Self Conscious?

11 Dec 2003 · #ramblings

It’s a funny situation that I find myself in over here in Singapore. I don’t quite know how to say this so bear with me.

When I come across any Indians anywhere, restaurants, theatres or at the bus stop, I find myself immediately trying to place them - questioning if I have seen them before. 99\% of the time, but of course, I haven’t. I reckon it’s due to the unique (in my experience) demographics of this place.

In India, such a question never arose - except for some time I spent in Udaipur ;-). I suspect if I were in some other place in the world, like Nigeria maybe, the 99\% statistic will turn on its head and I’ll be running into the same Indians everywhere.

But here in Singapore, there aren’t enough Indians to give a sense of - well - disconnectedness… (someone give me a better word!). But there is quite a number of them to make meeting the same people unlikely.

But I should have gotten used to it by now. (I fancy myself to be a quick assimilator). What gives? Am I too self-conscious?