So, this is my favourite part of travel blogging: cultural observations. I feel as though these are the funny posts you can laugh at back home, and also the ones that give you a true sense of the colloquialisms abroad. Keep in mind that these observations do not apply to ALL Indians, but are just general themes I have noticed during my time here.
THE INDIAN HEAD WOBBLE: This is not a gesture made up by comedians wishing to make fun of brown people; this is actually India’s most commonly used action of non-verbal nature… as nodding or shrugging would be in Canada. The problem is that this gesture does not have fixed meaning. At home, if you shake your head, it always means no. Here, the wobble can mean many things depending on the context. So far, the I have found the bobble-head-esque action to take the place of yes, maybe, okay, I’ll consider it, I hear what your saying but choose not to acknowledge it in any formal way, and I don’t know. Now you can see how this would become confusing when asking people different questions, like, “do you know how to get where we are going?”, “Is this meat cooked?” or “Is 50 Rupees okay?”. Now, a head wobble in response to all those questions could mean that every one could be answered yes, in which case all is merry. However, what this might mean is: I don’t know where we are going, I choose not to acknowledge whether or not this meat is not cooked, and I’ll consider your 50 Rupee offer. Which of course will lead to a lost, broke, diarrheal state. See how this can be different…
Malik and I are both trying out the head wobble here and there, but for you whities out there, the actual action is harder than you would think. You really have to act like your head is not attached to your neck and just wants to move from side to side. I vow to perfect this before my time here is over.
THE DIRECTIONS: As expected, a lot of the roads here don’t have names, and if they do have names, no one really knows what there are. Directions here are given on a landmark basis, but the problem with that is, if they are vague and you can’t directly see the landmark, you really have no idea where you’re going. Let me take this opportunity to refresh your memory of the fact that I am extremely directionally challenged in the first place and have never in my life been able to figure out which direction is north without a proper map. However, to compensate for this lack of geographic awareness, I make it an effort to ask for directions along the way when I don’t know where I’m going. This works out fine at home, because at home, if the person you ask doesn’t know the way to the place you’re trying to go, they will simply tell you that they don’t know. Here, they like to just point confidently in a random direction. Sweet.
THE ATTIRE: For those of you from outside of Peterborough, who look down upon our fashion style of white socks in Birkenstocks, I have a new one for you. Pleated pants with flip-flops. It’s so common around here you almost feel like it’s the dress code. Also, the mustache rumours are true, early statistical data indicated a prevalence rate of 60%, 10% of which are of the long, curly variety.
THE SECURITY: If you are a person that complains about going through security at the airport, do not come to Delhi. Every mall, hotel, subway station, public park and market place is complete with a walk-through metal detector, pat-down security, and x-ray bag searches. I have had my inner thigh stroked more times in the last two weeks than in my entire life… by mustache bearing men in pleated pants and flip-flops of course.
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