How to survive the culture shock in India – Guide from kids for kids

India is a friendly and beautiful country, but can be also frustrating and crazy.

It is really like a culture shock and I have 10 tips from kids for kids:

  1. Time: Things take time. India is very different from the rest of the world and you need to follow certain rules. If you follow the rules things can happen faster.
  2. Crowds: There is almost no place without crowds of people. Expect them to stare at you, but expect that they will smile at you as well.
  3. Roads: The roads are very chaotic and very bumpy. You are better off with smaller cars or Tuc-Tucs, but they are more dangerous and noisy. Don’t expect that cars will stop if you want to cross the road, even if there is a traffic light.  Best is to follow the flow and let somebody else cross the road first and follow straight after. All roads need repair, so watch your step so that you don’t end up in a hole.
  4. Cows: First I thought where are the cows, because I couldn’t see any. But soon after, I saw them strolling over the streets and in gardens, some of them guided others roaming free. They are fearless and are used to large crowds, traffic and noise.
  5. Noise: India is a noisy country. Indians enjoy driving cars using horns. They’ll honk when they overtake other cars, when they turn or just if they are annoyed with something. There is constant noise everywhere.
  6. Smells:  If you like smells, India will be your country. You will find various mixes of smells ranging from garbage, spices, smoke and urine.
  7. People: Indians are very friendly people always willing to help. On the other hand, they may stare at you and ask lots of questions because they are curious.
  8. Dirt: Don’t expect to sit down on the floor and have BBQ somewhere outside. It is just dirty and garbage is dumped everywhere. Indians seem to keep their houses clean and don’t care where their garbage goes.
  9. Poverty: The culture shock is between rich and poor people really. You will find slums on one side of the road and five star hotels on the other side.
  10. Nature: Don’t expect lots of nature in the big cities. Indians like to build constantly new shops, houses, and hotels and don’t care so much about nature.