It may be too soon to write a blog like this, but I cannot
wait to state that my stint of a year in India made me a better person. I hail
from Sweden, and my mother brought me up in the cold environment of a society
where people live an individualistic life. When I came to India for a job, I
sensed that I had done the opposite thing of coming from Sweden to India. The
common trend is that Indians go to my home country to seek better employment.
Anyway, I was associated with a Japanese firm in my city, which required me to
handle their operations in India for a few months. I, at first, detested at the
announcement as I had heard a lot of horror stories about the country. However,
I love to admit that India changed me for better and I was a changed person
when I left after ten months.
Food is to share
On my first day in office, I had a great time while smiling
back all the time at the welcoming colleagues. During lunch time, I went to the
cafeteria to buy a couple of sandwiches. As soon as I grabbed a chair to begin
my lunch, a few of my teammates banged open the door and said Hi to me. After
they came to my table with their warmed up tiffin boxes in hands, the aroma of
their delicious food filled the room. Before I could speak up, all of them
presented their food in front of me, and simply said, "Have it." I
couldn't do anything but oblige. I was happy to share my cold sandwiches with
them in exchange for their fragrant rice and curries. The other great thing
that I learned about Indians is that they love eating with their hands. They
would wash their hands before lunch and eat food with their hands and a couple
of spoons. No forks and knives come into play while eating Indian cuisines;
they are required only for continental foods.
The vibrancy of
India
Throughout my life, I have seen very few bright colors. I
have always seen men and women dressed in grey, black, white, and beige. Ladies
in India love to dress in vibrant colors, and a few men as well. At every party,
office meeting, or wedding I attended; I have seen them dressed in bold colors.
Rather than making a woman feel guilty in office for wearing a bright saree,
people love to compliment her. My hometown does not witness any such
occurrence; people there are very strict about colors and clothing that makes
the place at least visually dull.
Compassion
My friends from Mumbai once hired two Self Drive Cars in Pune to wander
around the city. I have always seen poverty in India, and my friends warn me
not to give alms to people as it encourages beggary. However, I make it a point
not to haggle with children selling things on the streets, or the street
vendors selling various articles and clothes. They do over-charge the
foreigners than they do to the locals. However, if I can afford to pay a little
more for a product, I do not mind doing so. Living in India has made me more
compassionate towards the wealthy as well as the poor. Patience, endurance, and
sympathy are required in enormous amounts to live a life like millions of
people in India do. I salute these people who are made of steel to bear the
unbearable circumstances all through their lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment