By Huma Sheikh

In less over three months, Beijing never looked the same; perhaps it was the excitement about being in China for the first time. The "unusual feeling" kept me from exploring Beijing and extensive travel across China and living in five-star hotels also played its part. The sudden November cool in Beijing was another reason not to venture out, especially after coming from warmer Honolulu, Hawaii.

Huma Sheikh visits the Great Wall in China, Nov.24, 2008.

In November last year, Beijing, nevertheless, presented to me a "HOME-Like" picture; people talking in groups on roadsides, horn-blaring traffic sounds, jammed roads looked like Delhi, the national capital of my native country, India. The scene gave the impression of being in a neighboring Asian country, which has similar aspects to that of India. But, having come from USA -- a place of an entirely different set up -- and not from India at the time, I felt like feeling that way was inevitable. I was traveling to China from the U. S. and being in another developing country after having spent months in the developed country, Beijing was obviously to replicate Delhi.

But now things are quite different. Currently, I am neither a visitor nor a student on a field trip to Beijing.

On Feb 23, 2009, I joined the website of Xinhua News Agency and as time slipped by I realized my first impression about Beijing was absolutely realistic. I was right. Working as a journalist at Xinhua portal gave me a chance to know how it was like working in Beijing and living like a Beijinger. A routine work schedule, organizing time and shuffling between appointments at home and workplace was drawing me closer to China, the fastest economy of the world. The other advantage was sharing an apartment with a Chinese couple and knowing more about their culture and lifestyle. The home sharing, nevertheless, followed the two-day frantic search and thanks to my cousin and his friend who helped me to find the accommodation.

Living in Beijing was like living in New Delhi. Both China and India have so much in common culturally and both share the same social, moral values and respect for elderly, reflecting their common practices that have traditionally been followed by Asians for centuries. A crowded subway with widespread working class crowd was another shared feature.

China and India share economic, military and diplomatic ties and over the years both the countries -- as emerging economies -- have attempted to strengthen bilateral ties.

The Sino-Indian cultural history dates back to the first century when Buddhists from India transmitted to China. Even the Indian epic Mahabharata contains references to China, indicating their relation from the 5th century BC.

It was amazing to hear "culturally-embedded" similar "words of wisdom" from one of my colleagues, who said the other day: "My parents always ask me to get married and I tell them I would get soon. My concern is not the marriage but additional responsibilities. You have the responsibility of your wife and her parents too. I am marrying a girl and her family becomes my responsibility. My understanding is when I am economically sound, I should go ahead and tie a knot."

"We must draw on the achievements of all cultures, but the culture of respecting elderly and their decision that was honed since centuries is still the same for Chinese people. We are modern like any other western country but when it comes to marriage, parents have the upper hand in decision-making. I have a love marriage and my parents supported my decision. We still believe in conventionalism," said my friend, adding "conventionalism appeals and further intensifies adherence to cultural norms.''

Her words mirrored Indian culture and the fact that cultural determinism stays with us, however modern and contemporary we have become.

(Xinhuanet April 1, 2009)