I watched the movie The Namesake the other night. It was a crazy reminder of how different cultures can be. The movie showed the contrast between the East Indian and American culture. Neither being better…just different. The main female character expressed her love for both countries for different reasons after spending half her life in each place. Ultimately though, she felt “free” in her homeland, India.

My dad grew up in India, and my mom in Africa (both children of missionaries overseas). I think they both moved back when they graduated high school and they met in college. So much happened in my life before I graduated high school! I’ve heard their stories, but I’ll never fully grasp how they experienced their lives before moving here.

Left – Dad (far right), siblings, & friends on the train to boarding school in India.
Right – Mom (middle) & boarding school classmates in Africa.

When I was born, my parents were on deputation, raising money to be missionaries in India. The organization they were with put them in the inner city of San Francisco, CA instead, “temporarily”. Well, that turned out to be a few years in SF running a community center for children, and about 15 more years in Oakland, CA where they ran a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center and shelter for the homeless. That is my childhood. I believe I am very lucky for having experienced the reality of the inner city. But what if we DID go to India? My life would be so drastically different. Who would I be? Would I have a better understanding of life, being raised in a third world country? Or has living here in California given me a clear understanding of life? I have no answer to these questions.

Places I need to visit: India & Africa.

I think going to these countries would help me to have a better connection to my parents and why they are who they are, and why I am who I am. My house has been decorated in African and Indian artifacts, fabrics, and photos my entire life, and still I don’t know the feeling of BEING there. I’m ready to go.