A Russian woman living in India has shared a lighthearted take on the cultural differences her Indian family experiences while living with her. Anastasia Sharova, who posted the video on Instagram, said people often ask her how she manages cultural differences in India, but she felt it was time to look at the question from her family’s point of view.
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In the caption of her clip, she wrote: “People ask me how I manage cultural differences while living in India. I think it’s time we ask my Indian family. Here is what they have to put up with, having me in the house.”
Russian habits in an Indian home
Sharova began by pointing out that she often cooks in advance and eats the same meal, usually soup, for three to five days in a row. She noted that in India, freshly cooked food every day is considered very important.
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She also spoke about her “smileless expression, aka Slavic stare”, saying many people in India get intimidated by her “grumpy” look, including her own family members. She added, “I have to explain each time that it’s my normal, relaxed facial expression.”
Among the other differences she listed were living together before marriage, not offering refreshments immediately to someone entering the house, and being very direct in conversations. “If I want to say “NO” or “I can’t do it,” I will say it and mean it. Such directness in India can be seen as rude; for Russians, it’s normal communication,” she wrote.
She also mentioned calling elders, including teachers, by name in a respectful manner, men and women going to the sauna together in Russia, planning meetings much in advance, giving long speeches before having a drink at gatherings, not having house help, and not interacting much with neighbours.
Despite the differences, Sharova ended her note by saying, “Not that many things, right? There are actually more cultural similarities than it seems. Would you add something to the list?”
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts
The clip drew several reactions from Instagram users, many of whom said they found the observations amusing and relatable. One user wrote, “Except for 8 and 10, all are great. Also, India is mostly hot, so I like cold water. Thanks. ASAP.” Another said, “Except for the food part, I seem to be more Russian than Indian. Perhaps these habits will become more common as people modernise.”
A third user added, “Yeah i found it relatable.” Someone else noticed a small detail in the video and wrote, “I noticed in the video that your tea was too hot. You can pour some of it into the second cup underneath, and it will cool down much faster.” Another simply reacted, “Yes this is true.”
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HT.com has reached out to the user for her comments, and the copy will be updated once her response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
