Valerie Weaver October 21, 2010 COMM 327N 001 Intercultural Communications Dr.

Nathaniel

Memories of India

III. Expatriate Interview

Completed Thursday 10 -21-10

Dr. Lois Dickey is a fine example of a (third tier stair case model) person; someone who is conscious competent A person who is willing to be open minded to the differences of other cultures without enforcing her views and ways upon them. As a professional lady of forty in the late nineteen-fifties and early nineteen sixties she chose to pursue higher education, and over seas learning and travel over the very traditional family and wife roles that were common in that era. Now an active ninety year old, my new in-law aunt remains bright, articulate, and active. When I interviewed her for this paper her memory seemed clear and focused as she recalled facts comfortably. In 1958, Dr. Dickey spent two years teaching in New Deli, Calcutta and Mambai (once known as Bombay) India through a government program set up with the University of Tennessee. It was a program called TCM Industry, where several instructors were chosen to go out and teach the women of India about home economics. The school was contacted by a by a Muslim school teacher who was very farsighted and wanted for the girls of her school to become more established and improve in home sciences. Other colleges got wind of what was in lieu and also wanted to be involved. TMC sent out several instructors to teach in the field of textiles, clothing and child development. Dr. Dickeys field was in Textiles and clothing. I asked her what some of the differences were that she noticed. She said she noticed that Indian women were different from American women. Learning styles were different and eating styles were different. Lois lived in an apartment set up by the school in Madras, India; now known as Chennai. While living there she came to see the differences in those of American women from those of Indian
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women. The ladies of India were much more reserved and humble. Although these women were educated they were not allowed to be as liberated as the women of America. These women were sent to school to train to become better wives and mothers, not to learn the sciences and mathematical concepts. They were taught how to cover themselves, how to sew their own clothes, and how to become better mothers. All of the women wore saris- hand woven garments with very distinctive patterns for each region. The Muslim women not only wore saris they also wore burquas- A drape like garment used to cover their heads and faces. Once the women wearing burquas got inside the school, they were allowed to uncover. It was important to make sure that they did not uncover themselves in front of men in the surroundings. Many of the women attending the school were single; however, there were some married women. The married women wore certain jewelry to inform the people that they were unavailable. Certain pieces of jewelry showed status as an investment that indicated wealth. None of the ladies wore make up but some of the Hindu women wore a red dot on their forehead called a bindi. Like the women with jewelry this also informed that they too were married. Dr. Dickey was also able to participate in their eating rituals and habits. She said it was customary for the mother and older girls in the family to prepare the meals for all the younger children and men of the house as well as guests. Many of the meals she was invited to usually had rice. They would use a big round plate to serve the rice on with lots of smaller bowls filled with different spices and sauces to put on the rice and other vegetables. They never used eating utensils. Everything was served and eaten with fingers except for some of the condiments. In lower classes no plates or bowls were used in fact they ate off of palm leaves. In these cases the food was already spiced while cooking instead of adding to the food later. Lois enjoyed the company and fellowship with the different families with whom she shared meals. She is still
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friends with some of the ladies who invited her into their homes. They communicate through emails and mail. One of the ladies later came to visit Lois in the United States and Lois was able to prepare a meal for her. Dr. Dickeys time spent in India in the late fifties early sixties was very gratifying; however, she did have some challenges and a few disappointments. The students themselves were very challenging in that they were use to a more compliant atmosphere and she was unable to get them to interact in class. It seems that they were use to a power distance type of learning where the instructor is in total control and students are there only to absorb information. This was frustrating to her. Many times, she would ask their opinions and they seemed fearful of answering wrong. Consequently, they would not answer at all. They would look at her with empty stares as if not knowing what it was she was asking for. In those moments she was unsure if they were even enjoying what was being taught. She had to get most of the feedback from the actual instructors of the institute. She said the students were taught to all think alike and were taught how to take test. They were taught how to answer test without any of their own ideas or opinions. Lois said the tests were unlike tests given in the United States. There were no true/ false questions and there were no multiple choice answers. All the tests were given in essay form and there were no deviations allowed. All students were taught to think alike and answer with the same response, which was the same learning style they applied to what she was trying to teach them. Dr. Dickey looks back with fond memories of her time in India. Based on our interview, it appears that Dr. Dickey absorbed and responded to every challenge, understanding cultural differences. For each misunderstanding, she became more understanding. For her frustrations she seemed to grow in her patience. I believe this was truly a once in a life time adventure to spend
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two uninterrupted years in another country learning about a new culture. She made the very most of it. All of her extended family has small reminders of her time there; brass, rugs, bowls, art work, and clothing. Dr. Dickey retains all of the memories of her students, the women she met and the meals she shared with them.

Works Cited
Samovar, L. A. (2007). Cmmunication Between Cultures 7E. Boston: Cengage.