YSAC All India Conference

Stacy and I attended an all India Young Single Adult conference in Hyderabad. I didn't attend for the purpose of finding my 'soul mate' as I found out later, many had. The church is growing here in India and it is very exciting. There were supposed to be around 400 young adults there but over 500 attended! All of the wonderful people I met impressed me immensely and I am so happy that we went, because I was a little hesitant at first.
All the church branches in India plus Nepal branches attended. It was interesting to be the minority by such an outstanding percentage. Out of the 520 people there, I was one of four Americans. Oh, believe me when I say that this is not at all a bad thing! I loved it but I was a little tired of getting different treatment because I was white. Everyone there is a fellow child of God. I know there are a number of people in the US who we describe as having 'jungle fever' but I don't know what it is called the other way around. I'll make one up, how about 'Snow Mania' or 'Potato Passion'? No, no, forgive me, those are horrid.
Something that just cracks me up is that instead of the typical 'dances' that we would have at an American equivilent, we were taught line dances by one of the couple missionaries. Now close you eyes and picture this. . .actually, no minus the eye closing because then you couldn't read what I want you to imagine. Okay, keep your eyes open and picture this, a gargantuan open sided tent with 100 or so lovely dark haired young people. Now hear the Boot-Scootin' Boogie waft through the surrounding forest. Sister Mcintosh is calling out the steps as everyone tries to follow along. Sureal in a way. I definately didn't expect to be doing the grapevine on the grass of an Indian resort when I first got here, I assure you. It was really fun though and because Stacy and I have a background in dancing and had already done many of the dances, we were asked to be in the back and help when everyone turned around. This is where is gets interesting. . .
I was helping people and couple asked me if I would show them a little slower because they were having a difficult time. Believing myself to be just doing my friendly duty I talked and answered the questions that one particular guy was asking me. Granted I thought I had become accustumed enough to Indian culture but I admit was probably 'too' friendly in his eyes. He was asking me innocent enough questions and I am nieve I suppose because I was just dancing and responding but then it got akward, in a hilarious way. He asks, "So, do you like Indians?" And what kind of question is that? So I answered "I am in India, aren't I?" Then he started giving me his qualifications, like a matrimonial resume, listing "I am an engineer and I make a lot of money and we could move to America in a few years if you'd like." Now wait just a minute I thought, and then he asked me, "Do you like me?" "I don't even know you so how could I like you?" I responded in shock.
I told Stacy when I got a moment away that I had a semi-stalker which is strange because she is the one who usually has that problem ( I tell her it is because she is just way too likeable, dang-it). When he coronered me soon after he asked like I had known all along, "So how do you feel about what I've said?" "What have you said?" "How do you feel about marrying me?" he said without hesitation or any degree of doubt that my answer would be "Of Course!"
As you can imagine I was quite surprised, very surprised, in fact he took my silence as a good sign thinking that I was too happy for words. Finally my voice came back and I firmly told him no. He persisted and I said that I don't think my parents would like it. "Oh, I can call and talk to them. I'm sure they would agree." I guess I have to give it too him, he is really persistant and really has a hard time taking a clue.
"I can talk to Elder Macintosh and he can set it all up. Everything will be fine."
"No, no. Really, I mean it that we can't get married. I don't even know you and, um, sorry."

Needless to say it was quite the experience and I had a rather hard time not laughing right there at my terrible luck. Goodtimes, goodtimes. But it didn't ruin my time at the conference, just gave me a fun story to tell around the campfire, I guess.