One of the most fascinating things about living in a multi-cultural & multi-ethnic society is learning about the life styles of different people. I consider that part of my American life to be a great enlightenment. Most first time guests at my house find the segregation of the sexes in the sitting room very odd and are also surprised by the ‘forced hospitality’ of my parents–no one can leave the house without a ‘thanda/garam’ & some snacks.
I would like to ask you all to share some of the experiences you have had being friends to people of different origin. I will start with my Malaysian friends:
It’s considered rude to walk into a Malaysian home with your shoes on. Most often than not they will have a whole army of shoes outside their front door & that’s where the shoes should stay. I have always found them to be very superstitious, especially the Chinese Malaysians. A friend of mine has moved from in & out of three different apartments in the past six months looking for ‘good luck’ . The ethnic Malays, which by the official definition have to be Muslim, have a special dislike for dogs for “religious reasons”. Apparently to a point that they will not tolerate to share the same vicinity. The Malaysian food has a great blend of Chinese, Indian mix with the East Asian dominance, and like the Bengalis they eat a serving of rice with nearly every meal, most often than not using their hands.
I agree with you. I have had all sorts of different friends, met all sorts of different people, picked up all sorts of different languages :), its fun and great. Also it makes you much aware of the world and other people.
Great thread yaar
In the Arab world, the Guest is the most important person, you should respect him/her more then anything, they should be more then anything, if you enter the home of a poor man and he does'nt have anything to serve his guest, he will go out and sell some of his things or even his horse in villiages so he can greet the guest in the best of manner. Also, if a guest comes into your home and you are fasting (other then ramadan of course) you should break your fast.
There are some other things, however, I kept remember much now.
I have found the Indonesians to be the most polite in any of the places i have lived, and i havent lived in a single counrtry for more than 3 years. Some peculiar habits of Indonesian society:
They never use their index finger for anything relating to pointing to humans. They always use their thumb. Point directions, it is the thumb, point for a person it is the thumb. To read they use the thumb underneath words.
Among the men the pinky has the nail grown to the great lenghts. Atleast that was the fashion back in the early/mid 1990s. Rather it wasnt fashion, but most men had it. There was no real reason that i could figure out at the age of 10. Later on learnt that it was to scratch the nether regions.
If an Indonesian has to ever walk inbetween two people, he or she wont walk straight up, rather he will extend his hand and arm straight ahead and then bend to around waist height of the other individual. Basically he/she ducks inbetween the two people conversing so not to break the eye contact or the conversation.
There is this Omani custom where the host does not eat with the guest for fear that the guest may not eat properly in the presence of the host. So, they serve the food and leave the room, and the guests eat by themselves while the hosts eats with his family in another room. After the guests have finished eating, they softly knock on the connecting door and the hosts come in and pick up the dishes. Then they all drink the tea together.
Also a typicaly Omani dish is similar to our pulao or biryani, where they have rice, and very tender roasted lamb boti in the middle of the rice. Its one big thaal/platter, and everyone sits around it and eats from it directly using their hands. No plates or silver-ware. It actually is a dish worth tasting. Absolutely fantastic.
India: I visited some hindu families in north india in my childhood..and i was impressed with their cleaning standards. They wash their houses with water several times a day and it looks really neat and clean. Vegetarian thalis are yummy.
Oman: They are big on hospitality as well (those who i have met). Lot of people can understand in muscat can understand urdu as well. Some speak fluent urdu, english, arabic and balochi. They have a traditional halwa that is distributed after the nikah in mosque..and all the people in the mosque do eat it. So, make sure if any one gets married there..you should have enough halwa for omanis. They have a big appetite for it.
Oman: They are big on hospitality as well (those who i have met). Lot of people can understand in muscat can understand urdu as well. Some speak fluent urdu, english, arabic and balochi. They have a traditional halwa that is distributed after the nikah in mosque..and all the people in the mosque do eat it. So, make sure if any one gets married there..you should have enough halwa for omanis. They have a big appetite for it.
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This is the same thing in Yemen, halwa is always distributed after any nikah or brith of a child or anything really. Very big on hospitality as well. A lot of people in Yemen can speakfluent Hindi/Urdu, English, Turkish with some, and of coure Arabic.
Also in Yemen, during weddings or brith of a boy mostly, they tend to start shooting in the air, A LOT.
