k800mer

Bipat, no one denies that things that none of us would be proud of or would want our family or their friends to be part of happen in the UK but this forum is about Goa. You obviously feel the need to defend the Indian culture and norms whatever the subject which is your right. In our resort which has hotel rooms and a conference centre and is not cheap to stay in we get groups of Indians staying and there is always a few of them no matter how nice and well educated they seem and despite the notices about wearing proper swimwear that go in the pool in their underwear or in their street clothes. A group of apparently well educated and affluent young Indians took plates of food and glass bottles of drink into the swimming pool in March and I had to tell them to remove it all and not to do it again - why me, because none of the staff, the pool boy or the waiters would dare tell them, these young Indians treated the staff like dirt and would have ignored them or given them a mouthful of bad language then complained about them to the management as has happened before. I have also had to tell Russians not to take glass into the pool also so it is not just Indians but at least the Russians apologised and said they would not do it again. The Indians were surly and rude despite the fact that I was polite and explained why they should not take those things in the pool.

dreadsoc

"Low social group" ????

Hmmm...I have seen the behaviours described committed far more often by the so called affluent........
..........There is a clear emerging group of "nouveau rich" in India and their behaviour is worthy of the Jeremy Kyle show !!!

(That said there is one specific group of Brit Expats residing in Calangute who are also well worthy of seats in JK's waiting room...........)

Dread - x

Lion in Winter

Honest question.

I am assuming that most of the users of this forum either live or spend a substantial amount of time in Goa.

What do you like about it? And what do you like about the rest of India, if it comes to that? There is an awful lot in here about everything many of you seem to despise, dislike, laugh at, and generally feel alienated by.

What's on the plus side? Why are you there?

dreadsoc

Why don;t you go there and find out why we like it?
'Cos actually most of us do...but like anywhere which forms 'home' whether for all of or part of every year there are things we do and don;t like.....which is no different from everywhere else if the forums on here are anything to go by.

Dread - x

k800mer

Love the food, the sunshine, the beaches (some of them) the Goans I know are lovely people, love seeing an elephant walk past and the dancing cow. The cows and pigs wandering around. Enjoy the Saturday market. Have lots of friends in Goa and last but not least the heat is good for my arthritis.

Bipat

K800, I understand what you are saying, but I sometimes think it is difficult for a foreigner to judge social status. Just as Indian people misjudge British women because of their clothes.
Yes, young 'yobs' of all classes, world over, including Indians behave badly when they get together on holiday or socially. (There are millions of young Indians remember).
But nobody I have ever met among adult, middleclass Indian people would spit/urinate in the street, go about in public in a vest, scratch themseves while leering at women, and the other things described. The very thought is actually quite amusing.
Spend time living elsewhere in India and you will find such behaviour in public is not the "norm".

dreadsoc

I've been told by a Goan friend that all business owners in Goa will now have to pay an annual garbage tax (15000 rupees) and will have proper scheduled garbage collection services.
Apparently they are also bringing in on the spot fines for those who cause litter and mandatory garbage collection charges for householders is in the pipeline as well.
Dread - x

Bipat

Since discovering this forum I had the same query. Apparently for a few, some it is just the weather, beach, and food. Unfortunately they find Indian men live there also.

k800mer

It may not be the norm in your nice middle (or upper) class family but I have seen such behaviour (the spitting and openly peeing in the street) often enough in the months I spend in India every year to seriously doubt what you say.

k800mer

Something strange is happening, I clicked on a link in an email for visa help and ended up in gossip and chit chat. I have tried it several times and each time have had the same happen

noni

So true, the Marriot on Sunday was the place to people watch. Most of the Indians were dressed inappropriately, they were staying there!! Sunday lunch you do not sit in your "swimwear" mind you they were not wearing "brownies"

Bipat

Of course people in India spit and pee in the street, millions of them do it all over India. The discussion was about those of a social class somewhat above the bottom rank, (not sure how to describe it).

(If you meant to deride the "nice" family, I would imagine people owning second homes abroad would be in the same category).

noni

Most of us spent November - April there Lion, some who we tease as "tweekers" two weekers, are waiting to retire and spend long holidays in their holiday homes. - Have been going there for 18 years +. Love the place - except for the retrospective new law they bought in AFTER WE bought and registered our deeds. The now hassle with our bank accounts, and being told that my children now cannot inherit our apartment after making a Goan Will and had it registered.
Apart from that life is wonderful out there, have many friends from all walks of life there, during my sad and distressing time last season my local "village" friends were fantastic. What the future brings for me out there is in the lap of the Gods at the moment.

Lion in Winter

Well that's a straight answer.

I've visited/lived in lots of countries - including the one I'm in now - and of course there will always be things that I complain about because I dislike them personally, or they don't suit me. But then there is all the rest of it, and different cultures are, well, different. So what is considered rude or offputting by me might well be more than acceptable in that particular culture.

Funny what you say about the cows and pigs. One of the things I remember affectionately about being in small Mexican villages is the chickens perching in (admittedly low) trees.

noni

Sorry Bipat, saw these also in Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur etc. (not in their brown undies and vesties though ). I now think itching power is put in their trousers spiting/urinating/leering yes all in these places as well.