I keep taking long breaks before writing a post for the blog but that doesn't matter.
I have had more than my fair share of harassment to last me a lifetime, well probably every girl living in India has had it as well. However, after going through all that back home I come to Paris, excitement of getting to learn what I love aside, I was relieved beyond imagination at the thought that I probably wouldn't have to face the perversion in men anymore. 9 months of school happened and I was pretty happy that I was right about no perversion and then came the storm, they say there is calm before storm and how true is that ! I completely convinced myself to the point where I became blissfully unaware of what was to follow next.
Internship- started my work very happy and proud of what I was doing, to be there on the stepping stone to my success. Everyday new challenges and difficulties in kitchen and every time I learn how to tackle them. I told myself that school was just a safety net and the real kitchen will not be as easy as the one at school. That anticipation of danger got me through and drove me to work hard. The kitchen is purely a physical place where the only civilized part is to create food with divinity. To expect graciousness and politeness in the kitchen is stupidity and I pretty much knew the fact. Also what I expected was for the kitchen to be filled with sexists who will look at me with contempt, decide that I do not belong among them and torch me to the point so as to demoralize me. What I did not expect was to be treated with blatant sexual innuendos and looked upon like a piece of meat ( all of which were much too familiar ) in a country where food is regarded as a God and cooking a religion.
May be I expect too much out of people, may be I think highly of people but what I do know is that if a chef treats a fellow creator with disrespect and humiliating a person to the point where they are ashamed of their own sexuality, he is not a real chef. If cooking were a religion then the kitchen is a temple ( or church or whatever ). I may be wrong but I am sure that no man in India would dare to treat a woman as a piece of meat in the presence of God. As unbelievable as it may be for few people to hear me say this I am seriously starting to think that Indian men are solid, reliable and even if they may be wayward when young they eventually grow to be wonderful men.
Independent, that I am; couldn't stand and watch being patronized by a man, that I definitely am but I have been missing the take charge attitude of men from India. No offense intended but men I have witnessed so far in Paris do not have the attitude, not a very appealing quality in a real man of course. But it is definitely entertaining to watch a man taking his place seriously. Almost a primal action to see a man even catch a cab for you, though you are perfectly capable of doing it for yourself, but when a man does it I can't help but imagine what he must be thinking ' Me Tarzan, must get Jane taxi'.
Every time I trust the world enough to let my guard down I always get burnt and boy do I burn. But one thing I have decided I am not going to put my guard up again. I am not going to stay defensive anymore, I am going to strike and strike hard, because from today I am not stopping for anyone.
I have had more than my fair share of harassment to last me a lifetime, well probably every girl living in India has had it as well. However, after going through all that back home I come to Paris, excitement of getting to learn what I love aside, I was relieved beyond imagination at the thought that I probably wouldn't have to face the perversion in men anymore. 9 months of school happened and I was pretty happy that I was right about no perversion and then came the storm, they say there is calm before storm and how true is that ! I completely convinced myself to the point where I became blissfully unaware of what was to follow next.
Internship- started my work very happy and proud of what I was doing, to be there on the stepping stone to my success. Everyday new challenges and difficulties in kitchen and every time I learn how to tackle them. I told myself that school was just a safety net and the real kitchen will not be as easy as the one at school. That anticipation of danger got me through and drove me to work hard. The kitchen is purely a physical place where the only civilized part is to create food with divinity. To expect graciousness and politeness in the kitchen is stupidity and I pretty much knew the fact. Also what I expected was for the kitchen to be filled with sexists who will look at me with contempt, decide that I do not belong among them and torch me to the point so as to demoralize me. What I did not expect was to be treated with blatant sexual innuendos and looked upon like a piece of meat ( all of which were much too familiar ) in a country where food is regarded as a God and cooking a religion.
May be I expect too much out of people, may be I think highly of people but what I do know is that if a chef treats a fellow creator with disrespect and humiliating a person to the point where they are ashamed of their own sexuality, he is not a real chef. If cooking were a religion then the kitchen is a temple ( or church or whatever ). I may be wrong but I am sure that no man in India would dare to treat a woman as a piece of meat in the presence of God. As unbelievable as it may be for few people to hear me say this I am seriously starting to think that Indian men are solid, reliable and even if they may be wayward when young they eventually grow to be wonderful men.
Independent, that I am; couldn't stand and watch being patronized by a man, that I definitely am but I have been missing the take charge attitude of men from India. No offense intended but men I have witnessed so far in Paris do not have the attitude, not a very appealing quality in a real man of course. But it is definitely entertaining to watch a man taking his place seriously. Almost a primal action to see a man even catch a cab for you, though you are perfectly capable of doing it for yourself, but when a man does it I can't help but imagine what he must be thinking ' Me Tarzan, must get Jane taxi'.
Every time I trust the world enough to let my guard down I always get burnt and boy do I burn. But one thing I have decided I am not going to put my guard up again. I am not going to stay defensive anymore, I am going to strike and strike hard, because from today I am not stopping for anyone.
No comments:
Post a Comment