Latest news with #BreeSteele
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
'Why are foreigners so stingy in India?': Australian woman in Mumbai sets the record straight
An Australian woman living in Mumbai has sparked a conversation online after questioning why many foreign tourists in India refuse to spend money, even when they can easily afford to. In a candid post on Instagram, podcast producer Bree Steele, who has been living in Mumbai, spoke about foreigners with high-paying jobs coming to India, haggling over trivial things, choosing cramped hostels, and taking cheap but long train journeys, all in the name of an "authentic experience." Bree Steele, who has been living in Mumbai, spoke about foreigners with high-paying jobs coming to India and haggling over trivial things (Instagram/ "Why are foreigners so stingy when they come to India? I have seen so many people come to India with high-paying jobs who do not want to spend a dime. They barter over tiny amounts of money, they will stay in hostels and take 17-hour train rides when they could easily fly, like they would if they were in any other country. People say that they want an authentic experience but not everyone in India travels like that," she said in a video message. Steele explained that culture across India varies, and while there can be luxury in places, there are also good "middle range" hotels. "You don't have to suffer to come to India," she said. "You can eat like a king or queen here. It is so misunderstood, and we need to change that." Check out her video here: 'India is more than slums' Steele set the record straight about what India has to offer and slammed those who choose to show the not-so-aesthetic parts of it when they travel around the country. "India is more than slums, crowded trains and food poisoning! Why do people from the West come to India and insist on travelling in the cheapest and most brutal way possible? You don't have to struggle to come to India! Whether you're a solo traveller, a backpacker, travelling with family or somewhere in between, there is something for you here!" Many Indian users praised Steele for slamming such travellers. "Absolutely correct! It's the negativity of these kind of posts that gains more views, and the algorithm only shows these kind of reels on social media," said one user. Another added, "Gosh. Thanks for saying this. Tired of so many clickbait videos about travellers moaning about how terrible it is. You can choose your experiences. There are a plethora of options."
NDTV
2 days ago
- NDTV
"You Don't Have To Struggle": Australian Woman Calls Out Foreigners For Being "Stingy" In India
India has become a popular destination for foreign vloggers, who visit the country to explore its vibrant culture, rich heritage, and diverse landscapes. These travel vloggers document their experiences and unique encounters, offering global audiences a glimpse into the beauty and complexity of India. One such content creator is an Australian woman who has been living in India for quite some time. Bree Steele, a podcast producer, has sparked a discussion online with her latest video criticising foreigners for being "stingy" when they come to India. "I have seen so many people come to India with high-paying jobs who won't spend a dime. They'll barter over tiny amounts of money. They would stay in hostels, where they usually stay in hotels, and they'll take like a 17-hour train ride where they could easily fly, and they would if they were in any other country," Ms Steele says in the clip, adding that they do all this to get an "aunthentic experience". However, the podcaster refuted this, saying that India is much more than this. "It is a huge country with so many different cultures, and there's so much luxury here, and there are so many middle-of-the-range great hotels here. You don't have to suffer to come to India," she continues. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bree Steele | Podcast producer & host (@ Further, in the video, Ms Steele goes on to praise India. It is much more than the slums and the heavy-duty trains and cheap food that's going to make you sick, she says. "You could eat like a king or a queen here. It's very misunderstood and I think we need to change this," she concludes. Separately, in the caption of the post, Ms Steele wrote, "Why do people from the west come to India and insist on travelling in the cheapest and most brutal way possible?" "You don't have to struggle to come to India! Whether you're a solo traveller, a backpacker, travelling with family or somewhere in between, there is something for you here!!! India has so many different cultures and ways of living!" she said. Since being shared, Ms Steele's video has struck a chord with social media users. Reacting to it, one user wrote, "I have seen vlogers travel in general trains i haven't been in one ever in my life last time i was in a non ac sleeper was in 2008. Its like for few extra rupees you can stay an travel with ease but they choose the hard way and then cry about it." "Even locals don't do train rides for 17 hours lmfao. If you're going to a country like India you need to be spending that $$ on the luxury things. I can be cheap as shit in my own country," commented another. "People who travel like that and post about it do it for views. It is racism, and it is rage bait. They know it makes people angry, and they know it's engagement. This content makes people ignore travelers who come to India with good intentions and with money to spend," said a third user. "Absolutely, I live in Europe and have travelled to half of the world but India still is the most diverse nation I've ever seen. Most of the people in west view India as one nation, speaking one language, having one religion but India is not just a nation, it's a subcontinent, it's a union of states with every state having their own language and culture and history. And we are proud of it all. India is like a treasure hunt and if you are here to find only shit then you'd find it, and if you're here to find spirituality and cultural richness, and actual 5 star experience you'd find it too but it comes with a price. If you can't afford that price then youre the poor one not India," wrote another.
