Cultural Interview Recap

For my EDIF 300 class, we had to construct an interview with someone completely different from ourselves. I decided to interview my friend, Ada (her name is changed for personal reasons), who happened to be Indian. As you may know that I am very strong in my faith and I thought it was very interesting to understand someone's faith so different from my own. Ada was Hindu as many people from India are. She was not born in India but in America, however, her parents immigrated here years before she was born. She told me how her parents were married through an arranged marriage, which I have always heard happened but could never fathom it. Despite all of the negatives I have heard about arranged marriages, Ada told me that her parents always seemed happy to her.

Despite our differences in faith, I could relate with her of living in a strict household and having loving parents who wanted to best for us. We both did not see it as a bad thing but knew our parents had high standards for us. From this interview, I gained so much information about India and being a Indian-American. I learned that despite our differences we still faced the some of the same challenges. As an educator, I can use my experience from this interview to try to find some common ground with my students no matter how different they are from me.

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My Cultural Interview:

I met my friend, Aab, through another friend that I met last semester in an English class. My friend had a movie night at her dorm and also invited a few friends including Aab. Although I didn’t speak much to Aab that night, I did notice about her mentioning some joke about her be- ing Hindu and it really sparked my interest. We talked a few times while with our group of friends but I never had a real conversation with her until now. This interview was the first time I really talked to her about her life and her views.

The interview was very thought provoking, especially learning about the struggles of immigrants in America and even after they gain the citizenship, the struggles their children may face who are born here. I was able to learn more about the Indian culture about various celebra- tions. I also learned a little bit more about the Hindu religion and how much family is intertwined with everyday Indian life.

I chose to interview Aab, because I was really interested about her culture and how she was able to “live the best of both worlds” in America. I was also intrigued to know more about the Hindu religion because I only knew what I was taught from school and never from someone’s true perspective. I was really amazed about some her answers to my questions although I couldn’t type everything that I wanted, because I am such a slow typer, nevertheless from what I could gather from the interview I could see the struggle of being a minority or a child of immi- grants living in America.

1. What is your race, ethnicity and/ or family heritage?

I am Indian. My parents are originally from India but they moved here in the US about 20-25 years ago. My parents met in India through an arranged marriage. My uncle eventually called them to the US. My uncle traveled everywhere.

2. What is your definition of “culture?”

When I think of culture in India, all of the fancy shenanigans and events are always cen- tered around family or reuniting. We always keep family close. Indians culture is about keeping your family above yourself. Indian new year.

I am more of a cultural person instead of a religious person. I don’t hold religious themes verbatim. I usually think of in the cultural aspect rather than the religious aspect.

3. How do you define “family?” (Whom do you consider as family?)

My friends have been a huge part of my family. While I consider my real family my fam- ily, while growing up in America, I have had a cultural identity crisis. I can’t express myself cul- ture things like “this boy is cute” or anything silly of that sort to my family while I can to my friends.

4. How do you define success?

What you are aiming for. You can be successful in many areas. Like in academics, in your social life, etc.

5. Do you consider your parents to be successful?

I considered my family successful. But I feel like they wouldn’t. When you come here and you try to live the cliche “American Dream” and want to go to the top. But learning English by yourself, raising your daughter here and making your shop or creating your career, it is a whole new way of life that matches the American dream...I see it pretty successful. But they had to deal with a lot coming here, trying to get citizenships...it’s a big deal. Back then, it seems a good and hard thing to do. The whole new outlook on immigration has an huger impact now.

6. How important is education in your family?

Education is very important. India is a huge population that is still growing and most people just know how to grow big families.

My father’s dad died early; he had 5 brothers and 1 sister, so he couldn’t finish his edu- cation; my mom’s dad died early too and she couldn’t finish hers either although she got pretty far. No one could finish as much as they wanted. For me, being determined and studious and wanting to become a lawyer is a huge accomplishment. I didn’t want to want to take it for grant- ed. I am constantly looking to better myself.

7. Do you or your immediate family (parents, brothers/sisters) speak more than one lan- guage? If so, what? How did you/your family learn the language?

We speak our national language, Hindi, pretty much all day. When you’re Indian you have different languages per state. My family is part of the Indian group called Sindhi, we learn that from our family. They learned English here in the US.

8. If you are from a culture that speaks English as a second language, do you speak your native language? If not, why? If so, will you teach your native language to any children you have?

Yeah, I think when I have my kid I am definitely going to teach them their language. I think that is what they are supposed to be proud of. I think it will give them a better outlook of the world. India sees the world different from Americans and vice versa. English wasn’t my first language and I didn’t learn it until I had a speech class from when I was 5-8 years old.

