Lessons from India

a running list...

1. Simplicity is a virtue--I packed way too many bags and brought too many changes of clothes that I never used. In the end I looked like an idiot carrying all this crap. When I get home I'm making some donations to charity.
2. Ask more than one person--No matter what the question, get a second opinion. But be prepared, if you ask five people you will get five distinct answers….to questions about everything from religion to travel directions, from politics to an appropriate fare for a taxi.
3. Getting lost is part of the experience--Factor in enough time in your journey to get lost. Everyone does. The street signs and addresses are not very intuitive, and even natives get turned around. Visitors, don't even try to figure it out.
4. Rich people wear blinders--Rich people don't live in the suburbs…they built gates to protect them from the blatant poverty right outside their really nice homes and cars.
5. Hindus believe in Jesus, too --my tour guide coordinator in Trivandum, Kerala told me: "I am Hindu but I believe in Jesus. I would like my driver to take you in my new car on your visit to the church [that Apostle Thomas founded] since it is a holy place." Which reminds me: Gandhi said that he loved Jesus, but hated Christianity.
6. Men can make P.D.A.s with other men and not be gay-- Gender dynamics, masculinity, and sexuality are much different in the East than the West. It is normal for same-gender friends to walk and hold hands together…it would be faux-pas for opposite gender couples to frolic in public. So guys don't be alarmed if your male friend grabs your hand when you talk…he's probably NOT making a pass at you.
7. Turn signals are gratuitous…stop signs are too--Horns are much more effective for defining the rules of the road. And pedestrians remember that you DON'T have the "right-of-way" in India (cows do, however, since they are holy in the Hindu tradition). Also, please look both ways when you cross the street, or you may not live to tell the tale.
8. Spices come with everything--don't bother asking for "no spices"…it's just not possible. End of story.
9. Cheeseburgers? -- Only is beef a "no-no," but the country is overwhelming vegetarian. In other words, meat is not the default option in a meal. In fact, menus will typically be separated into "vegetarian" and "non-vegetarian" section. Herbivores rule, not carnivores. (By the way, beef is allowed in some places, but culturally eating from the cow is for those who live outside the caste system…in other words, it wouldn't be a compliment.)
10. Roadside worship is common--Don't be surprised if there are temples--large, small, and everything in between--along the road…tucked in between stores…practically anywhere. Get your worship on!
11. Airport security is a serious matter--If someone checks my passport or carry-on luggage one more time…I will…
12. Black people are strange--If you are non-Indian "black" you will get stared at. Get used to it. (And no, I'm not South African or West Indian…)
13. Black people with "locks" are even stranger--Be nice and smile when people look at your hair. Allow them to take pictures. Don't be offended if they point. Occasionally let them touch your hair, too, because they don't believe that it is real. If the children cry around you, it's probably because the Indian equivalent to the "boogeyman" has long hair.
14. Overemployment--There are a lot of people in India. And there doesn't seem to be enough value-add jobs to go around. But that doesn't mean that you won' t be employed. For instance at one Christian hostel, one guy was solely responsible for providing the afternoon tea. I'm almost certain he didn't do anything else all day long!
15. Globalization is global--There are McDonalds, Pizza Huts, Subways, and TGI Fridays in India. They even have factory outlets for Nike, Reebok, and Puma.