Welcome back to This is India! I always have funny/weird stories about India to share with friends or family when I talk to them. This is just meant to be an honest portrayal about my life in India through short anecdotes. I also share here what I’ve been up to online outside Hippie in Heels.
What I was up to other than here:
- Interview With Travel Blogger Rachel Jones Of Hippie In Heels for Flights and Frustrations
- a BIG thank you to everyone who shared my story for Goa Streets! I won first place & will get my story in the paper. It’s not National Geographic, but this blog kind of represents Goa so it’s still a nice milestone for me. Happy Independence day to my Indian readers as well.
Now your story,
ok, it’s more of an observation that a story:
When replying to an e-mail to a guy in Gujarat that I’m attempting to do business with I realized that almost all Indians I work with have an e-mail footer with a similar look to it:
So. Many. Disclaimers.
I am starting a new tiny company in Goa and spend quite a bit of time e-mailing and on the phone, mostly with men in Gujarat. The interesting thing is, most times when I receive and e-mail, they also call me to let me know they’ve e-mailed.
“ma’am, I’ve sent you a mail. Check your mails and revert.”
Indians have a reputation for being very…. thorough. You’ll notice this especially at customs! In business you can see Indian men are very type A and professional, but who knows if that same guy is like the ones who shove me out of the way at the chemist. In business I’m finding Indian men are prompt and call me “miss”; they seem to respect me as a woman. Indian men when I’m out and about in Mumbai outside of business don’t share the same feelings oftentimes.
I think ‘Miss Jones’ likes doing business in India!
Sometimes when I’m being pushed and shoved by men in lines, or men refuse to talk to me at banks, etc because I’m a woman, it can be frustrating. I’ve said to Ben, who rarely feels frustration in India, that he wouldn’t understand because he’s a man… anyways,
This is India!
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Congrats on the Goa Streets competition win! That’s great!
Regarding the emails, another good one is:
Please do the needful.
Have you enjoyed that one yet? :)
Thank you about Goa Streets- omgsh I’ve never heard please do the needful but I love it!
With all those disclaimers it seems worse than America. Funny really since you’d wonder if they could literally say anything in an e-mail and then deny any liability whatsoever for any promise or upset made via the disclaimer.
Interesting to read of your experience of the approach of Indian guys in business and outside of business. From my business trips I’ve found in the work place that all Indians are very civil and polite. Outside the work place it is often just a free for all.
Yes, you’re exactly right- a free for all.
I used to work for a bank here in the UK which relied a lot on staff in India. I was a little bit in love with all of them, they were my go-to men who helped me so many times. They were always so friendly and polite, and when I left my job they sent me a really lovely goodbye email.
So many of my colleagues would moan about the difficulties with their accents and how they sometimes didn’t quite understand instructions, but half the time the fault was theirs for not being clear and concise. I always thought the bank would fall apart without them.
Also, I love the use of ‘revert’ instead of ‘reply’. The quirks of Indian Business English always made me smile. “Please do the needful” was a favourite.
You’re the second person to ask if I’ve heard please do the needful & I am sad to say I haven’t, but I think I will say it in my next e-mail requesting supplies. I’m sure it will make the e-mail receiver laugh :)
It’s nice to hear that you’re getting a little respect :) And congrats on the Goa Streets victory!!
Thanks Justine!
Rachel, congrats on your victory! Those are great news and you deserve it!
“Sometimes when I’m being pushed and shoved by men in lines, or men refuse to talk to me at banks, etc because I’m a woman…”
Really? They have refused talking to you in banks? I felt inferior for being a woman out there, but never at a bank or any other place where money was involved… wow, sad….
ahhh I should elaborate, I was kind of shortening my thoughts; it was a time when I was with my boyfriend trying to transfer money to a supplier of mine & they just kept turning to ben talking to him, ignoring me- like they couldn’t believe it was me who had business! & Ben didn’t even know who I was sending money to- so he’s like “talk to her!” it confused them :) but yes, this happens at even the mechanic last week!!
That’s interesting. I often observe how people are different in different settings. Provides good fodder for thought on psychology, and culture.
Congratulations in winning the Goa competition. Well done and well deserved as I always enjoy reading your funny stories. :)
Thank you :) I was pretty stoked about it!
Mazel Tov on the Goa Streets! Your article there was awesome – loved it. Looking forward to hearing about you new business, you entrepreneur you!
Thanks Emily! No one may ever find out my new biz if it keeps going as slow as it has grr
Congratulations Rachel, that’s great news! Best of luck with your new business- I’m intrigued! I love the Indian mannerisms, but I haven’t experienced getting shoved yet! :)
Ha, yes getting shoved is always a bummer lol. I actually learned in Hindi class today “get your hands off me” ha ha and not per request, just after she taught me “this is my dog” and “her feet are beautiful”
Love reading these posts, I love those anecdotes of daily life in different countries, especially India – I can’t wait to explore it myself!
You’ll love it!
Congrats on winning! and good luck with your new business! =)