September 1st pt. 2: Entering Culture Shock Stage

Now that I have adapted pretty well, it’s time for culture shock. 

It was inevitable, really.

 When there are things that annoy me, I always stop and think about WHY it's like that, and find new words that are neutral, and I always repeat to myself “It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s that it’s different”.


I’m having a difficult time figuring out how to deal with the patriarchal society. I mean – the world is a patriarchal society, but it has different ways of manifesting here then it does in Canada. The staring that I talked about in my first post is the biggest difference for me. The staring that I talked about in my first post was because I was foreign, and they could all tell. No I was wrong, it is because I am a female that they stare. The staring is invasive for me, and the biggest challenge is find a way to not letting bother me.

"It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s that it’s different.”


School is also difficult. Not only am I the new kid, I’m the new foreign kid. My college is known in town for being really shady and cheap. They all.stare.at.me. Even the teachers! I often get home from school and cry because it annoys me so much. Whenever I walk by a group, they all go silent, and watch me pass. Then when they are behind me I hear snickering and laughing. Girls like to do this thing where they huddle together, look at me while hiding their mouths behind they hands, whispering and then laughing. They have to make it obvious that they are talking about me.

"It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s that it’s different.”  But everytime I have to say this, it goes along with this: 

This is what I feel like all day, everyday.

I try and remember that it's because they are curious and they don't mean to be rude. Indians are curious folk. They have this "Everything belongs to everyone" mentality. Curiosity mixed with no sense of privacy leads to (What a Canadian thinks as) rude and invasive. When I'm in class, writing letters (Side note: Exchange students have to attend high school, but it doesn't mean they have to pay attention) they all read over what I've written. When I show people my cell phone they look through my text messages. Whatever I'm doing, they have to know what I’m doing as well. I don't really mind since their English isn't good enough to read my messy handwriting.

“It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s that it’s different.”


Overall, I'm still moody as anything. I cry over tiny things and wallow in self-pity. But, I've always been like that - even in Canada. Even though overall I'm pretty much miserable and melodramatic all the time, I'm grateful that I'm going through this exchange and experiencing all these hardships. As my brother said to me speaking of his exchange year to Taiwan.

“Treasure your moments, even the really shitty ones. They've already changed you for the better.”

So bring on the shitty moments, India.

You read this post! As your reward, here's a - never seen before - picture!

This is me dressed up to go to a engagement dinner. (These pants were frickin' huge)