I just returned from my trip to India, and there are myriad features of this beautiful country that I'd like to share. I can say with great confidence that this trip squashed all of the previous misconceptions I had about India. This made me love the place even more!
Interesting Quirks about India that I noticed (and liked)!
1. The Shopping Experience
Shopping in any country, you might be expecting the same old experience received at home. In India, however, the shopping experience is quite unique.
The Unpleasant
Firstly, be very cautious, because there is no such thing as 'browsing' or 'Window-Shopping' here. As soon as your eyes lay on an item, 2 or 3 employees selling it will pounce on you, asking you to try it on, and step inside of the store. They will literally beg you. I don't blame them, since they might be working off of commission. At the end of the day, it is their job to sell items.
The worst thing you can do in this situation is ask for the price. It is likely that you won't like it, and proceed to bargain. Be careful when bargaining, because if you spend one too many minutes discussing a price, and end up not wanting to make a purchase at all, the employee will be very angry, yelling at you as you leave.
The Enjoyable
Apart from the above, there is much to love about the ease of shopping in India. The common shopping experience is a served type, where you sit at a table, and an employee shows you whatever you'd like to look at. I have to say, it makes shopping 10x easier, and much more enjoyable, especially if you're tired. One of the reasons for this is lack of space in India. The shops are only so large, and there are an abundance of clothes. So, they fold everything neatly on display, and whatever you express interest in, the employee will be happy to show you.
When shopping in India, make sure you have the intent to walk out with a purchase. The employee will pull out every single piece of clothing you like, and will make a mess of the shop. He might do this as a type of psychological effect, where you might feel guilty that he has ripped his whole store apart for you, so you will be inclined to make a purchase.
2. The Restaurant Experience
Similar to shopping, restaurants also have the same atmosphere. I dined at many restaurants- both formal and informal- and found that the waiters serve the customer in a splendid manner. From serving the food onto your plate, to providing a warm hand towel to clean your hands (since Indians eat with their hands), this experience is absolutely luxurious. From Delhi to Hyderabad, formal to informal, this was the typical experience.
Not all restaurants are like this, I'm sure, but it is a very neat thing to experience.
3. Roads and Travel
What I enjoyed the most was the haphazard life on the streets-- especially regarding transportation. There are so many different modes to get to where you want. From cars to trucks, riksha, bike, motorbike and autos, you will always find someway to reach your destination. There are no traffic lights, and if there are any, they're difficult to discern. People tend to disregard them and drive in, what seems like, a maze.
4. Water Closet
Almost all countries call western toilets, or bathrooms, W.C (water closet). You'd rather ask where the WC is instead of the bathroom/washroom to avoid any confusion with the place you do your laundry.
If you happen to find a clean WC, you're in luck! The ones that are clean are so amazing. They are completely solitary cubicles with doors that close all the way- that's right, no gaps!
5. Knock off Brands/Different iterations
India has many brands that look oddly familiar to many international brands. The phone brand Oppo seems to have been heavily influenced by the well known Apple iPhone. The design is spot on, and even mimics the iPhone X's notch at the top.
The picture below is a box I found labeled "Lizol" which is very similar to the US brand "Lysol". At first I though it was another knock-off, but from some quick google searches I learned that they are the same brand indeed, but are spelled differently.
That's all for now, see you in the next post!
Wow I never noticed the brand similarities! Nice catch