today for the first time in USA.. some desi actually stopped me and asked where I was from and other questions.. I had always noted that desis always try to avoid each other when they are faced in some mall or public place.. and would say hello to a goras but never to their own folks.. this gentleman from Bombay stopped me and introduced himself and his family to me.. and I felt I am alos in that trap of avoiding strangers who r desis.. how do u folks feel bout it..
Degas, was this at work or just out and about? I have always tried to go and talk to desis at work, and have been approached by a number as well. I guess some things have changed over time.
Additionally, people who have either arrived recently, or have recently arrived into a larger city from a small town are more apt to do this in my experience.
At work desis usually interact much more..it was in a mall.. the family was here for a year..
Degas
question is would you go to any random chinese family and introduce yourself, what is different when its a desi? some people seem interesting and you can get in a conversation with them easily and some are not. You dont have to feel that you are avoiding them.
You live in a decent sized city, enough desis there that you dont get all excited if you see someone who looks like they have the same background. Smaller towns its a diff story because the community is so small that when u see a new personk you know its a new person.
Fraudia,
I know it but have always seen peopel avoiding and looking sideways whenever they see some desi.. a simple hello or greeting wont harm.. as they would probably do to any other folks..
desis are confusing beings.. you dont make eye contact they complain .. you make eye contact they think you are staring.. you stare they dont make eye contact.. and if you try being friendly they think you are trying to con them.. what is it that you are suppose to do ??? 
hehe this reminds me of this conversation i witnessed at a bus stop at university coupla years ago. my sikh friend jaipreet and i (we were sophs then) were waiting for a bus. this pakistani first year kid waqas walks up and the follwing conversation takes place.
Waqas: Satsrikaal ji!
Jaipreet: errrr satsrikaal
Waqas: how are you?
J: err good
W: where you from?
J: India
W: oh wheres your family?
J: India
W: oh so you’re international student eh?
J: err yeah
W: oh great then you must be really rich
J: huh?
W: so how often do your parents send you money?
J:
W: well do they?
J: yyeeeeeeahh
W: great nice parents. ok well gotta go see ya!
meanwhile i backed off to take my space to roll on the floor laughing 
Degas bhai,
I have had the opposite experience. I don't go offcampus much except for the mall all the time or my frequent trips to the airport [which is where i encounter most desis that i dont know] ..... but usually when I see desis, we usually do talk, atleast exchange greetings or a smile ...they are either aunties or girls in my case. hmm...I think its different with females maybe? :) Even older uncles sometimes say how are you etc at airport waiting lounges specially...
On campus, there are so many Indians that I don't do anything special when I see them...but I always greet a Muslim female when I see one (I can tell by hijab usually) and if I end up making eye contact with desis (Pakis or Indos) who are female or much older aunties or uncles, then I always say a greeting... :)
I've really bonded with some desi aunties at airport lounges :)
Degas, you may have missed a post I had written on this topic a while back. It is true that desis in general dont initiate social contact as quickly as other cultures I have seen. Lemme see if I can find that post and bring it up for ya. we had some interesting discussion there which could serve as good food for thought for this thread.
About the only desis who actually stop me in a mall and start chatting up are those who are trying to sign me up for that marketing website (forgot the name). Like duh! It happened a few times already
"Are you _{any name}?"
"No"
"Oh! you look very familiar"
"Ahaan"
"My name is ____. Where are you from?"
Lo ji kahani shuru....
I think this is a method taught to them through their cassettes and whatnot. Its so predictable. One time, I was checking out PDA's in an electronic store and this really friendly-looking desi guy asked my advice on a couple of PDA's he is holding in his hands. After 5 mins, it was clear he wanted my phone number so he can contact me with more information about this website, which will really make me "financially independent" bla bla. Sheesh!
Not to deviate from the original topic.. but I have seen most desis in the supermarkets and stuff (and there are a lot of desis here) will generally smile and nod, just like we do for any gora. A few times we actually stopped and chatted for a few minutes because the face looked familiar.
Oh man !! Faisal that must be some AMWAY guy. Jeena haram kar diya hai in logon ne yaar.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Asif_k: *
Oh man !! Faisal that must be some AMWAY guy. Jeena haram kar diya hai in logon ne yaar.
[/QUOTE]
SCAMway :D you have been hounded by those fools too?
i get asked this question all the time :) sometimes its so interesting to meet certain people..
there r no desis at my work to begin with …i’m all alone…this is mainly an italian company.
you work for the mafia?
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Fraudz: *
you work for the mafia?
[/QUOTE]
they work for her..
Fraudz and Degas :D