Culture Shock?
"Any culture shock yet?" This is THE most frequently asked question I get from AIESEC friends about my traineeship in Inida. (Here’s something we all have been trained on very well!). So far, my answer has been always "no".
Sure enough, I had a bit of that “oh-my-god-what-have-I got-myself-into“ shock during my first day in the country but that definitely wasn’t the culture shock. That was simply the time when the fact that I will stay in India for a year finally “sank in” (back in Canada, it all seemed a little surreal).
Yup, yup, I remember that it all starts with the “honeymoon” stage when everything is new and exciting. And it was for a while. But it’s now been 5 weeks since I landed in Delhi, the novelty is wearing off, and still nothing. Not like the culture shock is anything pleasant but not having any is a little suspicious, no?
A few days ago I sat down to think about it all, and here are a few sad conclusions I made. I think I’ve been living a pretty sheltered life here in Hyderabad. Like those immigrants that came to Toronto 40 years ago and never learned to speak English because they never ventured outside of their own little ethnic community.
Here’s why. I don’t really interact with people other than other trainees (i.e. “foreigners”). At home, it’s just us. At work, we’re still being trained so I don’t really have Indian co-workers. I’ve been spending most of my weekday nights and many weekends at home – again, with other trainees. I still don’t know the way home from work (we rely on auto drivers). I don’t ever use the little Hindi that I learned. I don't have any Indian clothing yet. So hey, nothing to be shocked by. Things sure would have been very different had I been the only trainee working in a school in a rural India and living in a shack nearby...
This situation clearly calls for an action plan :) Next month, I shall explore the city and shall meet and spend time with new people. And do more stuff… Just watch me!
Sure enough, I had a bit of that “oh-my-god-what-have-I got-myself-into“ shock during my first day in the country but that definitely wasn’t the culture shock. That was simply the time when the fact that I will stay in India for a year finally “sank in” (back in Canada, it all seemed a little surreal).
Yup, yup, I remember that it all starts with the “honeymoon” stage when everything is new and exciting. And it was for a while. But it’s now been 5 weeks since I landed in Delhi, the novelty is wearing off, and still nothing. Not like the culture shock is anything pleasant but not having any is a little suspicious, no?
A few days ago I sat down to think about it all, and here are a few sad conclusions I made. I think I’ve been living a pretty sheltered life here in Hyderabad. Like those immigrants that came to Toronto 40 years ago and never learned to speak English because they never ventured outside of their own little ethnic community.
Here’s why. I don’t really interact with people other than other trainees (i.e. “foreigners”). At home, it’s just us. At work, we’re still being trained so I don’t really have Indian co-workers. I’ve been spending most of my weekday nights and many weekends at home – again, with other trainees. I still don’t know the way home from work (we rely on auto drivers). I don’t ever use the little Hindi that I learned. I don't have any Indian clothing yet. So hey, nothing to be shocked by. Things sure would have been very different had I been the only trainee working in a school in a rural India and living in a shack nearby...
This situation clearly calls for an action plan :) Next month, I shall explore the city and shall meet and spend time with new people. And do more stuff… Just watch me!
1 Comments:
Sounds like a good plan!
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