Photobomb

People often try to take a photo with you surreptitiously.

By surreptitiously, I mean that they stand 5 feet in front of you with a big grin as a friend takes their photo. You may treat this in a variety of ways, a few of which I have compiled as they have occurred to me.

• Smile and invite them over. After a polite conversation, ask for them to send you a copy of the photo.  
• Demand to be paid for your services as a walking local attraction.
• "100 rupees!"
• You may find yourself fighting the urge to whip out some distinctly obtrusive hand gestures. 
• Rather than giving into your bitter impulse, take it as an opportunity to practice the pranayama techniques you learned earlier that day.  
• ...or don't. Up to you.
•  Make the best photobomb face ever.
• Jenna Marbles face, anyone?
• Pull a Lemony Snicket.
• This requires cunning. Good luck.
• Pull out a camera of your own to return the favor. 
• Do the sorority squat.
• Start clapping for them. Cheer them on in the middle of their photoshoot. After all, who doesn't need a little encouragement?
• Smile and wave.

Personally, I like taking pictures with babies. The people here are often infatuated with tourists because they are so clearly not-of-this-world. The many invasive questions, the facebook requests, the laughter-- these are all part of sharing and discovering, and deserve to be understood in the manner in which they are intended. That said, boundaries are important. While it is important to understand that people here are unbelievably trusting, it is not always wise to return this level of trust in strangers.