How To Handle Being Stared At In U.s.?

Here's a very effective way to disarmingly deal with stares. Look at the person with raised eyebrows, look down on yourself and slightly self-consciously ask, "is something wrong?" Add a, "I thought you were looking at me strangely."

I wonder too if you live somewhere where there aren't many non-Caucasians or maybe there aren't many indians?

 

OP, sorry to hear about your experience! I don't have much to add as I never had this problem with Americans. I get stares from fellow Indians mostly because my husband is Caucasian.
I wear Indian outfits quite often because I love Indian stuff ( mostly chudidar and long skirts in light colors, nothing gaudy). Lot of people compliment me or smile but haven't experienced the stares. I am a professor so work with all age groups too.
I have an Indian friend who was my colleague at my previous institute. She was never friendly with office staff and even with lab mates, sometimes she will be friendly and next time won't even talk. I heard people talk about her....not only Americans, Indian as well. Think about how you interact with others. Indian attire or not doesn't matter.

Good luck!

 

I never had such experience or maybe I never paid attention. Americans typically look in the eye and maintain eye contact when they are listening or talking to you. So, your incident at school may be just that the teacher is trying to listen to you carefully and not "staring" at you. Also, Americans do eye contact when they pass by while walking or greeting.

Maybe you just getting over conscious. Just keep what you are doing and focus on that. If people are staring, let them stare. Just don't pay attention.

Now you have made me conscious and I will looking out for the stares.

 

IMO wish you don't think on these lines and turn an HPD - histrionic personality disorder.

More on this: Histrionic personality disorder - causes, DSM, effects, therapy, adults, people, used, medication

Time to ignore these symptoms of either craving to seek attention or for the lack of it.

Looks your looks are exceptionally good and time to accept that and live with it.

 

My friend once mentioned this: an American visited her when she had a baby. American looked at her mothers framed picture and bent over (Friend knew that the American lady was about to kiss the picture) She told her that it was her Mom! Her reaction - Oh my goodness I thought she was one of your Goddess/Angel So if her mother had visited US maybe she would have got all the stares you are mentioning Feel good about it and move on!

 

This could be "scopaesthesia". It is my understanding that it is an illusion. Generally, in the US, most don't stare at someone unless they are extremely attractive or scantly dressed. You have already explained your position on these two. It could be because you seriously made up your mind to return to India and hence find everything around you as unnatural.

I hope and pray that this overwhelming feeling doesn't make you obsessed affecting your routine life. How do you find out they are constantly staring at you? Do you keep an eye contact with someone who stares at you constantly? Perhaps, you have an extra-sensory perception that people are staring at you without you looking at them.

Whatever it is, you need to get out of this feeling pretty soon as it doesn't affect your daily life and your ability to stay in the US. Your husband might be interested in pursuing a long career in the US and your children might be looking to study in the US.

Viswa