Cultural etiquette dinner prepares guests for travels to India, the land of 1.2 billion people

We Create Here was an initiative within the Gazette Company to develop evolving narratives and authentic conversations throughout Iowa's Creative Corridor. read more

Say you're heading to India for an upcoming business trip or vacation. What should you do when you first arrive at the airport in a country with 1.2 billion people? What's the best way to interact with the native Indians who first greet you when you land? And should you bring something to give to the host family who has invited you to their home for dinner?

These were just some of the questions answered Wednesday night at the Cultural Etiquette dinner organized by Helen Jameson, founder and manager of Coralville-based Culture Friendly Consulting.

Jameson's business gives educational institutions, businesses, government agencies and non-profit organizations critical information and skills necessary to interact with diverse populations while improving cultural competency skills.

Inside Taste of India in Cedar Rapids Wednesday night, guests were treated to a full-course Indian meal with a generous helping of cultural understanding.

From the moment a traveler first arrives in India, I can say from experience the airport is an overwhelming experience. Literally hundreds of people are jam packed into the airport. Vaibhav and Kalyani Yadav, the Iowa City couple who led the session, advised travelers to greet their receivers at the airport with a friendly "Hello" or "Namaste." Exchanging a hug or kiss with their receiver would be frowned upon.

Getting the initial greeting off to a good start will be critical to having a successful experience. The hosts also shared what subjects are fair game for dinner time conversation, and what subjects would be better avoided. For example, spirituality, religion and travel are all good subjects for discussion. When it comes to sports, as long as you're game for talking about cricket, you can talk about sports all night.

On the other hand, religion can also be a taboo subject if you're going to attack or question the theories in Hindu devotional books. It's definitely okay to ask questions and want to learn more, though. And politics? That's another subject to avoid during conversation.

What about gifts? This was something new I learned. It's best to avoid giving gifts on special occasions that are wrapped in black or white, as these are not considered auspicious colors. Growing up, whenever I had a special birthday or milestone, I would receive money or a check in an odd-numbered amount. It could be $21 or $51, for example. That's because odd numbered gifts, reached by taking $20 plus $1 for example, are considered auspicious amounts.

If you are going to someone's home, bringing a box of chocolates would be a perfectly appropriate gesture.

A couple of the tips I enjoyed the most came to food. In Indian homes and restaurants, travelers will see people eating with their hands. But, eating with their left hand is considered taboo.

In addition, when you travel to someone's home, don't say "Thank you," for the meal. Indians consider saying "thank you," as a form of payment for the meal. Instead, immerse yourself in the experience and in learning about what you're eating and seeing. That is considered the more appropriate way to say "thank you."

Although I'm Indian myself, I learned a lot. While I've had the opportunity to visit Delhi, Bangalore and Jaipur, there are many other places I still would like to see. Take Kashmir, for example. Kashmir was described as "heaven on Earth" by Vaibhav Yadav during the session. I would also love to see the backwaters of Kerala someday.

It was a treat to hear India highlighted and described to the guests at the dinner. I got to share a little bit about my own experiences with one of the couples who attended as we ate. The meal was complete with chai, a spiced tea, a refreshing mango drink called "lassi" and a number of savory entrees including chicken, vegetables, a fish curry and two types of rice.

The dinner also served as a way to give back to the community. One-third of the profits will go to the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council.

Culture Friendly Consulting will offer an Chinese Cultural Etiquette Dinner from 6 to 8 p.m. on April 16 at Kapok in Coralville. Tickets are $40. For more information or to RSVP, visit http://www.eventbrite.com/o/culture-friendly-consulting-llc-4219621023.