Travelling abroad might not be a pleasant getaway always. Either for work or on vacation, the international hopper needs to be cautious. The recent incident of the NRI couple, the Bhattacharyas versus the Norwegian government has raised many questions. Now, one needs to be careful about what they might encounter in a foreign land because of their native habits.
Indians today who travel to other countries need to put in extra effort to know the laws of the land. “In South Africa, stepping out after 6 pm is a complete no-no. I wasn’t aware of this till I travelled to Pretoria. Once I was walking back from a supermarket to my hotel and was followed by a group. It wasn’t too dark, yet the incident kind of shook me,” says model Apoorva Vishwanath who has been very careful ever since.
Similarly those who travel on a regular basis to international destinations for professional or personal reasons are aware that they need to follow certain norms. Eye contact, shaking hands, nodding and exchanging pleasantries differ from country to country. What is acceptable in the West might be looked down upon in India. But when travelling, we need to keep in mind to make ourselves aware of the accepted social behaviour. “Every society has evolved their own norms, if the pattern in not understood it always creates problem. We should not look at it from our perspective, it is essential to understand their point of view. Else just stay away from getting involved in such acts that you don’t approve,” says sociologist R Rajesh.
Those who travel extensively do agree that by following the culture, they are not doing a favour to the citizens. In fact many go step further and are extra courteous to the foreigners. “Eye contact means exchanging a “hello” and I am definitely not favouring them by greeting. But it’s not pleasant always. In Sydney, I was snubbed by a shopkeeper when I asked him for directions. But that doesn’t mean I will stop smiling and greeting people wherever I go,” says actor and model Vishaal Hegde.
