Last evening, while on my way home with my colleague Sunil, I got a call from the institute where I have enrolled for Arabic classes. It is the basic course and my classes start Sunday evening onwards. It is something I have looked forward to and was surprised when Sunil asked me why I’m learning Arabic.
I’ve just come back from Bhutan, where I was vacationing, and before going lots of people asked me ‘Why Bhutan?’.
I’ve been thinking about the question ‘Why?’ and realized that it is asked when one does something out of the ordinary and off the beaten track. So when asked why I want to learn Arabic I think Sunil’s ‘Why’ meant why not German or French or Spanish or any other popular foreign language. Similarly when asked why I am going to Bhutan one meant to ask why an uncommon tourist destination such as Bhutan and why not a more popular destination like maybe Egypt or Italy or Singapore.
I think it is something to do with our herd mentality and with seeking solace and comfort in numbers. Why not replace the Why’s with the Why not’s? Why not learn Arabic, why not go to Bhutan, why not do the things we’ve only read about other people doing but never done ourself?
While on the subject of funny questions I just remembered this incident – In September 2005 I had a serious attack of dengue fever and was in hospital for a week. I joined work a whole month later. A colleague asked me how I got dengue. I thought it is/was common knowledge that dengue is transmitted by the bite of a mosquito infected with any one of the four dengue viruses and since I didn’t have or know of any other exciting and creative method of catching that deadly fever I was wondering what kind of an answer to give her. The number of times I was asked how I got dengue was really not funny. Here again, I think, people meant to ask why and how dengue and why not the regular flu.
Must be really difficult for some to accept the uncommon.
6 comments:
haylo,
Quite a writer you are!! Nice, nice! I had to smile while reading it, particularly the Dengue part. People actually asked you Why? God!!
I ask that question when people get married. Why? and the Why not? is not as convincing ;)
Learning Arabic sounds great! Good for you! Am glad the Bhutan trip gave you the much needed break. Hope you do many more eventful, wonderful things that make you happy within. At the end of the day, isn't that what we all want?
Why?? I guess you must watch the movie 'man on wire' ...
http://anusdigitalworld.blogspot.com/2009/03/man-on-wire.html
where he says , there is no WHY, its a western/american way of questioning, you do a lot of things where there is no reason, no WHY :) you do it because you feel like it.
Oh... those questions! But with age comes patience... earlier I used to give sarcastic replies to such questions, now I try to explain.
Heya Kanchu! So nice to have you visit my blog... I loved reading through yours. It's you. Honest, straight, just the way you are. So many memories of our old times came back to me..Big hug! Keep visiting and leaving notes on my blog..And I'll stay in touch too...
Anu - saw the post on your blog. Yet to watch 'Man on wire'. Will do so soon.
Joy - thank you for the comment. I remember our times together too and guess what...Vijay is here and we meet often and now he's bought Pictionary, so we're going to relive the good old times :)
Hi Kanchan,
Nice one on 'why'. Yes, I agree. Most of us, I mean the society is curious about the uncommon deeds. But the WHY becomes unpleasant when it creeps into the common too!
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