Agra Anecdote

One of our participants who went to Agra a few months ago shared a funny story with me last night, and he uploaded a picture that I wanted to share with you! He has studied Hindi for two years (the only person we have hosted who had learned Hindi before coming to India), and he went on a trip around the Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur) with some friends who came to India while on vacation from their studies in Saudi Arabia. As a gift for him, once they arrived in Agra at the hotel, they gave him some prayer beads from Saudi Arabia, called "Tasbee." They told him he could pray with the beads, or just play around with them, as they were very smooth and entertaining with which to play. So, a few moments later, they went to the hotel lounge area and ordered some alcohol and sodas. As he didn't drink, he explained to the workers at the hotel to make sure to bring a soda for him. Afterwards, he went with his friends to the restaurant in the hotel, and they sat and waited for the waiter to come and take their orders, as he played with the smooth tasbee in his hands. The waiter came, and suggested a chicken dish to the foreigners, to which he replied "I am a vegetarian, so instead I will order a daal, but thank you for the suggestion!" in Hindi. The waiter couldn't believe his ears, and he told the volunteer in Hindi, "Wow, you are truly an amazing person! You have learned our language, you do not drink alcohol, you do not eat meat, AND, as you are sitting here talking to me, you are praying! I feel honored to have met you!" After the waiter left, the volunteer explained to his friends what the man had said, and they burst out laughing at the comical situation! The next day, they went to see the Taj Mahal!