I've always asked my friends at the States about the life abroad and how different it is from what it is in India. Well I'd heard some details before, but almost none of them actually wrote about it. So now that I'm here at the USA, I should probably write this while I'm still trying to figure out what makes this place coveted? What makes this place different?
P.S: Some of these may seem quite obvious or silly to many of you; Well, it's just my observations and my way of seeing things, so you're free to skip the read if you feel so.
- It was indeed a total surprise for me that the same Indians who threw trash all over the road, went on spitting, never even gave a second thought for doing that here in the states. Reason? Tickets, tickets and tickets. Surprisingly, law works here. The discipline actually comes right from the moment you step into the airport.
- There are no stray dogs or cats.. Well, then now there are people like us. :P Nah seriously! I couldn't find any other native people actually walking on the road *astray*. Blame the weather, maybe?
- Another huge surprise, seriously, was the fact people actually stop at "STOP" signs. Ridiculous.. Who stops at stop sign when there are no people or no cars around? Well, if you're in the US, you must do, as well. There's a cost you pay for being at the first world country, eh?
- Coming to work, people actually work their asses off in their "limited work time". Yes, I've heard about this before. But wait, after coming from the culture of the "bulk IT company" from India where most people pretend to work, this is indeed a surprise to witness. Right from the managers, the sales staff, I'm not really sure what rewards points they're driven by, but they make sure customer gets what he needs, including the Government staff (trust me!!)
- IPhone: And to come in terms with reality, iPhones are not cheap, definitely not the recent ones. There are more complicated stuff like contracts and I'm still wondering how people bring "cheap iPhone" from the US. I agree, it's probably a little cheaper.
- Courtesy: I've always wondered back then at India, if things could actually be better if we were served at banks, stores with a little more courtesy. Well, now I got it here and definitely cant complain. They're probably being paid a little more for being nice?
- Another thing I've heard about from before and was rather not too surprising is that complete strangers smile and greet at you. And this happens irrespective of the gender, race. Whoa? I've seen strangers marrying back at India but wait, do you really go to a "stranger" girl and ask her how her day is? I can hear some girls saying creepy, already. Well, some/most of the greetings happen to be fake pleasantries, I'd have to admit. If it can make a stranger's day better?
- People actually care about personal space and there's no concept of over crowding on buses to the point to no breathing space like in India. But wait, who wants to wait for the next bus, when you can manage to get in the already crowded bus ?
- Then I've heard the "roads are too damn clean that you can actually go on and eat on the roads" from the NRIs of yesteryears. Well, the roads are indeed clean but you obviously wouldn't even dare to pick the spilled food particle from the floor and have it again :P
Most of all the differences, oneof my most favorite one is the fact that Nobody here gives a damn, here.
