Happy new year!! (or is it sober new year?). I am sorry, you ended up with a page 3 celebrity party. I am a regular reader of your blogs for as long you have had it. You are an American in India, and I am an Indian in America. Our experiences sometimes cannot be any more strikingly different.

I have been living in the U.S.A for six years now. I can say for sure that, only this year I was invited for a New year party!! In the past, my friends at work and in real life have always enjoyed my company as a colleague, but never for socializing.

Based on your writing it seems to me that, India and its people welcomed you with both hands, embraced you and let you identify their warts and all. I am afraid, I have had any experience anything closer to that.

People never invite us (international students) to any party that is exclusively either american or european. I am not suggesting that they are anything exclusive or racist. I am simply stating our contradicting experiences. Compared to me, you are having a ball!! You attended a party without even knowing your host, I have
colleagues discuss their weekend plans without wanting to know, if I would like to experience their culture.

If you ever visit Chicago, please do visit the south side, where people live almost in third world standards.

You have a wonderful blog, and I enjoy reading it. I just thought I will let you how it is for a ferringhee in America. Take care.