In my first blog posting I would like to talk about how I think the Indian culture will differ from my own here in the US. I expect that the first thing I will notice is that most people will be shorter then I am. With an average height of a male in India is 5’3-5’5 and the average male height in the US is 5’8-5’10, and I am 6’1. This won’t be an issue for me, I just hope that I don’t make people around me feel awkward or something, because I know in some cultures height is associated with power or position. A part of India’s culture is their food is typically more spicy then food here in the US. In the past spices from India were a very luxury item to have and were very sought after, especially by Europeans. Today Indian food is one of the most popular cuisines to try from a foreign country. I personally have never had Indian food, but I will be going to an Indian restaurant in the near future, so I can know what to expect when I am in India.
Apart of the culture that I have always thought was different was the clothing worn by Indian people. When I picture someone from India my mental image is very different from what it actually is. I had always thought that people in India always wore what is now considered to be formal or traditional garments. I have since been informed that India has adopted a more western look to its everyday/business clothing.
Another part of the Indian culture I am interested in experiencing is driving in India. I have watched videos where the intersections are like a chaotic product. From the looks of it there is no real system for allowing one side to go and another to stop, everyone just seems to merge here and merge there, turn here and turn there. I am interested to see and talk with people that have experienced both the US and Indian driving experiences and learn a little more about it. I consider myself to be a very good driver here is the states, but I don’t think I would want to push my luck driving in India. Another thing that would throw me off is that I read somewhere that cars have the driver sit on the right side of the car like in the UK, not the left like in the US. All of these things would truly test my driving ability, but I don’t plan on finding out if I can drive in India.
Looking at these few things that differ in Indian culture I am very excited to visit India in January. I look forward to learning more about the Indian culture both before and during my visit.
