I've been working on my promo video for the past few days. I've worked out a first draft and got some feedback. I'm going to go in a completely different direction, and not focus as much on "interviews." I felt kind of frustrated when people from headquarters told me they wanted me to go in a different direction, when I had put a lot of effort into the first one. However, i agree that it needs to change! After some more filming today, and a lot of planning and stuff, I feel like I'm prepared to change directions and I will be successful!
Sometimes people here come across as rude or tactless. I try really hard to not get offended because I don't think they mean to be rude or anything. I was talking to another volunteer and he explained that Hindi is an extremely direct language. I guess there isn't a word for "thank you" unless someone saved your life or something. Because their original language is so direct, their English is super direct. In America we speak very euphemistically. For example, some girls weren't sure that they were supposed to be at a meeting yesterday, but they showed up anyways and were a little late. When they voiced this, an Indian woman said something along the lines of, "I told you to be here at 2:30." If she were American, she probably would have said, "Oh. maybe there were some miss-communications. I intended for you to be here at 2:30, along with everyone else." Knowing that Indian people are very direct is SO helpful in understanding how they communicate with me, and how to read them. They aren't calling me out when they say, "I told you __," they are just clarifying, or simply making conversation.
Another cultural fact - when you buy something and someone asks how much it cost you, it's their way of showing interest in you. Also, people will ask you how you got somewhere after you arrived. Did you take the metro? What station did you get off the train at? Did you take an autorickshaw after that? When they ask you how you got there, it's their way of showing they care, it seems to me.
I feel like I'm starting to understand the culture. I traveled to Noida today alone, and once I got home I was telling one of the girls in the homestay about my day. Really, I don't want to come home to the states. I feel like I've adjusted. I have friends and I enjoy being here. I feel like I'm making progress on my project and I'm reaching my goals. I have more work that I could do if I had more time. I've been really homesick the past two days, but now I just don't want to go home.
Sometimes people here come across as rude or tactless. I try really hard to not get offended because I don't think they mean to be rude or anything. I was talking to another volunteer and he explained that Hindi is an extremely direct language. I guess there isn't a word for "thank you" unless someone saved your life or something. Because their original language is so direct, their English is super direct. In America we speak very euphemistically. For example, some girls weren't sure that they were supposed to be at a meeting yesterday, but they showed up anyways and were a little late. When they voiced this, an Indian woman said something along the lines of, "I told you to be here at 2:30." If she were American, she probably would have said, "Oh. maybe there were some miss-communications. I intended for you to be here at 2:30, along with everyone else." Knowing that Indian people are very direct is SO helpful in understanding how they communicate with me, and how to read them. They aren't calling me out when they say, "I told you __," they are just clarifying, or simply making conversation.
Another cultural fact - when you buy something and someone asks how much it cost you, it's their way of showing interest in you. Also, people will ask you how you got somewhere after you arrived. Did you take the metro? What station did you get off the train at? Did you take an autorickshaw after that? When they ask you how you got there, it's their way of showing they care, it seems to me.
I feel like I'm starting to understand the culture. I traveled to Noida today alone, and once I got home I was telling one of the girls in the homestay about my day. Really, I don't want to come home to the states. I feel like I've adjusted. I have friends and I enjoy being here. I feel like I'm making progress on my project and I'm reaching my goals. I have more work that I could do if I had more time. I've been really homesick the past two days, but now I just don't want to go home.
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