American traveller now settled in India shares some common things found in American homes missing in India

Relocation to another country can be a unique experience full of discovering cultural peculiarities in places where you least expect them. Apart from differences in food, language, and customs, the most unusual thing about moving is finding out how different daily domestic rituals are in another country. Aspects of everyday household life, which are taken for granted in your country, might seem quite rare or unnecessary in other countries. It can also turn out that there are features you cannot imagine in your own house since houses in foreign countries are specifically designed considering the local lifestyle, climate, and other factors.American traveller Kristen Fischer (@kristenfischer3 on Instagram) was surprised at the number of things she found unusual when moving to India. In American households, certain appliances and technologies, like central air-conditioning systems, dishwashers, washing machines, and even automated doors in garages, are common features. However, Kristen discovered that things you think are typical of your native country are rather special for others. In an Instagram video uploaded recently, Fischer gave a list of items found in many American homes that are still absent from Indian houses. These include thermostats and heaters, built-in ovens, garbage disposals in kitchen sinks, hot water tanks, tumble dryers, baths, and automatic garage doors. "These are some of the things I took for granted while growing up," she said. "Only when I shifted to India did I realize that these are exclusive to American homes."What makes this video popular online is not the luxury of the objects themselves; rather, it shows how much a nation's climate, culture, and way of life dictate its home environment.Consider the drying machine: in America, during winter, it would be impossible to dry clothes outside as the weather doesn't permit it. But in India, which enjoys ample sunlight throughout most of the country, the balcony or rooftop can serve as a dryer. Similarly, dishwashers remain less common in Indian kitchens partly because many households prefer hand-washing utensils immediately after meals, especially cookware with oil and spice residue..Central air conditioning even sounds different in India. The American home is often designed to be a sealed box for indoor living to accommodate the very hot summer and winter seasons via automation for regulating the temperature indoors. Indian homes, however, have grown from ventilation, ceiling fans, and an openness to the outdoors including use of courtyards in their traditional design well before air conditioning became popular.The observations of Fischer were thus also instrumental in bringing up a larger discussion regarding how contemporary Indian homes were developing. Apartments in cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Gurugram were moving more towards features like inbuilt oven, modular kitchen, dryer, and smart homes. However, flexibility, multi-functionality, and practicality were more valued than dedicated appliances by many Indian households.The importance of Fischer's video was not only in comparison between these two nations but in the fact that the homes themselves serve as a reflection of the societies and cultures within them. Something as mundane as a bathtub or thermostat starts to give an insight into how different societies are from one another when we consider our day-to-day experiences.