By: Nikitha Taniparti, India.<\/p>\n
All the way from Hyderabad to South Bend. So many things to say, yet where to start? I think it started when I was at the US consulate in India at the interview required to get my visa. The interviewer reads, \u201cMs.Nikitha so-and-so\u2026.going to\u2026the University of\u2026NOTRE DAME?!\u201d He stands up and exclaims, \u201cI went to USC!\u201d and I timidly respond, \u201cThat\u2019s nice?\u201d What was I supposed to say? Right there \u2013 I had absolutely no idea what coming to Notre Dame entailed. From my oblivious bliss of our (actually quite good) football team to my ignorance of what my first winter would feel like, almost every day is still somewhat of a culture shock to me. I am an undergraduate freshman, and, although people are quick to assume I\u2019m just another \u2018American Indian\u2019, I really do struggle with being so far away from home for such a long time (five more months till summer break!).<\/p>\n
Loyal to the \u2018Notre Dame introduction\u2019; you greet people with what your name is, where you\u2019re from, what dorm you\u2019re in, and, if you\u2019re lucky, what major you intend to pursue. Right at the second question, people double back and ask me, \u201cWait, so you\u2019re really from India? The country? But you\u2019re English is so good, you don\u2019t seem that different! Did you actually live there?\u201d Again, I struggle with how to respond. Living so far away doesn\u2019t mean you live on a different planet. It doesn\u2019t mean you don\u2019t speak English, the unofficial global language. It doesn\u2019t mean we don\u2019t wear jeans and shirts and jewelry just like everyone else. It\u2019s hilarious, bemusing and disorienting all at the same time. I enjoy telling people about the unique qualities of India like the amazing food and tastes, the beautiful clothes, the funny English accents and the fact that there are over 1,000 languages; but I enjoy telling them even more about how I can go to a McDonalds, watch a movie premier that is released in India even before it is released here, listen to Lady Gaga and Eminem on my iPod, play laser tag at school and go to parties in clubs that look like they were transported from New York or Chicago. And the most wonderful part about all of this is: Most other international students can probably say the same. The world is certainly not homogenous, but at the same time, it\u2019s not as segregated and different as people tend to assume initially.<\/p>\n
So, while watching people eat corn dogs at South Dining Hall still makes me gawk at such a peculiar food creation and marvel at the culture difference, \u2018knocking on wood\u2019 with my (American) roommate to prevent possibly jinxing something gives me comfort that a superstitious\u00a0 belief that is shared by two people from opposite sides of the world. I\u2019ve realized we\u2019re all different based on where we come from \u2013 just not as different as everyone thinks. I continue my mission to spread the word about our \u2018different similarities\u2019 and I\u2019m thoroughly enjoying every minute of it.<\/p>\n
Oh, and, by the way, Go Irish! Beat USC!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By: Nikitha Taniparti, India. All the way from Hyderabad to South Bend. So many things to say, yet where to start? I think it started when I was at the US consulate in India at the interview required to get … Continue reading