Being White

Is it my genes or is it my bad luck that I am one person who no one ever guesses is Indian. I don't look it, and that is mainly because I am fair enough to pass as English. Or that most people in this country think Indian comes with nice golden tan and lustrous black hair..not here..baby..I am not even close!
Now the question is not whether its good or bad. I just find myself amused at what people do to change their colour. It is a widely known fact that Fair and Lovely cream (a skin lightening Ointment, like Jolen) has its highest sales in Kerala and before you think that the women of the region are vain..wait a minute...more men use fairness creams in Kerala than women. So in India..being fair is good. The Matrimonial section in the newspaper always look for 'Tall, Fair, Slim, Convent educated girl' bearing in mind that the last bit is perhaps the only thing you can change about you, the rest being on genetic makeup, I dont think it is quite fair! (oops!)
However stepping out in India in the sun, makes a lot of my folks jump and tell me to not step out as I shall turn dark - scary word that is for an unmarried girl!!
Added to this is the common notion that drinking too much tea shall make you dark...I guess who ever coined that one never met English women, who would, if they could, attach tea via IV to themselves!
Here in UK, the sun's appearance is closely followed by a mad dash for a patch of light, sun cream, sun glasses, stripping to bare minimum clothes. When its sunny..all my friends rush towards to sun and come back red, however yours truly turns into Lobster and then back to white. The usual pain in the neck younger brother (the kind who can Never Ever compliment you..you know the kind?Right?)..well I get called 'dead body' at home by him.

So after much thought, and much disregard to advice...I have been trying to change my colour too. Just want to see if people will think I am Indian if I am passably brown!
so for a tan..I go..
Problem: anything but the sun shall change you into an Orangutan or a give you a streaky look.
Problem: the sun does not come out often enough in this part of the world
Problem: Have to go home on Holiday soon and I think the mother might just throw a fit.

Solution: I get a fake tan..sun bed/ sun cream/ whatever....
Solution: scrub it all off before I head to mum.

Last option. Give up, I am good, hell, I am brilliant the way I am. I like the way I am and I don't care if people think I am Italian, Greek, Spanish, Mexican..and wait for this one Bulgarian!!! I am me and I am happy like this!