Excessive hand gestures, or "talking with your hands", can be considered impolite. Public displays of affection are also discouraged.

Hosts may offer visitors water, tea, or coffee along with fruits or candy. It's polite for the guest to initially refuse before taking from the hosts.

Family takes precedent over an individual person. As India becomes more urban, the family unit is becoming smaller, shifting obligations from the extended family to the nuclear family structure.

The majority of Indians practice Hinduism, but the country itself is religiously diverse. It's not uncommon to see religious figures of other faiths and Indigenous practices displayed throughout temples. Christianity, Islam, and Sikhism are also popular religions.

In November 2023, as part of the Michael Schwartz Library's International Students' Week celebration, we asked international students at Cleveland State University to tell us about their challenges, about their home countries, and about the advice they'd offer to new students. Here's what Rohit had to say: