Dear Brother Tom,

As always very interesting comments.

I must apologize. I cannot find the exact quote as I reflected it. It seems that Swami used the words as follows to Nivedita:

"Yet the difficulties are many. You cannot form any idea of the misery, the superstition, and the slavery that are here. You will be in the midst of a mass of half naked men and women with quaint ideas of castes and isolation, shunning the white skin through fear or hatred and hated by them intensely. On the other hand, you will be looked upon by the white as a crank and every one of your movements will be watched with suspicion." July 1897

Location: New Bern, Nc

Yes, ignorance & backwardness will be found everywhere.
Happy Mother's Day to you!