I have an INDIAN coming to visit!

4,210 Views | 25 Replies | Last: 8 yr ago by techno-ag
mhnatt
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I have a guest from India who is visiting the US for the first time and staying at my home this weekend from Friday night through Monday morning early and would like to show him some hospitality.

Does anyone with Indian experience have any ideas that would make his visit enjoyable? He has no food restrictions. He is in his 20's or maybe early 30's and has a background in IT. He is somewhat humorous and adventurous.

1) Ideas for places to eat (he might want a taste of Texas but also something he is familiar with from back home).

2) Places to hang out. I know this is a big open question, but again, I have no idea where to start. He will be staying with me and my family in our big home ranging from grandparents to toddlers living with us so there is plenty going on here, but he may want to get out and hang out with the young professional scene one evening.

3) I'm going to take him up to our ranch one day to see a bit of the country side, but not sure about anything else.

4) If you are from India, do you recall what you would have like to have done on your first visit?

5) Is there anything I should consider in this culture? I have asked about religious observations but he doesn't say nor has any but my kids and I are going to church on Sunday (Palm Sunday) where we are singing (this was scheduled weeks ago before we found out he was coming) so I'm hoping this will sort of work itself out

Thanks!

Mucho


ksp
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Definitely take him for some BBQ and Fajitas some where. (no we do not need a debate of which BBQ is better.

Maybe an Aggie baseball game while he is here? (Missouri is in town, decent baseball club so should be a good game)

Not a fan of curry so no recs on Indian cuisine. sorry
MiMi
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S
For Indian food - Taz Indian Cuisine
kittenmittens
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When friends from other cultures/countries come to visit my family, we generally don't try to take them to restaurants serving "their" kind of food. We always ask if they're interested but let them know that they're not obligated.

Given the timing of when he'll be here, you could introduce him to the annual Texas tradition of stopping on the side of the road to take photos with the flowers. :-)
jrhmc
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AG
I've taken visitors from other countries over to the Bluebell Factory tour. They seemed to get a big kick out of it. Also, it's a good place to take pictures in the flowers as mentioned above. Brehnam also has a great old style roller skating rink that's a lot of fun and Washington-on-the-Brazos is on the way there so you could get a bit of Texas history. Bluebell is only open during the weekdays though.
O.G.
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quote:
When friends from other cultures/countries come to visit my family, we generally don't try to take them to restaurants serving "their" kind of food. We always ask if they're interested but let them know that they're not obligated.

Given the timing of when he'll be here, you could introduce him to the annual Texas tradition of stopping on the side of the road to take photos with the flowers. :-)
This x2. It has been my experience as well.
Chazz03
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AG
Dixie Chicken
John Cocktolstoy
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Twenty+...take him to the Dirty Sock!
Second Hardest Workin Man on Texags
Marooned_n_Aggieland
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Take your Indian visitor by the AgriLife building to show him opulence among bluebonnets.
Rooster14
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BBQ? Really? What the better side dish for the Hindu god, potato salad or baked bean?
Mr. Griswold
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In my experience, American grocery stores usually amaze foreigners. Take him to HEB south.
Oogway
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Try the Bush library. Although the Easter celebration is this weekend, so it will be busy, a Presidential library is very American. The Washington on the Brazos suggested earlier is another 'history' visit that is nice, or Liendo Plantation for a southern history perspective.
Since he is only here for essentially two days, maybe a tour of the campus as opposed to a full baseball game? If you do go to the game, see if you can find some apple pie for dessert afterward!
Fonzie Scheme
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AG
quote:
BBQ? Really? What the better side dish for the Hindu god, potato salad or baked bean?

OP already said he has no dietary restrictions.
Swarely
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Put a cowboy hat on him and take him to shoot guns.

Seriously. I bet he loves it.
ksp
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quote:
BBQ? Really? What the better side dish for the Hindu god, potato salad or baked bean?
reread the OP and tell me why BBQ wouldn't be a good idea?

1-800-ABCDEFG
samsal75
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AG
Wow, first visit to the USA and Texas will be interesting. Take him to Huntsville and drive through the forest. He will tell you that he never imagined Texas had such trees. Regardless of education, most foreigners will tell you they never heard that Texas had forests. Not to mention the history that surrounds Huntsville. Have fun!
Fonzie Scheme
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AG
If you go to Huntsville, don't forget the prison museum.
2ndYearSenior
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AG
Still wondering why all caps was necessary.
techno-ag
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AG
Or the Sam Houston statue.
PS3D
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quote:
In my experience, American grocery stores usually amaze foreigners. Take him to HEB south.


I can back this up.
meggy09
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AG
+1 to gun range
Sailor
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+2 gun range and shooting. I have taken several Dutch coworkers and they both say this is the most fun thing they did here. Plus as an added benefit it demystifies firearms and they become an advocate back home.
AggiePirate
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AG
Earth Art and Hot Dogs Etc.
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mhnatt
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Thank you all for the great ideas. The visit was nice and I think we exposed him to both some stereotypical culture and some pleasant unexpected things of our own.

We took a tour of campus on Saturday morning with the Cub Scouts, finishing at the awesome (but crowded) Physics Festival. My MIL prepared some spicy baked potatoes covered with Buffalo chili which he claimed was his favorite so far in a couple of weeks of being in different places of the States.

Next headed to our family ranch about a hour from CS where we met my 80+ year old parents who were just driving up from the back 40 on the Gator with a shotgun, looking to eradicate a rattlesnake nest that has been bugging them since last summer. He went nuts enjoying shooting the 20-ga. (I'd love to post a cute video of his first shot and the excitement that followed but that'd be going too far!).

Our next stop was a Palm Sunday service (Saturday evening) at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Bryan. Though he said so, I could tell that he truly enjoyed it. Good homily by the way!

We finished Saturday evening with dinner at Abuelo's, hoping we could satisfy his need for spicy food. I know, I totally know, this was one of the dumbest things we could have done, but a few others suggested that the ambience of Abuelo's would counter their nasty food. I'm sorry....so sorry. Anyhow, one strike isn't too bad.

The guy is used to only 3 hours sleep but we couldn't stay up and had to be bad hosts by turning in at 11pm.

Sunday morning was a treat. We all headed up to First Baptists Hearne where our three little children performed a couple songs during the service (being a bragging dad, I'd be glad to make a post of the video!). Again, I think he really liked it.

We then headed over to a friend's ranch to look at his Longhorn cattle and make a few molestation flybys with my Phantom 2+ Vision drone. We broke for another home cooked meal of excellent prime rib and potatoes courtesy of my MIL again. We then had him pop off a few rounds of my 9MM handgun where ecstasy once again filled my Hindu friend's cup (yes, he is Hindu but asked that we allow him to try Texas beef!).

We then headed off for a walk along the levy at Lake Bryan to talk business and culture.

Finally, Monday we ended with a trip to Genghis Grill to yet again, try to satisfy his desperate need for spicy food. Here, again, we took a strike, as we realized that Genghis was not as "fresh" as we remembered (has something happened there in the past few months???), despite going at what we thought was prime time 8pm. Yikes people! Seriously, what happened there!?!?

We sent him off early this morning with a pair of my Justin ostrich boots and straw hat, and lots of memories of church, guns, and Texas meat.

Thank you all for such great ideas!

Swarely
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Sounds like a fun time!
techno-ag
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