCG: Handsome does not belong anywhere near you!
January 26, 2014
January 24, 2014
Horse
Pretty Chinese Girl: Wow! Your nose holes are enormous. Just like a horse!
Me: That’s not the only thing that’s like a horse.
PCG: The nose holes must take forever to clean.
Me: Or many fingers…
PCG: At least two can fit inside at once!
January 19, 2014
A Difference of Opinion
I had a layover in Shanghai, and briefly met up with a Chinese girl who I knew from my Beijing days.
Pretty Chinese Girl: You are still short! Hahaha.
Me: Well… I am tall in China.
PCG: You look same as before but half your hair is gone.
Me: Yes, because of the water in China.
PCG: Do not blame everything on China.
Me: I am skinnier though.
PCG: You look older.
Me: You mean skinnier and younger?
PCG: No, older.
Me: Younger?
PCG: Do you want to hear my real thought or do you want just I repeat your opinion?
Pretty Chinese Girl: You are still short! Hahaha.
Me: Well… I am tall in China.
PCG: You look same as before but half your hair is gone.
Me: Yes, because of the water in China.
PCG: Do not blame everything on China.
Me: I am skinnier though.
PCG: You look older.
Me: You mean skinnier and younger?
PCG: No, older.
Me: Younger?
PCG: Do you want to hear my real thought or do you want just I repeat your opinion?
January 12, 2014
Conversations with Cabbies: Are you Married?
Filipinos are a very warm and friendly lot, and not just in comparison to Koreans (as then almost everyone else would also qualify). Whereas the average Korean is mute when in the vicinity of a non-Korean or if their smartphone still has battery life left, Filipinos are quite talkative. They have curiosity and some awareness of the world around them, especially because a lot of them have worked overseas or know family and friends that have done so. The cab drivers in the Philippines frequently engaged me in conversation.
Cab driver: Are you married?
Me: No, are you?
Cab driver: Yes, two.
Me: Two?
Cab driver: Yes.
Me: You have two children?
Cab driver: No, two wives.
Me: Oh, I don’t even have one.
December 30, 2013
Arnab's Year in Cities - 2013
In the year of our Arnab 2013, I visited 7 countries and stayed overnight in 30 different cities from Andong to Yangon. I was largely based in Asia this year, with the only exception being a trip to Greece in summer. Spectacularly diverse adventures were to be had across the contintent in Myanmar, Mongolia, and Indonesia. For a while I worked out of my company's Indian office in Gurgaon, which allowed me to visit my family and friends during off days. A company trip to Bangkok and a friend's wedding at a beachside resort in Krabi resulted in multiple visits to Thailand.
The 2013 List
Andong, South Korea Athens, Greece Bagan, Myanmar Bangkok, Thailand Boseong, South Korea Busan, South Korea Changwon, South Korea Delhi NCR, India Fira, Greece Gangneung, South Korea Inle, Myanmar Jakarta, Indonesia Jeonju, South Korea Jindo, South Korea Jinju, South Korea Kolkata, India Krabi, Thailand Kuta, Indonesia Mandalay, Myanmar Meteora, Greece Mumbai, India Padang Bai, Indonesia Pohang, South Korea Sacheon, South Korea Samcheok, South Korea Seoul, South Korea Tongyeong, South Korea Ubud, Indonesia Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Yangon, Myanmar
All men dream; but not equally.
Those who dream by night in the dusty
recesses of their minds
Awake to find that it was vanity;
But the dreamers of day are dangerous men.
That they may act their dreams with open
eyes to make it possible.
~ Lawrence of Arabia
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