Indian American Life
The Hidden Life of an Indian American Student By:Kavya Bomma
When someone says the word Indian, their minds go straight to at least these three words: curry, light bulb twisting, and spicy food. Though is that all there is to being an Indian American?
What are people not seeing that makes them think this. Indian American kids have a double life in most cases. Their dressing, activities, music, food, and dancing are very different from the traditional American music.
While Indian American kids are Indian, they are also American which ties in with the way they socialize and live. In fact some people who live in India call Indian American kids ABCDs (American Born Confused Desi[Another name for Indian]).
Indians who live in America have a different view on clothes. For ABCDs, they wear (or are forced to …show more content…
wear) Indian clothes to all the Indian events and parties. Most Americans think that all Indians wear are weird shirts and pants. Though in the world of Indian clothes there is a separate timeline of fashion trends.
There are four main types of Indian clothes, Saris (which women wear), lehenga vonis (which teenage girls wear), lehengas (which younger girls wear) , and salwars (which all girls wear). Men wear kurtas which is a long shirt with long pants.
Music is a a very important part of most cultures. In India the Bollywood(the Indian version of Hollywood) music is the kind of music that most people in India dance to.
Indian Americans who live in America usually listen to both American and Indian. For example, an ABCD may listen to Indian music, but they will always come back to songs from Beyonce and Taylor Swift. Both cultures have twisted into each other so much that Indian songs have complete English lyrics in their songs. So when a ABCD listens to both kinds of songs, they feel comfortable because it includes both languages.
Food is a staple piece to an Indian American student.
When most people think of Indian food two things come to their mind, curry and spices.
In reality, there is much more involved in Indian food than just curry and spices. Most ABCDs eat both American and Indian food. According to Anuha Vellanki “I can’t live without spicy Indian food. Though I eat both American and Indian which balances the spicy food out.”
Providing a perspective on this topic, Mr.Sniadecki said ¨When I think of Bollywood movies I think of a burst of colors. I think of a very unique pallet of culture, language and religion.”
Mr.Sniadecki was right. Indian culture is so special and unique, it has continued in America. The Indian Americans have so much culture in them, they like to show through their food, music, clothing and music. Being Indian American is “a blessing and is part of me and shapes what I do and act like today.” said Anika Karumuri.
Being and Indian American can also be hard sometimes. Sometimes, ABCDs are forced to choose which culture they would act upon. But they know that no matter what, in their hearts,they will always be just an American that happens to be
Indian.
When someone says the word Indian, their minds go straight to at least these three words: curry, light bulb twisting, and spicy food. Though is that all there is to being an Indian American?
What are people not seeing that makes them think this. Indian American kids have a double life in most cases. Their dressing, activities, music, food, and dancing are very different from the traditional American music.
While Indian American kids are Indian, they are also American which ties in with the way they socialize and live. In fact some people who live in India call Indian American kids ABCDs (American Born Confused Desi[Another name for Indian]).
Indians who live in America have a different view on clothes. For ABCDs, they wear (or are forced to …show more content…
wear) Indian clothes to all the Indian events and parties. Most Americans think that all Indians wear are weird shirts and pants. Though in the world of Indian clothes there is a separate timeline of fashion trends.
There are four main types of Indian clothes, Saris (which women wear), lehenga vonis (which teenage girls wear), lehengas (which younger girls wear) , and salwars (which all girls wear). Men wear kurtas which is a long shirt with long pants.
Music is a a very important part of most cultures. In India the Bollywood(the Indian version of Hollywood) music is the kind of music that most people in India dance to.
Indian Americans who live in America usually listen to both American and Indian. For example, an ABCD may listen to Indian music, but they will always come back to songs from Beyonce and Taylor Swift. Both cultures have twisted into each other so much that Indian songs have complete English lyrics in their songs. So when a ABCD listens to both kinds of songs, they feel comfortable because it includes both languages.
Food is a staple piece to an Indian American student.
When most people think of Indian food two things come to their mind, curry and spices.
In reality, there is much more involved in Indian food than just curry and spices. Most ABCDs eat both American and Indian food. According to Anuha Vellanki “I can’t live without spicy Indian food. Though I eat both American and Indian which balances the spicy food out.”
Providing a perspective on this topic, Mr.Sniadecki said ¨When I think of Bollywood movies I think of a burst of colors. I think of a very unique pallet of culture, language and religion.”
Mr.Sniadecki was right. Indian culture is so special and unique, it has continued in America. The Indian Americans have so much culture in them, they like to show through their food, music, clothing and music. Being Indian American is “a blessing and is part of me and shapes what I do and act like today.” said Anika Karumuri.
Being and Indian American can also be hard sometimes. Sometimes, ABCDs are forced to choose which culture they would act upon. But they know that no matter what, in their hearts,they will always be just an American that happens to be
Indian.