"Where I grew up, speaking English would get you teased."

Sitting around after hours, we were discussing TWU-related difficulties. "I don't understand 50% of what you say. Everything is out of context." And here I thought that my diction was passable... "100% of it I don't understand." (About understanding an Irish accent)

I also currently have an auditory comprehension problem with Indian accents. Trying to understand someone who is speaking quickly will make me say "I'm sorry, can you say that again?" repeatedly. Which is bad, because eventually the other person gets fed up and says "Never mind, it wasn't that important anyway!"

Discussing the differences in social dynamics, it seems that in Indian culture (according to one of my teammates) "The person with the laziest opinion wins," and "usually no one goes anywhere." Also, it's considered rude to split the group, when there is a group hanging out together. (?)

We were discussing the service culture and how I was surprised and displeased by some aspects of it, and the phrase "It's like heaven on earth for us." was spoken- meaning that Diamond District feels very luxurious for some of the students.

I also learned for the first time about the Hofstede Index (about how cultures value various person attributes) and where India falls on it. 

the Undiscovered Country (is next week)

For a pile of 22 recent college grads, only 2 of whom have ever been on a client project before, knowing that next week we get to Actually Do Something is a little exciting, like ziplining for the first time is a little exciting. "We're going to push you off this cliff," they say, "but it's okay because you're wearing a harness and the harness is attached to a metal rope." The trainers are the harness, the rope is TW, and the TWU students are, collectively, the lucky schmuck who's getting pushed off the cliff. People do this for fun, you know.

It's possible to learn while performing mindless tasks, if the material upon which you are performing the mindless task contains information which is new to you.

Future TWUers: here is a short list of cultural differences.

•  "take a click" = take a picture
• "jumper" = sweater (any kind)
• Waiters at classy restaurants may argue with you and try to get you to order more food or more expensive food, or appetizers when all you want is a main course. Just be firm and after two or three rounds you can have your way.
• Bars in Bangalore close at 11:30pm. You will be asked to leave by 12pm. Liquor stores close at 10, I believe.
• At a classy restaurant, you will get more table service than is the Western norm. They may try to serve you from the main dishes in the middle of the table when you're eating "family-style."
• When you go through a buffet line, you will still only rarely be able to serve yourself.

The title of this is from the Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, which is in turn a quote from Shakespeare. "The undiscovered country from whose bourn (boundary) no traveller returns."

Service culture: housekeeping

I feel that Diamond District could be much improved by including "Do not disturb" signs with the apartments.

Future TWUers: that strange switch by the door that doesn't appear to do anything controls the power flow to your doorbell.