Editors' note: Lake Life editor Ashley Hanry is sending dispatches from her journey to India as part of the regional Rotary Exchange Program:
The immediate reaction we all have to India is the vast differences from life back home. Observed by my team during the first week:
Beep Beep: Driving is not only done on the opposite side of the road, but also with nerves of steel and what we all deemed friendly honking. All night at our first hotel we heard “beep beep ... beep beep.” Honking in India is not out of anger but to announce they are coming. Roads are two lanes (sometimes there are lines dividing the flow of traffic) but somehow fit three cars wide or more. Drivers share their space with mopeds, small buses, other cars and hauling trucks; cows, goats and dogs, and many, many people. After a friendly “beep beep,” drivers will veer to their left, people will glide over and even dogs know to scurry to the side.
Feed me: Maybe it's just because we are guests and visiting for the first time, but hunger will not be felt by anyone during the entire trip. The word “no” obviously means “please give me more.” The food is, of course, much spicier but also the eating patterns are different. They typically have a small breakfast, but then have a large lunch. Their lunch is the biggest meal of the day and eaten around 1 p.m. Dinner is much later, 8 to even 10 p.m., and is smaller, something like our lunch.
Read Repeat: We have visited several schools so far and have learned a bit about their teaching methods. Much more is self taught. Students read from books and then must repeat all they have read and memorized during class. Also, students attend school six days a week, always wear uniforms and remain in one classroom while the teachers move from class to class.
Bobble: While Americans shake their heads up and down meaning they understand, Indians rock their heads back and forth in a motion that can only be described as a bobble. It is becoming a bit contagious and in a few days the team should have it down and will likely bobble back unconsciously.
IST: Indian Standard (I mean Stretchable) Time is something we were warned about. We may get used to it by the end of the trip, and I know my friends hope I don't bring it home. Let's just say 8:30 a.m. really means 9:45 a.m. or later, and “it will take 15 minutes” means we'll be waiting for nearly an hour.
Liar Liar: Just as there are huge contrasts from rich and poor in this country, there is different information from each Indian who answers our questions. It seems what one person just told us goes out the window with the next person. Our team is used to this, so we have begun comparing notes. If any of the five of us have the same answer, we know it is probably true.
Beep Beep: Driving is not only done on the opposite side of the road, but also with nerves of steel and what we all deemed friendly honking. All night at our first hotel we heard “beep beep ... beep beep.” Honking in India is not out of anger but to announce they are coming. Roads are two lanes (sometimes there are lines dividing the flow of traffic) but somehow fit three cars wide or more. Drivers share their space with mopeds, small buses, other cars and hauling trucks; cows, goats and dogs, and many, many people. After a friendly “beep beep,” drivers will veer to their left, people will glide over and even dogs know to scurry to the side.
Feed me: Maybe it's just because we are guests and visiting for the first time, but hunger will not be felt by anyone during the entire trip. The word “no” obviously means “please give me more.” The food is, of course, much spicier but also the eating patterns are different. They typically have a small breakfast, but then have a large lunch. Their lunch is the biggest meal of the day and eaten around 1 p.m. Dinner is much later, 8 to even 10 p.m., and is smaller, something like our lunch.
Read Repeat: We have visited several schools so far and have learned a bit about their teaching methods. Much more is self taught. Students read from books and then must repeat all they have read and memorized during class. Also, students attend school six days a week, always wear uniforms and remain in one classroom while the teachers move from class to class.
Bobble: While Americans shake their heads up and down meaning they understand, Indians rock their heads back and forth in a motion that can only be described as a bobble. It is becoming a bit contagious and in a few days the team should have it down and will likely bobble back unconsciously.
IST: Indian Standard (I mean Stretchable) Time is something we were warned about. We may get used to it by the end of the trip, and I know my friends hope I don't bring it home. Let's just say 8:30 a.m. really means 9:45 a.m. or later, and “it will take 15 minutes” means we'll be waiting for nearly an hour.
Liar Liar: Just as there are huge contrasts from rich and poor in this country, there is different information from each Indian who answers our questions. It seems what one person just told us goes out the window with the next person. Our team is used to this, so we have begun comparing notes. If any of the five of us have the same answer, we know it is probably true.
The Citizens' Say
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