Neighborhood disputes are not uncommon in America and other Western countries. Neighbors quarrel about loud music, unkempt yards, noisy dogs, and even parking spots on the street. Considering everything that can go wrong in neighborhood relationships, many people are content just living peacefully with their neighbors, even if they never speak to each other. The relationship can be summed up like this: “You mind your business and I’ll mind mine.”
But it’s far better to be friendly with your neighbors, as French designer Julia Chaigneau would undoubtedly tell you. “For most of my life, I never knew my neighbors’ names,” she shared in a recent post on X. “My parents didn’t either. In Europe, neighbors are just people who exist in the background. You might say hi in the hallway, but that’s it.” Last year, she moved to Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and was surprised when, on her very first day in her new apartment, someone knocked on her door. “It was the neighbor from the apartment in front of us, asking if we needed any help or even food while we settled in,” she wrote. “I remember standing there, a little shocked. I had never experienced that before. Since then, we’ve celebrated festivals together, exchanged food, planned safaris—all these small things that somehow make everyday life feel more full.”
Chaigneau says her entire perspective on neighbors changed in India. “They’re not just people next door. They’re the ones closest to you. The ones who will notice if something is wrong. The ones who will open their door in case of an emergency. Knowing that they’re there is one of the most comforting feelings. It feels like having a family and a support system you didn’t even expect.”
Compiled and partly written by Indian humorist MELVIN DURAI, author of the novel Bala Takes the Plunge. [Comments? Contributions? Please email us at melvin@melvindurai.com. We welcome jokes, quotes, online clips, and more.]