...And I'm Back!!!
Sorry, sorry.I know, it's a while. A LONG while.
But I'm back. So what, you ask, took me away from this blog for so long?
Well, lots of things. But mainly I moved and there have been some personal and professional changes, leading to many stressful moments and challenges, and leaving me little time to blog.
But fear not, for the one thing I've not forgotten to do my dear readers is to PROCRASTINATE!
So, here's a cute little story (well, at least I think so):
I recently moved to Indianapolis, from my beloved Chicago, and found myself in a small city with very few friends (um...more like acquaintances, but little do they know that my lonely butt will be calling them up nonstop and turn them into friends! Muhaaaaa!) and really, wondering what in the world I got myself into and when would I be getting home to the windy city.
Orientation, or what was more like the calm before the storm was intriguing and at times even fun. However, the initial "networking party" made me a little worried/anxious when I kept bumping into small town white folks who couldn't pronounce my name and seriously were a little in awe of me. Of course, don't get me wrong, I met extremely intelligent, diverse, accomplished people as well. But, well, was I really going to have to be around some of these people who had little idea of my culture and found my name exotic for the next XYZ years?? I mean, we all have gotten our share of "No, really, where are you from?" and "Wow, what a pretty name!" questions and comments before, but to be asked and told that a number of times in one evening was a little unsettling. BTW, I wasn't shocked that this happened. I mean this happens anywhere you go (hell it even occasionly happens to me in Chicago and recently in NJ (NJ, capital of Desiland of all places!!!But let's face it. This is a small city. And well, unlike Chicago, at times, you may actually find yourself the ONLY desi there.), no matter what city or place, but to be suddenly faced with it all over again, in a matter of minutes, was a little unnerving. Besides, I also met many other Asian-American/Middle Eastern-American/African-American people who were asked similar questions. Funnily enough, we all usually took a sip of our drinks, smirked, looked XYZ in the eye, and proceeded to give him/her/all of them a straight answer. "Um, no, my name is P-A-Y-A-L. No, not Kyle. P-P P-A-Y-A-L. Yes, that's exactly how you pronounce it. And, yes, it's an Indian-Hindi name!"
So, after our lovely little party (which BTW got better, when I ran into 2 Indian guys--very funny story, and a whole another post!) I'm walking back to my apartment. I was actually kinda missing home, missing home-cooked food, and missing my friends who could pronounce my names correctly! So low and behold, as I'm walking, I hear Carnatic music coming from the distance. WTF??? This is downtown Indy and I'm near a park, What in the world is going on?? I start walking towards the music, seeing "apna lokh", aunties with sarees and punjabis, a man in a dhoti, and little girls in Bharata Natyam costumes! And guess where I found myself. That's right. Right across from my little WASP party, was the Indian Association's India Independence Celebration event. With FREE FOOD:)!!!!! There was a huge park across from my little partay and a large stage with a stone roof was in the middle of it. And the desi community had taken it over. There were tables of food, trucks loaded with more food, a made-up playground for kids, port a potties, little sinks reminding me of Taste of Chicago, pamphlets of India and its independence, posters and signs for particular communities (ie the Sikh Association, the Gujurati Samaj, etc). Little girls were doing a Bharata Natyam performance, some older girls did a dance to some Bollywood song, little boys danced to a patriotic song from the movie "Mangal Pandey", and Indians were all different communities-Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, etc were all sitting together, eating, talking, and having a grand old time in the middle of the day, in the middle of a random park, in the middle of this state, and in the heartland of our good old U S of A. And I found myself, a lonely student, out of nowhere, in the middle of a small, but cozy Indian gathering in the heart of the city. And all of it unexpected. Very suprising, and very nice. Just when you think you're all alone, some how, your community just shows up at your doorstep, somehow finds you, to let you know, that there still others who can pronounce your name. It was so much fun to see all these kids and adults proudly celebrating their culture in this small town, enthusiastically dancing and eating, and bringing visitors, and even local political candidates (yes, I saw people representing a local candidate there, trying to get votes:)) to their lovely mela. And, finally, after a weekend of parties and get togethers, and angst, and worries of moving, I realized, I was going to have a lovely time in this small city. Because, no matter where I went, and who met, or how many times I had to repeat my name and describe my background, somewhere, somehow, there will always be someone who knows exactly where my name came from and let me know that I am not alone.
posted by payal @ 10:02 PM
2 Comments:
I happened to see that party going on, as well! :-) And even though I cannot understand what it must feel like for people to continuously ask questions about the origins of your name, etc, that sort of thing does make me cringe somewhat, as well, just because it makes me extremely aware of how insulated most Indiana-dwellers are. By the way, if you ever want to go in search of some Indian cuisine here, I'd be up for it. The first semester of my senior year of college, I went on a study-abroad program during which I got to take a quick tour through a lot of Asia, and then spend like two and a half months studying in India (in Kochi, Kerala, but we also got to take a tour of several other places throughout India, first). So, even though I am no expert when it comes to Indian (or Asian of any sort) culture, I do enjoy the food (I could eat saag paneer/palak paneer forever, as well as kheer), and dancing to bhangra is one of the most fun forms of dancing EVER. (One of the few types of dancing that can be a blast but doesn't have to involve bumping and grinding.) Anyway... glad to know you stumbled onto that party in the park afterward!
--Angela
Angela!
Thanks so much for visiting our blog! And of course continue to do so. Yeah that initial gathering was a little weird to say the least. But I'm so glad we found each other admist all the weird people:)
Rock on my sister, rock on.
I just can't believe you went to India. I have to hear more stories and see pics! It will be a great way to procrastinate on our case briefs:)
Oh and to everyone else who is wondering who Angela is, she is one of my new buddies at school. Isn't she awesome!!!!
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