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Onsite Experiences!

Stranger: So…You’re new in this place?
Victim: Yea
Stranger: Here with your family?
Victim: No…I work here
Stranger: Staying alone?
Victim: No…with my colleagues
Stranger: All girls?
Victim: No…it’s a company guesthouse.
Stranger: All bachelors?
Victim: Yea
Stranger: Is it an Indian Company?
Victim: Yea
Stranger: [After a pause] that’s new to me – Indian company providing mixed accommodation.
Victim: [soliloquy] “Tell me something which I don’t know”.
Stranger: How do you find it if you are living like that for a long period?
Victim: Experiences vary with people. It’s good as long as you keep the bad things to yourself. That’s my halt. Bye...Nice meeting you.
Stranger: I hope you enjoy your stay here!

I have heard that there are people who enjoy at the expense of other people’s ego. Well, beware of such strangers because they will prey on you under such inescapable circumstances as lifts, trains, etc where you are forced to wait so that you can at least run away. And sardonically, such conversations happen only when two Indians meet and we can see it repeating in more or less same fashion, even at some get-togethers. And the victim could be any one of you.

Most people tend to stereotype what they see. Since I am no different from the so called people, whatever is presented below is generalized and concluded from my few onsite experiences and my limited knowledge about people from a few countries where I have been to. I was bestowed up on with the following info straightaway.

*Indians are very good in IT field. Even at a young age they have very good knowledge of the Software Industry.
*One thing that we noticed about Indians is that they haven’t learned to say NO
*Indians, when they want to buy something, know exactly where to get it for the cheapest price- places even the locals may be unaware of.
*Indians come abroad mostly with an intention to make money and hence forget to enjoy the life style.

If you are on your first short onsite visit, don’t worry, you will not notice most of the things I have mentioned because you will be pretty much occupied with basic endurance upshots.
I have heard that some IT companies spoil the learning experience of people going onsite and rip them from the pleasure of getting embarrassed in public, by giving a formal briefing about the language, culture and basic etiquette of the locale.

So don’t worry if you are confused about how to finish the big piece of chicken leg with a knife and fork or if at times you terrify the natives with your accent and vocabulary or if you just shut the door on the face of the person whose just coming after you.Don’t vex the subject, it won’t be treated as the lack of personal etiquettes. They would just observe, and some times sigh and try not to get offended by concluding it to be Indian attributes.(Unless you risk yourself by being close to them, and make them say how they really feel).Yes in such occasions, Ignorance is bliss!

Lucky are those who could maintain their ignorance till the date mentioned in their return ticket. Once they realize the truth (and for those whom money is not the sole motivation of the visit), will have to start learning about the country, its culture and different ways to get along with the natives.

So if you want to evolve with such experiences pack your bags and grab the next opportunity to travel abroad. One visit is all that is required to empower you to pull-through with ease in any part of the cosmos. And for those who are less daring, just take the tips from your peers. No one else could divulge you with the true pleasures of those experiences. Just keep in mind – You can’t survive with English everywhere in this world. Not all people in this world speak English and it won’t be a loss if you pay for learning the language – especially if you plan to be in a non English speaking country, for a long period .Also, the cost of learning the basic etiquette is much less than the amount you spend for grooming your self-image.

So… after the so called on site visit, when people come back and behave strangely for a period, try empathizing with them. Yes it is obviously due to the fact that they have been subjected to a different culture for a while that they conduct themselves otherwise...afterall, there exist something called reverse-culture shock and it may take a while to get adjusted with the old and familiar life style. Simple and mundane things may bewilder them sometimes!

And spare me…I’m just an innocent by-stander:-)

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