Assignment chapter 13 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Chapter 13 - Assignment Example They came to the United States two years ago. In India, people react to strangers in different ways. Some Indians simply look at strangers, others smile, while others pretend to not care, but they surely notice foreigners around them (Bhatti). If someone is staring, the stranger can smile politely. Indians often return the smile (Bhatti). In terms of greeting, saying â€Å"Namaste† is the traditional greeting (â€Å"India Customs†). During this greeting, the person presses his/her hands together, with his/her fingers facing up and near the chin (â€Å"India Customs†). When addressing superiors or older people, a slight bow is added (â€Å"India Customs†). One must greet the most senior person or the eldest first always (â€Å"India Customs†). When entering a room, a nod and saying â€Å"Namaste† can suffice (â€Å"India Customs†). Males, especially strangers, do not touch women in public, including shaking their hands (â€Å"India Customs†). For communication practices, excessive gestures and verbal expression are considered impolite, especially when coming from strangers (Dasgupta). It is also acceptable to be late by 15 to 30 minutes because American punctuality is not widely practiced in many areas, unless for businesses who have embraced American customs (Dasgupta). In addition, when invited to an Indian family house for lunch or dinner, the invited person must bring a gift, such as a box of chocolates or flowers (Dasgupta). However, since different flowers have different meanings, it is important to ask the florist about appropriate flowers to be brought to families (Dasgupta). Furthermore, the gesture for â€Å"yes† is a slight nod of the head, while â€Å"no† is a turning from side to side. Some foreigners do not easily see the difference between the gestures for â€Å"yes† and â€Å"no,† probably because Indians do not like saying â€Å"no† out of respect (Dasgupta). Greeting a person depends on his/her social status, wherein age, university