Mint
30-04-2025
- General
- Mint
Australian woman sparks massive debate on cultural differences between India and the West. Find out why
An Australian woman has sparked a debate on social media after posting a video on Instagram discussing cultural differences between India and the West, particularly Indian professionals' dependence on domestic help for household chores. She also mentioned that people in India lack work-life balance. Along with the video, Bree Steele, a podcast producer, wrote in her Instagram post: 'Chores? Hardly know 'em! This is one of the least talked-about cultural differences between India and the West.' Comparing daily life in India with the West, Steele said that in the West, most people manage cooking and household chores alongside full-time jobs. But, in India, most families have domestic workers for such tasks. 'I don't cook or clean in India. Chores? I don't know them,' she said in her video. 'Most middle-class to wealthy households in India have house help. Most people have someone who does their cleaning, maybe their washing and cooking,' she added. Steele further said: 'I was like, that's what we do in the west. We do everything ourselves with full-time jobs.' Acknowledging that Indian professionals work for longer hours as compared to their counterparts in the West, the podcast producer said: 'Over time, I've observed that my friends get work calls at like 9.30 in the night, and there's no work-life balance here. The expectation on corporate workers is just so high that if you're single, of course you don't have time to do your own cooking and cleaning (sic).' 'And for better or for worse, labour is cheap in India, so it makes sense that everyone has their own house help,' she added. Concluding her video, Steele admitted that she feels 'ashamed' at how much she enjoys not having to cook or clean every day. In reaction to Steele's video, users on social media were divided. While some agreed with her, others expressed different opinions. 'What a keen observation and so well expressed, my girl!! It's really not talked about enough, but you've nailed both sides!!!' 'Don't forget, y'all have machines: dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, etc. Also, it's very dusty here, so we have to clean our floors every day.' 'Sometimes I feel we have it easy in India, and yet I don't know why we keep chasing Western standards. But maybe it's because we've always seen the glamourised end of it, never the hard-hitting reality. Thanks for putting it out here. I hope you're having fun in India.' 'As someone who grew up in India with so-called privileges and then moved to the West and does all the chores, I'll pick the West every single time. Despite the chores, I still have a LOT of spare time that I spend on my hobbies and health. Despite all the help in India, I lived an unhealthy and tired life.' 'This can only happen in a country with massive income inequality, high levels of poverty, high population, and poor regulation.' First Published: 30 Apr 2025, 04:53 PM IST
Indian Express
30-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- Indian Express
Australian woman's candid take on Indian household help goes viral: ‘Labour is cheap in India'
An Australian podcast producer – Bree Steele – who has been living in India since 2023, recently shared some candid thoughts about the stark contrast she noticed between household dynamics in India and the West. In a now-viral Instagram video, Steele reflected on how common it is for Indian households, especially middle and upper-class ones, to depend on domestic workers for everyday chores like cooking and cleaning. 'I don't cook or clean in India. Chores? I don't know them,' she said in the clip, something many see as a unique cultural difference. Steele explained that this reliance on domestic help is largely driven by the intense work culture in India, where long hours are the norm. 'Over time, I've observed that my friends get work calls at like 9.30 in the night, and there's no work-life balance here,' she said in the video, adding that the expectations placed on Indian professionals are significantly higher than what she's seen back home. Steele also admitted that at first, she was taken aback by the idea that doing all your own housework seemed 'unfeasible' to her Indian friends. 