Amyra Week 5: My American Identity
San Diego is the first home I have ever known. Its sunny beaches and warm weather characterized the first four years of my life, from our little two-bedroom home with two palm trees in our garden (that are as old as me) to our visits to La Jolla Beach, where I got my first taste of the salty ocean breeze that I have come to adore.
In 2016, we moved to Fremont, trading Southern California sunshine for the foggy Bay Area.
On our first Costco trip in this new city, my parents were in utter shock; they found themselves surrounded by Asians. San Diego had been primarily White, from our neighbors to my dad’s colleagues. Now, our next-door neighbors were the Singhs.
Today, I have come to love this Indian-ness of Fremont: the universal experience of being subject to our strict parents’ shared principles and expectations, the familiar cuisine that is home to me, and the traditions and holidays that we all celebrate together. Whether it’s complaining about our parents’ rules, having to eat dal (a lentil dish that is my least favorite), or coming together to participate in Garba in our vibrant, bejeweled outfits, the familiarity of these shared experiences is something that I have grown to cherish.
Those differences between San Diego and Fremont are what have made Fremont home. San Diego may have been my first home, but Fremont has given me a community that (fortunately!) looked nothing like any of the Indian characters in the shows I watched. I was not Devi Vishwakumar in Never Have I Ever, navigating high school as one of the two South Asian students, or Ravi Ross, whose stereotypical accent and cultural clothes became the punchline of Jessie. Instead, my friends’ food smelled just as good as mine, and everything that would have made me different in San Diego was normal here.
And maybe that is what defines America: a melting pot of cultures. Our traditions connect us even when our backgrounds differ. Being American is not related to a particular race or religion, but rather the coexistence of cultures from all over the world. Fremont’s Indian-ness and its blending with various cultures—like the Curry Chicken Pizza at our local Bombay Pizza House—are what make it America.
My friends and I at a sweet 16, dressed in our cultural attire
Hi Amyra! It’s so interesting hearing about your different experiences in San Diego and Fremont. I’ve lived in Fremont my whole life, so I’ve never experienced life in a community that did not consist mostly of Asians. Similar to you, I love that Fremont has a community of Asians, and I feel really at home here. I like how you pointed out specific examples of the experiences you share with other Indian people in Fremont. I often see examples of this in my own family. My parents immigrated from Taiwan and found comfort in connecting with a community of Taiwanese people. Now, they often get together to practice folk dance, similar to how you participate in Garba with your friends. I think this community of Asians is part of why I love living in Fremont so much. Also, I liked how you compared your life in Fremont to the portrayals of Indians in American television because it highlights how diverse Fremont truly is. Overall, I definitely agree that the coexistence of multiple cultures is what makes America America.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautifully written blog, Amyra. Thank you for sharing this. I also love both of the photos you included in your piece—they are very cute! I, like you, share a similar experience moving from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Fremont, California. The culture shock I faced when moving here was unmatched by anything I had experienced before. I grew up around many Caucasian people, often getting teased for the Indian food I would bring to school. On top of that, there were only one or two Indian kids in my whole school, making me feel very isolated with my experiences. Because there were no people of my own culture around me, many of the other children were not accustomed to sharing spaces with kids of different ethnicities. Both my sister and I were made fun of heavily in elementary school, with my sister even being told to “Go back to [her] country” when she was in the first grade.
ReplyDeleteAll of this changed, however, when my family moved here! I finally met kids who looked like me—including you. Most of my neighbors were Indians and all of the kids I went to school with were much more receptive to my culture because they shared the same one. It was very hard for me to wrap my head around this. My younger self could not believe that so many different people could exist in one space after being an outcast my whole life. I am very glad my parents decided to move here because it gave me the opportunity to connect with people who are like me. Now, like you, I can talk about shared experiences with my friends who understand what I am going through. In fact, you and I share conversations like this every day!
America is such a diverse place, and I believe California displays this diversity unlike any other state in this country. I am so proud to call this state my home and am so thankful for the friends, memories, and experiences it has given me.
Hi Amyra! I had no idea you lived in San Diego, that’s amazing! I love San Diego because in my opinion, they have the beachiest beaches on the entire coast! La Jolla is such an aesthetically pleasing town–I visited multiple times to see my sister while she was studying at UCSD. The environment of the area alone has definitely inspired me to apply there. I totally agree with the Indian-ness of Fremont! Many people from outside of Fremont know it famously for being home to so many Asians, in general. While some criticize it, I think that it is nice to have a community that you can feel safe in. Beyond racial similarity, Fremont is a place where creativity and change can sprout from. I believe that everyone has a place to fit in in the world and for me–It’s Fremont. Thank you for sharing this relatable piece and THANK YOU for mentioning Bombay Pizza! You made me happy and hungry!
ReplyDelete