Initially I thought I wouldn’t reply to this thread because I didn’t intend to create an argument, but since things stayed pretty mellow I think I’ll just sum things up.
First of all, yes we still are all alive and yes it is safe to send your kids to Australia.
I’m pretty opinionated and hard headed and I don’t expect anyone to agree with me but these were my views on the matter and I’m glad that there are people here who’s opinion contradicts mine, even when they have to go against the flow. If I’m not wrong an international student was mugged and beaten up last week but thats not all, two people were gunned down but obviously you would have only heard about the international student. I do feel sorry for the poor kid who got his head kicked in but you can’t really call these attacks racist, the gung-ho druggies who roam the streets at night looking for their next $ would stab their own parents for a well rolled joint. Just like in every other city in the world there are people looking for trouble, some white, some yellow and some several shades darker than us.

Its a bit past midnight, I’ve had a long day and I’m beginning to beat around the bush so let me come to the point. Whatever I hoped to convey about our behaviour has been said outright in the last three pages and everyone admits that we need a lesson or two in etiquette, manners or just generally carrying ourselves especially when we’re in someone else’s backyard. But even if we are in India can’t we be considerate on the roads and not throw our can of coke out of the window when we’re done drinking it? We might be the only ones doing it but won’t it make someone’s day when you let them cross the road or greet the checkout clerk? On Leg1 of the GIR if it wasn’t for Ken in our team there would be a few dozen Redbull cans littering the untouched Ladak countryside. So who said a drop in a bucket won’t make any difference?

Yes you have summed it up rightly. Thanks to you for bringing out what exactly is going on there. It is all about respect after all. Respect the land, the culture, the laws and last but not the least appreciate people and their life.

Damn I dont know how I missed this thread.

You have summed it very well dude & I have been hearing similar stories from other guys in Australia.

I for one think that we the Indians are the biggest racist people in the World. May be our form of Racism is not as violent as is evident elsewhere but the depth of racism that we have here is unparalleled.

So before we point fingures at others lets start looking at ourselves & then point fingures at others.

All said & done it was nice to see everyone coming together to raise a voice against any crime, while others who too suffered this couldnt create much awareness atleast the Indians were able to do so.

I totally agree with you guys.

I have lived in Saudi Arabia for 15 years. I have never faced any form of racism there. The Saudis are really courteous and hospitable. They have always helped the expatriates.

But when I came to India and joined college, I find my own fellow Indians being racist with the foreign students from China, Africa, Middle east who have taken admission in my college. Indian students make fun of their hairstyle, eyes, skin color, accent, etc. None of the Indian students lend a helping hand to these students who find it difficult to cope with the Indian syllabus. It was sad to see some of my professors saying "Why do these people come to India?" If we ourselves treat the foreigners in our country like this, what better treatment can we expect from them.

It is high time that we set our differences apart and treat each and every person equally!