Before arriving in India, many foreigners might have certain preconceived notions of the country being dirty, crowded, and unsafe. These stereotypes, usually perpetuated by media and cultural misconceptions, create an initial bias. However, once visitors step foot on Indian soil, their perspectives undergo a transformative shift.
The same thing happened to a product designer working for Truecaller named Szymon Kopeć who visited India with his mother. He took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their experience. They are from Poland and he revealed that the image of India that was stuck in their heads was completely transformed when they got to explore the country.
He went on to explain how even the most mundane things were an attraction to his mother. She wanted to buy ‘curry spice’ and was surprised when she found that there were various types of ‘curry spice’.
“The mundanests of things were an attraction – especially taxi rides and grocery shopping. She came with a mission to buy ‘curry spice’ for my sister and couldn’t believe there’s more than one type.”
He went on to add that the image of India in the minds of people in Poland includes slums and overcrowded trains. But after they travelled via the Vande Bharat train, certain stereotypes regarding the country were debunked.
“Unfortunately image of India in Poland is mostly portraying slums and overcrowded trains with people hanging on rooftops. Taking a perfectly on-time Vande Bharat debunked some stereotypes. The same goes for Dehli and its green, beautifully maintained neighbourhoods.”
What blew their minds even more is the tech ecosystem of our country, as compared to which Poland is way behind.
“Tech ecosystem blew her mind. In Poland we’re so far behind in that regard, while here I’ve shown her that there’s an app for literally anything she imagines + 6 alternatives from competitors.”
They were also extremely impressed by seeing Indian architecture but the people ended up warming their hearts. He said that even though his mother couldn’t communicate with Indians, she witnessed how everyone was joyful.
“In school, we don’t have even half a less about India’s history. Visiting Taj Mahal or forts in Jaipur was eye-opening to what the country was for centuries, pre-colonisation. Lastly, obviously what she loved the most were the people. Though she couldn’t communicate with them, seeing joy all around and having these little interactions was precious, as everyone was beyond kind and we’ve had 0 less-than-positive experiences.”
You may read his full post here:
I've traveled with my mom in India 🇮🇳 for a week and here's what she loved about it ⬇️
It was her first time out of Europe and she doesn't speak English. She's heard a lot about the country from me, read in Polish media, yet everything around here was shocking.
1. The… pic.twitter.com/Y0Du0GSBwR
— Szymon Kopeć (@szymonkopec) March 9, 2024
One cannot come to India and not fall in love with the country! 😀