From rickshaws to delivery apps: Woman lists '10 things India does that I wish we had in America'

'The American Dream': Many hope to live and experience the country, but US citizen Kristen Fischer, who currently lives in India, talks of things that make India special, and she hopes she had these luxuries back home. In a social media post, she emphasises, "These are ten things India does that I wish we had in America."

Very impressed with the digitisation in the country, she wrote, "Digital IDs and digital payments through UPI makes so much sense and simplifies everything. I can go out with only my phone and that is enough. I think Unified Payment Interface (UPI) is something the whole world should adopt."

Autos and rickshaws are something even locals love for its convenience; who would miss a breezy ride to enjoy the pleasant weather? Fischer thinks, "They are cheap, fast, and a very convenient way to get around. I use rickshaws every day and don't have to worry about driving or parking."

Add WION as a Preferred Source

She also praises the medical assistance available in the country. "Doctors are very easy to find in India. Most of the time, no appointments are necessary."

She adds, "In America, you have to make an appointment weeks or even months ahead of time to see a doctor. Coming to India was the first time I ever had a doctor prescribe a probiotic to take alongside an antibiotic. It makes sense to me to take those two together to save the gut."

'Musical trash truck' that's a fancy name she coined for the waste collection vehicles that operate across the country. Sharing her experience, she adds, "Delhi has free government waste removal and it is great. I love hearing the musical trash truck come around, and everyone throws their garbage in. We had to pay a lot for trash service in America."

We've heard of friends who go to settle abroad and then end up acquiring skills to be more hands-on. 'Handy man' is the reality they have to accept in their daily life abroad. "It is so convenient to hire skilled labour in India and have help. In America, if you need something done, you have to figure out how to do it yourself because it is just so expensive to hire people," she confirms.

View this post on Instagram

In India, greens on your plate are taken very seriously, and that translates to our menus in restaurants as well. 'I love that India has so many vegetarian options'.

Looks like Fischer is enjoying exploring Indian cuisine, as she says, "Many restaurants are vegetarian only and others have at least half the menu with veg options. It is so different than the USA where the options are few to none."

Her dislike for junk mail seemed evident, as she wrote, "It is true that there is no junk mail in India and it is great. It is so much less wasteful than the USA which gets junk mail daily."

Retail therapy at a consistent price is something she's happy about, "MRP, or maximum retail price, is super convenient in India. You can know what something will cost no matter where you go, and that price is printed onto the product label. In America, people can charge whatever they want for products and is never printed on the label."

Lastly, not every purchase needs you to run errands; sometimes it can be ordered online and be delivered in minutes. Exploring delivery apps, they are one of the most convenient things about being in India. "There are dozens of apps that will deliver virtually anything to your door in minutes. Yes, you read that right, minutes!"