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Are you the Houseguest or Are You usually the Host?
The intersection of culture and community
When you have family and close friends, it is inevitable that you are either being invited to stay in someone’s house or you are extending an invitation to host someone in your house.
Having lived in four countries, I am attuned to each of these countries' cultural norms and practices. Regardless of where I’ve lived, I’ve played the role of host more than I did as a houseguest over the years.
Opening up your house to others is a cultural practice. Indians are known for their hospitality and how they value their guests. Ingrained in our upbringing is a phrase “Athithi devo bavah” which loosely translates to “Guests are like God.”
In most instances, an Indian’s house is open on a walk-in basis, no need to give the person a heads up. But of course, the western world works in more formal ways. The date and time are agreed upon for a house call or visit.
Houses in the United States are built with a formal living room for entertaining guests, and a family room that is a lot cozier for everyday use. In the ten years that I’ve lived in my current home, I think I’ve used the formal living room once. That too because I wanted to try out the new couch. What a waste of space and money!
