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Cultural Taxonomies of India

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"We live on our own solitary islands of reality, absorbed in and fascinated by our own points of view. Frequently we reach out to one another seeking to understand or be understood. The bridge between our separate realities is communication . . . To communicate is to relate."
-- Layne and Paul Cutright
On February 15th, 2009 I received word that a small group of educators were being asked by the National Literacy Mission Program to volunteer in India for one year, with the purpose of “bridging the literacy gap between the urban population and the villages.” As a young Master’s student specializing in linguistics, and having no family related obligations (i.e. husband/kids), I was eager to apply for the program. Approximately three weeks …show more content…

Nor is it advised to travel alone, especially at night, as muggings and robbing incidents are reported almost daily.
He continued, “Participating in a social events or visiting a home requires conservative dress codes. Do not shake hands with ladies. Always pick things up and eat with your right hand. Take only as much as you can eat, do not leave anything uneaten over the dish. Do not point your finger at any person. It is taken as a sign of annoyance. Be careful of cultural and social sensitivities of the regions. Never buy food from roadside stalls or mobile canteens. Your system may not be accustomed to such delicacies and you might end up spending more time in the loo than normal. Indian English has its own delights, especially to foreigners of English nativity” (kwintessential ).He went on and on, and by the time we reached our hotel my head was spinning.
The following day, we met with the director of the mission who briefed us on the area and handed out a sheet labeled “Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions.” This was a much more formal run down of the cultural norms and taxonomies of India. He also went over some guidelines for expected teaching styles. “As you can see in your cultural dimensions handout, India is a high power distance country. When giving assignments you should always give clear and explicit

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