US English: Football or soccer?

A lot of English words and expressions that are commonly used in India are used differently in the US. In the US, we speak the same language, but we don't always speak it in the same way. Even the word “Indian” has two different meanings in the US. Apart from people from India, the term is also used for the Native Americans. To clarify which Indians are being referred to, the term “Dot Indian” or “Feather Indian” is used. Dot Indian means us, the people from India because many of us wear a dot (teeka or bindi) on our forehead. Well, everyone is entitled to their share of confusions..isn't it? :)

Moving to the US? It's high time you awakened the mental math wizard in you

When we moved to the US from India a few years back, little did I imagine that there would be so much of mathematics involved in my daily existence. Converting not just Dollars to Rupees but Kilograms to Pounds, Celsius to Fahrenheit, Kilometres to Miles, the list is endless...all the units of measurements in the US are different from the ones I grew up with. That sounds like a lot of conversions...isn't it? Till the time you get used to living with the new units of measurement and are able to work everything out lightning-fast, you would notice that conversions are required everywhere – be it talking to people or at the grocery store or travelling.

Make up tips for an interview: Steal the show with elegance

If you're out there pounding the pavement to land your dream job and looking to nail that interview, remember three things. Be confident. Try to focus. Present your key skills and core areas. While you're busy spell-checking and sending in resumes, try not to forget a little detail. It's about being presentable. Think how your make up should be during that crucial one-on-one session with a potential employer. People tend to notice if something is not right about your looks, but they wouldn't bother at all if everything looks perfect.

Cooking traditional meals made easy

Nothing can beat the taste of a home cooked meal. When you are living in a foreign country, cooking perfect traditional dishes becomes a task, but with some smart tips, cooking traditional food is not so difficult.

Teaching your native language to your child

Most parents living abroad find it difficult to make their children speak or understand their mother tongue. We fail to understand why our children are so comfortable speaking the foreign language and refuse to enjoy native languages.

Adjusting to work culture in the US: Know the surprisingly simple etiquettes

Have you succeeded in landing your dream job in the United States? Well done! Before you set out on your cushy yet demanding job, though, you should learn a thing or two about the work culture in the US. Frankly speaking, you should be cautious of over-generalizations concerning a country’s work culture, particularly if the country is as diverse and large as the United States. Needless to say, how we look upon the workplace etiquettes of other cultures depends heavily on how we perceive the world from our own cultural milieu.

Desi festivals in the US: The beckoning of a distant home

Festivals help us to connect to our roots, it's a time for togetherness, for being with our loved ones and includes a hint of an endless longing to 'be home'. Enjoying the sounds of music and laughter, scent of meticulously home-cooked meals, gorgeous colors of new clothes and countless gifts, the thrill of dancing and hours spent chatting and never forgetting to smile; for a moment you might think that life couldn't be any better!

Driving in the US: The traffic laws and rules of the roads

Imagine this scenario...you have just arrived in US and have already taken the wheel. Imagine yourself driving home late at night and all of a sudden an oncoming vehicle flashes its high beams at you. Blinded, alert and awake, you check all your mirrors while slowing your car down. You are probably thinking what’s going on, until a few moments later you go by a cop car with all its lights off, waiting on the side of the road to warn a speeder, like an extremely patient guardian of the routes determined to save the precious lives, for they know the slightest error might lead to something that's irreversible!

Tips for vegetarians in the US

Being vegetarian is a big challenge when you want to dine out in the US. I still remember the day when we realized this harsh reality.

Initially after coming to the US, we (along with our friends) used to carry home cooked food whenever we planned an outing. But, in one such trip to a 'Butterfly Park' in CT, we decided to try eating out. When it was lunch time, we went to the food court. We ordered for cheese burger thinking it to be meat free. But when our order was served, we realized it smelled weird. On enquiring we got to know that we need to understand the 'CHEESE BURGER' has beef in it by default. And for a meat free meal, we are supposed to ask for 'Garden Burger'. That was a lesson worth learning.

Starting life as a student in the US

Most of the Indian students dream to go abroad for higher studies. But, life in the US is very different from that of India. Students initially find it very difficult to adjust in US. They feel paralyzed. But, once they sustain the first six months successfully, they start loving it.

Quick home remedies for varoius health problems

You might have probably heard from your grandma some simple tricks that help cure common health issues. We have a list of some simple home remedies that will help you to cure common health problems. These tips have proven to be useful for many generations. Let’s have a look.