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General Tips: Ok, so you have finally made it to the land of your dreams!! But you dont wanna make a bad impression do you? So here are a few tips to help you begin your life in America on the right note. 1) Guess what's the
first thing Americans notice about us desis? Surprise!!....THE SMELL! 2) Ok, so now you smell good...you think you're COOL.... Next thing to remember, Americans are very friendly people. So you will see total strangers greeting you or smiling at you. Return the smile or greeting. Question: How're you doin? Answer: How're you doin or Doing Good. how about yourself. When americans ask you how you are doing,they do not expect a lengthy answer. Its just a polite greeting. If you want to be cool, you'd say "Whats up"...and expect a "Not much". 3) Try to speak clearly. Many Americans can't understand what you are saying because of your bad pronunciations or because you speak too fast. Try to smoothen out those rrrr's. Also try not to use your native tongue when there are people of other nationalities around. And stop nodding your head like a bobblehead when you agree with something! It realllly looks funny to non-Indians!! 4) Hold doors open for people. Its common courtesy here to hold the door open for people who are following you through a doorway. 5) Don't be cheap.
Always tip cab drivers, waiters, hair dressers etc. Don't do things like
stealing carts from the local store to bring home your grocery. 6) Most desis are secure in their own community. They don't make efforts to meet people from other communities. Don't be shy...go out, meet people. Some of my best friends are Americans and other international students. 7) Never ask another person how much money he makes or other such personal questions. Americans value their privacy a lot. Don't be too inquisitive. Also, keep a good distance when you speak to people. Its called "personal space". At least an arms length. 8) Use "thank you" and "please" a lot. For example if a host asks you if you would like more coffee, don't say Yeah!. Say "Yes please" or "please". "Yeah" will do if you are with close friends ! 9)Don't dig your nose in pubic! Its disgusting! Also, you may be caught on camera as many places in the US have security cameras! Always wash your hand before leaving a restroom. Do not litter. As you may have noticed, there are plenty of dust-bins all over America. So don't throw stuff on the ground.
10) Professors prefer to be called "Professor His Name" or "Doctor His Name" rather than just Sir. 11) DO NOT use any
illegal means in exams. Do not copy each other's assignments! 12) Finally, try to
blend into the American way of life. The best part is you don't have to
give up being an Indian to live here. The greatest thing about America
is its tolerance. Most people who come here will never go back because
of the high quality of life and the freedom to be who you are. All of us need to work toward fighting the 'desi stereotype'. We Indians already have a good impression in America as far as academics is concerned. We need to extend that to all walks of life. Above all, have fun! America is THE PLACE to realize all your dreams. Work hard, live life to the fullest and believe me, you will never go back! Links of Interest. Please click on the appropriate state to go to the actual listing:
You may also be interested in the following sections of GaramChai.com
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