Hi Janet,

It's so beautiful you had the courage to be sovereign in your decisions. You know your rights only because of that. It would have been much easier to just blindly follow without questioning.

Things are definitely different here. India is huge country with a huge population. I wouldn't say I got the sense how it works here. So far I have found the rules and rigidity is different in different places. For example when I was in the valley of Kodaikanal farms , I haven't seen anyone wearing it. But when I came back to kerala I'm the only one not wearing it. But to me , it feels that people are not wearing it for health reasons but for the fear of being fined. Why invite unnecessary trouble? Like for example we went to this KTm store and the first thing the guy says is that you should be wary of the police . No one has ever said to me, that you should be wary of the VIR. I guess people have the sense to look at the figures and think for themselves. But still life is largely governed by fear of survival.

I don't really need to go to a supermarket or a cooperate institution for my needs. There are plenty of local stores and their owners who wears masks on their chin and has never questioned me. I'm mostly travelling on my bike and not using public transport , so I don't really know how strict it is there.

Unlike the west, I think the exemptions are not clearly defined. I have to do more research on it. I don't think badges or anything works here. I'm totally ok with confronting people, it's only the police that makes me anxious.

I'm still thinking about getting a medical certificate which I think may work for a while. Forging one and then getting in trouble for that will be totally different than standing in your truth and then getting in trouble.

Vimal