What fascinates me about studying here at UC Berkeley is that you never stop meeting new people! Apart from making a lot of new friends during Golden Bear Orientation and the initial weeks of classes, I’m still constantly meeting new people, be it through clubs or friends of my friends. Initially, I had trouble answering one of the very first questions that came up about where I was from. This is a seemingly simple question with a straightforward answer. But for an Indian expatriate who grew up in the Middle East, the answer is not so direct.
I could say that I was from India, which is definitely true, but it wouldn’t capture the full picture. Or I could say that I was from Oman, but this often led to some confusion since I wasn’t a citizen of the country and was still ethnically Indian. I instead settled on a variation of “I’m Indian but I’ve lived in Muscat, Oman almost my whole life.” While this is essentially the truth, I still feel that it doesn’t do justice to my upbringing in a diverse environment, or to my cultural identity.
During Indian festivals, my mother’s classic sweets are a delight, but at the same time, I cannot refuse Omani halwa, which is a traditional Omani dessert. Not only does my family celebrate India’s cricket wins, but when Oman won the football Gulf Cup, we joined thousands of Omanis on the streets to paint the town red. When I think comfort food, Qubs (Omani bread) and hummus pops into my mind but so does curd rice (a favorite among South Indians!). I sing the National Anthem of Oman with the same fervor as the National Anthem of India. I’m proud to call India, as well as Oman, my home.
I’ve just described my story, but at a diverse school like UC Berkeley, there are a ton of students who find themselves in the same situation. You may have parents hailing from two different corners of the world or you may have moved around and changed cities your whole life. You may even be a first-generation American who understands and celebrate your parents’ cultures. In any case, you might feel lost in this mélange of the different traditions you’ve grown up with. I like to think that I’m not one or the other but a product of these two cultures that have colored my life! How about you? Where are you from?
