Dr. Parinoor, an Indian woman abroad, shared five cultural habits she doesn’t miss about India, sparking online discussion. Her observations include the lack of privacy from staring, unannounced guest visits, minimal personal space in queues, constant honking, and poor lane discipline.
Moving abroad can change the way people view everyday habits they once considered completely normal. Dr Parinoor, an Indian woman living abroad, recently shared five things she does not miss about India, sparking a discussion online about cultural differences, personal freedom and everyday life.
In an Instagram video, Dr Parinoor explained that her first point was “the staring.” She said that after moving abroad, she can visit a beach in a bikini or relax in a park without constantly wondering whether someone is watching her. According to her, the experience has made her more comfortable simply existing in public without being overly conscious of herself.
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Her second observation was about unannounced visits. She said that abroad, people generally contact someone beforehand to check whether they are home or available. She contrasted this with the familiar Indian situation where someone might say, “We were just passing by and thought we’d stop to say hello,” before making a last-minute request to bring back snacks.
Dr Parinoor also highlighted personal space and queues. She observed that people waiting in Indian queues can sometimes stand extremely close to one another, while people abroad generally maintain more distance.
Her fourth point was honking. She said the relative quiet abroad initially felt unusual, but returning to India made her notice the frequent honking more clearly. She remarked, “There’s a red light ahead. Blowing your horn won’t make it turn green.”
Finally, she discussed lane discipline. She said drivers in India can sometimes suddenly appear from either side, while drivers abroad generally use indicators before changing lanes.
However, Dr Parinoor stressed that her observations were not an argument that life abroad is necessarily better. She continues to love India and said she misses aspects of home. In her caption, she explained that moving abroad gave her “a different perspective”, allowing her to notice cultural quirks, chaos and habits she had previously considered normal.
Her post resonated with several social-media users. One wrote, “India has changed quite a lot.” Another commented, “Can’t agree more,” while a third said, “Experienced both worlds.”