List of Weird Indian Things
- #1 oddity of India: The head bobble. They wiggle their heads from side to side to help say a variety of things such as Yes, Of course, Maybe, Kind of, No, Hell no, You're welcome, Hello. Yeah, try figuring that out!
- I think the funniest odd thing I've seen in India so far is the picture inside the stalls at work. Now, note that Google is a very Westernized office and usually very Westernized people work there. But, Google is always very helpful and really wants to guide it's employees to do the right thing. My favorite is "Don't sit Indian style on the commode" (or toilet). Please read all of them - hilarious and totally worth me bringing in a camera to the bathroom stall.
- So this new guy on my team was telling me about a crazy Indian ritual that guys have on their birthdays. Here is how it plays out. The present for the "popular" guy is for his guy friends to kick him. "Kick him?" you say - yes, kick him. In fact, this year, the guy on my team, Jay (or Jayaraman, but I call him Jay b/c I'm white and can't pronounce shit) tore a ligament in his back from this kicking ritual. So take a look at the kicking that Jay took 2 years ago. The good news is that they were kind enough to "give" him some cake before kicking him. Here is the video, start watching at minute 1:40. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeKV3jRUr88. p.s. don't worry girls, this is only a boy ritual.
- I can't find scissors ANYWHERE! Literally, there are none in the office. I had to ask facilities to bring me some and still no response. Apparently, they don't sell them here.
- There is security & metal detectors everywhere. Every mall you enter, you get frisked. And ladies have a separate line and enter a closed in chamber where they pat you down. Lovely!
- At the movie theatres, they will check your purse and just start taking your stuff. When the girl started taking out my battery to my camera, I was like "WTF?! Don't touch my shit!" Apparently bootlegging is an issue here :)
- The 3rd weekend I was here, I finally got hit by the "can you take a picture with me?" Apparently, it's pretty common as they don't see too many white/different looking people. It's not too bad being famous and everyone wanting your picture! haha.
- Driving is totally ridiculous. I'll upload a video soon. Basically, there are absolutely no rules and everyone just cuts you off and turns wherever and smashes into 6 lanes when there should be 3. Oh and the honking - that is what I wish would stop - it's so freaking loud! But someone it all works out and there really aren't too many accidents.
- I can't stand that at the office, they lower the chairs after every meeting. So when you sit down, you need to raise the chair! You wouldn't believe how irritating that is!
- Indian people get about a million calls each day on their cell. You can be in the middle of a conversation, but the telemarketer who is calling them takes precedence....every time. So weird.
- So, our chef sends out the dinner menu every day to the foreigners. Here is an item at dinner: "Assorted vegetable hard boiled to add natural food to the menu". Shit man - have I been eating plastic so far?! That is not good...
- Everyone serves food on newspapers. At first, I thought it was just street food, but then I saw our chefs using newspapers! I quickly put an end to that...gross!
- There is no AC in bathrooms here...not pleasant...
