उल्टा पुल्टा इन अमरीकाUS customs and us
By: Rajbir Deswal
Yes, I will talk about both customs here in the US. The custom customs and also the custom customs. Customary musts of Wren and Martins are given a go by here. We in India are still the sticklers. Here we go, seriously.
Holidaying in Seattle this summer, I was surprised to watch the reaction of a local American on seeing an eagle. “Vow, did you hear the eagle squeak!” He asked me while strolling in Idylwood Park in Redmond.
I smiled back to reassure him since it is their national bird. But my mind took me on a flash back when in my village I used to dread the shriek of a kite of the eagle family, during the scorching heat of June. The yokels in my village likened the squeaking of the kite to the popping out of its eyes due to heat.
Many things here seem to claim the theme of Jaspal Bhatti’s copyright—Ulta-pulta! The lamp switches are on when turned up, and off when turned down. You tell your kids here to ‘always keep to the right’. There are no conductors and the drivers only give you tickets to your destination. The drivers flash the headlights of their vehicles to let you go first, unlike our desi variety who assert their right of way, being ‘Road Kings’.
Back at home, we receive gifts at the same time indulging in affectations like: “No, what was the need?” “No, it’s not done every time” “Why this formality?” But here when you receive gifts you are expected to open the packaging and appreciating the stuff, there and then, with many “Thank You!”s and “O so very thoughtful of you!”s.
Ofcourse when you are reading your fresh copy of the morning newspaper, then it is still the stale news of the previous evening here to catch up with. In India we invoke our Gods and Goddesses or even greatmen and women saying , “Hey” but here “Hey!” is to either express disgust or to address someone. “Hi” here is a greeting and backhome is exclamation of sorrow meaning—Alas! And lastly, you blow horns here only to invite frowns and not sound alarm to clear traffic as we do in India.
By: Rajbir Deswal
Yes, I will talk about both customs here in the US. The custom customs and also the custom customs. Customary musts of Wren and Martins are given a go by here. We in India are still the sticklers. Here we go, seriously.
Holidaying in Seattle this summer, I was surprised to watch the reaction of a local American on seeing an eagle. “Vow, did you hear the eagle squeak!” He asked me while strolling in Idylwood Park in Redmond.
I smiled back to reassure him since it is their national bird. But my mind took me on a flash back when in my village I used to dread the shriek of a kite of the eagle family, during the scorching heat of June. The yokels in my village likened the squeaking of the kite to the popping out of its eyes due to heat.
Many things here seem to claim the theme of Jaspal Bhatti’s copyright—Ulta-pulta! The lamp switches are on when turned up, and off when turned down. You tell your kids here to ‘always keep to the right’. There are no conductors and the drivers only give you tickets to your destination. The drivers flash the headlights of their vehicles to let you go first, unlike our desi variety who assert their right of way, being ‘Road Kings’.
Back at home, we receive gifts at the same time indulging in affectations like: “No, what was the need?” “No, it’s not done every time” “Why this formality?” But here when you receive gifts you are expected to open the packaging and appreciating the stuff, there and then, with many “Thank You!”s and “O so very thoughtful of you!”s.
Ofcourse when you are reading your fresh copy of the morning newspaper, then it is still the stale news of the previous evening here to catch up with. In India we invoke our Gods and Goddesses or even greatmen and women saying , “Hey” but here “Hey!” is to either express disgust or to address someone. “Hi” here is a greeting and backhome is exclamation of sorrow meaning—Alas! And lastly, you blow horns here only to invite frowns and not sound alarm to clear traffic as we do in India.
1 comment:
And the most ulta -pulta is Driving and the gas stove knobs.. every time I go US, I ve this problem there, and again when back here.
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