Different people, whole new perspective

I don't talk a lot. People who know me very well also know that I do not talk a lot. I do end up with discussions and debated about wide range of topics once I am provoked. Provoking me here means bringing up interesting topics; topics can range from music to geography to current affairs to books to history but NO NO to gossips and chit-chats.

I have met interesting people here; when we start talking; our conversations amuse each other. Interesting I say is because I meet people from different parts of the world. America is a melting pot; Indians, Chinese, Mexicans, Europeans, Japanese, Vietnamese all live in harmony. Oh! By the way, they are proud to be Americans now. I do end up getting an idea and a whole new perspective about people; their thoughts and ideas. Here are few of my encounters.

I visited a good friend's home. The lady of the house took great care of me. She would check on me so that I was comfortable at all level - regular rice or basmati? Tea or coffee? Sugar or sweetener? How about the room temperature? They made me so comfortable that I forgot I was a guest in their home. I did not feel that I was meeting them for the first time. They are in USA for a very long time. I gathered some interesting information while conversing with them.

Job in a bank is the a respected one in India; its opposite in USA.
A vet's profession is more nobler and is tougher to graduate in vet medicine. 

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I met with a lady at the Karoke show I attended with my friend. She was decked up in Indian jewelery and was draped in a Saree. Most of the ladies were decked up just like her. She came up to me and asked me "So what do you think about us dressing this way?" There!! We started talking.

I said "Its wonderful to see you all dressed up in Indian wear. I am sorry I had no other choice than wearing my trousers and top because this is what I got from India. I did not get even a salwar suit. I had my apprehensions and asked Shyam (pointing to my friend) and he said it was alright". She said that most times its trousers and shirt to work and whenever they get a chance they make sure they dress well. What was interesting was when she said this - "I feel my fashion sense is obsolete whenever I go back to India once in 2 years. I feel my dresses are out of fashion. India is keeping up with fashion and people there are so fashionable. The girls and guys know whats in and whats hot"

I told her "It so happens people tend to pick up the latest in market. A ultra low hip trouser goes out of fashion in 2 years. But fashion is what you are comfortable with. So dont worry. You are looking gorgeous"

The same sentiment was echoed by another lady whose home I visited. We went out to buy some clothes to give it away for the coming Navrathri. The salwar suits and tops that I saw were all out of fashion couple of years ago in India.  But that's what is available here. Does it take 2 years to ship clothes :-S No wonder these poor folks feel awkward when they visit India and wear Indian outfits.

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A colleague of mine who happens to be a Vietnamese took me out for lunch the other day. The conversation involved around property rates, the lifestyle and such. Both of us during the course of discussion discovered many similarities with culture and tradition and mind set. His mom never let his brother marry a girl who was his neighbor as it would mean conversion. She was a Catholic and they Buddhists. She was insecure that her son would leave her alone. We discussed about dowry, discrimination, families. We discussed about Indian men; their mind set; liberty of women and so on. I could see wide range of expressions and reactions on his face from chuckle to smile to surprise to shock. He got a whole new perspective of India and Indians.

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Got introduced to an American by a mutual friend. We went on a picnic; got to know that he served in the US army and while in Japan, he married a Japanese lady.  He looked way too young for his age; not only to look; he was so swift and agile for his age. I felt like a grandma. While talking about his family;

I asked him "Do you have kids?"

"No. We have a cat" he replied promptly.

I and my friends just exchanged looks and after we parted; we joked how nice to be born as a CAT in USA :-)

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 A short conversation with a Japanese friend who was my colleague in my previous organization revealed she is with the organization for 35 years now. And when I worked with her, I was just 3 year in the industry and we worked as a peer. There are many such veterans here who are at ease to work with  novices as me. They dont throw their price by calling themselves seniors nor do they try to dominate over. When we were talking; I was pleasantly surprised to know that she is with the same company for 35 years and I mentioned that my age was not anywhere close to her experience. She was like "Oh no!! I am feeling old" and we started laughing.

She is a Japanese-American, born and raised here in US. She was sharing her experience on her first visit to Japan. Ladies were expected to be polite and they did not make their presence felt. She felt it weird when ladies tried to occupy minimal space in elevators literally sticking against the wall. She felt it weird when she used to laugh out loud and when other women around her just chuckled and when they did laugh, closed their mouth with their palm and controlled laughing.

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 Another one whom I went out on lunch with was shocked to hear that I could speak 6 Indian languages. He is from Ghana but American now. When I mentioned the diversity of our country on the basis of languages, food, region and culture; he said "Oh! I thought Africa was worse"

He could not comprehend when I mentioned I am considered on the darker side in India and fairer women are preferred. He was like "You should talk about my color to them"

I explained the intricacies of eating with hands; why use right hand to eat. Gave a demonstration of eating a Roti using fingers; he went gaga seeing me tear the roti using my fingers of right hand.

He was surprised to hear about the age women generally get married and how tough it becomes for them if they cross their "marriageable" age.

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I admire a Chinese-American colleague who is so dedicated and dot on time for everything, for lunch, for tea. I looked up in awe when another American colleague had 30+ years of experience working for the same team and showed me her own yacht. She just takes off on her own and goes deep diving.

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Its nice to talk to people and learn about their practices and culture. You feel important when you try explaining them your ways and about your country. Its a nice experience to collaborate with them and get a new perspective.

PS : Took a break from my Costa Rica saga so that I don't bore you and me as well. Will continue it later. I am off to a new country tomorrow. Don't be jealous. I deserve it :-)