My train from Varanasi to Mumbai covered a distance of 1500 kilometers, but it took 31 hours to do so. Much of my day was spent staring out the train car at passing landscape, and speaking with the other passengers. Fortunately, many Indians speak English, even if they do sound more like a robot than a human.

I will not drone on about the conversations, but I was able to inquire about a looming question I have had: why China is getting all the attention instead of India? Both China and India have massive populations (1.3 and 1.1 billion, respectively) that can be exploited because of the low standard of living. Conversely, a greater percentage of India speaks English, the nation has a democratic form of government, and it boasts some of the best technical schools (IITs) in the world.

It has since been re-iterated to me by many people that the major constraints holding India back are horrific corruption (in all walks of life), and a self-centered mentality. It makes me miss the United States, where neighbors care for one another, corruption is sniffed out and detested with unprecedented fervor, and people do not need motives to say hello to one another. Perhaps these traits better define America than the policies of George W. Bush, and it would be nice if world opinion would reflect such.