[qcoco]

Despite externally-incited ethnic conflict, Guyana was a comparatively post-tribal melting pot of cultures and social classes. e.g. kids stack-ranked nationally into peer-group schools around age 10, based on standardized test. Outside Guyana:

  Are you from India?
    West Indies | South America | Guyana
  Where are your parents from?
    A couple hundred years ago, my ancestors left India
  Oh <disappointed>
    [every time: wait, what if I had said yes? nevermind]

[gainda]

It has become so exhausting doing this dialogue tree with Indian folks - particularly true for the older population. it's their opener for small talk...