Growing up in a diverse community, I was exposed to a variety of cultures, religions, and beliefs. Regardless, the biggest cultural shock was right in my home, as I was born to half immigrant parents.
They aren't literally half immigrant; such a concept doesn't exist. Instead, my dad who came straight from the winding streets of Ahmedabad, married my mom who grew up in the bustling city of LA. Together, they arrived in America to provide the best possible lifestyle they could to their children. Eventually, they ended up in Atlanta, giving birth to both me and my brother.
I got the best of both worlds. While my dad is yelling at the TV because India was losing to Australia in a cricket match, my mom was in the kitchen yelling at the TV because of the doctors in Grey's Anatomy were not saving the patient in time. When my dad was reading scriptures of our religion in bed, my mom was laying next to him reading a magazine about the latest fashion. As my dad ate the traditional Indian dish, my mom and us kids would eat other foreign food, ranging from Chinese to Mexican depending on the mood.
As I got older, I became self-conscious at certain situations. I would try to ignore the shocked looks on peoples' faces when my dad spoke with a thick, Indian accent, when suddenly my mom would interrupt to correct him in her smooth, American accent. I would have to explain repeatedly that my mom was Indian and not mixed or white; she had fair skin and light brown eyes that people easily baffled over. People would laugh and joke that I was a "fake mixed person" due to my "American" mom and "Indian" dad.
Over time, I found myself identifying with two identities: the easy-going, American version I got from my mom, and the obedient Indian daughter I got from my dad. I struggled with those identities, confusing them often as I tried to separate those two worlds I grew up with.
Today, I accept those two worlds. I embrace both cultures my parents bring to me, as I learned to combine both identities into one. It may be fun living with immigrant parents; growing up in another culture within the four walls of your home leads to some unique experiences. Nevertheless, I enjoy half immigrant parents a lot more, as I experience both America and India at once.
