Flickr: Tim Whelan
I started this list recently, but I figured it would be better if everyone contributed instead of just me. Please share some of your own ideas and I’ll add them!
Dancing – I have yet to meet a young Indian man who is not both willing and able to break into smooth dance moves at any moment of the day.
Singing in Public – Similarly, it takes very little coaxing to get any Indian aunty or uncle to break out in a classic film song.
Giving an impromptu one hour speech – No preparation, no notes, no slides. Just talking. I can’t make it more than 5 minutes.
Making children laugh and feel comfortable – Every Indian feels it is his/her duty as a citizen of the country to make every child within a 1 kilometer radius have a smile on their face.
Hosting a meal for a large group – How many people are coming? 5? 50? No matter. They have it covered.
Making a guest feel welcome – One thing you will never hear: “Oh, actually now is not a good time for you to come in. Can you come back in later tonight?” You will only ever hear, “Come! Come!”
Sharing food with neighbors – Regularly someone will call up and say “I’m bringing dinner to your place tonight, don’t cook anything.”
Returning food containers with food in them – If you attempt to out-do an Indian by offering them food, you will never win. They will always return your dish with something else inside it.
Always having a gift on hand somewhere in the house – They always have small chocolate or candy around that makes the perfect gift for a child visiting.
Working to meet an impending deadline – If you only have a few hours or days to meet an impossible task, you had better hope your team is completely staffed with Indians. They will work late into the night to meet a target.
Having a wedding – You call 100 people in a small reception hall with some cake a wedding? These people know when it is time to celebrate.
Growing a moustache/facial hair – Seriously. How can anyone compete with this?
Flickr: Deirdren
Flickr: Shreyans Bhansali
Flickr: R Mitra
Flickr: -AX-
What else can you add?
1. Find least expensive ways to make/reproduce the most expensive things
2. Fit many things/people in a space made for little/less
3. Walk into the kitchen and start cooking any time of the day/night for a guest that arrives any time of the day/night
Thanks, Jed. I love the third one!
#2: haha so true!
Multitasking – an Indian can be having a meeting with you, signing letters, talking on the phone and ordering chai for this important guest – all at once, without missing the thread of whatever I have said.
Yup, that’s a great one!
Parking in really REALLY tight spots.
AMAZING POST!!!!! I was laughing so hard! It is so true!
Hmmmmmm let’s see…
My hubby is a better cook and has such a sensitive taste bud that he tells me which kind of tomato I used.
He is also excellent at bargaining and that “poker face” where he will walk away and the bargainer will come down to his price. There is no negotiating with my hubby.
Also he can dance like Justin Timberlake.
He is obsessed with his moustache. On the day he decides to sculpt the moustache he will be inside the bathroom for over an hour.
Also he is way more calm than me in general. My auntie once got this postcard of a picture of Buddha on a surfboard and said it was like him. I think because he was raised in such a chaotic and transformative place (India) he does not get rattled very easily by small things.
Also he loves to sleep on the floor. I swear he can sleep anywhere with no problem.
Glad you liked it! These are excellent additions!!