What’s it like being black in India? If you’re thinking about traveling or working in India, then I recommend watching the video above for more in-depth information.
Wode Maya is a Ghanian travel vlogger who interviewed his two close friends who lived and worked in India for 2 years. They share their experience living as a black men in India while enjoying a local Ghanian dish.
Facts About Being Black in India
- Fascination with Black Hair Texture – Indians are amused with black hair and will ask you ridiculous questions like: Is it real? They want to touch your hair and feel its texture.
- Major Corporations Need Black English Speakers – Many Billion dollars companies like Dell and Apple are looking to hire native English speakers with good accents for call center positions. Indians do speak English, but their accent is different and difficult to understand. Companies prefer employees with American accents because their customers prefer speaking to that type of representative.
- Black Men Are Treated Like Celebrities in Mumbai – You’ll feel like a celebrity in certain cities like Mumbai where people will crowd around you and ask to take your picture. However, things can be different in the capital city, New Delhi, because the residents here are used to seeing foreigners. Travel outside the capital if you want to be treated like a rockstar.
- Indians Can Be Ignorant about the Black Diaspora – To many Indians, the only important country in Africa is South Africa. Some Indians don’t realize that black people live in every country in the world and Africa has more countries than any other continent.
- Learn Hindi Before Your Trip – Hindi is the national language of India and you may travel to an area where the locals speak very little English. You can figure out what Indians are saying by reading body language and traveling to villages where zero English speakers live. Complete immersion is the fastest way to learn a foreign language.
- Get Your Finances in Order – Coming to India without financial security is a recipe for disasters. This is especially true for people traveling on student and tourist visas. The one exception is for people traveling on an employment visa because your job will provide financial stability. If you are planning to visit India without much money, forget about it. Get a job or start a business in your home country first. Stack your money up then travel to India.
- Landlords Can Be Racist – A common practice in India is to deny you a hotel room or apartment because you are black.
- Cheap Cost of Living – Everything from food to transportation is extremely cheap in India. It’s even cheaper than African, Latin American or Southeast Asian countries. If you own your own business or work as a digital nomad, you can save a lot of money by living in India.
- Spitting is Normal – If you’re turned off at the sight of public spitting, then India may not be the place for you.
- Indian Women Are Interested in Black Men – It’s a bit taboo due to the culture of arranged marriages, but some Indian women seek relationships with black men. Most of these “encounters” happen out of sight so don’t expect to see Indian women and black men holding hands in public.
While I’ve never been to India myself, I can confirm that many of these facts are true because I’ve met black Americans who traveled to India.
You’ll hear a bunch of mixed reviews about India. Some people love it. Some people hate it.
If you want to visit India, then create a plan, save up your money and make it happen!
India is on my list as I venture into Asia later this year. I met and several women from India who live in the Matrix that love brothers.