Differences 1
We are learning that upbringing, religion, culture, and environment provide a difference in beliefs and opinions about things. Here are 10 differences we've observed.
1-Motorcycles are used like trucks.
We often see more than 3 people on one. They haul everything on them including things I don’t think are possible. From 5-20 liter water bottles to this man with full length banana palms. Sometimes it’s a balancing act.
2-There aren’t any ovens.
Most items are cooked in pressure cookers, regular pans or on a roti tawa. It’s a small flat pan for cooking tortilla like breads. Some people own toaster ovens and microwave ovens, but baking isn’t usually done at home. Rather treats and breads are bought in a bakery or sweet shop. To fulfill our need for baking, we purchased a microwave/convection combo. Right now, the biggest challenge is finding the items we need to bake with like glass pans, vanilla, yeast, chocolate chips, finer grained sugar, etc. Yes, between eating mostly vegetarian and the reduction in treats we have all lost weight.
3-Most people still wash clothes by hand.
Probably less than 1/3 of the people here own a washing machine. Even then, the machines are semi-automatic. Clothes are pre-treated then put in a compartment in the washer. It washes and rinses the clothes. Once rinsed, you transfer them to another compartment for spinning. This is followed by hang drying all clothes as there aren’t dryers. We are the probably 1% who own a washer like in the US. Unfortunately, it is still a daily job for me to clean clothes. I’m able to wash one batch per day due to the drying time. This is why many wear clothes for more than one day and fabrics here are thinner, shortening drying times.
4-There aren’t any Targets.
Okay you knew that, but there aren’t any stores like that either. Grocery stores carry basic food items. Fruits/vegetables must be bought at a produce market. Meat from a butcher. Curtains from a seamstress. So for each item you need, you must go to a different store. They also don’t place different stores near each other. The city is divided up into the electronics, appliance, stationary, furniture, or bakery section of town. This makes it convenient for price shopping, since you can find the same item in multiple stores within a few blocks, but not for quick shopping. Shopping trips must be planned and take hours. We usually hit a supermarket, produce market, and a bakery weekly. So far, the closest decent ones are a 25 minute drive from our home so we also have groceries delivered to our home.
5-Medical beliefs/treatments are different.
Water is often drank at room temperature as drinking cold water when the temperature is cold can make you sick. Since winter is upon us at 80 degrees, people think we will get sick when we don’t wear hats and coats outside at night. We were also told not to place a burn under cold water as the change in temperature from hot to cold will make the burn worse.
6-Daily use items are also different.
It took some practice for us to figure it out this broom. It is used with one hand in a full arm motion. It’s great for getting under items and in corners. It lacks in the thoroughness of the job. Granted there may be some user accountable here. We also have a hand chopper. Instead of popping vegetables in an electronic chopper, we place them in a small bowl with a lid. Down the center of the bowl runs a pole with 3 blades. It connects to a spinner in the lid. When the lid is attached, the blades can be operated using a draw string on the outside of the lid. My kids love pulling the string and chopping the contents.
7-Indians value education.
Schools run 6 days a week. Many Indians pay for their children to attend private schools. They spend a good portion of their salary for them to attend. There are entrance exams just like in the US. The last two years of high school are field directed. Then, they attend Universities. As soon as you meet someone, they are proud to share where they, their kids and other families members attended school at, especially if it was in the US. As we have come in contact with people, we are amazed at what degrees they have. The man who set up our fridge had a electrical engineering degree. That way if something is wrong with your electricity, he can fix it. The man who tallies our bill at the vegetable market has a bachelors in computer science. The man who set up our internet had a masters degree. They all want to know what school we chose for our kids to attend.
8-Indians do speedwalking or walk in a figure 8 for exercise.
They believe that walking a figure 8 provides mental and physical exercise. Some homes have the 8 painted in the road out front for ease of use. If they don’t walk the figure, then they are speed walking. I’ve actually only seen 4 other runners. Men dress in gym shorts or jogger style pants often with bare feet to exercise. Women usually don’t exercise alone, never run, and are usually wearing the traditional saris. Thus when I come out in my ball cap, Capri or 3/4 length yoga pants and T-shirt style top and run, I get lots of stares.
9-People eat with their hands.
Most meals have rice or a bread called roti. To eat the food, sauces and vegetables are mixed with the rice or rolled into a piece of the roti. Since you eat with your hands, there are public wash stations to clean up at before you do. These are found in restaurants, the food court at the mall, and bathrooms are near the dining area in homes. People laugh when they watch us eat. We have been shown the “right” way multiple times, but often the silverware comes out. We are getting better. I never knew there was a right way to eat with your hands.
10-Items are packaged differently.
We are used to plastic or glass containers for everything. Here, those same items are packaged in standing bags. Ketchup, mayonnaise, paste, and pasta sauce come in bags. Spices are also sold in bags not in containers. So, I have 2 round spice containers to store them all in. Milk and juice are sold in boxes. Cheese and butter are sold in large bricks. Chip and snack bags are indestructible. No longer can you pop one open like in elementary school. Even Mr. Universe will need some scissors. Yet, items aren’t packaged for shipping. We have learned not to order any liquids as they arrive damaged or leaking.
Mayo, pasta sauce, milk, juice, ketchup, cream
Spice bags
Cheese and a block of butter
Shipped vinegar
Watch for another post with 10 more differences.
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