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.
How cliched article about someone coming to US. I would like to make few corrections based on my observations, which is obviously longer than yours.
ReplyDelete1. Roads are clean: Yes, they are clean. However, it has nothing to do with people being clean. It's more like how everyone in general try to keep the place clean that was recently cleaned. I am sure even the Indians, who throw garbage around or keep a untidy place, try to keep the place clean for sometime after it was cleaned. It's the same mentality here as well, with a big difference of place being cleaned very often, therefore everyone strives to keep the place clean which was recently cleaned.
2. People work their arse off, because of lack of job security. Not many working-class people here, go about hoarding loads of cash in banks and coffers, like their Indian counterparts do, therefore it is atmost necessity that you have to work your arse off to maintain the living standards.
3. iPhone - Overrated! And I am sure you know how people get cheaper iPhones :P Since, I have told you many times.
4. Courtesy at jobs - As per the Federal law in most of the states here, the minimum wage is 7.5$, which is reduced to ~4.5$ when you work in job where you can get tips. Therefore, people who serve customers like in restaurants, cabs etc.., as to show the courtesy to get the tips and earn their living. Situation might be different for people who are in other customer service jobs as in Banks, Reception etcc., however, in most cases customer satisfaction determines their living.
5. People are very much aware of their personal spaces, therefore they dont want to get into other people's personal space, which means they have to let the other person into their personal space as well.
1) Littering costs you dollars
ReplyDelete2) Stray dogs and cats are indeed here- u need to go to local places where it
is habitated by illegal immigrants
Go to commerce city in LA, you find stray dogs and cats... but not definitely cows
3) STOP is always stop !! indeed use your dictionary meaning :)
4) Here in US, it is always making customer happy... All services indeed value customer satisfication as their priority.
5) Iphones are kid things in US :) You can definitely see many kids having iphone. Adults mostly use android phones and Iphones are mostly kids stuffs as they are more fancy
Yes contracts rip money from you people and there are various illegal ways to get cheap phones but u dont want to lose ur reputation and image for it
6) No extra pay to be courteous.Customer satisfication plays an important role in any service orientated jobs.
You wouldnt believe, in a flight few years before, air hostess when serving drinks, split a little water on the passenger in economy seat. She pardoned her and cried literally, she got some gifts to please the passenger.
Its all about customer service and satisfication
7) You would be have been to naive to trust someone when they told you can pick something from roads :))