Every individual’s perception and attitudes in life are reflections of his or her cultural background. There are certain aspects of Indian culture and behaviour, which you need to be aware of before your visit. We have certain norms and traditions that are followed, and if you are unaware of these.
Following is a comparison of Indian culture vis-à-vis the western as perceived by a renowned psychologist. (A lot of these things may not apply to you and us, as these are just observations and a point of view. Please do not bear them to a great deal – just keep them in mind)
a) Collectivism
Whereas western culture believes in individualism, we believe in collectivism. An individual’s life is interdependent with his surroundings. In a way our lives are run with the support and cooperation of our fellow beings. This is also one of the chief reasons why social motivation gets an upper hand in our work environment.
b) Security at work
Most Indians are brought up in a security cocoon. This is carried over to the work place. You may find people content with what they have and lacking in initiative. Do not under estimate their capabilities. It is just that most Indians prefer the initiative coming from the other end.
Your stay in India will most probably lead to enough contact with the Government Sector. There you will see how job security kills of the drive to attain higher goals. Do not let frustration overtake you.
And of course, the younger generation is quite like anywhere else in the world – progressive and open but with strong values.
c) Shyness
Indians are known to be quite shy and not very outspoken. You have got to realize that you are in a completely new country and have to make an effort to get to know people. Indians may seem aloof and brusque. You will, however, not find them lacking in friendliness and accessibility.
d) Love of food
Cold cuts, Raw fish, Hard bread – do not really appeal to a lot of Indians and we prefer our own curries and cooked vegetables. A lot of families use chillies and spices to add taste to their food. You must be careful in pre-warning them if you are sensitive to chillies and spices. Your home stay will introduce you to some of the best home cooking in the world.
e) Speaking abilities
Foreigners are quite pleasantly surprised with our English speaking abilities. Most people speak basic English, and are adept at conversing in the language. Though, you might have to be careful with your accent, as Indians speak English in a very ‘dictionary’ accent, with no hint of any dialects and slang.
f) Women
It may sound really stupid, but a lot of Indian men have weird impressions of white women and because of these, their behavior towards them is quite different. It is an obvious example of the famous double standard syndrome of the Indian male. This is not a widespread ‘phenomenon’, but is limited to the uneducated and orthodox section. Most of the younger generation is quite open to other cultures and skin color is not a discriminatory factor that bears any importance.
g) Close minded and Orthodox
A lot of societies in this world are very different from ours. Many things that you may see or experience during the course of your traineeship may come as a shock to you. A lot of Indians have a tendency to be very close-minded and conventional, and not accept the fact that people may have completely different lifestyles to their own.
Many Indians believe that their destiny is not for them to decide, it has already been decided by God. Notions that you may not quite grasp…Neither can a lot of us!!!
h) IST (Indian Stretchable Time)
The Indian concept of timing is very FLEXIBLE. It is not necessary that if you are on time the other person has to be on time too. When you go for an appointment it may be true that you have to wait, but in the whole crowd you might also find a lot of people who are very particular about time.
Being late by about half an hour is quite normal. Though this is a concept that is followed more in the case of Socializing and Parties. If you have to travel to the station or the airport it is always advised that first you call up the station and the airport to confirm the arrival/departure time.
This is not a universal phenomenon, and it is quite standard that if you are going for a Corporate appointment, a fixed time means exactly that time.
i) Emotional
As mentioned above, Indianfeel very strongly about collectivism. From that emerges the emotional nature of Indians.
