As they say, when you are in Rome, do as the Romans do. Same way we can say when you are in America, do as Americans do. But that doesn’t mean that we should forget our roots and our country. That’s our true identity. I feel when we live abroad, it gives us a chance to live our culture even more deeply. Such occasions may not be many but whenever we get it, we should try to maintain it as much as possible. Festivals, kid’s birthday, or important days are a few of such occasions.

 

 

By saying sentences like “we don’t have time.” “lifestyle is different here.” “There is no house help, and celebrations mean too much work.” We won’t be able to live in India and enjoy the festive spirits if we don’t make those extra efforts. There will always be one excuse or other, but we have to think beyond the reaons and try to see the bigger picture. Our kids who are born here have very few opportunities to understand Indian culture. For them, festivals and occasions are the only way to see India, understand India and live India. It is challenging both for the parents and kids to hold these moments. To create some memorable moments, parents should celebrate them in their real sense. Every time, going to India for attending family gatherings on every occasion is practically not, possible but we can make efforts to bring India into our homes. We can make efforts to give our kids a chance to live in India for at least one day.

 

Indian food is another aspect that connects us to our culture. Preparing traditional food, having it with the entire family sitting together, can be so satisfying and itself gives the feel of the celebration. Here, when mom cooks something authentic, and kids come running from their room, they remind us how we used to run to the kitchen when the aroma of sweets used to make its way to our room. We may not get gujia or chiwda here, but we can always involve our kids in preparing these at home. We may not feel the inner zeal to prepare special dishes for Diwali because there is no Diwali feeling or festive vibes in the air, but we can try to create those vibes inside our hearts. Living abroad is not very easy. It may look rosy, but these are the day-to-day challenges that we face, but we all try to find a mid-way out. Now tell me, if we say that “I didn’t get time to prepare sweets” then who is going to do that for us? Our only option is to make an effort to keep India alive or to let that go. I choose to keep India alive. And I will try my level best to follow this practice every year.

If you are looking for recipes that you can cook at home then please check out my recent recipe book – Culinary Tales – Indian Recipes for Every Home Chef . For Amazon India here is the link Culinary Tales  – Indian Recipes for Every Home Chef (if you have the unlimited plan, it is currently available for a free download)

 

The third aspect that keeps us culturally is language. Yes, language is not just the medium to communicate, but it is also a way to connect to our culture. In my opinion, kids should know their mother tongue. Having a mother tongue is a blessing. I have seen when kids are very young, they talk their language, but as they grow, it soon starts to fade. English becomes the common language. The language which should be the mode of conversation becomes the barrier. When they visit India, kids find it hard to adjust, and soon they don’t like it there. They feel disconnected. One of the major reasons is not being comfortable with their language. After observing many parents, the reason that I found is parents don’t realize that when they lost control and touch of their mother tongue. It starts with a couple of English sentences, and slowly it becomes a comforting language, then parents talk in their language ,and kids reply in English. And then all start to start in English. I never wanted something of this sort to happen at my place. My kids are born here.

 

Today, I can proudly say that they speak fluent Marathi, Hindi, and English. It didn’t happen all of a sudden. Maintaining our language at home when they hear only English outside wasn’t very easy, but we had some set rules, and I am happy that they followed that.

 

Do you remember the song “Yeh Mera India” from the movie Pardes? That’s exactly we feel. Keeping India alive on foreign land is not easy. When we have western culture everywhere, sticking to our roots and passing it on to our kids is challenging. Being an immigrant parent, we have to find a balance between both cultures. It is challenging. But it’s not impossible. Knowing our roots, being aware of where we came from, a desire and sincere efforts to maintain that is what can help any immigrant parent to sail through.

 

This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z. My theme is “Dollar Nation-Are You Ready to Experience The West Through My Eyes?”

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