My French-Indian 6 year old boy on female hair:

• Me (looking at my legs): Hey, it’s crazy how fast hair grows in rainy / wet weather. It’s time to take it off.
• Him (looking at my legs): But there is no hair! Women don’t have hair on their legs.
• Me: Oh yes honey, they do.
• Him: But I’ve never seen it, especially on French women.
• Me: And about Indian women?
• Him (thinks hard but finds nothing to say)

I must say that it is still quite unusual to see the legs of Indian women – except in westernized urban areas. For others, revealing an ankle is immodest… So no exposure, no hair removal! (Sometimes you catch a glimpse of a forest under a salwar – it is an observation, I am not making fun, I think everyone does what they want with their body. I am even a little angry to whoever decided that we should not have body hair, what pain…) On the other hand, they happily shave their arms. An ex had suggested me to visit the salon to get rid of my poor blond hair (which is really not a French habit).

My French-Indian 6 year old boy on driving:

• Him: Mama, I prefer France, and you?
• Me: Oh but why?
• Him: Because of the little people!
• Me: The little people?
• Him: Yes you know, when you want to cross the road, there are these little walking people on the signal pole. Here nobody stops, nobody lets us cross and everyone honks, it makes so much noise!

My French-Indian 6 year old boy on modesty:

My son’s Indian grandmother came to stay with us for a couple of weeks. One fine morning, I was going downstairs wearing my panties and a long night tee-shirt.

• Him: Uh Mama? Didn’t you forget something?
• Me: What do you mean??
• Him: Well, your pants!
• Me: But I never wear any!
• Him: Yes, but Daddi is there…

Another morning, my son wakes me up and notices that under my very long nightgown, I (for once) am not wearing panties.

• Him: Mama, don’t forget to put on panties before going downstairs, eh?
• Me: Sure. But why?
• Him: My friends are here, they shouldn’t see you half naked!

I did my best to have him run around – sometimes braving the indignation of French tourists in Morocco – et voilà... The obsession with Indian modesty has caught up with him! The worst part is that I myself am very modest by nature. But I don’t see why to wear warm clothes when I’m at home, especially since anyone can see me in a swimsuit when I go to my micro-pool.