There are sooooo many little things that make India different. They are not really big enough to dedicate a whole post to, but together I thought they might make interesting reading. There's really too many to count, but here are some of the little differences that have stuck out to me: (in no particular order. And I have to make the disclaimer that my experience does not equal all of India or even Mumbai. )
1. Almost all of the plates and cups are made of steel. There are a handful of glasses and Corell plates. They also store all their dry food in steel canisters that line the wall.
2. The silverware holder contains almost exclusively spoons. I think I've seen one small fork in there, and there's not a butter knife to be seen.
3. They use A LOT of little bowls. Every meal includes a little bowl of something, usually lentils. Sometimes you'll have two or three little bowls on your plate. These bowls are much smaller than anything I have ever used in the States.
4. They chop their vegetables really small. And they almost always do it with a paring knife. I think I'm the only one who consistently pulls out the big chopping knife and a cutting board.
5. They cook in aluminum pots and bowls that have no handles. The aluminum also heats up really fast and gets very hot. Much faster and hotter than anything I've cooked in before. I have burned myself more times than I remember already. They have one removable handle that they use to attach to the pots and move them when they need to. It's a clampy thing that took me awhile to get used to.
6. Ma and Pa sleep on the floor in the living room. Each night we make their bed for them, using a rug and a comforter with a sheet on top as a base, and then they each have a blanket to cover up with.
7. The pillows here are hard. There's no fluff or squish to them. Its a bit like sleeping with a paperback book with no hard edges.
8. The garbage can is kept outside the house because it's so hot that it would start smelling inside. There is not a single garbage can inside, anywhere. We save every little plastic bag to use as a temporary trash for the kitchen when there is food scraps to throw away. And very quickly it is taken outside to the garbage.
9. Every piece of furniture can serve as storage. The couch opens, the stools open, the bed has drawers underneath, the ceilings are tall so cabinets are placed along the top of the room. You have to use a stool to reach these upper cabinets.
10. It's so dusty here that it is imperative to sweep and mop the floors at least once a day, twice is better.
11. The bottom of everyone's feet is always dirty because people are also barefoot, or wearing sandals which don't really protect your feet from the dust and dirt.
12. Everyone walks in the street whether there's a sidewalk or not. Probably because most sidewalks are full with people selling things or with garbage. (Before I came I would actually get annoyed at Deepal for walking in the street in Bali or the States. I couldn't understand why he kept doing it without thinking. Now I know why.)
13. The lines painted on the road to designate lanes are a suggestion only.
14. Clay pots are kept in the houses to keep water that has been filtered cool. All the water has to go through a filter. Ours is one we have to fill by hand.
15. There is a maid who comes twice a day to sweep, mop, do laundry, and wash dishes. Sometimes other odd chores as well, like washing the walls.
16. The screen door here is a metal grate that locks with a pad lock, so you can keep the door open and let the breeze through.
17. Brushing your teeth before you eat anything in the morning is imperative so you don't eat the bacteria that has grown in your mouth overnight. Brushing at night is optional.
18. My shower here is a bucket of water and a cup that I use to pour the water over my head. This is because the third floor doesn't have enough water pressure for the shower to work well. It is not typical.
19. There is no shower stall or bathtub or anything to separate the shower area. The water falls directly on the bathroom floor, past the toilet, and down a little drain. If you shower after the maid has already come you should push the water towards the drain so the floor will dry faster.
20. The proper way to greet and say goodbye to an aunt or uncle (someone related to you and older) is to touch their feet and then put your hand to your heart. They are supposed to bless you in that time.
21. The bindis (the red dots or jewelry on the woman's brow) are optional and mainly used as a fashion accessory as opposed to a statement that the woman is married. Rather, a black bead and gold necklace means the woman is married. And this is also worn optionally.
22. Arguing is something of a pastime here. It is not considered the same as fighting. I'm not sure yet what fighting really is because I tend to think most of their arguments are fights. But not so, I'm told. Telling someone you disagree with them and then arguing about it is as natural as breathing here. This is actually a pretty big cultural difference for me because I tend to avoid conflict at all costs. Perhaps that will change here.
