Cultural Differences: Clothes

Ever the casual enthusiast, shortly after being assigned a sponsor last year, I inquired about the dress code. I was told that I was lucky, because in the IRM section we could wear polo shirts and slacks (pretty much what I've worn to work at every job I've had). Perfect! After arriving, I quickly noticed that I was one of the few people wearing polo shirts to work. In fact... people regularly jog or take morning walks wearing them. Fast forward many months. I got a terrible poison ivy rash on my arms, and in an effort to refrain from scratching, I wore a button down long sleeve shirt. I was complimented by someone in the Med unit for wearing such a nice shirt, because "you're normally just wearing a t-shirt." 

"Whoa whoa whoa!" I protested, "I'm normally wearing a POLO shirt."

"In India, we call those t-shirts too."

A quick internet search comparison between google.com and google.co.in shows the truth in this. Well... I made it half way through, why change now? It does make me wonder if people would notice if I started wearing regular t-shirts to work though... better not chance it.

Dhoti Friday... on Tuesday

Just a quick note for today. One of the things I'd noticed when bidding on Chennai was that they celebrated(?) "Dhoti* Fridays." I was somewhat disappointed when I arrived at post to learn that the practice had lapsed. Fortunately, this week we had the first revitalization of Dhoti Fridays, and to make it pop, we're having it on Tuesday! Unfortunately, not knowing the difference, I purchased a lungi**... not a dhoti, but oh well! I'm thinking I might have to start wearing a dhoti (or lungi) every Friday. Maybe I can single-handedly resurrect the weekly event. The local staff generally chuckled, shook my hand, and/or informed me that I was indeed not wearing a dhoti, but a lungi (often all three).

* "The dhoti, also known as mundu, pancha, mardani or veshti, is a traditional men's garment worn in India." -Wikipedia

** "The lungi, also known as a sarong, is a traditional garment worn around the waist in Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, Brunei, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, the Horn of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula." - Wikipedia

PS: I cheated by having my housekeeper teach me how to properly wearing my lungi... and I cheated even more by wearing a belt (hidden by the rolled up part of the lungi and by my shirt).