'I was like, that's what we do in the West. We do everything ourselves with full-time jobs,' she said. However, she came to understand that the combination of the availability of low-cost labour and the high professional demands create a different reality in India – one where outsourcing chores is a compulsion rather than a luxury. She concluded her video saying she felt 'ashamed' by how much she's come to enjoy a life free of daily chores. Watch the video: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bree Steele | Podcast producer & host (@ Steele posted the video along with the caption, 'Chores? Hardly know 'em! This is one of the least talked about cultural differences between India and the west.' The video went viral and triggered a discussion in the comments section. One user wrote, 'Sometimes i feel we have it so easy in India and yet I don't know why we keep chasing the Western standards. But also maybe because we've always seen the glamourised end of it, never the hard striking reality. Thanks for putting it out here.' Another user had a different perspective: 'As some who grew up in India with the so-called privileges and then moved to the West, and does all the chores, I'll pick the West every single time. Despite the chores, I still have a LOT of spare time that I spend on my hobbies and health. Despite all the help in India, I lived an unhealthy and tired life.' A third person wrote, 'Not mentioning commute time, and Indian moms being Indian moms need to look into kids' studies. Plus the social life too. Somehow it seems easier in the west, I can say that because I lived in the United States for a long time to comment.' A fourth user commented, 'You just have cognitive dissonance about what Western people do. Nobody in Europe or America cooks from scratch, that too everyday to the extent that Indians do. Most just eat out.' Steele is part of a growing number of foreigners sharing about their lives in India, online. Another creator, Kristen Fischer, an American who moved to Delhi after visiting in 201 7, shared how life in India has been deeply meaningful for her. In a video, she described the West as 'individualistic' and 'socially isolated,' in contrast to India's rich 'community, culture, and vibrancy.' For her, living in India brought a sense of 'joy' and 'fulfilment' she hadn't found in America.
News18
30-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- News18
Australian Woman Explains Why Domestic Help Is Common In India: ‘No Work-Life Balance'
Last Updated: Bree Steele shared that one of her Indian friends told her it is just not possible to manage both housework and a job without help. Moving to a new country can be exciting but also overwhelming. The change in culture, daily life and language can take time to get used to. An Australian woman, Bree Steele, recently spoke about her experience living in India. Steele, who works as a podcast producer, said she noticed how many Indian households depend on domestic help for daily chores like cooking and cleaning. According to her, the main reason behind this is the lack of work-life balance in India. In a video posted on Instagram, Steele said, 'I don't cook or clean in India like chores, I don't know them because most middle class to wealthy households in India have house help. Most people have someone who does their cleaning, maybe their washing and cooking. Whatever you need, you can get help." She shared that one of her Indian friends told her it is just not possible to manage both housework and a job without help. 'I was like, that's what we do in the west. We do everything ourselves with full-time jobs," Steele said. But she noticed that many of her friends in India are expected to stay connected to work even late in the evening. 'Over time I've observed that my friends get work calls at like 9:30 in the night, and there is no work-life balance here. The expectation on corporate workers is just so high that if you're single, of course you don't have time to do your own cooking and cleaning," she said. She also pointed out that cheap labour in India makes it easier for people to hire help. 'And for better or for worse, labour is cheap in India, so it makes sense that everyone has their own house help," she said. Towards the end of her video, Steele said she felt 'ashamed" about how much she enjoyed not doing household chores every day. 'And I'm ashamed at how easy it is to get out of the habit of doing your own cleaning," she admitted. In the caption of her video, she wrote, 'Chores? Hardly know 'em! This is one of the least talked about cultural differences between India and the west." Steele's video has crossed over four lakh views on Instagram. In the comment section, many people shared their varied opinions. One user commented, 'This can only happen in a country with massive income inequality, high levels of poverty, high population and poor regulation. Lots of people don't pay for their house help the minimum legal wage in India. There's a reason why house help isn't affordable in the West." Another said, 'Don't feel ashamed. Just pay your house-help well. They support their families by supporting your family." 'When I tell people abroad that I miss someone cleaning my house or washing my clothes they think it's crazy while it's so normal for most people to get help in India," someone shared. Over two months ago, an Indian expat living in Sweden had also pointed out how some things in India are far 'more convenient." From getting things delivered to your doorstep in minutes to easier access to healthcare, she said life back home had its own comforts.
