Morning Thots

New Delhi, India
May 11, 2008

“Careful,” I Keep Telling Myself…

I have been surprised at the impact of culture in our first 9 months here in India.

I did not understand, realize, nor appreciate the depth of culture’s place in my life.

I thought “culture shock,” and cultural adaptation were “head-things,” easily rectified by attitude adjustments. Little did I realize how deep culture goes – both in integration in one’s “home” culture, and in dissonance in a “host” culture.

So, I’m in a stage of cultural adaptation where I must constantly remind myself, “Careful, different – not wrong!” This can vary from experiences such as:
• a dried octopus falling out of a cupboard when I’m rummaging (by permission!) for breakfast and thinking, and then starting to say, “Ooohh, ick!”……
• being shocked at seeing everyone driving on the “wrong” side of the road, and being even more shocked at seeing someone driving on the wrong side of the “wrong” side of the road but no one being surprised, upset or even alarmed by it!……
• wondering at the utter ineptness of craftsmanship when many doors have three different latches – one at the top, one in the middle, and one at the bottom, only one of which lines up and actually secures the door – (not realizing that with extremes of temperature and humidity here, each of the latches works at a different time of the year!)……

So, I have to keep remembering, and reminding myself, “many times it’s different, not wrong.” CL