The Real Inida Pt. 1 - The Indian Head Wobble

After being emmersed in the Inidan culture for 2 and a half months now it's about time I shared a few insights into the way a way of life that could only be Indian.

The 'Indian head wobble' is a classic example. Instead of nodding for 'yes' or shaking the head side to side for 'no' the Inidan people have a universal body language sign that involves them relaxing the neck muscles and wobbling their heads in a random manner. The confusing part is that this gesture can mean 'yes', 'no', 'maybe'.... or even 'I don't really care'.

As far as I can work out, the Indian head wobble can also be used to show someone that you mean no harm on a first meeting. For example, if you're forcing your way onto a crowed bus with backpack banging into everyone, a simple smile and head wobble can go a long way. The trouble is that it's near impossible to get right (unless you are Indian of course), and more often than not you might end up looking like a forigner with neck problems.