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The Singular Advantage of Marrying an Indian Girl
The musings of an immigrant formerly H1-B
The day after my daughter, N, married her partner, Danny, in August this year, the latter received the following message (paraphrased) from his cousin:
“Hey, congratulations on marrying an Indian girl. Now, if I have problems with my phone or laptop, I don’t have to spend hours with a call center rep in India. I can call your new wife instead.”
Danny was incensed at what he described to me as his cousin’s “casual racism.”
N laughed. “I’ve heard this call center shtick a bazillion times. I’m like… at least try to be original.”
I didn’t say much; I didn’t want to add fat to the fire. But I was stunned that the cousin sent the in-your-face message about Indians and call centers directly to Danny. That he didn’t care N might see it. Or perhaps, in keeping with the current political climate, he wanted N to see it.
It’s the bottom line
If I could speak with Danny’s cousin, I would suggest that his ire at call center reps is misdirected. Overseas employees — whether they hail from India, Poland, or Colombia — are only trying to earn a living. They don’t swoop bandit-like into the States to plunder the local employment opportunities.
