Part 3: Sport
Do you like to play sports?
Yes, I like to play a lot of different sports. I used to play cricket in my school time. Nowadays I like to watch cricket matches and play it whenever I get time.
What is the wedding like in your country?
As India is a big nation, we have several styles of weddings in our country. Most of the people in our country like to celebrate weddings with a great enthusiasm and excitement. They like to buy expensive jewelry and like to buy a lot of dresses.
What type of family do you live in?
I live in a joint family. I think I enjoy living in a joint family as we have more members who can be there for us when we need them. There is more harmony when you live in a big family. I have 9 members in my family. I like every one of them.
Do you have one or two or many best friends?
I have only two friends who can be called as best friends. I can share every part of my life with them. I think it’s never good to have too many friends. One or two good friends are enough.
Is it important to preserve our culture?
Its indispensable to preserve our culture as it reflects our past and history. If we are unable to preserve our culture, then the upcoming generations will not be able to learn the traditions and values from the past. Preserving culture should be the main priority of people these days.
Which sports is most famous in your country?
Our country invented hockey but the most followed spots is cricket. People follow cricket as a religion in our country. They get very emotional during the matches. Most of the kids also like to play cricket in their free time.
Have you ever been to a large-scale wedding?
Recently I went to the wedding of my friend’s brother. It was the best wedding celebrations that I have seen in my entire life. There were unlimited cuisines and the wedding venue was decorated like heaven. The bride and groom were wearing expensive dresses and there were all the things that you can expect from a big fat wedding.
What are the advantages of living in a nuclear family?
I think the only advantage that you have while living in a nuclear family is that you don’t have a lot of interference. There are a smaller number of members, so it gives you freedom to do whatever you want.
Do you feel that there are advantages of having a lot of friends?
I think that few friends are enough. You don’t need to have a lot of friends in order to fulfil your social needs. Having a lot of friends can lead to trouble sometimes. If you have a greater number of friends, then you must give them time. That means you have very less time for yourself which is not a good sign.
Is the culture in your country different from other cultures?
Our culture is very different from the rest of the world especially the western countries. I reckon that the culture in my country is like some neighboring countries, but I still feel that every country has its own culture.
What are the advantages of playing sports?
Playing sports is a great activity as it involves us physically as well as mentally. There are many advantages of playing sports. It teaches us teamwork and it also keeps us fit. One can also opt sports as his/her career.
What is the importance of marriage in our life?
I think that marriage is an association between the couple and their families. Marriage enlarges the family and you know that you have more people in your life who will be there in your thick and thin.
What are the disadvantages of living in a nuclear family?
I think the only disadvantage of living in a nuclear family is that a person has very few people to go to when he/she feels troubled or depressed. A person can sometimes feel lonely in nuclear family.
What do you do in case you have a misunderstanding with a friend?
I always call my friend up and try to talk to him or her. That’s the best way to approach if you have any misunderstanding between friends. I will share my point and will listen to his or her point as well and try to find a way out.
Is there any culture that you like the most?
In our country, the culture of celebrating festivals is the best culture and I like it the most. The reason is that when we celebrate the festivals together, it increases harmony and respect between people of different cultures and religions. Mudik is such festival which is celebrated across all religions and regions.
Is there any disadvantage of playing sports?
I don’t think that there is any disadvantage of playing any sports. However, if one doesn’t play it with proper safety equipment then it can be harmful. Also, there can be serious injury or fatal accidents while playing sports. This is the only disadvantage I can think of.
Do you feel that marriages in the past were better organized than today’s marriages?
I learnt from my elders that the marriages in the past were long and simple. There used to be a couple of dishes to eat and relatives would gather at the home of the groom and bride and be there for more than a month. So, I think that marriages in the present are better as no one has enough time and the events are also managed in a better way.
Do you feel that families are disintegrating day by day?
Yes, the families in my country are disintegrating as a result of some factors. These days people don’t like interference from others, and they like to live in their own way. That’s why this situation has occurred.
What can be risky among friends?
I think there can be one thing that can be very risky. We share a lot of things between friends and sometimes we trust a person who’s not worth trusting. The information can get leaked which can lead to a lot of problems.
Do you feel that people should change their culture when they move to a foreign country?
I don’t think that it is a good idea to change the culture after moving to a new country. One should never forget his or her own ethics, practices and customs. I think they should try to adopt the new culture without forgetting their own.
Which sports are generally preferred by women?
I think these days women are playing all the sports. There is no sport that women are not playing. Even recently, women were seen playing cricket matches at international level which is a great sign of equality.
What changes will you see in the marriage celebration after 20 years?
I reckon that there will be a lot of changes in the celebrations in the coming 20 years. People have now become more conscious of the spending they do on organizing the functions. There will be less show-off in the marriages and people would rather spend more money on buying the assets than organizing big functions.
If given a chance, would you like to live in a nuclear family?
I don’t think that I can live in a small family. I like to have people around me as I am a talkative person. I think we learn a lot of things from people around us. Moreover, I am the kind of a person who likes to live in a joint family.
Do you feel that we should invite our friends to family functions?
I think it’s important to invite our friends to the family functions as friends are also like family. Friends know everything and they are the part of our lives. So, it becomes important to call good friends to our family functions.
Do you feel that there has been a cultural mix in some countries?
Yes, there has been a lot of cultural mix in some countries across the world due to globalization. This is not a bad thing at all. I believe that it brings people from different castes, races and regions together.