1. Potty Time
If you grew up in a middle-class Indian family, like I did, you are used to the flush that cleans your butt. Here’s the twist – there is no FLUSH, no MUG, no HAND SHOWER, no water that cleans your butt.
It is hard, and I mean, culture-shock hard, to have no water and only tissue paper to wipe everything. I mean REALLY?
2. ONE STOP SHOPS
There’s something like D-mart and Dorabjee’s in India, where you get bathroom essentials, food and clothes. But Walmart and Target take it one up. You can find colorful pillow covers, lampshades, cosmetics, furniture, bicycles and TV, everything that you can think of is basically loaded up in this one huge shop. As a first year student, I was amazed at how convenient this was.
3. FESTIVALS
Never really understood Thanksgiving and I admit I still don't. People gathering and eating turkey together, right? Ok. St. Patrick’s day? Isn't that an Irish holiday? But Christmas always reminds you of DIWALI. It's just a tad bit colder with no Rangoli, or firecrackers and definitely no pollution.
4. “You have a funny ACCENT” and “Why do you SPELL it like this?”
A lot of my friends always pointed out how Indian I sounded when I talked to my Indian friends. Yea doode I know.
Then there were the usual ones: “You totally roll your Rs.” “hey say that again- aluuu miniiii yum- really? Isn’t it just aluminum?” uhhh NO. And then at work pronouncing Schedule “how do I say this – skedjoole? Or shedjule?”
And -_- “why do you write – COLOUR? Isn’t is just color?”
5. You already have an ACCENT?
So a lot of friends back home were teasing me, “haaaw angrezan (lit. westerner) you’ve completely forgotten how to talk in English huh?” Next time they say this to you tell them it's part of cultural assimilation and that they are just jealous.
6. FOOD?
I was lucky to have a cafeteria for all my meals but I know many other students aren’t that fortunate. They had never known the task that was cooking, serving, and cleaning because Mama always did that. And now suddenly when you are eating salad for lunch you are wondering – where is the food? (Because in India salad is served at most as an appetizer, it's never the dinner or lunch) Also, why are the burgers in American McDonalds only a few kind?
7. Talking of food - Sudden CRAVINGS
MAGGI??? Where is the Namkeen? Chai and RUSK? Aaaghhh I want a Samosa, Paani Puri or Dosa. Just give me some Indian snacks.
8. How does everyone follow traffic lights? Why are there no dogs around?
Dogs are everywhere in India. You probably had 5 dogs that belonged to the entire neighborhood you lived in as a child, excluding the one at your home. Seeing no dogs or cats or midnight cat-dog fights, made the entire American experience pretty quiet. Also, people really follow traffic rules. I mean they stop at Stop signs and they wear seat belts. I mean WOW.
9. Culture-shock and Reverse-Culture-Shock
When you first land in America, you’re in love (or hate) with how open-minded the country is. But then you start seeing the flaws and loopholes and you criticize (or feel better). People actually wear bikinis on the beach (OHMYGOD). They check for your age when you’re buying alcohol (seriously?). And slowly you settle in… until its time to go home. And then once you are in India you hate how people comment on your clothes, how they honk on the road and nobody follows any rules.
10. You miss home but you have another home
Living in U.S. was hard and pretty lonely. No matter how many Indians you were friends with there was somehow a part of your home that was just missing. Maybe it was the peculiar smell when you returned home or the feel of the carpet. But, after living in America for about 3 and half years I have made a family with all those who shared struggles just like mine (and those who didn't.) You know you can always go back and find your friends waiting to take you to In&Out (thanks, Ian).
