the ingrained system

After watching The Namesake this morning, I thought that I was ready for this afternoon's appointment at the Indo-American Heritage Center. The movie was well made and a beautiful portrayal of what it is to be an Indian. . . Well, an 'advantaged' Indian that is. During our meeting, the 28 year old Indian woman who now lives on Lakeshore Drive was saying that one of the hardest parts of immigration was having to do everything for yourself. We all kind of looked at each other as she went on to say that in India, maids clean the house. And one maids job can be on a better level than another: for example washing clothing over scrubbing toilets. She attributed it to cheaper labor, but she also said that our parents had fooled us into thinking that we had to do everything. Though it was funny, it also made me think. She is here right now, along with her friend, because their husband's jobs allow them to be in America, at least for a short while. But this is not a "we were in oppression and are struggling to make our way in the world" story. She spoke of the fact that Indians who come to the US are not trying to escape, but rather gaining status. This all sounds well and good. . . Until you realize how well the caste system is engraved in their minds. I doubt that we would hear the same story from her maids who are still living in India. Thus it all sounds good, until I realize that this woman is someone from my generation and is advocating the idea that some people are better than others.