Bobble heads

So one of the subtle nuances in Indian communication is the head bobble. Usually the head shake means yes, a nod means yes, a figure eight sort of bobble means yes. 'No' is hardly used, but sometimes it's a quick shake. Sometimes the figure eight is vigorous, other times is kind of floaty, like the person was just smacked over the head with a hammer and is dazed. Tricky business to communicate here.
Questioning and questioning techniques, central to conflict resolution, are up against the grain here. Asking questions, to Indians, is a sign of ignorance and they feel they'll come across as stupid if they ask questions (of course, some may be stupid, but that's beside the point). One of the suggestions I made to improve our courses is adding a questioning technique section. This is because that even if the students recognized the importance of asking questions, they have no idea how to ask the right questions. Phrasing, wording, timing, context, etc. needs to be taught. It's like starting from 1st grade, but up against 50 years of ingrained traditions of the opposite.