Personal Narrative-I Am Indian-American Culture

I am Indian-American. However, accepting this truth was not as easy when I was younger. During the ages of 13-14, the age in which any child is finding himself or herself, realizing their identity, and coming to a conclusion regarding who they are, it was difficult for me to find a common ground between the two clashing cultures I grew up in. American culture screams individualism, independency, selfishness to benefit oneself, and equality between gender and races, whereas Indian culture asserts collectivism, dependency, strong family ideals, and separation of men and women. These stark differences made it anything but easy for a confused, pre-pubescent child, like myself at the time, to find their identity. As a child, I used to make it clear to my mom to not pack me any foods with rice, curry, or paratha (Indian flatbread). Indian cultural foods tend to have a strong, spicy smell to them that would make them clearly distinguishable among other kids’ lunches consisting primarily of PB&J sandwiches or bagels. I did not want to be known as “the weird kid who brings smelly food for lunch”. I began to increasingly suppress my Indian culture when I was in school. It came to the point where I didn’t even want to say my name to new people because of the scene it would create: the individual trying to say my name, and me trying to
This school was heavily concentrated with Desis (those of Indian and Pakistani descent), which resulted in a fusion of Desi and American culture. My first lunch at the school left me in utter culture shock. As I entered into the cafeteria, the strong aroma of spices mixed with curry and rice rose up to my nose and immediately reminded me of my home. Recognition and comfort coursed through my body as I embraced the scent, admiring the confidence each student had with who they are to eat their cultural foods with such poise and longing with such assurance as