Korean Job Discussion Forums

[philogirl81]

I'm going to India tomorrow. I'm spending time in Delhi and Agra. And then I am going up to dharamasala. Does anyone have any general advice for me that is not in the travel guides? Any information would be greatly appreicated. Also- I'm a girl. What should I wear. Everyone says I should wear Indian clothes, but I cannot buy them in Korea.
Thanks!

[kat2]

My sister spent a semester there. She wore long (ankle length) skirts and tops with sleeves to the elbow the whole time. Its fairly consrevative there. When you are in places that are more touristy, you might be alright, but out in the country, you should dress like an indian.

[ella]

You don't have to wear Indian clothing (although I always recommend salwar kameez, see below) as long as you wear something comfortable and loose-fitting. Cover your shoulders and legs and leave shirts untucked to help convey modesty. Tops should come down over your hips.

I prefer to wear a salwar kameez which is like a long, loose tunic or dress with a scarf over baggy pants, and sandals. They're inexpensive and can be bought in nearly any marketplace. They're also modest, elegant, look great on any body type, and are amazingly comfortable. Opt for darker colors.

You can see a salwar kameez here.

If you choose to wear Indian clothing do so completely. The salwar kameez consists of three parts: tunic, pants, and scarf - the scarf is not optional. The scarf is also extremely handy in covering your head and face to stand out a little less, not to mention you always have something with which to cover your head in temples. Draping it demurely over your chest adds an extra measure of modesty.

Leave the name brand clothing and accessories at home, or remove the labels before you go. Ditto for expensive cameras and jewelry.

If you have a question or need help, ask another woman, preferably a woman in a group of women or with a family/children. Even asking a harmless question like the time of day of a man can be seen as a come-on. And keep your smiles to yourself. While smiling and making eye contact with strangers is polite social interaction in the West, Indian women do not typically smile at strange men.

Take a couple of padlocks for locking motel room and bathroom doors.

Bring or buy there a pumice stone. India has some industrial-strength dirt and if you wear sandals it will take serious scrubbing to get it all off at the end of the day.

If you are travelling by train and you're assigned to a train compartment that is all men and you are not comfortable, politely ask the conductor to move you to another compartment. This is a completely reasonable request and you should be reassigned without any problems.

This will likely never happen, but if all else fails, remove your left shoe, brandish it in the hassler's face, yell and spit. Make a scene. YELL. Men in India can be extremely protective of their women and you'll get people running to your aid. As a foreigner I really felt like there people looking out for me more often than not, which is a nice feeling when you're travelling alone and is a good example of how kind the overwhelming majority of Indians are.

Hope that helps.