23. Repetition is the best way to get your point across. There is a strong tendency to say the same thing over and over again, occasionally in slightly different ways. ;) This can play a large role in the arguments.
Ok, the list could go on and on, so that's probably enough for now.
1. Almost all of the plates and cups are made of steel. There are a handful of glasses and Corell plates. They also store all their dry food in steel canisters that line the wall.
2. The silverware holder contains almost exclusively spoons. I think I've seen one small fork in there, and there's not a butter knife to be seen.
3. They use A LOT of little bowls. Every meal includes a little bowl of something, usually lentils. Sometimes you'll have two or three little bowls on your plate. These bowls are much smaller than anything I have ever used in the States.
4. They chop their vegetables really small. And they almost always do it with a paring knife. I think I'm the only one who consistently pulls out the big chopping knife and a cutting board.
5. They cook in aluminum pots and bowls that have no handles. The aluminum also heats up really fast and gets very hot. Much faster and hotter than anything I've cooked in before. I have burned myself more times than I remember already. They have one removable handle that they use to attach to the pots and move them when they need to. It's a clampy thing that took me awhile to get used to.
6. Ma and Pa sleep on the floor in the living room. Each night we make their bed for them, using a rug and a comforter with a sheet on top as a base, and then they each have a blanket to cover up with.
7. The pillows here are hard. There's no fluff or squish to them. Its a bit like sleeping with a paperback book with no hard edges.
8. The garbage can is kept outside the house because it's so hot that it would start smelling inside. There is not a single garbage can inside, anywhere. We save every little plastic bag to use as a temporary trash for the kitchen when there is food scraps to throw away. And very quickly it is taken outside to the garbage.
9. Every piece of furniture can serve as storage. The couch opens, the stools open, the bed has drawers underneath, the ceilings are tall so cabinets are placed along the top of the room. You have to use a stool to reach these upper cabinets.
10. It's so dusty here that it is imperative to sweep and mop the floors at least once a day, twice is better.
11. The bottom of everyone's feet is always dirty because people are also barefoot, or wearing sandals which don't really protect your feet from the dust and dirt.
12. Everyone walks in the street whether there's a sidewalk or not. Probably because most sidewalks are full with people selling things or with garbage. (Before I came I would actually get annoyed at Deepal for walking in the street in Bali or the States. I couldn't understand why he kept doing it without thinking. Now I know why.)
13. The lines painted on the road to designate lanes are a suggestion only.
14. Clay pots are kept in the houses to keep water that has been filtered cool. All the water has to go through a filter. Ours is one we have to fill by hand.
15. There is a maid who comes twice a day to sweep, mop, do laundry, and wash dishes. Sometimes other odd chores as well, like washing the walls.
16. The screen door here is a metal grate that locks with a pad lock, so you can keep the door open and let the breeze through.
17. Brushing your teeth before you eat anything in the morning is imperative so you don't eat the bacteria that has grown in your mouth overnight. Brushing at night is optional.
18. My shower here is a bucket of water and a cup that I use to pour the water over my head. This is because the third floor doesn't have enough water pressure for the shower to work well. It is not typical.
19. There is no shower stall or bathtub or anything to separate the shower area. The water falls directly on the bathroom floor, past the toilet, and down a little drain. If you shower after the maid has already come you should push the water towards the drain so the floor will dry faster.
20. The proper way to greet and say goodbye to an aunt or uncle (someone related to you and older) is to touch their feet and then put your hand to your heart. They are supposed to bless you in that time.
21. The bindis (the red dots or jewelry on the woman's brow) are optional and mainly used as a fashion accessory as opposed to a statement that the woman is married. Rather, a black bead and gold necklace means the woman is married. And this is also worn optionally.
22. Arguing is something of a pastime here. It is not considered the same as fighting. I'm not sure yet what fighting really is because I tend to think most of their arguments are fights. But not so, I'm told. Telling someone you disagree with them and then arguing about it is as natural as breathing here. This is actually a pretty big cultural difference for me because I tend to avoid conflict at all costs. Perhaps that will change here.
23. Repetition is the best way to get your point across. There is a strong tendency to say the same thing over and over again, occasionally in slightly different ways. ;) This can play a large role in the arguments.
Ok, the list could go on and on, so that's probably enough for now.
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