India week 4- changing perspectives

My perspectives have definitely changed since I have been here. I understand how the workplace functions a lot better now, especially in regards to my small NGO. In America I think we are very used to a culture of efficiency in the work place and common courtesy things such as giving 24 hours prior notice. In india I have learned it is nothing like that from my experiences. This week I was supposed to go to meeting with my boss to meet a sponsor and on our way there, we got a call from him saying he had to cancel. It wasn't an urgent or emergency issue that had come up, he was going to a going away party. However, he had waited until the last minute to give us a call. In India everything moves at a much slower, more relaxed pace in the work place and plans can be changed or made without much prior notice. Sometimes I feel that my boss barely gives me anything to do because she thinks a few things will take me a long time or will give me something that I easily finish in half the time she expected and she is very surprised when it happens, because she had expected me to work at a much more leisurely pace. I have learned that although it is different from what I am used to, it is best to go with the flow here because that is just the way things work here. No one will run on the schedule that I am used to expecting from people and myself. As for my home situation, my host mom has lately been concerned that we are not eating enough because we are not eating all of her food. It is hard to explain to her that we don't mean to be offending nor are we holding ourselves back, we just do not have that much of a taste for the cuisine. I understand that she might be concerned about wasting food etc but she could always cook us less. It is difficult for us because we feel like we are being forced to eat more than we can, although we are making an effort. Here they are very cautious of wasting anything, especially food, unlike in the U.S. so I feel that it is a bigger issue here than it would be at home because we are so used to just eating what we can and not worrying about what is left. Turning off all the fans and lights are also always a big deal and the AC is used only sparingly. I have definitely become more appreciative of all the luxuries we have at home, especially the ones we do not think of often. I am excited to be back home and with constant air condition soon. It meanwhile, am really enjoying all the time I have left in India! It really is such a blend of cultural contrasts, of old and new everywhere. While there are monkeys climbing the balconies and power outages are a common occurrence, there's also the convenient metro and stores such as Starbucks and mcdonalds!