Milk in a Bag

In India the milk comes in small, plastic bags. You hang a bag on the front of your gate and the milk delivery person drops however many you ordered. I think that people buy milk in packets because you can use it quickly and also it stays more fresh because you use it more quickly.

Long Hair

Everyone seems to love long hair in India. And braids. There seem to be very specific requirements on how your hair should look.

I was getting ready for a wedding and I undid the french braid I had in. I brushed my hair out and planed to just keep my hair down. I came out of my room and immediately one of my relatives, an old man, asks me if I was going to go out looking like this.

"Like what?" I replied.

"With your hair loose and crazy. You aren't going to pin it up?"

I didn't want to offend anyone I tried to make an excuse for why I was out here with my hair down. "Oh, no. I just came out here because some other people are using the mirror. I'm going to put my hair in a braid."

"Good. These days all the foreigners wear their hair loose and unruly, without any sense."

I just sat there as he and his wife proceeded to ran about how other people wear their hair down. I love putting my hair in a french braid, but I also enjoy letting my hair down. That's part of the reason why I let it grow out. But, I went back in and was too tired to put my hair in a braid, so I put it in a pony tail.

Imminently my grand-mom asked, "Why aren't you putting it in a braid? It looked so nice this morning!"

I resisted rolling my eyes but obliged. It's not that I hate braids; it's the standards that I hate.

At the wedding, everyone was amazed that the "foreign girl" had long hair in a braid. I was slightly insulted: I was born in India. I am Indian-American now, but I'm not that foreign.

I try to understand. I am not against the saying, "When in Rome, act as the Romans do." And I don't mind that they want to see a braid. It's just that they expect it of me, and that irritates me.

Dress Code

It's hot as hell and all there is to relieve the heat is two fans. I would be okay if I could wear shorts and a tank top, preferably a spots bra, but there's no way that would be acceptable here.
Let me explain where I am.

India. 

Dress Code/any gender: (ages 0-12):
Tank top
Dress
Shorts
Sans shirt

Dress Code/Females: (ages 12-above):
Jeans
Short sleeve shirt
Caprees below the knee

Dress Code/Male (ages 12-above): 
Sans shirt
Shorts
Short sleeve shirt
boxers

Do you see anything totally unfair with this dress code? Kids that are young and guys can basically go around half naked and are able to show some skin. Guys can wear shorts and whatever they basically want to wear. Girls on the other hand are forced to wear jeans and cover their skin in 100 degree weather. It's so unfair! I sit here in pants sweating my ass off while I see guys going around chill as ever in shorts and a tank top. Ugh. I don't mind the heat (they do say when in Rome do as the Romans would), yet I feel this "dress code" is rooted in sexism and that's what's totally unfair.