9. How Was the Speech Class?

They made me produce a lot of words and pictures. It was good. They clearly taught me well. Most people are surprised that English wasn’t my first language. Still today I pronounce words wrong. Even my mother who was taught in a British school in India does the same. I still work my way around it today

10. How has your race, class, or gender affected your experiences in school or college?

As an Indian person, people give me those stereotypes (Oh, so you win science fairs). You clearly get judged. I was planning to be a doctor because my brother was going to be one, so I was judged for that because of that stereotype. I am not the typical Indian who loves math and science. I remember there was a time when we do pooja, an Indian ritual, and people would be fascinated by it.

On Quantico, the main actress of the show explained that during her life that she was called “brownie” and I could relate to it. We also have a religious symbol that looks that the Nazi symbol. In my parent’s store a customer accused of us having the Nazi symbol.

11. In college, even though there is not much physical diversity, there is a diverse outlook. Who are your friends? What is their race, ethnicity, gender, class? Does your family have any input on your friends?

All of my friends are mainly white. It is not that I didn’t want to talk to Indian people. I never made any effort. Most are friends are white Americans and I have few African American friends. My parents like my friends but they do criticize me of my lack of Indian friends.

12. What should be remembered from your heritage? Why?

The importance we give towards family. We can see that reflected in our cultural celebra- tions. My favorite is a festival of with many colors called Holi. Its really fun and its one of the best things that people should remember. Also, the Indian New Year is very pretty with its can- dles and decorations.

13. What is the most significant difference you find between your native culture and the culture you are now living in (the United States)?

Our Indian and American mentalities are different. Living in America is more fast paced. The US respects more of the individual. Indian is more about community. When someone gets married in India it is said that “when you’re getting getting married you're not marrying to indi- vidual but to the entire family.” That’s why the family is so united and we try to get along no matter what.

14. Do you eat foods that are indigenous to your culture? Why or why not? If you an- swered yes, name some of the foods that you eat. If you answered no, what types of foods do you eat?

I do. When I wasn’t on campus I would eat it quite frequently.

15. Do you actively participate in an organized religion?

Yeah. I go to the Temple. I don’t go frequently. I will always consider myself a Hindu no matter.

16. How important is religion in your family? Why?

Religion is very important. It is something that we can still reflect on. While we are far from India, we are still grounded in our roots. My mom still does the Indian rituals and I do when I go home. Every Indian has their own temple in their home.

17. If religion is important in your family, do you plan to pass this on to your children? Why or why not?

I plan to pass it to my kids. I don’t know how well I will do, but hopefully my mom will help me. People tried converting me a lot, but you have respect diversity and other religions. In order to keep my religion and make it survive, I will have to continue it. If you are born into it (Hindu), that is who you are. You don’t choose it like in Christianity.

18. What is considered most disrespectful in your culture?

Some people get offended by a lot of things. If you are going to the temple just dress ap- propriately (like at church) and take off your shoes. It is not considered disrespectful if you're oblivious about. But I cannot pinpoint something atrocious.

19. What would you say is, from your perspective, the most commonly held misconception about people of your culture?

The stereotypes. It’s not a misconception because there are stereotypes for a reason. You cannot judge a group based on stereotypes. There are exceptions and accept them and understand why they are exceptions.

20. Have you ever experienced racism? In what form?

I was called Slumdog Billionaire after the movie, but I haven’t truly seen it.

21. What can be done about racism and prejudice, in your opinion

People need to be more open towards it. I wish there was more culture studies in school.

22. Have you ever felt excluded based on your gender or culture?

I never felt excluded I just felt there wasn’t much done about it. I never felt part of any- thing either.

23. Do you remember excluding others based on Culture or Gender?

I know how it feels to not feel to be a part of something so I tried. There are times I have been judgmental but not due to race but of what I perceive an individual, which I find to be hu- man nature.

Conclusion

Twinkle and I are different in so many ways. First, I am a Christian and she is a Hindu. I am African American and she’s Indian. My parents were born in the US while her parents came from a different nation. Her parents were in an arranged marriage (which truly surprised me) and my parents were not. Nevertheless, we still had so many similarities, which we talked about out- side of the interview session. For example, we both have a deep crush on British actors such as Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch.We are both very family oriented. What really stood out is that we are both very deep into our beliefs and how it influences our every day lives. We also understand the struggles of being a minority in America despite our different racial back- grounds. We both understand the struggles of fighting against the stereotypes in the nation and also trying to show others that racism is still deeply rooted in our country (and the world). I was very amazed of how other minorities view racism although in the media it is very black and white. I enjoyed seeing another perspective of diversity and how various cultures makes us who we are.