In Odia, there is a popular saying "je deshe jaai, se phala khaai" - which means, to which ever country you go, eat the fruits of that country. One way it is logical, that you don't have to import/export a lot of things required for your daily living, is not it ? :)
Now that I am based in the USA for sometime, it makes all the sense to try eating the fruits here - and yes, for somebody like me who grew up in a far away place from the north India regions where fruits are in abundance, oh boy, happy I am to see all the different types of juicy and fresh fruits here! I believe, if I don't eat lot of fruits in USA, it is kind of an insult to being here!
Keeping the literal meaning aside, if you think about the proverb, it actually means that just gel with the local culture. USA is one of the best places on earth to gel - it welcomes all kinds of people, from all over the world, and being the richest country, it attracts so many foreigners for work. In India, I never saw so many non-indians, like the way I am seeing non-americans in america. It is definitely a much much more favourite destination to stay, and not just to visit.
However, to me, it looks like people from different cultures and ethnicity tend to form their own close groups as social circle. It might be kind of an identity crisis, an urge to hold on to your own culture as much as possible - just to have that "I am still close to home" feeling. For example, indians who would have ignored some festivals while living in India, tend to being particular about celebrating those when in USA. I wonder why that urge ... I mean, holding on to one's own culture is fine, but doing that out of a 'otherwise I am lost' feeling is not exactly healthy I guess. Over time, you are a bunch of 'desis' who just move around with desis, and even if they stay here for like 20/30 years, their complete friend circle is only desis ...
Hmmm ... may be that is a good thing to do in the long run, at least you are not exactly lost, but hold on, is it true? You are lost in India also when you go back after 30 years, and you are lost here as you never attempt to gel into the society...
It is just my observation until now, but may be this is the reason why the next generation grow up into becoming ABCDs - I wonder what happens in the second generation!
Anyway, I am also trying to have the fruits of this country, and stay close to the desi culture as well :)
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
To whichever country you go, have the fruits of that country
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2 comments:
Good Observation.This is applicable to all the immigrant family that come to the this great land of oppurtunity called "America". This place is a melting pot where all the culture melts and becomes one culture that is America. There are certain culture that takes time to melt. For example "Amish immigrants". They still to farming wear traditional dresses and all that stuff. And if for long time the culture does not melt then that culture becomes part of America. Don't get me started I can write a essay on this stuff(But I am lazy). Keep writing. Good Stuff!
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