With more than 1 billion people, India is an important player in the global economy. We recently learned more about India, outsourcing, and the expat life through the movie Outsourced. I wanted to share a couple of other resources that relate to the movie and aspects of life in India.
IT executive Paul Ballard recently spent a year living in India. This excellent post from his blog discusses how the movie accurately represents everyday life in India, Indian culture, and the realities of outsourcing and global markets. (I really enjoyed this article and think you will too.)
The movie included some often humorous examples of the use of the English language in India. This article from the New York Times discussed the increasing importance of the English language in India and some of the political struggles that have resulted.
If you want to learn more about expat life in India, you should follow this blog: Our Delhi Struggle written by a younger New York couple who moved to Delhi in 2007. Here are a few posts I enjoyed that relate to some aspects of the movie Outsourced: House of the Holy Cow Poop, Learning New English, and Taco Bell in India.
And here's a suggestion: if you're interested in learning about life in another country, expat blogs are a great resource. The Expat-Blog website is a good place to identify blogs from specific parts of the world. Since they are outsiders, expats often offer very useful observations of other cultures.
I'm really looking forward to my trip to India in January, though it's not a place I thought about wanting to visit before I started teaching this class. How about you? Is India a place where you envision yourself working, studying, or traveling?
13 comments:
I was pretty indifferent about India before watching "Outsourced," but after seeing it, I think it is a place that I would like to visit someday. Besides LOVING Indian food, I would want to go there as a tourist to see the sights, but probably not to do business. The fact that the majority of the country speaks English appeals to me as well.
Although I am of Indian descent, I have only ever visited India once, when I was 6 years of age. I believe that the place has changed, and due to my open mindedness, it is a place I would not mind visiting again. I would however, be skeptical about living, studying or working there as I get homesick quite easily. Nonetheless, I believe India is still a nation in which opportunity exists, and the economy is still growing due to the increasing levels of educated people in the country, making this a case of "never say never."
I really enjoyed the movie Outsourced and I realize that one movie does not do justice to how one country actually portrays itself. I really enjoyed seeing all the traditions and values that are still kept up through hundreds of years. I would love to visit India, but I do not think I could work there. I just dont think I could deal with the hygene associated with living in a non-metropolitian area like Todd was living in. Like said above it would be easier to communicate because the majority of people do speak English, but I am looking to work in a more western culture like France, Italy, or Spain. However I fell in love those countries above by being emmersed in the culture, so I feel like I need to give India a fair shot and at least travel there before I can conclude a decision.
I'm not sure if I would ever be able to live in India. First of all, I hate heat, so the climate would be a real issue. Second: the culture is extremely different, and I would constantly be afraid that I would do something to offend my neighbors or host family; third: I am just really not a huge fan of Indian food.
If I was asked to go to India by my company, I could surely grow accustomed to the food, to the practices, but I don't think I could permanently reside in a country that was always so hot!
Before watching the movie "Outsourced", I really did not know that much about the Indian culture and their way of life. After watching the movie, I would really like to visit India one day and experience a culture that would be completly different than any culture I have experienced before.India would be a great place to visit and see beautiful sights, experience new foods and partake in Indian traditions. As far as business goes, I would not want to conduct business their, even though the majority do speak English, I just would not be able to get used to the lifestyle. But, until I visit India, I can't truly say whether or not I would want to live their.
I love to travel and although India would not be my first destination of choice, I would like to visit the country. However the culture is very different from that of the U.S., i could not see myself volunteering to work or study in India, although, If i had a promising career opportunity that required me to work there, I would go for a period of time.
It's a country I plan to visit on vacation once. One part of my 'bucket list' is to visit the seven modern marvels of the world. That being said, Taj Mahal - here I come! ;-)
I think it would an incredible experience to visit India. It would definitely be different and I think I would adjust very well but I do not believe it is a place that I would want to stay long term.
Like everyone that has commented so far, I will agree and say that India is a place I would love to visit, although I would never want to permanently reside there.
I have thought about moving to Spain at some point though, so the Expat blog is helpful! Thanks!
India has never been on my list of places I want to travel... all of Western Europe, Northern Europe, Latin America, and Australia are more-so on my radar. I am not opposed to giving India a shot though. I'm sure there would be unexpected things that I would end up loving. The cattle in the street, hygienic issues, devastating poverty, and huge crowds of people are a little unnerving to me. Having to hop on a train like Todd did is a little out of my comfort zone, but hey! that's the point of traveling and having new and different experiences.
I would definitely like to visit India. It seems like such a vibrant and colorful country with many rich traditions. Plus, it's becoming more and more of a player in the international arena, even petitioning for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. We can't afford to be ignorant about a country that hosts 1.2 billion people!
I would love to visit India, but I doubt I'd want to live there. I'm open to visiting most countries that come to mind, but the vast gap in culture as well as the over twenty languages spoken around the country make India seem pretty daunting as more than just a trip. I would definitely be willing to visit for pleasure of it a future employer sent me, but I doubt I'd want to stay nearly as long as Todd did.
I would love to visit India because I have friends who are from India. I love traveling so India is defiantly on my bucket list to visit. I however do not think that I would want to live or work in India. It seems like an interesting place to visit though.
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