Secular India

I honestly don’t think it is really possible to completely assimilate, culturally here. I mean, we can pick up some of the idiosyncrasies- the language, the food recipes, and the understandings of family structure and office politics. But really, at the end of the day, I still go home, and put on my shorts and tank tops, (only inside of course), I still go running every night, still listen to my ipod whenever possible, etc.  And when I am immersed in the community, even after 9 months, and even in Indian dress, I still stick out like a sore thumb, and am totally oblivious to some more subliminal cultural practices and more importantly – the reasons why these cultural practices exist.

What has been most challenging are the perceptions that my colleagues, teachers and local friends have of Americans.  Their understandings of our political climate, gender roles, and social behavior have been consistently varying and surprising- and often times, they lead to conversations that shed a deeper light on cultural dynamics in India and in my “native place”. For example, I was at a friend’s house, and her husband asked me why America is such a religiously run country. The husband was under the impression that the US was far less secular than India. And he kept repeating that it must be fascinating for me to live in a country where religion is not a factor in politics. Well, when I first arrived in India, I was shocked at how important religion was in its political realm, how much religion shaped a person’s understanding of family structure, work schedules, and even food consumption. For me, the role of religion was omnipresent and at some times stifling. But, the conversation gave me the opportunity to examine the role that religion plays in my home country, and I have become far more aware of its presence in our everyday lives. I have always celebrated Christmas in a very secular way, but the fact that I celebrate Christmas at all is in some way a religious action. While I am still not convinced that India is a secular country, I am now more aware of how the US is also not secular.

You can read about the obvious cultural issues prior to arrival.  And- most of them will be true. But nothing has been as shocking as my recognition of cultural idiosyncracies in my own country! Therefore, I think I will be culturally assimilating upon my return to the states.  Maybe I will slip into the old food, language and work habits easily, but I will most definitely have a greater appreciation on the cultural foundations of the US.