It was a culture shock which I felt more this time, during my visit to the UK. Was it due to an increase in awareness or an exposure to different situations, as compared to last time? It perhaps was a combination of both.

As I crossed the path of many a person in the morning, they had a smile to give and a ‘good morning’ wish to say. I found this initially surprising – “Hey, I don’t know this person and yet they have a smile to give and a wish to say?”. Well, it did feel nice to receive the smile and the wish; and automatically a smile and a reciprocation of a wish just slips out from me. Over time I did get used to proactively smiling and wishing most people, when I cross their paths and if we happen to make an eye contact. It does though sound weird to think of wishing someone who is not looking at me, as they cross my path!!!

If people smiling and wishing to greet as they crossed my path was surprising, hearing people ask me “Are you ok?” baffled me even further. This “Are you ok?” would be asked more in the shops and restaurants, by the staff there. Here  I was standing in the shop and looking at what was displayed and I heard this voice asking me, “Are you ok?” more than once. I looked at him in puzzlement and looked down at myself to see if anything was wrong with me. I don’t think I have a health issue, so why is he asking me this question? I then asked him, “Are you asking me?” He answered in the affirmative. As usual my curiosity got the better of me and I shot my question, “What does this question mean? I keep hearing this question often.” This young lad replied, “This question means to ask if you need any help.” After that I heard so many people asking so many others the same question. Will anyone at all say, “I am not ok?” 🙂

If you don’t know something, you don’t ask Tom, Dick and Harry or even Mary, Sally or Jane for it. You approach the appropriate person who can give the right information. Well, more than once I went and asked some information that I wanted, to someone who I thought will give me the information. Oh no!!! They did not even say, “Go and ask this or that person.”. They just said that they don’t know or that they are not the right person to give the information. That’s it!! I then had to go and ask the appropriate person who would give me the right information. Duh!! sounds so simple and so complicated at the same time!!

Sometimes, the only appropriate person you can approach is you yourself. Why?? Because the information you want is from a technology; and that technology needs to be figured out. When I am in India and I get into a lift, I should press the button for the floor I need to go to isn’t it? Whatever made me think that in the UK when I am standing in a lift it will move by itself, without me doing anything about it? Ah, the unconscious thought that it is a developed country, and the lift will know where I want to go? Seriously??

If this was the case of a lift, it was even more different standing in front of a toilet, while in a train. I waited and waited outside of the toilet for a good 5 minutes, because when I tried to move its semi circular door, it did not budge. I thought someone was inside the toilet. I waited some more and then thought that something was wrong here. So I looked around the door and also looked around to see, if anyone was seeing me looking lost. What am I not seeing here, that would help me open the door? Voilá, I found it.. Right near the door I found buttons that said ‘open’ and ‘close’. Gingerly I pressed the open button, and was looking at the train doors to see if this would open by an error of mine. Whew!! The toilet door opened to reveal a toilet that was spacious. I stepped in and pressed the ‘close’ button. It closed but when I looked, there was no lock that I could see. Now, where do I search for the lock? I looked around again. Ah!! There it was. A button that said ‘Lock door’. To unlock the door, I had to press the same button and the door unlocks itself. I was wondering how a person who is traveling abroad the first time and alone too, would find such an experience? They may get completely overwhelmed by all technology discovery that they need to make. That could very well end up being a harrowing or a memorable experience, with all the automaticity that they see!!

Have I covered all that I wanted to share on this subject? Oops, how could I forget these loyal creatures called dogs. I saw them of all shapes, sizes and colours and they were there with their owners.. On roads (being taken for a walk), in the town centers, on mountain peak trails and in trains and buses. The first time I saw them boarding a train and a bus, I stood with my mouth wide open. When I saw them quietly sitting at the foot of their owner in the bus or the train, my eyes opened wider. When I later realised that I did not hear any of the dogs I saw (and I saw quite many) barking, my jaw dropped. I though am left with two questions – will the owners buy tickets for their dogs also, in the trains and buses? Have they trained their dogs not to bark? Being amazed at the way infrastructure was so friendly to the citizens and especially to the disabled, to see it being pet friendly took it to a different level.

Much to learn when we explore the other cultures.. Will there be another blog, in continuation of the same subject? They may perhaps be.. Time will tell..