Reflections from India

Regular readers of Joe’s Musings should rightfully feel deprived of posts.  Good news: I have safely returned from a three week study abroad trip to India, an adventure that consisted of company visits, cultural experiences, and classroom learning.  Today, I’m happy to announce that Joe’s Musings will commence as usual moving forward.

Background  

For the second year, a group of students from the University of Kansas visited major cities in south India to learn about business practices in India.  We were hosted by the Asian School of Business, a small, yet top university in Thiruvananthapuram, India.  We gained an understanding of a wide spectrum of industries through interactive company visits to IT companies, a private hospital and manufacturing plants.       

In addition, I have some thoughts on my experience that could be beneficial for everyone interested in traveling internationally.  This post will be unorganized reflections, but I will include takeaways in the event you are considering a study abroad trip.  In just three short weeks, I experienced things I will remember for a lifetime.  My first piece of advice for prospective travelers to India is to immediately change your mindset about traffic and driving.  Indian drivers are reckless, and will not stop for you to cross the street.  In Bangalore, I saw a motorized rickshaw barrel down a road into a crowd of people, narrowly missing a mother and child by no more than a foot.  Animals, pedestrians, cars, and trucks all share the same road.  Forgot about stop lights and crosswalks.  Indian drivers use their car horn liberally to let pedestrians know “I am here”.   A gentleman at a hotel explained to me Indian consumers keep purchasing passenger vehicles, but the roads are not equipped to handle the rising number of drivers.  Auto sales in India are on pace for a record-setting year.  From October 2009-October 2010, sales of passenger vehicles rose 38 percent!

Takeaway: Research the driving customs in the country you are visiting.

Despite the high potential for economic growth, a common theme persisted among Indian business people we visited with.  It takes a great deal of time and effort to get around the masses of red tap evident in the Indian government.  One professor at the Asian School of Business phrased it well--the government prepares for the future based on yesterday’s demand.

Takeaway:  If you are interested in doing commerce internationally, learn about the opportunities and challenges facing businesses in your resident country.  

Because the British ruled India for centuries before independence in 1948, many Indians speak English.  Even the Bollywood film we watched contains traces of English in a hybrid language known as Hinglish (combination of Hindi and English).  However, a language barrier can present an opportunity to international travelers in other countries to learn the local tongue.   

Takeaway: Learning even the basics of a new language can be time-consuming.  Before you sign up to study abroad, inquire about the languages commonly spoken in other countries.   

The food was above average, and at times, excellent, but there is no substitute for an American hamburger.  Cows are regarded as sacred in India, so finding a genuine beef burger was next to impossible.  However, I particularly enjoyed the seafood selection of fish, prawn, and lobster.  The Indians also carbo-load at every meal, eating rice, idly, and poori.  Dinner is usually served at 9 PM or later in India, so that took some time to acclimate to.  

Takeaway: Bring snacks in the event the meal times are different.  Try the local food, but be careful to eat only cooked food.

I have still not fully processed this experience yet, but I am certain of one thing--my observations in India made me appreciate the blessings we have in the United States.  Although India’s economy is growing rapidly, an average citizen’s standard of living is nowhere near that of the United States.