America is considered a “melting pot” of cultures, where people of many different races, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds blend in together as one. If we consider the United States as the root of a tree, we can think of each state as a separate branch and each city within it a separate branch, and so on. You get the idea.
Considering (THE) Ohio State University as a very specific example, you get to experience a blend of cultures everywhere you go, starting from the dorms, through classes, and even in all the dining locations on campus. I guess this is one of the advantages of going to a school with 60,000+ students, different people everywhere.
Coming from India, one of the largest diversities, I was pretty used to seeing different cultures everywhere, as each state had its own language, traditions, food, dances, and so on. The only thing that was certain was that each person there was from the same part of the world as I was.
Contrasting that with America, there does not seem to be that big of a difference in cultures as one progresses from state to state, but what this country does have is a massive influx of people from all around the world, everyone chasing their own personal versions of the “Great American Dream."
As I sat down to write this article, surrounded by my Indian, American, and Spanish roommates, I grabbed a coffee, which was given to me by a man of Bangladeshi descent, basically a neighbor from back home. Diversity is all around us in this country, and it is up to us how we perceive it and embrace it. Some people might turn to dismissing the presence of it, while others run to embrace it, educating themselves about the world that they live in. I have come to learn a lot about all the different cultures around me, cultures I would not have been as easily exposed to had I not been studying here.
I can now tell you what the locals in Spain think of the Catalan independence referendum, through the words of my Madrid born suitemate. I can also tell you how different Chinese snacks taste, courtesy of my roommate from Shanghai. Every little thing can be an educational experience here, be it something as trivial as playing different card games till 3 in the morning.
I came to America to study and get a good education, and while that is still in progress, I believe I have learned much more than I bargained for. I have learned to accept other cultures, to welcome other cultures. I have learned to share my own background with others, and I have learned to be patient when someone asks me things about my culture. Patience is key at times, especially when some people’s only exposure to India has been through Slumdog Millionaire.
Most importantly, I have learned that if you are in America, there is a higher chance of an alien invasion to occur than anywhere else. I mean, you can’t be a real melting pot if you do not accept alien cultures, can you?
