Top Causes of Culture Shock

Spicy Food, Eating with Hands

This is the issue I expected to have the hardest time with while I was in India.  Not being able to handle the spices at each meal would have caused a trip of misery.  Fortunately, my hosts have been kind with the power of their spices, making sure my comfort level is reasonable.  I have been eating yummy dishes of rice and chicken and curry and chilies and spinach and vegetables and other staples very comfortably.  That’s not to say I don’t still have the American palate… expect me to make a stop at Burger King and drink about a gallon of 1% milk within 24 hours of landing in the US.  Also, I am now marginally awesome at eating rice dishes with my hands... a talent I am willing to showcase to anyone who is curious enough upon my return.  

City Atmosphere
More of my culture shock comes from being in a big city than it does from being in India.  Cars zoom by as pedestrians race across the median like in a game of Frogger.  Surprisingly, I have only witnessed one accident since I’ve been here: a man walking across the street roll over the front tire of a bicycle.  He was hardly frazzled by this encounter as he stood up, waved at the bicyclist, and continued on with his day.

Getting Starred At

Never in my life have I garnered so much attention.  When I walk down the streets of Bangalore, auto rickshaw drivers do a double take when they see me: a white girl.  Little girls whisper and point from the back of their parents’ motorcycles. Vendors offer me mangoes and bananas.  I can only see the eyes of women in burqas, but they’re starring at me.  In their defense, I am not at the heart of tourist city.  I’m in a normal, residential area of Bangalore, which doesn’t get much white girl traffic. 

“Wild”life

At the end of last week, Sudhir was nice enough to escort Glenn from my window.  As the little guy scurried out, one of his cousins made a mad dash inside.  We left my window open (the Velcro screen was still in place) to the outside until the second Gecko left, and shut the window tight.  Today, as I was getting ready for school, I noticed yet another of Glenn’s cousins roaming around my window.  I have named him John Glenn.  Oh joy.  Other animals I’ve seen since I’ve been here: Donkeys, monkeys, camels, cows, oxen, and a cockroach.