The Stare

One of the weirdest things for foreigners in South Asia is 'The Stare.' When people are curious, they have no problems just staring at you. If I catch someone looking at me in the states (or vice versa), we'll both quickly look away. In South Asia, looking back invokes not even the slightest blink from their eyes. They just keep staring.


Thanks to Beckley for being brave enough to take my camera and point it at people who were staring at him. I still haven't completely gotten over myself yet. In India I had noticed some people staring, but in Bangladesh its everywhere. Bangladesh is probably the opposite of a tourist destination to most people, so when I walk with other teachers through markets downtown, its as if people had just spotted a celebrity. Okay, more like a rare bird sighting.


I'm not completely surprised, because I literally have not seen one non-South Asian outside of the Diplomatic Zone in Dhaka so far. Not that we're the only ones, but the rare sightings must be something of an event for the locals.